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FOR LYME REGIS, UPLYME, CHARMOUTH & AXMINSTER ● FORTNIGHTLY ● NOVEMBER 26 2021
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How our rising sea levels could affect Lyme in the future LYME Regis Town Council has been warned that it needs to start making preparations now to protect its most lucrative asset – the Monmouth Beach area – from rising sea levels in the future, although major effects are not likely to be seen for decades. REPORT, PAGE 3
Should we be teaching religion on the beach?
Lyme on parade for war heroes
A LYME Regis resident has requested to run children’s games on the beach to promote the theory of evolution and counteract a religious group which already runs similar activities teaching Christianity. REPORT, PAGE 2
LYME Regis was able to stage its Remembrance Sunday parade for the first time in two years earlier this month. The procession was led through the town centre by members of the Royal British Legion and serving and retired members of the Armed Forces, followed by representatives of the local emergency services and several voluntary organisations. The parade was followed by a service of remembrance at the war memorial in Monmouth Street. See pages 10 & 11 for full story and more photos. PHOTO BY RICHARD AUSTIN
New councillor co-opted
TOWN COUNCIL SELECTS NEW MEMBER KEEN TO MAKE ‘POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION’ LYME Regis Town Council this week co-opted a new member in Caroline Aldridge, who said she is keen to make a “positive contribution to a town that’s been so welcoming”. Caroline was one of five candidates to stand for co-option following the recent resignation of former deputy mayor, Kelsey Ellis. Having previously stood for by-election in May
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francesca@lyme-online.co.uk 2021 and lost out to Cllr Tara Webb, this time Caroline faced competition from former sixtimes Mayor of Lyme Regis, Owen Lovell, and former deputy mayor Steve Miller, as well as first-time candidates Allan Lewis and Mark Schine. Not enough members of the public called for a
by-election, so candidates instead put themselves forward for co-option with existing councillors making the decision at a special meeting on Tuesday night. All five candidates submitted written applications on why they wanted to stand for council, and were given further opportunity to put their case forward at the meeting. In her application, successful candidate Caro-
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LymeOnline Published by Lyme Regis Media Limited Hyper-local website and fortnightly newspaper serving the communities of Lyme Regis, Uplyme & Charmouth. Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS www.lyme-online.co.uk edit@lyme-online.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LymeOnlineUK Twitter: twitter.com/LymeOnlineUK Instagram: instagram.com/lymeonline Editor: Francesca Evans francesca@lyme-online.co.uk 07810 221 420 Managing Director: Philip Evans MBE philip@lyme-online.co.uk Contributors Richard Austin edit@lyme-online.co.uk Production: Jackie Evans jackie@lyme-online.co.uk
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New town councillor calls for more joint working, community engagement and youth involvement CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
line wrote: “I have been involved in a range of local projects in health and social care, environmental and the arts through volunteering at Lyme Regis Medical Centre Patient Participation Group, the food bank, Marine Theatre and Turn Lyme Green environmental and sustainability initiatives. “I have also been keen to support local business initiatives. I have talked to people who are long term residents; those who have moved here more recently and also visitors to gather their views on our town. “Important issues such as traffic and parking, work, housing and environment have been flagged up to me. I would like to contribute as a councillor to addressing all these issues. “My working life has been in health and education in the charity and not for profit sector. I have always worked in areas where I could make a difference to people’s lives. “I listened and communicated with a wide variety of people and encouraged them to work together to deliver successful outcomes within financial constraints. “During my career I have worked at a senior level with professionals and government, I have also worked with staff, patients and their families in hospitals, GP practices and care homes. “I have experienced periods of unemployment; being at home for
some years with small children and being a single parent. I believe this has given me empathy and insight to work with everyone for the benefit of our town.” She then gave further detail in her verbal statement, which can be read in full right. This outlined some of her priorities if she were to be co-opted onto the council, including supporting infrastructure for local businesses, increasing community engagement, easing traffic and parking problems, tackling plastic waste and the pollution of local watercourses. Councillors selected the successful candidate in a two-stage voting process. Three candidates – Allan Lewis, Owen Lovell and Mark Schine – were eliminated following initial discussions held in private. Councillors were then asked in public to vote for either Caroline Aldridge or Steve Miller, but agreed to do this via signed ballot rather than a show of hands, so it is not known who voted for whom. Caroline won the position with eight votes to three. The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, congratulated all five candidates on particlarly strong applications and encouraged those who had not been successful to stand again if further vacancies were to arise on the council, or at the next full town council election in two years.
Resident asks to teach children theory of evolution on beach to counteract religious group A LYME Regis resident has requested to run children’s games on the beach to promote the theory of evolution and counteract a religious group which already runs similar activities teaching Christianity. Cobb Road resident Carl Salter put his request to Lyme Regis Town Council last week, saying he would like the “opportunity to counter the voice that tells of a planet under 8,000 years old that is preaching on our public beach”. Mr Salter’s comments refer to United Beach Missions (UBM), which has been running children’s activities on Lyme Regis beach for 50 years. Commenting in the public forum at last week’s council meeting, Mr Salter said: “I am a member of the Secular Society and am here to ask you to grant me equal space on the sand beach this summer at the same time as the United Beach Missions. “My intention is to teach children the theory of evolution dressed as Charles Darwin with the help from someone dressed as Mary Anning and, using fossils, we will explain the age of the planet. “The United Beach Missions is young earth creationists who believe the world is 6,000 years old and deny the science of evolu-
tion. They have been coming here for 50 years and I think it’s time there was a change.” UBM’s’ website says it aims to “share the good news of Jesus” on beaches around the UK, Ireland and Europe but does not comment specifically on the organisation’s beliefs on creationism. Mr Salter was informed that UBM currently had a three-year agreement with the council to run activities on the beach up to and including 2022. Councillors felt there was not enough space for both concessions to operate on the beach at the same time and asked Mr Salter if he would be interested in an alternative location. Mr Salter said he would happily withdraw his request and reapply when the current agreement with UBM came to an end after summer 2022. This is not the first time UBM’s concession on Lyme Regis beach has been questioned. In 2013, some town councillors questioned whether it was suitable to allow UBM on the beach due to its religious nature. In the past UBM has paid to run the beach concession, but the council agreed in 2017 that there should be no charge.
Caroline Aldridge’s full statement to council: I’ve applied for the vacancy on the town council because I would like to make a positive contribution to the town that’s been so welcoming to me in the time that I’ve been here. In the time that I have lived here, especially during the COVID crisis and when I stood for the council election in May, I had the opportunity to talk to lots of people, both locals and tourists. I also engaged with local business to find ways of supporting them and to give my neighbours access to supplies and food during lockdown. I have volunteered in a variety of different projects as well. I feel all this has given me some insight into local needs. You will have seen from my statement that my work has been primarily in health and education; it has largely focussed on building and supporting teams, bringing a diversity of people together for common goals. It has involved using my communication, mediation and negotiating skills to get an agreed outcome and deliver successful projects. I believe one of my strengths is that I can take a strategic overview to design projects, use my budgeting and risk management skills, and my attention to detail to ensure the work is completed to a good quality, in budget and on time. I found my ability and a sense of humour has been invaluable in this. I have worked in all sorts of groups, including committee, and I feel these skills and experiences would be valuable to the council. Through my volunteering I have seen some of the many local projects in action and appreciate the hard work that has been put in by volunteers. I know there are many more initiatives ranging from sport, the arts and projects that support health and social needs, many of these receiving grants through the council. I’d like to see the council encourage further joint working, community outreach and engagement, and it would also be good to see school and young people more involved in projects. I have been impressed by the diversity and imagination of local businesses, the pride they take in their work and the way they contribute to the community. I’d like to ensure they continue to have the infrastructure they need through the work of the council. We’re very fortunate in Lyme to have a financially strong council with income streams from assets such as car parks and property. It means we can provide an infrastructure that supports not only there local residents and business community, but also a thriving tourist industry. Good maintenance of our public buildings, gardens and beaches and provision of leisure activities make the town a pleasure for res-
idents and tourists. The attention to detail and the presentation of, for example, the beach huts, the planting and illuminations in Langmoor Gardens, and the provision of service such as beachside showers make the town attractive and welcoming to all. I think the council does an excellent job in cleaning and maintaining the beach, and waste disposal and cleanliness throughout the town, and I’d like to help support this work. We are approaching what is going too be a challenging time for all of us as we need to think about the climate emergency. The experience of COVID has really shown how businesses, projects and the council have been able to adapt their services to cope with a different environment and this gives me hope that the council will be strong and imaginative in taking forward the changes that will have to take place in the future. I hope that my experience in organisational change will contribute to this. I know work is already being done to look at ways to improve energy maintenance, for example, by putting in more electric car charging points and I look forward to further work being done in this area. Finally, two issues I would like to raise from my listening to residents and visitors, and you’ll probably all laugh. The first one is traffic management and the problems around road safety, parking and pollution. I know it’s not news to anyone and it’s not an easy problem to fix, but I would welcome the opportunity to work with fellow councillors, Dorset Council and other agencies to make it better, and I feel that my negotiating skills could help with this. Secondly, environmental issues such as plastic waste, pollution of our river and sea are a big concern. We already have voluntary groups such as Turn Lyme Green and Surfers Against Sewage working in these areas and the council invests itself considerably in keeping the town and beach clean and well monitored, but I’d like to see what more can be done, encouraging new community projects, perhaps involving schools and visitors.
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Town council refuses budget to reward ‘Green Dog Walkers’ LYME Regis councillors have agreed not to offer financial backing to the Green Dog Walkers Scheme, which encourages dog walkers to clean up after their pets, although they did say that they supported the initiative’s principles. The council first considered the Green Dog Walkers Scheme in March 2020, when members agreed it was a good idea but should not detract from other dog control measures in place in the town. Green Dog Walkers is a scheme adopted by more than 40 councils across the country. It allows a proven, non-confrontational and friendly way to change attitudes about dog fouling and encourages responsible dog ownership. The scheme acts as a reminder to others that they need to pick up after their dog has fouled and keep them under control. Green Dog Walkers sign a pledge to always clean up after their dog, dispose of the bag responsibly, carry extra dog waste bags, gladly give a bag to those without one, and be a friendly reminder to other dog walkers to clean up after their dogs. In return, they receive something to demonstrate that they have made the pledge. This varies between councils and can include a badge, car window sticker, lead and collar, green armband, keyring torch, dog waste bags, and a leaflet about the campaign. Lyme Regis councillors did not feel that they should commit funding to scheme rewards or display signage in the town, and instead agreed to promote it via the council’s website and on
FRANCESCA EVANS
francesca@lyme-online.co.uk social media. The matter was raised again last week after the council received a letter from resident Claire Humphreys questioning why it not yet implemented the scheme. The letter read: “My question is why this has not actually been implemented within Lyme Regis, when the council has gone as far as issuing a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) against dogs using the main beaches due to, I assume, the waste and damage that they have witnessed and recorded? “Surely working with local and visiting dog owners/families to implement this scheme would be a win-win and remove the need for the PSPO which I have also read is driving people away from Lyme Regis, which in these economic times is not helpful to local businesses or environmentally friendly. “It is interesting to notice that Lyme Regis is full of signs advising of rules against dogs running freely on open spaces; however there is none (or very little) notice or effort made against littering which is a huge problem through the town and continues to be, with no obvious rules made to prevent/reduce it. “How can we work together to achieve both dogs being able to run freely on all beaches and reducing the amount of waste and litter throughout the town?” The letter referred to a new PSPO introduced by Dorset Council at the beginning of this year, under which dogs are only allowed on the main sand beach and Cobb Gate shingle beach in
Lyme Regis on a lead during the winter months, rather than being able to run freely. The new regulation was introduced after several complaints about dogs on the beach were received by Lyme Regis Town Council, and it became one of the most hotly-debated issues in the town, with hundreds of dog owners signing a petition against it. Following the letter, councillors were asked whether they wanted to re-consider their approach to the scheme and commit a budget to ask dog owners to sign up in return for a free gift. But councillors expressed concerns that the correspondence from Claire Humphreys conflated the two separate issues of responsible dog ownership and dogs on the beach. Cllr Rob Smith said: “If we want to have a Green Dog Walking Scheme that’s great, but the beach issue is separate.” The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, also argued that the new regulations on the beach were not “driving people away from Lyme” and the town had actually never been busier than in recent months. Cllr Michaela Ellis agreed the rules had not affected visitor numbers and said that dog walkers should make the pledge themselves, and it should not be down to the council. Cllr Cheryl Reynolds said that those who do not already clean up after their dog were unlikely to, and that signs and free gifts would not make a difference. It was agreed not to commit a budget to the Green Dog Walkers Scheme.
Council warned to make plans now to protect town from rising sea levels LYME Regis Town Council has been warned it needs to start making preparations now to protect its most lucrative asset – the Monmouth Beach area – from rising sea levels in the future. The town council’s Environment Committee were this week given a presentation on the effects climate change and rising sea levels could have on the Monmouth Beach area by Dave Picksley, senior coastal advisor for the Environment Agency. Although he said any major effects were not likely to be seen for decades, Mr Picksley told councillors that they should be thinking about the issues now and saving funds to help protect Lyme Regis in the future. Over the next 80 years, Mr Picksley said the Environment Agency was expecting sea levels to rise by at least one metre, and at the turn of the century they would be rising by 10mm a year. This meant that sea defences may be a consideration for Monmouth Beach within 20 to 50 years, with the far west end of the chalet park the most vulnerable area. Monmouth Beach is a lucrative area for the town council, with funds from car parking,
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chalets, beach huts and leases for buildings such as the bowls club and power boat club making up the majority of the authority’s income. Mr Picksley told councillors they should now be taking into consideration the length of long-term leases, and in the future may have to relocate beach huts or make the car park smaller. “The beach will look a lot different in 100 years,” he said. Mr Picksley also warned that there was an increased chance of the sea overtopping the Cobb from Monmouth Beach during storms. The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, questioned whether there was any chance of losing the Cobb altogether in the long-term future, saying it would be “catastrophic” for the town. Mr Picksley agreed, saying if the Cobb were to be engulfed by the sea it would breach all the coastal protection works carried out in Lyme Regis over the past 30 years. The final phase of those works – Phase V – is aimed at protecting the Cobb and is currently being worked on at Dorset Council. See more environmental news on page 18
4 Friday, November 26 2021
NEWS IN BRIEF
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A round-up of news from the LymeOnline website visit www.lyme-online.co.uk for full stories
Latest crime figures for Lyme Regis area Plans finally submitted THE latest figures released by police show there were 36 reported crimes in the Lyme Regis area during September 2021. These figures compare to 49 crimes the previous month and 35 during the same month last year. From the 36 recorded incidents in September 2021, 27 took place in Lyme Regis itself, with three in Charmouth, three in Uplyme, two in Wootton Fitzpaine and one in Monkton Wyld. In Lyme Regis, crimes included 10 incidents of anti-social behaviour, 10 of violence and
sexual offences, two drug-related incidents, and five listed as ‘other crime’. In Charmouth, reported crimes included two incidents of violence and sexual offences, and one burglary. There was also one burglary and one incident of violence and sexual offences in Wootton Fitzpaine, and one of violence and sexual offences in Monkton Wyld. In Uplyme, there were two incidents of violence and sexual offences and one of anti-social behaviour.
for Mary Anning statue
A MUCH-ANTICIPATED planning application has been submitted for a statue in Lyme Regis to pay tribute to fossil hunter Mary Anning. The application, submitted by Mary Anning Rocks, requests permission for the bronze statue to be sited at the eastern end of Long Entry. It follows a long-running campaign for further recognition for Lyme’s famous palaeontologist and a successful £100,000 online fundraising campaign.
