Aylestone Park Newsletter Community Newsletter for the Residents’ of Aylestone Park - Issue 1 2018 Our City Warden is Noel Cazley DISCLAIMER Street Wardens can deal with dumped The opinions and views in this rubbish, dog fouling, bins left in the street, Newsletter are those of the authors, fly posting and other complaints. If you and do not reflect in any way those of need them please email : this Newsletter’s editorial team. [email protected] or telephone: 0116 454 1001 East-West Link Road : A Phoenix from the Ashes The East-West Link Road in its various forms has been an idea since 1916. The most recent serious attempt to build a road bridge across Leicester’s green lungs of Aylestone Meadows was in the early nineties when Bede Island was being regenerated. Fortunately, fierce local opposition and ever increasing costs caused councillors at County Hall who were then responsible for building new roads, to abandon the idea. However, Leicester City Council has been consulting about including it in the next Local Plan. The Local Plan is an attempt by the City Council to meet the needs of its citizens for homes, jobs and leisure for the next 15 years. Another round of consultation on the next stage of the Local Plan will take place later this year. The current proposed route is from Narborough Road along Evesham Road and through Aylestone Meadows to Aylestone Road. It will then cross St. Mary’s to join with Saffron Lane. A local campaign group called “End of the Road LE3” wants the City Council to remove it from any future Local Plan. They believe that the road will worsen air quality and put local residents at greater risk from it, especially asthma sufferers. It could have a detrimental effect on the green jewel of Aylestone Meadows on local residents, wildlife and the environment. The road could generate more traffic which could create a less safe environment for local children. There is a lot of evidence which shows that building new roads to relieve congestion only results in temporary relief and causes increased car use. The old congestion levels return. For further information, please see their Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/endoftheroadLE3/ or e-mail: [email protected] Aylestone Park Residents’ Group has already contacted Leicester City Council opposing the East-West Link Road being included in any future Local Plans AYLESTONE PARK POST OFFICE Leave your comments and contributions in 182 Saffron Lane writing, at L& S News: 184 Cavendish (corner of Shakespeare street) Road Or email: [email protected] Please contact either of the above for Postal services including advertising banking Advertising space is inexpensive. Circulation 2750. Published quarterly - Great offers on selected wine Prices on request Beers at discounted prices We have many great offers Pop in and see for yourself Do not forget to like our facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/aylestoneparkleicester Tel : 0116 283 4598 Contents PAUL PENDER & SON Local Churches Ye Old Leicester Company Page 2 Independent Funeral Directors Aylestone Cinema News from LCCC Page 3 Independent family run Funeral Directors Editorial Page 4 committed to providing a professional, courteous and sympathetic service Cycling as a road to fitness We will assist you during a most difficult The working life of a City Warden Page 7 time with a highest degree of support, Aylestone Park Residents Group News sensitivity and dignity Putney and Evesham Road Links Page 8 24 hour service Urban Buzz Leicester Environment Volunteers RSPB Page 9 2 Westover Road, Braunstone Town Leicester, LE3 3DT Commonwealth Day Tel: 0116 289 6608 Dementia Support Page 10 Local Politicians Local Activities Page 11 Email: [email protected] www.paulpenderandson.co.uk Useful Contact numbers Police Neighbourhood Link Page 12 Ye Old Leicester Company As a boy I remember seeing a Currys store in Belgrave Local Church Services Gate where you could hire/rent washing machines and Church of the Nativity the like. An Anglican/Methodist Partnership Research has given me this bit of potted history. Richmond road/Cavendish road junction Currys was founded in 1884 by Henry Curry (born in Sundays 10:30am Morning Service Further details of all activities are available on the church Leicester in 1850), when he started to build bicycles full noticeboard and on the website: time at 40 Painter Street, Leicester, England.[2] He www.nativityleicester.org.uk opened his first shop in 1888, at 271 Belgrave Gate, Leicester.[3] In 1890, he moved to larger premises at Enquiries for Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals contact the 296 Belgrave Gate, then in 1900 to 285–287 Belgrave churchwarden Patricia Ewen 0116 299 4732 Gate. ------------------------------------------------ The company was put on a proper financial footing in Emman’-EL Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ 1897, when Curry formed a partnership with his sons, 560 Saffron Lane calling the company H. Curry & Sons. The business Currently worship at Aylestone Leisure Centre continued to grow and floated on the stock exchange in Sunday 10am -1:30pm - Wednesday 7