Emergency services in training exercise
MP calls for improved supply of booster vaccines WEST Dorset MP Chris Loder has urged the government to improve the supply of COVID19 booster vaccines in his constituency to make sure all people who are eligible have the chance to get their third jab. Addressing the Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup Mr Loder said it was still very difficult for the large population of elderly residents to receive their vaccine booster in West Dorset, some having to travel long distances for the jab, and he called for more walk-in centres, adding that it was imperative that the issue was fixed rapidly.
LYME Regis lifeboat crew joined forces with the coastguard helicopter from St Athan in Wales for a major exercise on Sunday. Eight volunteer members of the RNLI lifeboat crew took part in the hour-long exercise, which was described as very important as it prepares the crews for critical incidents. The last time a coastguard helicopter joined the Lyme Regis lifeboat on a serious rescue mission was near the mouth of the River Axe when a fishing boat sank throwing three men into the water (see page 8).
Council defends progress on climate crisis
Six new beach huts to be installed on seafront
DORSET Council’s environmental portfolio holder has defended criticisms that the authority has been too slow to respond to the climate emergency it declared more than two years ago. Cllr Ray Bryan has said the authority is working hard to spend £19million of government grants to tackle climate-related problems. Some of the money is going into reducing the carbon footprint of council-owned buildings council buildings, including County Hall, while some schools are being offered a share of the funding for similar work.
PLANS for new beach huts on Lyme Regis seafront have been given the go ahead, including one with disabled access. The town council application for new huts on the Cart Road has been approved by Dorset Council. Each of the timber huts will be of traditional design, painted white and with pastel coloured doors under a felt roof. The new huts will extend the existing line to the west, almost directly in front of the seafront amusement arcade.
Multi-million investment for police buildings A MULTI-MILLION pound investment is planned for Dorset’s ageing police buildings – with some likely to be sold off. The changes are also expected to see more police officers based in the communities they serve, some not based at police stations. A joint statement from the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable said that investment in the force buildings is long overdue and comes after an announcement of a new three-storey office building for Dorset Police’s Winfrith HQ site. David Sidwick, Dorset Police and Crime
Second anniversary for Carer Support Dorset CARER Support Dorset celebrated its second anniversary of supporting unpaid carers across Dorset on Saturday. As the lead carer organisation in Dorset, Carer Support Dorset quickly adapted to the needs of unpaid carers throughout the pandemic, using online means to offer information and training as well as a new befriending service and regular newsletters, keeping carers informed of services and support available during lockdowns. Now, nearly 4,000 unpaid carers are signed up to Carer Support Dorset’s service and this continues to grow.
The first £300,000 was spent on surveys and reports to design works and develop heat decarbonisation plans. The remaining money is being spent on the installation of decarbonisation technologies, such as air source heat pumps, improving energy efficiency through measures like insulation, LED lighting and the installation of solar panels. At this stage over 100 feasibility studies and decarbonisation plans have been completed, with more than 40 Dorset Council-owned sites considered for decarbonisation work so far, over 25 projects.
Gritters on standby as colder weather sets in
Commissioner, said he has ensured that police officers will be better connected to communities and more visible to the public, by approving a programme of investment to modernise the police estate. In a joint statement with Chief Constable Scott Chilton they say that a joint ‘Estates Futures’ programme will deliver a range of benefits to communities over several years, and ensure that police teams are located in the right places and have access to the necessary equipment and technology to maximise their time out in communities.
WITH the cold weather now setting in, Dorset Highways has made preparations to once again help the public keep moving this winter, with its gritting crews now on-call. In preparation for the colder weather, 12,700 tonnes of rock salt has been stocked across the five highway depots and the gritters have been serviced and calibrated to ensure they are ready for action. There are 22 main gritting routes treated by the highways service when road surface temperatures are predicted to drop below one degree.
New orders to tackle anti-social behaviour
DORSET Council has launched a public consultation, asking residents for their views on eight proposed Public Spaces Protection Orders, which include regulations that could clamp down on anti-social behaviour and drinking in Lyme Regis. Plans include changes to boundaries in Bridport and Lyme Regis, where drink orders are in place. Lyme Regis Town Council requested the change, which will give enforcement officers and police more powers to deal with those drinking in public areas, including the seafront, Langmoor and Lister Gardens.
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ALL OVER THE TOWN
with LymeOnline
editor Francesca Evans
Christmas starts earlier every year, and this time I’m loving it! THE Christmas season seems to start earlier and earlier every year. At the end of each summer season, I always feel sad that beach days and all my favourite events have passed by for another year. But then December rolls around so quickly and I remember how magical Christmas in Lyme Regis can be. I usually roll my eyes as decorations and party food appears on supermarket shelves before we’ve even passed Halloween, but after the doom and gloom of the past 18 months, what’s wrong with a little festive cheer? This year I’m fully embracing it and have been happily scoffing Christmas chocolates, cheese and sipping on mulled wine since
mid-October. I even popped to Exeter’s Christmas Market last weekend to soak up the festive atmosphere. And it seems Lyme Regis and surrounding towns are in a similar mood. This year we’ll be covering no fewer than five Christmas lights switch-on events for LymeOnline and the Seaton and Axminster Nub News websites. Axminster was lit up with its biggest ever festive event last weekend (see page 26) and even Uplyme is hosting its own switch-on event on December 1 having made a real effort to improve its illuminations in recent years. But this weekend it’s the turn of Lyme Regis, – the big one, boasting one of the best displays on the south coast. On a recent visit to London I caught sight of some of the city centre’s Christmas decora-
tions and even they didn’t quite live up to the magic and sparkle of Lyme’s. While the coronavirus pandemic is still very much with us, there’s definitely an increased appetite for people to get out and enjoy themselves. And if the recent crowds seen for bonfire night are anything to go by, it’s set to be another busy weekend in Lyme Regis. The Lyme Regis Christmas Lights Committee have been working hard to get the decorations up in time for the big switch-on event tomorrow (Saturday) evening, accompanied by an illuminated carnival, displays by Lyme Regis Majorettes and Lyme Morris, and a visit from Father Christmas himself. You can find details of this and lots of other upcoming festive events in our ‘Christmas in Lyme’ special feature on page 12 and on the
THE PLACE TO BE:
EVENT YOU CAN’T MISS:
IF YOU READ ONE THING:
THE Millside restaurant in Lyme Regis continues to win rave reviews for its outstanding food and drink and excellent service. This weekend, owners John and Georgina celebrate their second anniversary at the restaurant, which as mentioned above has been adorned with 8,000 Christmas baubles!
I’M not sure it could be anything but Lyme’s Christmas lights switch-on tomorrow (Saturday, November 27). Events will get underway with a children’s lantern-making workshop in the afternoon and it will be full festive fun throughout until the grand switch-on at 5.30pm.
IT may not happen for decades, but rising sea levels could have a devastating impact on Lyme Regis Town Council’s most lucrative asset – the Monmouth Beach area – if the issue if not given foresight now. Car parking, beach huts, chalets and sporting clubs could all be affected - find out more on page 3.
The
Woodmead Halls YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY HALL
PAU L S
LymeOnline website, where you can also find full photo and video coverage of local events. Having had to adhere to such strict restrictions for so long, it seems like local businesses are going all out to celebrate this year’s festive season. Earlier this week I popped into the Pilot Boat to photograph their winter wonderland decorations. The Collyns family and their team have always put on a great Christmas display and this year is no exception. And have you seen the 8,000 baubles adorning The Millside? No matter what the season, host Georgina always puts on an amazing decorative display at the riverside restaurant and I’m looking forward to taking a closer look as they celebrate their second anniversary party this weekend. Our many independent shops have also put in great effort to decorate their windows for the season and will be hoping the resurgence of the local high street continues over the next few weeks, with some planning to stay open a little later tomorrow evening. Local florist Teresa Fowler will be hosting environmentally-friendly Christmas wreathmaking workshops next week as she celebrates the 25th anniversary of her business House of Flowers (see page 15). I’ll definitely be trying to support our independent traders as much as possible rather than Amazon and other huge international brands as I tick off the Christmas shopping list. But despite getting in the festive mood early this year, I am still yet to buy a single gift!
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6 Friday, November 26 2021
LYME MATTERS with Philip Evans Essential reading for all those with Lyme at heart
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Our night among the elite
W
e were in exalted company. The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail, The Guardian, The Mirror, the Sunday Times, all the behemoths of the newspaper industry and LymeOnline!
I am referring of course to the newsawards (trendily all local case) at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel attended by 330 representatives of Her Majesty’s Press, dressed in all their finery. I even bought a new pair of dress shoes, you know, the shiny ones. Much to my wife’s ridicule. When I worked for an international media company in the 1990s, I attended numerous such occasions. To be honest, we found them most tedious. A good excuse, however, for a booze-up on expenses. On this occasion I sat among the denizens of the cream of the British print industry with huge pride. When we launched LymeOnline almost four years ago, the thought of winning an award at such an event was furthest from our minds. It was all about survival after the disappointment of losing control of the View From series of local papers and its subsequent depressing disposal. When I sent my daughter Francesca over to Ireland to build the LymeOnline website with the help of her sister, Zoe, an excellent tech-whizz, I didn’t know the difference between a megabite and a dog bite. It was, shall we say, a deep learning curve for someone who still recalls the days of hot metal newspaper production with a certain fondness. We launched the Lyme website and a fortnightly community newspaper within a month. From day one, the response from readers was encouraging and we managed IT was heartening to see that five people put themselves forward for co-option to Lyme Regis Town Council to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former deputy mayor Kelsey Ellis. Congratulations (and I use that word advisably) to Caroline Aldridge who was elected to fill the vacancy, beating former councillor and deputy mayor Steve Miller eight votes to three in the final ballot (see pages 1 and 2). The other candidates were former mayor and district councillor Owen Lovell, Allan Lewis and Mark Schine. There will almost certainly be another byelection before the end of this present council in two years time and I hope those who were unsuccessful will stand again. The next full election will be in 2023 when I anticipate a number of existing councillors will be stepping down. This will be the chance to elect a council the town deserves. Your town needs you!
to secure sponsorship from a few generous businesses which would ensure our direct costs were covered. They have stuck with us, despite the detrimental effect of COVID on their own business. Francesca took on the role of editor, I look after the business side and write the sport (my passion) and this column, providing a back-up for Chez when she is under the cosh or taking a few days off, and my wife Jackie designs the more complicated advertisements. As we consider LymeOnline to be a nonprofit community project, Jackie also edits the weekly Woking News and Mail, which keeps the wolf from the door, and Chez and I took on a contract to provide news coverage for Axminster and Seaton for Nub News, a nationwide network of local news websites. My daughter Zoe helps us out with technical matters which, I admit, is quite beyond me. It’s the archetypal micro-managed family business - a million miles from the business lives of those I was chatting to across the table at the awards ceremony. As members of the Independent Community News Network (ICNN), LymeOnline was nominated for the best community website. We didn’t win it but it was a close thing. The winners, the Island Echo website on the Isle of Wight, sent us a tweet saying they were certain we would win the category. More excitingly, Francesca was nominated for Print Production Achiever of the Year, one of two female nominees among six male print experts. I have to say I had to swallow hard as she took to the stage with the other nominees (see page 20), all denizens of the print industry, for the announcement of the winner. She didn’t win the category but it was a huge achievement getting to the final eight and one of the judges was kind enough to
TEAM EVANS: Jackie, Francesca and myself with son Darren eagerly awaiting the results
seek her out when the ceremony was over to congratulate Francesca and to say that it was a close thing. We were joined by our son Darren and his partner Jennie. Darren works in London for one of the biggest publishers of national and regional newspaper in the country and has attended many such events - but this time he was rooting for his sister. It meant a great deal to her. It would have been great had my eldest daughter Zoe been able to attend as she played such a crucial part in setting up the LymeOnline website, but she lives in Galway and is due to give birth in the next few weeks.
Like many businesses in Lyme, we have struggled through the pandemic, having lost 90 per cent of our revenue during the lockdown periods. We had to finish the LymeOnline print version a day early to be able attend the awards and by pure coincidence we achieved our best revenue in the same week. A good omen, I hope. We were amazed and greatly touched by the hundreds of readers who sent messages of congratulations and good luck. As a family, we will never forget the night we rubbed shoulders with the elite of the newspaper fraternity and it has given us a boost to continue serving the people of Lyme.
Lyme all set to sparkle once again I AM looking forward to seeing Lyme’s Christmas lights, generally considered to be the best in the area. Unfortunately, I will miss the turning on ceremony tomorrow (Saturday) because I have drawn the short straw and will be covering the turning on of the lights in Seaton for Nub News, the network of local news websites for which we provide editorial coverage in Axminster and Seaton. Last Saturday I covered the turning on of the lights in Axminster which attracted the biggest crowd I have seen in Trinity Square with a full festive programme. As always there will be a huge crowd in Broad Street to join in the festive fun, probably several thousands if the past few
years have been any indication. However, it was not always like that. Lyme’s Christmas lights were a bit of a joke for many years until the late Barbara Austin MBE, six times Mayor of Lyme Regis, took responsibility for the illuminations by forming a fundraising committee. A special light in memory of Barbara is erected on the wall of the Royal Lion Hotel. The Christmas lights committee work flat-out all year to finance the lights and now purchase the various displays rather than hiring them which is more cost effective. As usual there will be a lantern-making competition at the Baptist Church during
the afternoon followed by an illuminated carnival before the big switch-on at 5.30pm by Father Christmas with the mayor, Cllr Brian Larcombe, in attendance. One Christmas event I am determined not to miss, especially as it was not possible to stage it last year because of COVID19, is the Carols Round the Tree, organised by the Rotary Club. When working away I always made the effort to be home for this event which this year will be held on Thursday, December 23. The event demonstrates our town’s great community spirit and gets people well and truly in the festive spirit.
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COVID-19: The latest on local coronavirus figures
Coronavirus case rates back on rise across Dorset, but figures remain low in Lyme Regis AFTER a few weeks of declining numbers, COVID-19 cases rates across Dorset have increase again, but continue to drop in the Lyme Regis area. The latest figures released on November 19 showed that there were 1,994 confirmed COVID19 cases in the Dorset Council area, compared to 1,664 the previous week, and 2,283 in the Bournemouth, Christchurch & Pool (BCP) area, an increase from 1,923. This means the case rates per 100,000 people were 525.0 in the Dorset Council area, up from 438.1 in the last update on November 12, and 575.1 in the BCP area, up from 484.4. Both are above both the South West average and the national average of 403 per 100,000 people. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals across Dorset has also increased from 70 to 75. A spokesperson for Public Health Dorset said: “After a short period of declining case rates, we’ve seen cases rise again over the past week across Dorset. Both the Dorset Council and BCP Council areas remain significantly above the average case rate for England, as well as above the regional average in the South West. “Cases remain highest amongst school-aged children, but we are also seeing high rates in middle and older age groups. The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 across Dorset has also continued to rise. “As we move into the colder months and the Christmas period, we must remember that the risks from COVID-19 have not gone away. “If you’re going to an event or gathering with lots of people or in an enclosed space, take a lateral flow test before you go to reduce the risk of
passing COVID-19 on to other people. When meeting indoors, open windows regularly to let fresh air in and prevent airborne spread of the virus. “Although we know that people who have been vaccinated can still catch and spread COVID-19, vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself from serious illness. “We can see that in the data, as in previous waves we saw much higher hospitalisations when we were experiencing similar case rates. Please get your jabs if you haven’t already done so, and take up the offer of the booster vaccine if you’re eligible.” Despite the increase in COVID-19 infections across Dorset, figures for the Lyme Regis area are at the lowest they have been for several weeks. In the seven-day period up until November 19, there were just 15 recorded cases of COVID-19 in the Lyme Regis, Charmouth & Marshwood Vale area, a decrease of one on the previous week. This means the case rate per 100,000 people was 206.8 – well below the Dorset Council area figure of 525.0 and the national average of 403. Neighbouring areas to the west in East Devon also reported decreases in the latest figures, while most areas to the east of Lyme Regis – including the Bridport area – have reported increases. Figures for neighbouring areas as of November 19 were as follows: Uplyme, Kilmington & Colyton – 26 (decrease of 2); Seaton – 35 (increase of 7); Axminster – 33 (decrease of 16); Burton Bradstock & Chideock – 43 (increase of 19); Bridport South & West Bay – 47 (increase of 19); Bridport North – 43 (increase of 19); Beaminster, Maiden Newton & Halstock – 32 (increase of 6).
You can find out more details on COVID case numbers in your local area at https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/ Dorset’s COVID-19 vaccine booster programme, jabs for younger people and flu vaccinations are all under pressure – because of a shortage of health staff. It will mean residents wanting their injections having to wait longer than they might like, having to travel further or to be jabbed at times which might not suit them. The pan-Dorset health and wellbeing board heard this week that several of its own members and their families have faced difficulties getting jabs. Dorset County Hospital boss Patricia Miller said her husband had been struggling to get an appointment which would fit in with his work, while she will have to take their two children to Somerset to get theirs, missing a half-day at school. The only other option they were offered was in Boscombe. “The government want people to get vaccinated at pace but they’re not thinking about the infrastructure which is required to do that,” she told the meeting. Lyme Regis GP and Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group chair, Forbes Watson, admitted that services were stretched trying to deliver the winter flu vaccination programme and COVID boosters, while at the same time extending jabs to 12-15 year olds and delivering normal day-to-day services. “We all want this to be done… but we just have to be honest, we just cannot do all of these things at the same time because we just do not have the
resource in terms of workforce to deliver this,” he said. Both he and the county’s Public Health Director, Sam Crowe, urged people to remain vigilant, to wear face masks in crowded places and observe social distancing and good ventilation when indoors. Dr Watson continued: “There’s an element [of believing] that we could be in a post-COVID situation, but we most certainly aren’t. “We are still dealing with a high number of cases and the important thing to note is that while the majority is in younger people it’s now also in the older population, some of whom are already vaccinated. Mr Crowe told the meeting that while there had been a recent dip in overall Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council area infection rates there had been a rise in cases amongst people over 60 and hospitals remained under pressure with 60-70 current admissions with COVID-19. He said that in both the Dorset Council and BCP areas, infection rates were high, consistently above both the regional and England averages. “Dorset has been higher than at any previous time since we started measuring positive tests but that hasn’t translated into hospital admissions… although cases remain high we are hoping that they will start to go down, perhaps as we get into December,” he said. He told the board that local contact tracing would continue until at least the end of the year with ongoing targeted community testing and help being offered to support high risk settings.
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Another large landslip on Lyme Regis beach EAST Cliff Beach in Lyme Regis was temporarily cordoned off to the public earlier this month following another large landslide. Lyme Regis coastguards were called to the scene, just past the end of Church Cliff Walk, at 1pm on Thursday, November 11 and carried out an immediate check of the area to ensure that there were no casualties. As it was high water, checks either side of the fall confirmed that nobody was stuck either side. The beach was temporarily closed whilst the tide was dropping and reopened once there was a sufficient margin to pass seaward of the slip. With nobody reported missing or in any immediate danger, the matter was passed to the landowner and the local authority. It came just days after a major cliff fall in nearby West Bay and three weeks after a large rock fall at Black Ven, between Lyme Regis and Charmouth, but keen fossil hunters have still be spotted climbing on the slips. A spokesperson for Lyme Regis coastguards said: “Please be aware that the cliffs are highly unstable at this time of year. The best fossils are found on the beach, so members of the public are warned to avoid making any attempt to climb the cliffs and landslides.”
The large landslide on East Cliff beach in Lyme Regis and, left, the recent rockfall at West Bay, captured on drove by Max Redwood
Lyme Regis emergency services help save lives of three men in Axmouth
Christmas
LY L YME REGIS BRANCH
Woodmead Halls,, L Wo Lyme ym me Regis, eyes down 8pm m Great ffestiv estive prizes up ffor or grabs!
LYME Regis lifeboat crew and coastguards helped to save the lives of three men in a major rescue operation in Axmouth on Sunday, November 14 after a boat capsized. Coastguards from Beer and Lyme Regis, lifeboat crews from Lyme Regis, Sidmouth and Exmouth, a coastguard helicopter, Devon Fire & Rescue Service first responders and the South Western Ambulance Service all attended the scene at the mouth of the River Axe at 5pm. The initial call was to a capsized boat with three people in the water who were not wearing life jackets. On arrival, the emergency services found that one man had managed to swim ashore but was suffering the effects of hypothermia and was given initial treatment at Axe Yacht Club. A second man could be seen waving a light about 100 metres off shore and Lyme Regis lifeboat crew pulled him from the water. He too was found to be suffering from hypothermia and was taken inside for treatment. Resources were then focussed on finding the third man, who was eventually located by the coastguard helicopter some 500 metres west of the harbour mouth and 200 metres from shore. Again, Lyme Regis lifeboat crew pulled the man from the water and he was airlifted to hospital due to his condition, while the other two men were taken to hospital by land ambulance. Attention was then turned to the capsized boat which was drifting half submerged off shore.
The capsized boat was pulled on to Beer beach after the major rescue operation (photo credit: Beer Coastguards)
Sidmouth lifeboat towed it to Beer beach where coastguards managed to get it up the beach with help from a local fisherman. A spokesperson for Beer Coastguards said: “These men are very lucky that somebody saw what happened and dialled 999. “Lifejackets save lives always wear a lifejacket at sea and don’t remove it until you are safe ashore. “We wish them a speedy recovery. “We would like to thank the Axe Yacht Club and Beer fisherman Kim for their help and those that dialled 999 without those calls the outcome would have been very different.” Lyme Regis lifeboat helm Tim Edwards added: “The men were very lucky, but they were doing what the RNLI recommends and floating on their backs waiting for help to arrive.”
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Come and visit our
Christmas Winter Wonderland at
THE PILOT BOAT taking bookings for our special Festive Menu and for New Year’s Eve
Including all your winter favourites
Cocktail Wednesdays
2 cocktails for £12 6-9pm
Fizzy Fridays 4-8pm
P rosecco from £20 a bottle
Thursdays 8pm
Limited tables must be booked in advance
Sunday Roast
12-3pm – Tables must be booked in advance
Pop in or contact us on 01297 443157 or email info@thepilotboat.co.uk 1 Bridge Street Lyme Regis DT7 3QA
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The Remembrance Sunday parade gets underway, led by serving and retired members of the Armed Forces, members of the Royal British Legion and the 1st Lym Valley Scouts Photos by RICHARD AUSTIN
Lyme Regis remembers THE traditional Remembrance Sunday parade was able to return to Lyme Regis for the first time in two years on November 14. Led by members of the Royal British Legion and serving and retired military personnel, the procession made its way down Pound Street, Broad Street, up Church Street and down Monmouth Street to the war memorial for a service. Members of the civic party, including the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, and mayoress Wendy Larcombe, joined the procession at the Guildhall. Others taking part included the 1st Lym Valley Scouts and representatives from local emergency services, including the police, fire service, coastguards and lifeboat crew. Other local organisations ranging from the Freemasons and Rotary Club to the football club and majorettes were also represented. A service of remembrance was held at the war memorial rather than in St Michael’s Parish Church, due to concerns over rising COVID-19 infection rates.
Outgoing chairman of the Royal British Legion Lyme Regis Branch, Ian Marshall (left), and the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, pay their respects at the war memorial
During the service, prayers were led by the Reverend Sarah Godfrey, one of the new Golden Cap team vicars, and wreaths were laid by the Royal British Legion, the mayor and on behalf of other organisations present. A shorter service had been held at the war memorial the previous Thursday - Armistice Day - and wreaths were also laid at the HMS Formidable and Commonwealth graves in Lyme Regis cemetery on Saturday, as well as the Polish war memorial in Anning Road.
Serving and retired members of the Armed Forces were represented at the Remembrance Sunday events
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From left, Daniel Buckley, incoming chairman of the Royal British Legion Lyme Regis branch; macebearer Heather Britton; mayoress Wendy Larcombe; town clerk John Wright; mayor Brian Larcombe MBE; macebearer Derek Hallett; Cllr Michaela Ellis; Cllr Graham Turner; Cllr David Sarson; Army veteran Colin Barker
SEVERAL retired military personnel marched in the procession, including Army veteran Colin Barker
Tilly Jardine plays the Last Post at the Remembrance Sunday service A member of the 1st Lym Valley Scout Group lays a wreath at the war memorial
New Multiple Sclerosis Group to cover Dorset
F O O R P
MS Dorset is a group of volu teers who formerly covered d the South Weest of Dorset and who now ow ccover tthe whole whole of the county. The group offfers ferrrs a wide wide range of information advice and, where appropriate, grants to individuals who have MS. Volunteers from Lyme Regis lifeboat crew march in the procession
Local helpline: 07554 882414
Christmas in Lyme
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The best place to celebrate the festive season!
Celebrate Christmas at the historic Town Mill
THE Town Mill in Lyme Regis will be welcoming Father Christmas on December 11 and 18. Tickets cost £8 per child including a Christmas gift with your child’s name on and must be pre-booked at www.townmill.org.uk/shop Santa will be socially-distanced on the meal floor of the historic mill with a one-way system and hand sanitisers in place. Adults are asked to wear a face mask at all times. Tickets will be sold by the hour – once purchased you will be emailed with a specific time slot. The mill will also be hosting Christmas crafts for children on Saturday, December 18. Prebooked sessions will be held in the Bakehouse Studio where your child can make and take home a Christmas mask, pine cone snowman, salt dough Christmas decoration, lolly stick star or felt stocking. Sessions cost £6 per child with all materials provided. Parents must stay on the premises during the 45-minute session, but can visit other attractions at the mill during this time, including the watermill itself, galleries, The Strawberry Tree, Lyme Regis Brewery and artisan shops. To book a session visit www.townmill.org.uk For the third year, the Malthouse Gallery at the Town Mill will be selling unique gifts from Dorset artists, including Hilary Buckley, Nicola Stockley, Chris Goodman, Richard Corbett, Emily Carr, Louise Perkins, Hannah Clayton and Chris Neaves.
RNLI makes plans for Christmas Day swim PLANS are underway for the return of the traditional fancy dress Christmas Day swim in Charmouth. After being called off last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event is set to go ahead on December 25 to raise funds for the RNLI. As usual participants are asked to arrive at the beach at 10.30am for an 11am sharp start, which will be signalled by Lyme Regis town crier Alan Vian. The event will be attended by members of the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew who will keep a watchful eye on those in the water. The Royal Oak pub in Charmouth will be providing mulled wine for swimmers. As usual the event depends on favourable weather conditions.
Festive celebrations in Uplyme
UPLYME will be hosting its own Christmas lights switch-on this year, with the village having made a concerted effort in recent years to improve on its festive illuminations. The event will be held on Friday, December 3 with the grand switch-on at 7pm. There will also be festive music playing and hot dogs and hot and cold drinks available at the Talbot Arms from 6.30pm. Uplyme Church will also be hosting its annual Christmas Fayre on Saturday, December 11 from 12noon to 2.30pm. The event will include the church’s now renowned ‘Christmas Lunch in a Bun’ with turkey and all the trimmings. Stalls will include mulled wine, tea and coffee, cakes, a bottle tombola, crafts, games, a raffle, children’s activities and more.
■ ITS idyllic setting, renowned lights display and busy festive calender makes Lyme Regis the perfect place to celebrate Christmas – for allyear-round residents, those returning to their hometown or holidaymakers. The season will officially kick off tomorrow (Saturday) with the switchon of the town’s Christmas lights display, with events including a Christmas lantern-making workshop at Lyme Regis Baptist Church at 2.30pm, judging of the lanterns at 4pm, illuminated carnival including the parade of lanterns, Lyme Regis Majorettes and Father Christmas at 5pm, and the big switch-on at 5.30pm.
Santa is coming to town! Rotary Club returns with Carols Around the Tree
SANTA Claus will be coming to town as the Lyme Regis charity sleigh heads out for its 20th anniversary year. Father Christmas will be making his rounds in Lyme Regis and Uplyme on December 12 and 13 and Charmouth on December 14. This will be the twentieth year that Uplyme residents Neville and Sarah Causley and their family have run the sleigh, which brings joy to both children and adults alike. as well as raising thousands for local and national charities each year. This year’s chosen charity is The Woodroffe School Welfare Project. Father Christmas will be heading out at about 4pm each day and following the routes below: Sunday, December 12 - Woodroffe Meadow, Pound Street, Westhill Road, hill Rose Road, Clappentail Lane, Portland
Court, Clappentail park, Somers Road, Somers Field, Sidmouth Road, View Road, Woodmead Road (end of Avenue Road), Springhill Gardens, Haye Lane, Haye Close, St George’s Hill, Uplyme Road. Monday, December 13 - Talbot Arms car park, Lyme Close, Garmans Field, Dragons Hill, Overton Close, Pine Ridge, Woodbury Down Way, Fairfield Park, Charmouth Close, Charmouth Road, Anning Road, King’s Way, bottom of Summerhill Road, Henry’s Way, Appleby Way, end of Elizabeth Close, Queen’s Walk, end of Queen’s Court, South Avenue, Colway Lane, Talbot Road, North Avenue, Manor Avenue, Bay View Road, Broad Street, Silver Street, Cobb Road. Tuesday, December 14 (Charmouth) Axminster Road, Bymead House, Bymead, The Street, Bridge Road (Seadown), Wesley Close, St Andrew’s Drive, Lower Sea Lane, hammonds Mead, Double Common, Higher Sea Lane. It is not possible to give exact times when Father Christmas will be at specific locations but you can call Neville on 01297 642011 to give you updates.
THE Rotary Club of Lyme Regis will be hosting its popular Carols Around the Tree on Thursday, December 23. All are welcome to gather around the Christmas tree at the bottom of Broad Street for traditional carol singing, led by Lyme Regis Town Band and compered by town crier Alan Vian. Rotarians will be serving hot soup during the interval and a collection will be made for Children’s Hospice South West. The club will also be hosting the annual Lyme Lunge swim on New Year’s Day. Now in its twelfth year, this has now become one of the major events of its kind in the West Country calendar, with hundreds of swimmers in fancy dress taking the plunge in the balmy waters of Lyme Bay. The Lunge will take place promptly at 1pm, but participants are encouraged to get
there early for a fancy dress parade around the beach, led by the town crier. This year the event will be raising funds for Macmillan Nurses and the Weldmar Hospice in Dorchester. Sponsorship forms are available at www.lymeregisrotary.org or send an email to lymelunge2022@gmail.com Rotarians will also be helping to marshal at the switch-on of the Christmas lights on Saturday, November 27 and will be represented at the Christmas Tree Festival at Lyme Regis Baptist Church from December 16 to 19.
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Lyme Regis garden has become oasis for wildlife
Staples Terrace resident Simon Beadles, who has transformed his small garden into an oasis for wildflowers, birds and other wildlife, winning him an awards from the Dorset Wildlife Trust in 2020
Tales From Lyme’s Past
A glimpse of our history with Peter Lacey Lyme Regis in the 20th Century, Part IV A FEW Edwardian visitors recorded their impressions of the town, their observations are of interest, albeit from the perspective of the more privileged classes. One who travelled to Lyme from Bridport described the horse driven coach journey as being “unequalled with its great sweeps of rich country, deep woods, steep hills and valleys you drop into”. Another writer found Lyme to be “old-fashioned and quaint, even to the custom of flinging slops out of the window without even a gardy-loo”. The river is described as “picturesque, if it were not for the rubbish that the inhabitants throw into it”. One artist titled his drawing of the river as ‘The Sewer’. The borough council did little to stop what was a century’s old ingrained practice. It was left to the mill owner to flush the river by opening the flood hatches and send the sullage seawards. Disposing of rubbish was obviously a problem, to the extent that the council allowed it to be dumped in the sea at Cobb Gate, the only proviso being “when the bathing season ended”. Sir Fredrick Treves (Highways and Byways in Dorset 1906) described Lyme as “a sober drab town”. The Guildhall was, in his opinion, “a nondescript building with mixture of architectural styles” and compared it to a German Stadhalle. He thought the Cobb was “the chief glory of Lyme” and that the area around the Buddle was the most curious. He explains that “so narrow is the river that the houses on each side nearly touch one another”. The fossil shop he found to be unique in that it was possible to buy fresh fish and fossils in the same place. Many writers saw Lyme as a “perfect holiday place with wonderful scenery”. The townsfolk were seen as “honest people with virtues you do not see every day”. There were, however, snobbish residents and those who could afford long term stays who considered themselves to be of the intellectual class. They objected to what they termed the “excursionist class who lowered the tone of the resort”. They complained to the local paper that less desirable visitors were attempting “to turn this old world town into a bad imitation of Blackpool and that a little intelligence would prevent ruination”. Vulgarities such as the sale of cheap sweets and ice-cream on the beach, sand artists and a foreign band blocking the Marine Parade were all targeted objections. None of the writers make any mention of the industrial complex situated to west of the Monmouth Beach. The Lyme Regis Cement Works had two 100foot chimneys and an aerial ropeway (for conveying stone) which had three 60 foot towers, the site dominated the far end of the beach. It was the town’s major employer having some 90 to 100 workers on its payroll. In 1913, an attempt was
Aerial ropeway at Monmouth Beach made to close it down following complaints of dust, smoke and sulphurous fumes. A postcard poll voted overwhelmingly in favour of keeping the Cement Works. It no doubt took into account the economic effect closure would have on the town and the workforce whose dependants numbered some 275. Richard Bull’s excellent paper on the Cement Works can be accessed via Lyme Regis Museum’s website. Edwardian visitors were the last to perambulate what was “a somewhat ancient town”. From 1913 onwards the town witnessed the demolition of some of its older buildings during the redevelopment of Broad Street and the widening of Bridge Street which saw the seaward side of the street removed. To be continued... Peter Lacey Local historian and author
SIMON Beadles’ wildflower oasis in Lyme Regis was first photographed by me in July 2016 and has since come on leaps and bounds, writes Francesca Evans. Simon, en ecologist and writer, has lived in Staples Terrace for the past six years. He gained the attention of Dorset Wildlife Trust in 2020 when his garden seemed to tick all the boxes as a wildlife refuge and he was subsequently awarded with a small plaque in recognition. Simon said: “One of the key ingredient in re-wilding is to allow nature to broadcast her own seeds, like the beautiful foxglove or lent lily.” he now has more than 60 different species of wild flora in his modest size garden, including the very rare wood vetch with its bunches of exquisite lilac-striped, sweet peascented flowers, and blue groomwell with its intense bright blue flowers. Among the fauna there are numerous slow worms living in the rotten timbers, and common green and meadow grasshoppers living in the natural environment among the wild grasses.
Wood mice also seem to be cohabitating under the wild herb planters. Bird species such as gold finches will gorge on the seeds of teasels in later summer and blue tits, which feast on the green aphids, festoon the many wild roses. This time of year, Simon goes off and collects rotting leaf litter near a 300-year-old oak tree, close to Haye Farm. Once back in his garden, he scatters the leaves among the wild shrubs of gelder rose, spindle, sea buckthorn and hawthorne and is then greeted by robins, dunocks and wrens who tuck into the many tiny insects. Earlier this year, Simon said that whilst the house sparrows were feeding off the copper feeder, out of nowhere a sparrowhawk divebombed these vulnerable small birds. Luckily, they quickly took cover and the raptor vanished into thin air. If you feel inspired by Simons garden and would like to discuss rewilding and growing a natural garden, you can call him on 07870 603 345 to arrange a viewing.
Free technicians’ course for young people at the Marine THE Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis is to run a new 10-week course offering young people a platform to launch a career in the arts – and it’s free. The Young Technicians’ Course is open to 16 to 25 year olds, funded by the Arts Council, and will start in January 2022. Led by five experts from the music industry and theatre, it will provide hands-on workshop sessions, and the opportunity to shadow the technical team as they manage live shows. Practical experience across lighting, sound, and stage management
will be given. Towards the end of the course, there is the opportunity for the young creatives to independently manage a full show. Marine Theatre director Gabby Rabbits said: “We’re delighted to launch this new opportunity in Lyme Regis for young people to gain the right skills and knowledge to enter the creative industry and to benefit from the mentorship and experience of industry experts.” The course is held in association with local music charity, B Sharp. It is free but you must register by emailing office@marinetheatre.com
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A warm welcome awaits at the Shaves Cross Cellar FRANCESCA EVANS
francesca@lyme-online.co.uk
Georgia Wellman behind the counter at The Shaves Cross Cellar in Bridge Street, Below, cosy seating in the back room of the bar
WITH colder weather drawing in, the cosy Shaves Cross Cellar has quickly become a favourite haunt for Lyme Regis residents since opening six weeks ago. Run by couple Tom Littledyke and Georgia Wellman, The Shave Cross Cellar – in the former premises of Aroma Café in Bridge Street – is an extension of their country pub, The Shave Cross Inn, near Bridport. The couple bought the pub in January 2020, just two months before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the UK. But despite the challenges and restrictions of the past 18 months, they have quickly built a great reputation for a friendly welcome, hearty comfort food, quality drinks and imaginative ideas and events to draw in customers, including their recent Abba night, Halloween party and bonfire night celebrations. Now they’re bringing the same ethos to The Shave Cross Cellar, where Tom and Georgia say a slower-paced, relaxed and enjoyable experience for customers is their number one priority. The couple have taken a novelty approach to sharing their passion for craft beer. A selection of 12 local beers – most from Thorncombe-based brewery Gyle 59 – are available on the ‘tap wall’ where customers can pour their own pint and are trusted to use a clicker to count their drinks, handing it in and paying as they leave. For the non-beer drinkers, there is also a
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Teresa Fowler celebrates 25 years since launching House of Flowers
EXPERIENCED Lyme Regis florist Teresa Fowler is this week celebrating the 25th anniversary of her business House of Flowers. Having bench trained at the age of 16 and gone on to study floristry at Bournemouth College, Teresa opened her first shop in Drakes Way, off Broad Street, on December 1 1996. She has since moved to several premises in the town and had shops in Honiton, but Teresa now runs her self-serve flower shed and workshop from her family home in Woodmead Road. Teresa has seen lots of changes to the industry and has had to diversify and move with the times over the past 25 years. In particular, she now focusses on wild and
seasonal English flowers, supporting local flower farms, and her business is also plastic free, as she uses 100 per cent recycled containers for her flowers, made from rubbish found in the sea. As well as picking your own bouquet at her self-serve flower shed, where you can pay by card, BACs, cash or PayPal, Teresa also takes online orders and offers daily deliveries. To mark her 25th anniversary on Wednesday, December 1 she will be hosting environmentally friendly, drop in wreath-making workshops. There is no need to book for this event, just turn up and choose from Teresa’s wide range of festive decorations to create your own wreath.
Tom Littledyke, sharing his passion for craft beer with the pour-your-own-pint tap wall full menu of wines, spirits, cocktails, soft drinks, teas and coffees, and even alcoholic milkshakes! The kitchen is serving up a selection of favourite dishes from The Shave Cross Inn menu, including the popular ‘7 Deadly Sins’ chicken wings, with seven varieties to choose from, and the indulgent camembert bread bowl. There are also sandwiches, ploughman’s and a choice of starter dishes, desserts and cakes. Tom and Georgina are soon hoping to start a takeaway service and already offer free delivery to local traders in Lyme Regis high street. To keep customers entertained, there is
a choice of board games and video games, a virtual reality headset and Pac Man arcade game. The bar also hosts weekly ‘Game of Thrones’ screenings and plans to start table top gaming nights, including Dungeons & Dragons, in the New Year. And if you fancy a night out of Lyme Regis, you can always book the mini bus, running seven days a week to The Shave Cross Inn so you don’t have to worry about a designated driver. The Shave Cross Cellar in Bridge Street, Lyme Regis, is open seven days a week from 12noon to 11pm with food served all day until 9pm.
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Volunteers begin water quality testing in River Lim after pollution concerns A TEAM of volunteers has started monitoring water quality levels of the River Lim in Lyme Regis, after concerns were raised about pollution. Turn Lyme Green is co-ordinating the project with the guidance of the Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT), which aims to restore and protect the rivers, lakes, and estuaries of the region for the benefit of nature, people, and local economies. Local residents in Lyme Regis and Uplyme became increasingly concerned over the summer as permanent signs were erected warning of pollution in areas where children and dogs paddle. The River Lim flows directly into the sea and also puts at risk sea users, both locals and visitors, including swimmers, paddleboarders, sailors and fishermen. Questions raised with South West Water and the Environment Agency did not provide clear answers about what the problem was or how it was being addressed. “We decided to start a citizens’ science monitoring project to find out what’s going on,” said Vicki Elcoate who is coordinating the volunteers. “We’ll be carrying out monthly monitoring along the Lim and the streams that feed into it initially for six months. “This will look at the water quality, phosphate content and try to spot any pollution incidents – like sewage smells
Litter pickers wanted! Volunteers, pictured at the River Lim in Lyme Regis, will be carrying out regular monitoring of the water quality quality. which need investigation. “With more than 850 waterbodies “We need answers about the state of our river to alleviate concerns about across the West Country, our active citpossible health risks and safety for izen scientists make a vital contribution bathing.” to our understanding of the pressures WRT has been running its leading they face, with data informing our work Westcountry Citizen Science Investiga- and having the potential to influence tions (CSI) volunteer project since 2016. policy.” Simon Browning, senior monitoring The River Lim Monitoring Project will officer at WRT, said: “We are always delighted when people want to take a be using test kits partly funded by Lyme proactive approach to looking after Regis Town Council. Anyone interested in learning more their local rivers and waterways and we are looking forward to supporting the about the project should email Turn River Lim Monitoring Project in survey- Lyme Green chair Laura Noel on ing the river habitat and testing water laura.noel51@gmail.com
TURN Lyme Green and Plastic Free Lyme Regis are looking for volunteers so they can get back to tackling the problem of litter – not just on our beaches but also inland too. Last Saturday a litter pick was held on the pavement between Charmouth roundabout and Lyme Regis Football Club. Six volunteers with support and advice from Litter Free Dorset spent the morning filling several bags of rubbish collected. Waste was mostly cans and plastic bottles, crisp and sweet wrappers, though clothing, larger household items and several wing mirrors were also found. Janet Breeze and Caroline Aldridge have taken over organising the litter picks from Krys Lavery after she had expertly organised beach cleans for more than six years.
Janet said: “Krys has done such a great job and we were amazed there is such a lot of behind the scenes work and support. “Litter Free Dorset have been incredibly supportive, providing a health and safety course and insurance cover for volunteers, Lyme Regis Football Club provided parking for volunteers on this litter pick, and Lyme Regis Town Council provided the skip. A real team effort!” At the end of the litter pick the team received a surprise personal thank you as the mayor, mayoress and town crier happened to be passing just as they finished. Anybody who is interested in taking part in future litter picks in and around Lyme Regis – occasionally or on a regular basis – can email Janet and Caroline on litterfreelyme@gmail.com for further details.
Dorset Council defends progress in tackling climate emergency DORSET Council’s environmental portfolio holder has defended criticisms that the authority has been too slow to respond to the climate emergency it declared more than two years ago. Cllr Ray Bryan has said the authority is working hard to spend £19million of government grants to tackle climate-related problems. Some of the money is going into reducing the carbon footprint of council-owned buildings council buildings, including County Hall, while some schools are being offered a share of the funding for similar work. The first £300,000 was spent on surveys and reports to design works and develop heat decarbonisation plans. The remaining money is being spent on the installation of decarbonisation technologies, such as air source heat pumps, improving energy efficiency through measures like insulation, LED lighting and the installation of solar panels. At this stage over 100 feasibility studies and decarbonisation plans have been completed, with more than 40 Dorset Council-owned sites considered for decarbonisation work so far, over 25 projects. Amongst these are 15 schools identified for air source heat pumps and leisure centres in Purbeck and Blandford, which have swimming pools, earmarked for LED lighting, solar panels and upgrades to their electrical infrastructure. Once all of the projects identified so far have been completed they will create total CO2 savings of around 2,600 tonnes annually, and bring financial savings of about £375,000 each year to the council. Said Cllr Ray Bryan, portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment: “This is a very ambitious project, to be delivered in a short period of time, as all works need to be installed and working by the end of March 2022. Therefore, it’s vitally important that we spend this money wisely and efficiently. “We’ve been working extremely hard on making sure we get the best “bang-for-buck” when decid-
ing not only which buildings will benefit most from these projects, but which measures would be most effective in reducing our carbon footprint. And, of course, the less money we spend on energy the more we can put back into essential council services. “We’ll work with local companies on these upgrades wherever possible and share our progress once the heat pumps, solar panels etc. are installed so our residents can not only see what we’re up to but perhaps investigate whether such measures might help them reduce their own carbon footprint.” The money comes from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with Dorset winning one of the highest awards in the country. Cllr Bryan says the council now aims to have ‘shelf ready’ projects which it can put forward at a moment’s notice, when the next round of grant funding is offered. The authority is also in the process of appointing a director-level officer to head up its climate and ecological emergency team. He said it was unfair that the council had been criticised for not doing enough when it was doing much more than other authorities. Several councillors congratulated him and the council team on their efforts. including Purbeck’s Beryl Ezzard, who said: “We’re all eco warriors here and I do want to see this going forward in a big way.” By Local Democracy Reporter Trevor Bevins Council publishes first progress report on climate emergency Dorset Council has now published its first Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy Progress Report, which focusses on action taken towards achieving carbon emission targets over the past year. as well as highlighting some of the work underway to deliver the strategy. In 2019, the newly formed Dorset Council de-
clared a Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE), acknowledging the council needs to act on the causes and impacts of climate change and protect and enhance Dorset’s environment and wildlife. It adopted the CEE Strategy and Action Plan in July 2021. Part of this strategy recognises the need to keep people informed about what its doing to reach its goals. The report contains lots of important information, but some of the key headlines are include: ● In 2020/21, the council’s carbon emissions reduced by around 17 per cent, from 31,000 to 25,867 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). This is well in excess of the eight per cent year on year budget to reach carbon neutral by 2040. ● The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we travel. Business travel has reduced by 60 per cent to 1,614,487 miles and it is estimated that council staff commuted less than half as much in 2020/21, down to below four million miles a year. Together this has saved around 2,644 tCO2e. ● Energy use in Dorset Council buildings has shown a 21 per cent reduction between 2019/20 and 2020/21, resulting in a saving of 2,100 tCO2e. ● In 2020, the council secured an additional £4.8million to extend the Low Carbon Dorset programme to 2023. To date the programme has received more than 500 applications for support and awarded 150 grants to support £5million worth of low carbon projects saving 5,600 tCO2e. ● In 2019, Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) local renewable energy sites generated 484 Giga Watt hours (GWh) of renewable electricity, equivalent to just under four per cent of Dorset & BCP total energy demand. There is another 246MW (mostly solar) currently in the planning system that may be installed in the coming years. ● The council’s grounds teams, ranger teams and arboriculture teams are now all using battery powered frontline tools, powered by the authority’s own solar panels. Each year this should save ap-
proximately 8,000 litres of fuel, £10,000 in cost and 19 tCO2e. ● As part of Dorset Council’s pollinator action plan, it is using methods to protect, conserve and enhance highway verges and other green spaces. This has included purchasing two more cut and collect machines, which will benefit an additional 350,000 m2 of highway verge and amenity spaces. ● The Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty team has secured more than £1.3million over three years for a ‘Farming and Protected Landscapes’ project, which will provide funding to support projects to manage land for nature, climate, people and place. ● In 2020/21 highways materials used reduced 30 per cent, saving 1,305 tCO2e. The council uses between 10 per cent and 30 per cent Recycled Asphalt Planings (depending on works) and 6,126 tonnes (up from 2,668 tonnes the previous year) of its own recycled surfacing. This reduces its carbon footprint as lorries do not have to travel to source primary materials. Cllr Bryan commented: “I am pleased with the progress we are making and encourage all interested residents to visit the website, read the progress report and see what we are doing to reduce our carbon footprint and play our part in tackling the Climate and Ecological Emergency. “However, it’s important to note that Dorset Council only accounts for around one per cent of the county’s carbon footprint and has limited impact on county-wide emissions. The latest government data shows that Dorset emissions have only reduced by six per cent since 2017, against a nine per cent target. “This demonstrates how much more work needs to be done if we as a county hope to reach net zero carbon emissions before it is too late. Only by working together – central government, councils, organisations, businesses and local communities – can we hope to secure a greener and cleaner Dorset for future generations.”
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LymeOnline stands alongside national media at awards LymeOnline was nominated alongside some of the leading players of the media industry at the national newsawards 2021. A party from the family-run LymeOnline website and newspaper, including editor Francesca Evans, managing director Philip Evans MBE and production manager Jackie Evans, attended the glamourous awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London earlier this month. LymeOnline had been nominated for the second consec-
utive year in the Independent Community Website of the Year category, and Francesca had been shortlisted for Print Production Achiever of the Year. Although they did not win either category, LymeOnline was said to be among the front-runners in the Community Website of the Year category, with judges praising its “commitment to improvement and digital innovation”, adding: “This is a lovely story of a family working closely together.” Francesca was one of just two women out of the eight
candidates for Print Production Achiever of the Year, and was the only nominee representing a small business rather than a national printing company. She was called on stage with other nominees and ceremony host, TV presenter Mark Durden-Smith, for the results of this prestigious award and her efforts in building the LymeOnline website and editing the free, fortnightly newspaper were described by judges as “a fantastic achievement”.
Honouring two very special music men
MUSIC MAKERS: David and Angela Manners pictured on the new seat with former committee members Helen Webber, Jane Broom, Johanna Hopkins, Elaine Kendrick and John Routley looking on
A NEW public seat has been unveiled on Theatre Square in Lyme Regis. The seat, outside the Marine Theatre, has been provided by the former Lyme Regis Musical Theatre (LRMT) group, which has ceased to operate after 100 years because of the lack of volunteers. The seat honours two stalwarts of LRMT. formerly Lyme Regis Operatic Society – Brian Manners and David Coates. Both were connected with the society for many years - Mr Manners as musical director and Mr Coates as a principal performer. They were both teachers at The Woodroffe School and both had served as president of the society. The seat was unveiled on
Wednesday afternoon by Mr Manners’ son David, also an exteacher at the school, who was accompanied by his wife Angela. The seat includes a plaque which says: “Thank you for the Music, for giving it to us, BRIAN MANNERS AND DAVID COATES. LYME REGIS MUSICAL SOCIETY” Former chairman of LRMT Johanna Hopkins said: “As the society is now defunct we thought it appropriate to honour the huge contribution made over many years by Brian and David. “And where more appropriate than outside the Marine Theatre where the society entertained the people of Lyme Regis for so long?”
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LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL Lyme Regis to plant more than 70 trees for Queen’s Jubilee MORE than 70 new trees will be planted in Lyme Regis to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In June 2022, the nation will honour The Queen for seven decades of service to the country and Commonwealth. Communities are being encouraged to mark the historic occasion by ‘Planting a Tree for the Jubilee’, in a scheme called the Queen’s Green Canopy. The UK-wide tree planting initiative focuses on sustainability and aims to create a legacy in honour of The Queen’s leadership of the nation, which will benefit future generations. In Lyme Regis, we have already started planning and preparing for an extensive planting scheme. The public may have noticed trees being felled at the top of the seafront gardens, which will allow us to create a new arboretum. The trees in that area – except one mature oak, which has been retained – were diseased, dying or leaning dangerously over properties and their felling had the full support of Dorset Council’s tree officer.
Every tree was climbed to check there would be no habitats disturbed and an ecological survey was carried out. They will now be replaced by 15 specimen trees, including maple, birch and the aptly named Acer Campestre Queen Elizabeth, a type of field maple. Timber from the felled trees will be made available to local residents free of charge, so keep an eye on our social media and website for details. A cherry tree avenue will also be created near the woodland walk, where 26 trees will line the walkway, and a further 27 cherry trees will be planted on the lower perimeter of Anning Road playing field. Several new trees will be planted in the cemetery, including crab apple and rowan, to create colour and attract wildlife. We are also hoping to plant silver birch near the Polish Airforce Memorial in Anning Road and are talking to Magna Housing Association, which owns the land. We hope all the trees planted will survive and flourish for years to come and provide a lasting tribute to Britain’s longest reigning Monarch.
Welcome to the council, Caroline! THIS week we welcome a new member to the council. Caroline Aldridge (pictured) was coopted as a councillor at a special meeting of the council on Tuesday evening. Five people put themselves forward to become a town councillor and were asked to give a presentation to the meeting to help members decide who to choose. Caroline won a clear majority of the votes on the night and took office immediately. In her application, Caroline spoke about her involvement in a range of local projects in health and social care, the environment and the arts, having volunteered with Lyme Regis Medical Centre’s Patient Participation Group, the Foodbank, the Marine Theatre and Turn Lyme Green. Caroline said she hoped to address local issues which had been flagged up to her by residents, including traffic and parking, work, housing and the environment. Caroline has lived in Lyme Regis for twoand-a-half years but prior to this she worked in health and education in the charity and not-for-profit sector. Caroline said: “I am really thrilled to become the newest councillor in Lyme Regis and I am looking forward to making a contribution to keeping Lyme the thriving and attractive town it is and plan to look for ways of making it even better. “In the short time I’ve lived here, I’ve been made so welcome and become involved in so many activities that I would love to repay this warmth and generosity by giving something back to the community.”
Free parking for festive shoppers FREE parking will be available in Woodmead car park to help support local businesses this festive season. Saturday, December 4 is Small Business Saturday, a national campaign which highlights small business success and encourages people to shop local. We’re encouraging people who live in Lyme Regis and surrounding areas to support our local small businesses by offering free parking on Small Business Saturday. All of Dorset Council’s car parks in Lyme Regis will also be free on that day. Woodmead car park and Dorset Council car parks will also be free on Thursday, December 23 for Carols Round the Tree.
LYME Regis Town Council Environment Committee chair, Cllr Belinda Bawden, and vice-chair Cllr Rob Smith, pictured with the new electric car charging points at Monmouth Beach
Council car parks going green
FOUR electric vehicle charging points have been installed in town council car parks. Following our climate and environment emergency declaration in 2019, we’re encouraging use of electric vehicles by offer these charging stations. The installation of the fast charging points – two at Monmouth Beach and two at Woodmead car park – is a key part of our plan for achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030. Cllr Belinda Bawden, chairman of the council’s Environment Committee, said: “It’s really exciting to have our new electric chargers in use in both our Monmouth Beach and Woodmead car park. “We hope this will encourage more electric vehicle use and put Lyme Regis firmly on the list of towns in the South West adapting to a more sustainable and resilient future.” The ‘fast’ chargers are 7kW and typically a vehicle would take between three and six hours to fully charge. Their installation has come at almost zero cost to the council as we were successful in obtaining a grant of £10,870 from the Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. Cllr Rob Smith, an electric car owner and vice-chairman of the Environment Committee, said: “The provision of car charging points will make it easier for resident to adopt electric vehicles, and support visitors to our town. “I understand that some visitors had been put off by the previous lack of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. “With plug-in vehicle sales already outstripping sales of diesel vehicles, we can look forward to improved air quality in our streets as we take one of the steps necessary to reduce further harm from climate change. “I am delighted to see these are already being used. I would like to thank Lyme Regis Town Council staff for their hard work, not only negotiating the grant funding system, but also liaising with the infrastructure providers. “Shortly after the charging points were installed, a visitor looking to stay in Mill Green contacted me to ask if they could charge at my house when they were down. “I was delighted to tell them that although they were very welcome to use my charger, there was a much more convenient one for them in Woodmead car park.”
■ FITNESS and exercise classes will now be able to take place on the beach, seafront and in the gardens. We’re introducing a new concession from 2022 to allow early-morning fitness classes to run with a view of the sea. The classes would need to finish before 9am when the town starts to get busy and we will be advertising the opportunity in December, to start from March 2022. We’re open to proposals for all types of classes, providing they are respectful of the surroundings and aren’t disruptive to others on the seafront. We’re also open to considering a range of locations, including the sand and pebble beaches, the Langmoor and Lister Gardens, and the seafront roof. Look out for our advert inviting applications in December. ■ WORKS to replace the historic seafront railings have been delayed following a holdup at the foundry. The work was due to start in early November but the cast iron posts are now expected to be delivered in early December. This means works are expected to take place in the weeks commencing December 6 and 13, shutting down for the Christmas and New Year period, recommencing on January 4 and continuing until the end of January. It will involve the replacement of around 220 metres of railings and 98 posts. ■ THE council offices will be closed over the festive period but all essential services will be maintained. The office will close at midday on Friday, December 24 and re-open at 10am on Tuesday, January 4. During this time, town council services including litter-picking, parking enforcement, dog enforcement, toilet cleaning and emergency repairs will continue. Our emergency procedure, which is available on our website and is only to be referred to in genuine crises, is a useful source of information and provides details of who does what in the county, along with their contact details.
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A salute to jazz pioneer Humphrey Lytellton JAZZ Jurassica celebrates the life and music of legendary musician and broadcaster, Humphrey Lytellton, on Friday, December 3 at Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis. ‘Salute to Humphrey Lytellton’ is touring venues across the country, led by jazz trumpeter and life-long ‘Humph’ fan, Chris Hodgkins. It features an impressive tenpiece band of top UK and US musicians, one of whom, Henry Lowther, played with Lytellton himself. The show will highlight how Lytellton (pictured) pioneered UK jazz in the late 40s and 50s, bringing jazz to a wider audience. Lyttelton’s hit single ‘Bad Penny Blues’ was the first ever British jazz record to get into the top 20. It had a very catchy boogie piano riff, which Paul McCartney used as the basis for The Beatles song ‘Lady Madonna’. It was produced by legendary producer Joe Meek of Telestar fame. Lytellton disliked Meek’s production but relented when it
started to climb the charts! The band will play his original work as well as new material specially composed for the evening. ‘Humph’ was also well-known as the host of ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue’. His sardonic wit and risqué humour became legendary and fuelled the popularity of the show. His friend George Melly described him as "trumpeter, broadcaster and purveyor of blue-chip filth to the nation". Julie Sheppard, director of Jazz Jurassica, said: “This is will be an unforgettable evening – with fantastic music and lots of banter! “An exhibition of Humph’s life, his writing and journals will accompany the tour. “This show is a labour of love – and it shows. Come for a great night out, full of laughter and memories of this great man”. ‘Salute to Humphrey Lytellton’ will be held on Friday, December 3 at 7.30pm in the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis. Tickets are now available via the website www.ticketsource.co.uk/jazzjurassica
Don’t miss auditions for Lyme Regis’ new community play
The Young’uns bring award-winning folk magic to the Marine Theatre THREE-time winners of the prestigious BBC Folk Awards, The Young’uns are a unique act on the UK Folk and Acoustic scene. These three brass-lunged lads from the north of England sing folk songs for our times with heart and humour. This December, they will be playing at the Marine in Lyme Regis. The Young’uns – Sean, David Eagle and Michael Hughes – originate from Stockton and have been singing traditional, original, and often strongly political, songs in powerful three-part harmony since they were
teenagers. Their latest album has been awarded five stars by The Guardian. Speaking on their success, David said: “To think we had started out stumbling across folk music when we were teenagers at the Sun Inn in Stockton with people singing in their own accents and singing in harmony, we just became so enchanted by it.” The Young’uns are playing at the Marine Theatre on Sunday, December 19. The show starts at 8pm and tickets cost £17.50 in advance at www.marinetheatre.com
ALL are welcome at auditions for a new community play, witten especially for Lyme Regis by former resident and professional screenwriter Andy Rattenbury. Following the success of Andy’s previous community plays, ‘The Tempest’, ‘Monmouth’ (pictured) and ‘Are You Going to the Marine?’, he has now written ‘Lyme and the Sea’, focussing on the town’s close connections with the sea through the ages. Organisers were pleased with a good turnout at introduction meetings staged in October and will now be hosting auditions this week. Auditions are being held for the cast, musicians and singers on Sunday, November 28 and Monday, November 29 at the Marine Theatre, both from 6pm to 8pm. You do not have to have attended the introduction meetings to audition. Performers are needed for lead roles, walkon parts, soloists and ensemble numbers. Those interested in auditioning should email communityplay@marinetheatre.com, giving your email address, a phone number and how you would like to be involved in the play.
Pieces from the script for auditions will then be sent to you. Organisers are also looking for stage crew, those to make costumes, do make-up or hair, help with social media, or have a mixture of roles. A spokesperson said: “This is your community play, and the more people get involved the better it will be. “Even if you have never been on stage or taken part in a production, this is a fantastic opportunity to have a go. “We will be running workshops and master classes. It will be a learning, performing and all-round fun experience.” Rehearsals for the play will start in January 2022, but you will not need to come every week until after Easter and even then, rehearsals will be staggered. The performance dates will be June 15 to 18 2022.
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Axminster audiences pack the Guildhall for ‘Evita’
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XMINSTER Musical Theatre returned to the stage after a year in limbo caused by the epidemic to present one of the most challenging productions for an amateur society – ‘Evita’.
The rags-to-riches story of Eva Peron, the poor girl who became a prominent political power in Argentina in the early 1950s, provided Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber with one of their most successful musicals with a film version in 1996 starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas taking the role of Che Guevara. With a name change from Axminster Operatic Society to Axminster Musical Theatre, Axminster audiences have been treated to some of the West End’s greatest hits in recent years and as I sat in a packed auditorium at the Guildhall last week, I could not help thinking how far the society had travelled since I covered my first show, “No No Nanette”, in 1965. With a new vibrant creative team, an abundance of talent on stage and a slick operation behind the scenes, Evita will undoubtedly go down as one of the society’s most enjoyable and successful productions from a long list of popular operettas and musicals going back to 1926. In short, it was stunning and has been the talk of the town since the final curtain came down on Saturday evening. When the society started rehearsals they had no idea whether the show would make it to the stage because of the lockdown restrictions. But they stuck to it and are to be congratulated for delivering such a fantastic production during these difficult days. Appointing Kelly Apps (nee Street) as director was a master stroke. Kelly has been one of the most popular stage performers on the local stage for many years. No one knows the role of Evita better than Kelly who took the part when the show was performed by Lyme Regis Musical Theatre in 2015 to rave reviews. Musical director Joe Binmore’s ensemble did credit to Lloyd-Webber’s brilliant score capturing all the excitement of Argentinian life, and new choreographer Jodie Glover created rousing routines that kept the action flowing. The part of Eva Peron was entrusted to the talented Silvey Webber, no stranger to local audiences, who has played many leading roles in recent times and is a firm favourite with local audiences. She portrayed this most challenging role with great energy and her natural acting and vocal skills combined to produce an unforgettable performance. Playing the role of Che Guevara, the Marxist revolutionary guerrilla, was Paul Matterface, a newcomer to Axminster Musical Society. He narrated the action with the perfect combination of authority and empathy and will undoubtedly be a great asset to the society in the future. The versatile Mike Hamilton, a seasoned performer throughout the South West, took the role of Juan Peron. His experience was put to good effect as the authoritarian political leader who was heart broken when Eva died of cancer, a particularly sensitive scene
THEATRE REVIEW by Philip Evans
EVITA
Axminster Musical Theatre which moved the audience. I was particularly enjoyed the portrayal of the fading tango singer Magaldi played by Daniel Wilde, another ATM stalwart, especially his rendition of “On This Night of a Thousands Stars”, the man responsible for taking Eva Duarte to Buenos Aires, played with just the right degree of pathos. The role of Peron’s mistress before he met Eva Duarte was played by Lauren Good whose rendition of “Another Suitcase In Another Hall", was one of the musical highlights of the production. Eva’s family: Tracey Wakeling, Greg Horton, Jasmine Hussey, Emily Smith. Tango dancers: Greg Horton, Carly Poole. Choir girls: Robyn Moss, Daisy Broome. Mother with child: Robin Brakstad. Generals: Greg Horton, Richard Fereday, Mike Harvey, Ryan Tozer. Aristocrats, Descomisados, Dressers and Nurses: Robin Brakstad, Daisy Broome, Val Cullimore, Jasmine Hussey, Caitlin Jackson, Vanessa Loder, Hannah McGown, Robyn Moss, Carly Poole, Emily Smith, Tracey Wakeling, Tina Woodhall, Anette Wraxall, Richard Fereday, Mike Harvey, Greg Horton, Ryan Tozer. Orchestra: Jenny Campbell (woodwin), Shirley Screetch (woodwind), Josie Denning (trumpet), Josh Westrip (trumpet), Christopher Holland (trombone), Glyn Rattenbury (kit), Steve Douglass (percussion), Pete Manfield (bass), Frazer Morgan (guitar), Cathy Binmore (keyboard), Ian Crew (keyboard),
Silvey Webber as Evita and Mike Hamilton as Juan Peron Tina Pavely (keyboard). Production: Jack Price (production manager); Jack Price assisted by Martin Webber (stage manager); Ian Styles (front of house); Ian Styles with Kelly Apps and Jack Price (set design and construction); Axminster Property and Axminster Drama Club (set materials); Seventh Wave Audio and Lighting (lighting and sound); Brian Cursley and Barry Marshall (properties); Annette Burrough, Kelly Apps and Carrie Webber (wardrobe); Jasmine Hussey and Greg Horton (hair/wigs); Susie Gamby and Carrie Webber (dressers); Lily
Cauldwell and Jasmine Hussey (make-up); Lewislaw.co.uk (photography); Kelly Apps, Jack Price and Rose Harvey (publicity); Rose Harvey and Anette Wraxall (programme); The Community Waffle House (ticket sales and box office); Footprints, Bridport (printing); Pam Cridge (floral arrangements for the foyer); Diane Bruce (raffle organiser); Pauline Marshall and Coral Rowe (ice-cream sellers); Sue Close assisted by friends of Axminster Musical Theatre (stewards, programmes and raffle sellers).
timeoutinLyme
24 Friday, November 26 2021
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ARTS | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS
Paul Young’s Los Pacaminos lay their hat in Lyme EIGHTIES star Paul Young is bringing his Tex Mex band of supergroup musicians to Dorset. Young, who rose to fame after hits such as ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat’ and ‘Come Back and
Stay’, formed Los Pacaminos with musicians and friends who played with him throughout the 80s and 90s. Their friendships stretch back 20 to 30 years, and it's these solid connections that
create a special, foot-stomping atmosphere at a Los Pacaminos show. Los Pacaminos play the very best in Tex Mex Border music, from The Texas Tornadoes and Ry Cooder to Los Lobos — and even Roy Orbsion. Drew Barfield, Mark Pinder, Steve Greetham, Jamie Moses and Melvin Duffy – the UK’s premier pedal steel player – are all part of the line-up. Speaking of the Los Pacaminos experience,
What’s on
Saturday, November 27
Christmas Lights Switch-On Events around Broad Street, Lyme Regis, from 2.30pm Christmas lantern-making workshop at Lyme Regis Baptist Church at 2.30pm, judging of the lanterns at 4pm, illuminated carnival including the parade of lanterns, Lyme Regis Majorettes and Father Christmas at 5pm, and the big switchon at 5.30pm.
Sunday, November 28
Lionel Handy
Internationally acclaimed cellist
The Sunday Sessions Marine Theatre, 3pm This regular free entry event is the Marine’s dedicated time to promote quality live music—our post-roast music session. Enjoy local drinks and the best musicians. If you'd like to play, just turn up! Community Play Auditions Marine Theatre, 6pm All are welcome at the auditions for our new community play. Following the success with previous plays ‘The Tempest’, ‘Monmouth’ and ‘Are You Going to the Marine?’, screenwriter Andy Rattenbury has written ‘Lyme and the Sea’. The theme of the play is the close connections with the sea for the local community through the ages. (repeated Monday, November 29).
Monday, November 29
accompanied by Jennifer Walsh
Uplyme Church Friday 3rd December 7.30pm English Romantic Programme with works by Ethel Smyth, Delius, Armstrong Gibbs and Benjamin Britten Admission £10 at the door Bar for interval drinks
Community Play Auditions Marine Theatre, 6pm All are welcome at the auditions for our new community play (see listing above).
Tuesday, November 30
LRTC Planning Committee Guildhall, 7pm Members of the public are welcome to attend town council meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum. For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk
Wednesday, December 1
LRTC Strategy & Finance Guildhall, 7pm Members of the public are welcome to attend town council
Young said: “We all enjoy each other's company – anyone who's seen us will know that the fun is there on stage – and the audience can join in with us.” Los Pacaminos play at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on Saturday, December 11. Tickets are available from the Marine Theatre and online at www.marinetheatre.com, costing £22 when booked in advance. The bar will open at 7pm and the show will start at 8pm.
Send your diary dates to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk Visit: www.lyme-online.co.uk/events
meetings and speak for up to three minutes in the public forum. For agendas visit the website lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk
Thursday, December 2
Climate Change Theatre Action Marine Theatre, 6.30pm Join us in Lyme Regis and be part of an annual global event: an evening of short play readings that encounter our changing climate in unexpected ways. Climate Change Theatre Action is a worldwide series of readings and performances of plays commissioned to coincide with the United Nations meetings. Tickets £5 at www.marinetheatre.com Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday, raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association. Doors open 7.30pm, eyes down 8pm.
Friday, December 3
Light Up Uplyme Uplyme village centre, 6.30pm Uplyme will host its own Christmas lights switch-on event this year, with festive music and refreshments from the Talbot Arms from 6.30pm and the grand switch-on at 7pm. Salute to Humph Marine Theatre, 6.30pm Salute to Humph celebrates the life and music of Humphrey Lyttelton on what would have been his 100th birthday. Jazz trumpeter, Chris Hodgkins leads a 10 piece band of top UK and US jazz musicians to recreate in sound, pictures and spoken word, Humph's contribution to the jazz revival in the 1940s and 50s. Tickets £25 at www.marinetheatre.com Cancer Research Christmas Bingo Woodmead Halls, 7.30pm The Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK stage their annual Christmas bingo with great festive prizes up for grabs. Eyes down 8pm.
Saturday, December 4
Mungo’s Hifi Marine Theatre, 8pm Mungo’s Hi Fi is a soundsystem and music production collective based in Glasgow,
Scotland. They produce and play music which blends Jamaican influence with contemporary bass music, resulting in a unique take on Ska, Reggae, Dancehall and Dubstep that has made them firm favourites in the underground music scene. Tickets £14 at www.marinetheatre.com
Sunday, December 5
Jazz in the Bar Marine Theatre, 7pm Our intimate jazz event continues: Benny Goodman was the most famous clarinet player of the twentieth century-at the height of his fame he was mobbed by crowds wherever his band appeared. His joyous, swinging music will be presented by clarinettist Charlie Hearnshaw, accompanied by Philip Clouts at the piano. Tickets £10 at www.marinetheatre.com
Tuesday, December 7
Hop Talks: What Sort of Animal Are You? Marine Theatre, 6pm Charles Foster is a writer, traveller, veterinarian, taxidermist, barrister and philosopher. He wrote 'Being a Beast' and 'Being Human'. He joins us for the next Help our Planet talks. Come and join the conversation! Tickets £8 at www.marinetheatre.com
Thursday, December 9
Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday, raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association. Doors open 7.30pm, eyes down 8pm.
Friday, December 10
Poems & Monologues for Christmas Woodmead Halls, 10am Join members of Lyme Regis U3A for a selection of poems and monologues on a Christmas theme, with a touch of humour, presented by Paul Evans. See lymeregisu3a.org for details. Living Spit’s Nativity Marine Theatre, 6.30pm The hugely popular comic duo take to the stage for a hilarious interpretation of the Christmas story. Tickets £13 from www.marinetheatre.com
Friday, November 26 2021 25
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Abbeyfield Lyme Regis The heart of an Abbeyfield house is the community generated by its residents who no longer want to live alone in isolation or become dependent on their family’s support in later life. We encourage our residents to keep connected to the wider community in Lyme, to remain independent and active. Our amazing team of friendly housekeepers provide delicious home-cooked lunches and suppers. They will get to know you and always have time to offer a listening ear or a word of encouragement.
Our house is situated amid lovely gardens, which offer outstanding views across the town and around the iconic Jurassic Coast. We currently have vacancies on the ground and first floor for en-suite studio apartments. The monthly fees include rental, food, all utility charges and the maintenance charges for the communal areas and gardens. This charge varies according to the apartment size. (Please note that we accept Housing Benefit, for those that are eligible, as part of these fees).
Why then live a solo existence, when being part of this community will allow you the time to live a fuller, richer life?
Come and see our house for yourself by contacting David Lawrence (01297) 442140
or 07715 050083
Abbeyfield Lyme Regis and District) Society Ltd.Westhill, Silver Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3HS T: 01297 443783 E: abbeyfieldlymeregis@hotmail.co.uk We are a member of The Abbeyfield Society whose Royal Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales Registered Charity No. 261463; NAROSH No. H2698; Company No. 00977174 Registered Office: The Abbeyfield House, Westhill, Silver Street. Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3HS Registered in England and Wales
axminsternews
26 Friday, November 26 2021
■ AXMINSTER Town Council has applied for planning permission for a children’s play area of land south of Furzleigh Down Farm, off Cooks Lane. The play area is intended to serve children living in the Raymond’s Hill area of Axminster Parish, but plans have been met with some objection from residents. Concerns include that the play park could result in increased traffic and pedestrians on the narrow Cooks Lane, as well an an increase in anti-social behaviour. The proposed play area would comprise three separate pieces of play equipment – a bowl swing, a swing set and a climbing frame. The application says: “It is considered that the proposed play area would not unduly affect the character and appearance of the area and the visual and physical amenities enjoyed by adjoining residential areas. “In addition, the relatively minor nature and scale of the proposed community facility would be in scale with the character, environmental characteristics and setting of the area and would not conflict with the countryside, nature or landscape policies, nor detract from the amenities of the area.” But the application has received seven letters of objection and just two of support since it was submitted in October. Concerns include the siting of the pay park near the entrance of a busy farm and excavation business used by multiple heavy good vehicles, and its position on a “subtle bend” of the single-track Cooks Lane where there is no pavement and “the speed limit is rarely maintained”. Others have raised concerns about possible increase in noise and anti-social behaviour. Those supporting the application have said the play park would be a great asset for local children.
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Plans to put Guildhall at heart of community FRANCESCA EVANS
francesca@lyme-online.co.uk AFTER months of closure during the coronavirus pandemic, Axminster Guildhall is stepping into a new era with a new manager at the helm. Originally built in 1931 as a Guildhall, the building was used as such until 1946 when it was sold and used as a cinema until it closing down in 1964. The building was purchased by a local firm and was almost immediately put up for sale, with the town council purchasing it and undertaking a complete renovation. The Guildhall today is still the home of the town council but is also the mainstay of local entertainment and recreational activities. It boasts a large auditorium with stage and balcony seating and full sound and lighting equipment, bar, kitchen and the versatile Churchill Rooms upstairs which can be hired by local groups. Leigh Conley was appointed the new manager in October following the Guildhall’s reopening as coronavirus restrictions lifted. The venue was previously managed by the late Mayor of Axminster, Anni Young, who died suddenly in December 2020 and Leigh now hopes to build on her work to bring a varied programme of arts and entertainment to Axminster, as well as creating a real centre for the community. A former teaching assistant at Axminster Primary Academy, Leigh is also chairman of Axminster Drama Club, playing Mr Poppy in their upcoming festive production of ‘Nativity
New manager of Axminster Guildhall, Leigh Conley, pictured on the balcony overlooking the auditorium These larger events will help to raise funds for The Musical’, so the arts have always been close the Guildhall to allow it to become more self-sufto his heart. “I have known Axminster Guildhall for many ficient and stage more of its own community years and always thought it was a great asset to events, which will include an indoor Christmas market on December 19. the town,” said Leigh. The Guildhall is already regularly used by a va“Following lockdown and Anni’s passing, I thought this was a great opportunity to take it riety of community groups, everything from the monthly Repair Cafe to the Karizma Majorettes, on. “I want to build on what Anni had already as well as a number of dance and exercise classes achieved here. The aim is to never see the Guild- and even a French conversation group. Leigh is keen to build on this and, in particular, hall doors but and to make it a real community reach out to local schools who could make use of hub.” With Axminster Musical Theatre’s ‘Evita’ cur- the facilities for events such as art exhibitions. He is also planning a full refurbishment of the rently running at the Guildhall until Saturday, and several festive events including ‘Nativity The Guildhall in the New Year. Look out for Leigh's new monthly column on Musical’ scheduled for December, Leigh is now the latest goings on at the Guildhall coming to busy putting together a programme for 2022. This will include more of the popular tribute Axminster Nub News soon. For more information on upcoming events, and music nights, as well as a monthly comedy visit the Axminster Guildhall Facebook page. club.
Axminster’s ‘best ever’ Christmas event A national network of h hyperlocal news websites, now covering the Ax Axminster & Seatton areas With editorial content provided by the team from Ly Lym meOnline
Visit our new websites at
axminsterr..nub.news and seaton.nub.news And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & T Tw witter to keep up to date with all the latest local news
THOUSANDS of people crowded into Axminster's Trinity Square last Saturday evening for the switching-on of the town's Christmas lights. It was thought to be the best supported Christmas event seen in Axminster with the Square, Minster Green and parish church packed with Christmas stalls, food outlets and fairground rides provided by Herbert’s Funfair. Highlight of the occasion was a torchlight process around the town with more than 200 taking part. The procession was led by the Mayor of Axminster, Cllr Jill Farrow, accompanied by town crier Nick Goodwin (pictured) and followed by the Karizma Majorettes. Father Christmas paid an early visit to the town, accompanied by one of his elves, and there was Punch and Judy and face painting to keep the kids amused. With last year's Christmas abandoned because of the COVID-19 epidemic, local businesses have made a special effort this year to make the town centre as festive as possible. The event was co-ordinated by the Light-Up Axminster organisation with help from Axminster Carnival Committee. Organiser Cindy Furse said she was delighted with the number of stalls and attractions and thanked all those who supported the event.
Friday, November 26 2021 27
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Is there really need for all this change in Uplyme? ■ THROUGH your paper I would very much like
to say how sorry I was to hear that we are to lose the post office facility and maybe the garage in Uplyme. Maybe this is the sign of the times to come. This community asset has been a lifeline to many over the years, creating local employment and being a central hub of the village. If this asset closes Uplyme will become yet another drive through village and just a route to the sea. I for one do not know details about the proposed new school but it appears that entrances to both the proposed new school and garage seem to be causing some conflict amongst many. I ask myself why build a new school anyway (I am sure there are reasons thought by many). I am told there are nearly 200 pupils at Uplyme school at present (I may stand corrected) and of that number only a third are from the Uplyme village itself. With the current situation with the climate, and patterns ever changing, why build a school on a flood plain (look at recent flood issues highlighted in this paper and the location of this site at the lowest point in the valley)? Why are we encouraging people to travel to Uplyme school (Good Ofsted report no doubt and an appeal process that is not working)? Numbers should not have got to this level so that we require a new school. Children should be going to local schools, building a sense of community, not travelling the roads putting stress on parents and polluting the atmosphere with unwanted fumes. There should be no need to have a new school built in Uplyme, wasting valuable open green space. We all don’t like change, that is true, but we need to put the brakes on sometimes, and look at what is best for our planet and our community. I for one have taken a step back after recently having an article withheld from publication in a
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parish magazine. This was due to it being of a controversial nature and may have stirred up the village; there was no intention for it to do this. Sometimes you have to be true to yourself and be out spoken to get your voice heard. I, for one, was not in favour of the reordering of Uplyme Church a few years back, at a vast expense to the limited coffers, especially when we can use buildings as they are, in a correct manner and for their intended use. This would preserve limited resources and money, surely this is the way to go. The village has a selection of communal buildings that are not used to their full potential. Is it not time that everyone from different committees got together and helped each other out? This is a sense of community worth fighting for. No new school needed. No major projects that we can ill afford, just a village coming together in harmony and working things out. I would have thought through, and beyond, the pandemic we would have learnt something. Partially working from home, partially learning online at home, less pollution, less wasting resources and a happier place to live, leading to a cleaner and harmonious environment for our next generations. Come on Uplyme, step up to the challenge. And finally for those of you that I have not managed to get a copy of my withdrawn poem to, here goes: Changes in life People never like changes in life, it is plain to see, Speak to anyone, like you or me. Builders building houses, where green fields lay before, Or a wooden floor put down, where tiles were on
NEWS FROM CITIZENS ADVICE PEOPLE spending thousands to improve green home energy and reduce their carbon footprint have fewer consumer protections than those buying a mobile phone according to new research released by Citizens Advice. The charity analysed the consumer protections across a range of green energy products and services including insulation, solar panels etc, and compared them to mobile phones, insurance and pensions. It found a worrying gap. Citizens Advice’s report - The Net Zero Protections Puzzle - follows the government’s long-awaited Heat and Buildings Strategy which sets out how the UK will decarbonise our homes as part of setting a path to reach net zero by 2050. Citizens Advice says achieving net zero will require changes to every single household and public trust and confidence will be crucial to ensuring people make the necessary adaptations. Citizens Advice’s research shows the majority of people are willing to make changes to their homes but are concerned that the process is confusing and costly. There are currently 12 different accreditation schemes covering insulation, solar panels, or heat pumps leaving consumers unsure if they are choosing high quality providers and installers. Consumers currently face many kinds of issues which are reflected in the cases Citizens Advice sees through the Consumer Service helpline. People can find sources of information but it can be hard to tell if they are trustworthy. Installers of insulation, solar panels or heat pumps currently only have to join a mandatory scheme if government funding is involved. Even then, there are no protections if things go wrong due to mis-selling, scams or rogue traders. There are no guidelines for installers and no complaints process that guarantees an outcome. These things are standard practice for consumer purchases, like taking out a phone contract or loan. The installation of some low-carbon technologies needs to ramp up by more than 2,000
per cent in the next four years to meet the netzero target. A straightforward and comprehensive package of consumer protections will be key for people to be confident in investing to make their homes fit for the future. To support the challenge of retrofitting 29 million homes, Citizens Advice is calling for a single accreditation and inspection scheme for anyone installing green home technologies. A single body should have the power to both audit providers and prevent a company that falls below standards from operating; and set clear, enforceable consequences if companies break the rules. This follows the example of financial services in which nearly all activities must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Gillian Cooper, head of energy policy at Citizens Advice, said: “If the government wants to hit its net zero by 2050 target it’s going to need to make it as easy as possible for people to make changes to their homes. Right now it’s confusing and complex with people not knowing where to start finding a decent installer. “Both the Heat and Buildings Strategy and Net Zero Strategy show clear ambition, but achieving current targets won’t be simple. Strong consumer protections are still needed to help people navigate the difficult process of making green home improvements. “People need to know how to find a trustworthy installer and that they’ll be protected if things go wrong. Establishing a single mandatory scheme is a key way in which the government can support the public to meet this once-in-a-generation challenge.” Citizens Advice in Lyme Regis is now running advice sessions on Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm at the Lyme Regis Town Council offices in Church Street (DT7 3BS). For consumer problems call the Consumer helpline 0808-223-1133. For other issues telephone Freephone 0800-144-8848 or send an email using the contact form on the website www.bridportca.org.uk.
the floor. The most important thing about change, is it for the best? Just like you change your jumper, or throw out an old vest. Think about the impact, it has on village life, Discuss with your family, children and your wife. Money that is spent, reordering a place, Could lose its character, of time and space. We know that time does not stand still, and change is for the few, But before the change is made, consider me and you. Buildings have a heart, and reminisce when people come, To find the soul, the pews and fixtures, these items gone. A visitor comes to open door to look inside, day or night, To amazement the change has been made a visitors book they write. What happened to this building, why the change, a shock?
Voted by the church family, to change the whole lot. It’s for the better you know, for birth, death, and marriage, You could now use the space, to turn a horse and carriage. The last line of the last verse, is a bit far fetched, But we must be careful of change, and how it affects. The church character has now gone, But the next generation won’t remember the pews, the tiled floor where sun did shone. People never like change, but the job is done, now it seems, Good job they stopped, and did not take the beams. The church is the people, not the building that still stands, Perhaps the whole village should, have seen the master plan. Nigel Ball Talbot Road, Lyme Regis
Fairer system needed for beach hut bookings ■ AN open letter to Lyme Regis Town Council: I am writing to express my confusion and annoyance towards one of your services’ selection processes you offer as priority to local residents, followed by the general public the following day. I am referring to the beach hut allocation system you have used this year. I generally feel that it is a vague and unfair system for any form of allocation, when trying to rely on a connection to a standard telephone line, no queuing even used. I tried from 10am numerous times repeatedly, but still received the engaged tone. Finally, I got through at 10.59am to be told by Kerry, that unfortunately, all allocations were full. Having known numerous people that have had a winter let on a regular yearly basis, I made contact with them directly. To my surprise (not!) I find that they had been allocated their regular package they required with little hassle or fuss, with some expressing that they would have been devastated and shocked if they hadn’t been allocated one. Surely this shows that they had strong confidence that they would be allocated once again. The unfair side of things shows again. I will be doing further investigations into communication systems within the council shortly. I think I have the perfect solution! We make a
public event of the beach hut allocation, similar to the FA cup selection system, as seen on the BBC’s ‘One Show’. You are able to make an email or call to the council office one week prior to the event date, you will be allocated a number against your details and for each package there will be a separate draw. On the day the mayor or the deputy will tip the balls or tickets (all numbers shown prior to entering the hat – no cheeky missing a couple out!) into a hat and will select the lucky allocations to be displayed (no personal names mentioned at the event) and then the applicant will be contacted if their number was publically selected. This could all happen in the shelters or the Jubilee Pavilion on a Sunday afternoon in late October. It would make a great fun afternoon to bring people together and show that not all council decisions are made behind closed doors! I am sure my suggestion will be welcomed with open arms by all councillors and officers (because I am sure they had a hard time on the allocation days answering the calls) and by the end of this letter being read to you all, you will all have a smile on your face! I look forward to attending the Great Lyme Regis Beach Hut Allocation Event in 2022! Name and address supplied
Lim or Lym? The debate goes back in history! ■ WHEN trying to determine the correct spelling for the river we need to remember that for centuries phonetic spelling with numerous variations was the norm. In 774 the river is clearly recorded as the Lim, however in the 10th century the town is described as "being by the river Lym". Early sea charts denote the town and port as Lim or Lime. It has been suggested that Lim means a "raging torrent". In one early document both spellings are used;
Lym is depicted as being close the "Saltforde" (near the old Uplyme Mill) with the River Lim entering the sea at "Lyme Abbots". The Doomsday Survey refers to the Bishop of Salisbury holding land at Lym. Whichever way you spell it, the name remains constant. It would seem from the evidence that our town took its name from the river. Peter Lacey, Fairfield Park, Lyme Regis
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28 Friday, November 26 2021
FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin
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Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer
■ IN over 20 years of photographing the animals at Paignton Zoo, one of my favourites was Kivu, the Western Lowland Gorilla who hated the frosty weather but braved the cold to forage in the frost for his favourite food, corn on the cob. He also liked to take his shopping bag with him just in case he had a bumper find of food. I forgot to mention that he didn’t like cameras that much, having thrown rocks at me on previous occasions. The look he gave me said a thousand words; maybe he heard me say he had brought his comfort blanket!
You can view all of award-winning photographer Richard Austin’s previous ‘Flashbacks’ columns on the LymeOnline website at lyme-online.co.uk/blogs
Friday, November 26 2021 29
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30 Friday, November 26 2021
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PRESSURE COOKER, ideal for cooking Christmas puddings, £3.50 - 01297 443930. COMPOST BIN and wormery dustbin, £10 each - 01297 443930.
WOMEN’S JEANS, Marks & Spencer, indigo, slim leg, size 8, unworn, cost £19.50, now selling for £10 - 01297 443930. MEN’S SHIRTS, Marks & Spencer, pure cotton, 1 x tartan size L, 1 x check size XXL, still packed, cost £19.50 each, selling for £10 each - 01297 443930. LADDER, second-hand Young Man Trade 200 triple extension ladder, 3 x 14 rungs, £125 07790 017 214. CAT WILLOW BASKET, large, good condition, £20 - 07870 603 345. LOWRY ORGAN, cost £1,200, now selling for £100, can be played before purcahse, buyer collects - 01297 442103. CHAINSAW, petrol, Sacs Dolmar, good condition, spare chain, £50 - 01297 442134.
Your name: .......................................................................................................................
HEDGE TRIMMER, petrol, Stihl, 24 inch, £25 01297 442134.
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FENCING FOIL, Leon Paul épée with carrying bag, £25 - 01297 443666.
........................................................................................................................................... Telephone number: .........................................................................................................
Send this form to: Items For Sale, LymeOnline, Unit 5, Uplyme Business Centre, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS
LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL
SOFTBALL/BASEBALL BATS, Louisville Slugger Official USA 34 inch softball metal bat and wooden Mark McGwire 34 inch baseball bat, £50 for the two - 01297 443666. BARBOUR COAT, geuine Barbour Bushman coat, rust colour, £90 - 07870 603 345. BOWLS, size 2, £25 - 07889 019 587.
ITEMS FOR SALE
SHOES, size 6, £5 a pair - 07889 019 587. DRESSES, size 14/16, £5 each - 07889 019 587. GLASS DEMIJOHNS, for wine-making, 3 for £10, plus some free homegrown grapes! Call 01297 443930. DUVETS, good quality, winter 13.5 tog, occasionally used (spare bed), 1 double and 1 single, £8 each - 01297 443930. SEWING BOX/CRAFT TROLLEY, vintage 1960s, wooden (oak?) and silk-lined, on wheels, £50 - 01297 443930. ARMCHAIR/FOLD-OUT BED, ‘Rest Assured’ chair that unfolds into single bed, ideal for sleepovers, £25 - 01297 443930. CAT WILLOW BASKET, large, good condition, £20 - 07870 603 345. MOTORCYCLE TOP BOX, 50L, no key, Givi Monokey system - call 07870 603 345 for details. ROLLATOR, ‘Days’ sturdy 4-wheel walking aid, with seat, and back rest, maroon and black, good condition, £20 ONO - 07967 522061. WASH BASIN, white with pedestal, single tap hole, used but very good condition - 07833 130 829. PROPELLER SHAFT ANODE, one inch, new and unused, £5 - 07833 130 829. RADIATORS, 2 x brand new, electric oil-filled Pro Breeze 10 fin radiators, never used, £30 each - 07981 498 279.
LOOKING FOR STAFF?
Finance Assistant / Assistant Finance Manager
Part-time/Full-time, 30 to 37 hours a week, Monday to Friday Salary: SCP 4-19 (£18,933 to £25,481) A vacancy has arisen in the finance team. The successful applicant will work alongside the finance manager to manage the council’s accounts, budgets and financial affairs. The post is suitable for either someone experienced in finance who could take on the assistant manager role, or someone looking to embark on a career in finance. This could be a great opportunity for a school or college leaver. The successful applicant must be willing to learn and be prepared to undertake training. In addition, they must be enthusiastic and have a can-do attitude. For further information and an application pack, contact: Adrianne Mullins, Lyme Regis Town Council, Guildhall Cottage, Church Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3BS Tel: 01297 445175, email: admin@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk Or download a pack from www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk/job-vacancies Closing date for applications is midday on Monday 13 December 2021 Interviews will be held on Thursday 16 December 2021
LymeOnline can offer affordable and wide-reaching advertising opportunities to promote your vacancies Job advert spaces of varying sizes, starting from as little as £15, are available in our fortnightly printed newspaper with a distribution of 4,000 around Lyme Regis, Uplyme, Charmouth and Axminster. Plus you’ll get a free job advert on the LymeOnline website, visited by more than 900 users a day! Call Francesca on 07810 221 420 or email francesca@lyme-online.co.uk
Friday, November 26 2021 31
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LymeOnline Sport
football
Youngsters step up to the plate to ensure another Uplyme win Devon and Exeter League Division 6 Uplyme 1sts 2, Central 2nds 1
WITH a number of first team regulars missing Uplyme welcomed Central 2nds to Venlake.
Beddows was the (un)lucky recipient of the vacant keeper’s jersey. Nate Gillan, Connor Tate, Mikey Sayers, Tyler Wheeler and Josh Lawrence also stepped up to ably fill the gaps. Gaffer Steve Gillan took on a player-manager role. The game started evenly. An early tactical on-field change swapped Ben Prosser into midfield with Steve Gillan dropping into the back four to marshal the defence. This paid dividends when some great work by Prosser in midfield was capped by a sliderule pass through to Daley Holmes who slotted the ball into the far corner. Central pressed for an equaliser, their two wide men testing the full backs and causing problems. They levelled up when their tricky right winger beat two players and crossed for a tap in at the front post. Uplyme restored their advantage when a Jonnie Harris pass put Prosser in to power through the Central defence and finish with another low shot into the corner. The second half was another even affair. Chances came for both sides, with Uplyme almost adding to their lead when Harris megged the keeper only to see it cleared off the line and a rasping Nate Gillan shot narrowly going wide. Central piled on the pressure for the last 15 minutes but the Swallows held on to claim a well deserved 2-1 victory. Assistant manager Pete Blandamer commented: “After a couple of overly physical games on rather poor pitches it was great to see two teams keen to play good football coupled with an excellent ref who let the game flow. “Team spirit and effort was excellent with a seamless transition from players making their first appearance in the firsts. Picking a man of the match is tricky. Gilly
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youth football
has a strong claim, as does his centre back partner Josh. Ben gets the nod for his goal and assist, although I could frankly give it to any member of that team, they were all top class.” ■ UPLYME 1sts’ game was cancelled at short notice meaning the Reserves’ away match to Merriott was the only game for the club. “It gave me the opportunity to send a mixed squad and give the very young players a chance to benefit from a spine of experienced lads,” said manager Steve Gillan. The positive mix had immediate benefits as Uplyme controlled the game from the first minute against Merriott, a side that thumped them 11-1 the week before. Cody Bowditch, in an attacking role, played a great through ball to Mikey Sayers who smacked it in to take the lead. Bowditch got the second and Uplyme were in complete control across the park. Mikey Sayers, Connor Tate and Fin Mclean were a formidable trio in the middle and Merriott had no answer to their tenacity and quality of passing Josh Lawrence and James Hansford were an excellent centre-back pairing and cut out every long ball that was pumped forward. Into the second half, Daley Holmes came on and finished off a good move before Oli Alner bravely headed in the fourth and final goal. Reflecting on the victory, Gillan said: “The mix of the team was great, as was the work ethic and spirit. That simple spine of quality started with a great keeper Joe Cleere and we are still looking for that experience for our Reserves. “Connor Tate has adapted to centre midfield brilliantly and worked so well with Mikey Sayers. Let’s hope we can get a few vets in to bolster the quality of this squad.” Man-of-the match went to Connor Tate for his overall input.
Young Tigers to play in Europe YOUNG Axminster footballers are fundraising for a once-in-alife opportunity. Axminster Town Under 13s will be playing in a European competition next season and will run out onto the famous Parc des Princes, the home of Paris St Germain. Manager of the Under 13s Sam Dibling has confirmed his team has entered the Europa Cup. The players are busy fundraising to meet the costs of taking part in the tournament. Mr Dibling told LymeOnline Sport: "We are looking to raise the entry fee of £1,200. We are taking 14 players from our Under 13s team who are helping raise some of the money by cycling 358 miles, the distance it is
from Axminster to Paris. "So far we have got 100 miles on the clock with one visit to Tesco supermarket collecting money while cycling on an exercise bike." The club has set up an online fundraising page for those who wish to make a donation https://gofund.me/3e0c272b Axminster Town has one of the most progressive and successful youth sections in local football with teams from six to under 15s. Club ambassador Ray Self commented: "This is a great opportunity for our youngsters to play on the same pitch as the great Lionel Messi and other world class footballers. "It demonstrates what a for-
ward thinking club Axminster Town is and having such a vibrant youth section will reap dividends in the future as the players work their way trough the system to the senior sides." All youth teams have qualified FA coaches and have completed criminal record checks. The coaches encourage the children to develop their football skills which in turn build personal confidence and provide munch needed social interaction along with opportunities to make new friends from outside their respective schools. Those interested in getting involved should contact club chairman Andy Hurford on 07795 217160.
Charmouth’s push for promotion Perry Street Division Two Charmouth 7, Netherbury 0
CHARMOUTH returned to winning ways with three points to bolster their Perry Street League Division Two campaign. The match started fairly even with the first 10 minutes seeing the teams settle into the game. Charmouth began to build pressure and started moving the ball well when a cross from a corner dropped to Ty Allen in the box who smashed it into the back of the net for 1-0. Charmouth continued the press
with a few more corners when on the 26th minute a great cross from the right from Adzy Whitehouse was met by Russ Oldbury’s header to make it 2-0 Charmouth. Netherbury battled well and definitely were not playing like a bottom of the table side. Charmouth continued to move the ball well but the first half wrapped up the 2-0 advantage, probably a little flattering to Charmouth. The second half was a different story with Charmouth controlling the game and moving the ball well, the team battled hard and this resulted with Whitehouse lobbing the on-rushing keeper form 40 yards to put Charmouth three goals in front.
The goals kept coming with Sam Dibling crossing for Ashley Williams to head home against his old club to make it 4-0. Minutes later Charmouth made it 5-0 from a free-kick with Sam Dibling rolling the ball to Ty Allen who curled in into the top right corner for an excellent finish. Charmouth continued to dominate then two quick goals in the 85th and 87th from Whitehead and Brin Seaward wrapped up the game. Man-of-the-match went to Ashley Williams. Charmouth’s top-of-the-table clash with Drimpton on Saturday was postponed.
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November 26 2021
THE DILEMMA THAT THREATENS THE FUTURE OF LOCAL FOOTBALL
A season to forget?
WILL football ever be the same? That’s the question being asked by a number of local club officials as the season heads towards Christmas, writes Philip Evans.
A number of teams have withdrawn from the local leagues and some clubs are struggling to fulfill their fixture commitments. COVID-19 has played a big part in players having to drop out at the last minute and isolating as the pandemic continues to impact on our daily life. It would seem the least committed players may well have found other interests on a Saturday afternoon following the months of
lockdown. Lyme Regis Football Club, founded in 1885 and a founding member of the Perry Street League, find themselves in this position. Lyme is one of the few local clubs to field three senior sides. At one time they ran four senior teams and a ladies side, as well as an active youth section, but the lack of pitches meant that was not sustainable. After a good pre-season with a number of new signings, Lyme went into the new season full of confidence. The first team played through the pandemic crisis last season, winning the reduced Devon and Exeter League Premier
East Division which ended up with just five teams. The Seasiders have signed around 70 players for the current campaign but, like other clubs, are struggling to field three teams. They have already had to cancel two of their third X1 fixtures in the Perry Street League and if they have to do it again they face being chucked out of Division One. They have also been plagued by injuries to key players. None of the managers have been able to field the same sides two weeks running and this obviously impacts most on the Rovers. Another worrying issue for all clubs is the lack of referees. In the
Devon and Exeter League there were eight teams last week without appointed officials. Despite early promise the Lyme first team have struggled in the new combined Premier Division, having lost five of their first ten games and being knocked out of the Dorset Senior Trophy. After losing 4-3 away to Kentisbere two weeks ago, conceding late goals yet again, it would seem that a mid-table position is the best the Seasiders can hope for this season. The good news, however, is that striker Joe Bond is back to form after breaking an ankle in the summer and scored two of Lyme’s goals at Kentisbeare.
Reserves lack consistency to challenge for honours WITH no first team fixture, Lyme Regis Reserves were able to field a stronger side than of late in their Devon and Exeter Division Three encounter with Honiton Town 2nds.
With Lyme in fourth position in the table and the Hippos’ second string experiencing an indifferent season, having lost five of their opening ten games, three points were very much on the cards for the Seasiders. And whilst the Seasiders started strongly, putting together some neat passing movement, Honiton soon started to dominate play. Ben Bowditch went close with well placed shot which was turned round the post by the home keeper but that was about the only scoring chance Lyme created the first half. Honiton took the lead after 20 minutes from a good through ball which the Hippos’ centre forward
PHILIP EVANS
philip@lyme-online.co.uk
put away with ease. Lyme defended stoutly, especially Toby Fowler who stamped out a number of good chances with his committed tackling, but the stuffing was knocked out of the Seasiders in the 35th minute when keeper Rob Harp fluffed an easy gathering to help Honiton take a 2-0 lead. A disappointing first half concluded when a bizarre penalty decision went against Lyme for a seemingly innocuous challenge in the box, which failed to draw and appeal from the home players, but sent the Seasiders in at half time trailing 3-0 and their morale severely dented. The second half started in similar fashion with Lyme under constant pressure before manager Matt Preece brought on substitute Fred
Thomson who added some much needed oomph up front. It immediately paid off with Thomson rising about a resolute Honiton defence to head home from a pin-point Mark Bailey corner. Such was Lyme’s dominance that Honiton only had one real scoring chance in the second half and that was thwarted by Harp with a brilliant save with his feet. Lyme really turned the corner when first teamers Rob Fellingham and Fred Parsons came on and for the final 20 minutes Honiton were put under pressure. Thomson had a good chance to reduce the arrears when he turned in the box but failed to connect cleanly with his shot. A Fellingham cross was also headed wide by Jon Davies but in the final minute Davies made amends by firing home a parried Parsons’ shot to make it 3-2.
In injury time Lyme suffered another blow when Toby Fowler was red carded for an alleged elbowing offence, which the player vehemently denied. This was a game that Lyme were capable of winning, but they need to find more consistent form, not an easy prospect when they rarely field the same line-up two weeks running, a frustrating position for manager Matt Preece. Squad: Rob Harp; Robbie Fowler, Toby Fowler, Gary Knight, Cam Fowler; Alex Rowe, Jon Davies, Mark Bailey, Callum Garrett; Louis Rinaldi, Ben Bowditch. Subs: Fred Thomson, Rob Fellingham, Fred Parsons. Despite this defeat Lyme stay in fourth place but having played more games than the three teams above them, they will find it challenging to stay in touch with the front runners.
Friday, November 26 2021 32
AT THE DAVEY FORT THIS SATURDAY
Lyme Regis 1sts v Sidmouth Town 2nds Kick-off 2.15 pm. football
Chance for Lyme to return to winning ways AFTER a few disappointing performances, Lyme Regis first team were given breather with no fixture last weekend. They should have been playing Tipton St John on Sunday in the East Devon Cup, but the East Devon villagers had a county cup fixture on the Saturday which took priority. Having a free week should have helped those players nursing an injury and manager Julien Simier will be hoping that first team goalkeeper Chris Higgs will be fit to play when the Seasiders welcomed Sidmouth Town 2nds to the Davey Fort (kick-off 2.15pm). The Vikings are not having the best of seasons, sitting second from bottom in the Devon and Exeter Premier division with just two wins from 12 games. Lyme, in eighth place, have four wins from ten games so this should provide an excellent chance to get back to winning ways. But there are no poor sides in the Premier and nothing can be taken for granted. Lyme Regis Reserves, in fourth place with six wins from 13 games, are away to Seaton Town 1st who dropped down to Division Three from the Premier after loosing a number of players. In Division Six Uplyme 1st team face a tough test away to Exeter University 7ths, who sit in fourth position, one place above the Swallows. Lyme Regis Rovers have a chance to get their first win of the season when they take on Forton Rangers Reserves in Perry Street Division One. Rovers are firmly entrenched at the foot of the table with only one point to their credit with Forton one place above them on goal average. Division Two high-flyers Charmouth are at home to Winsham United (kickoff 2.30pm).
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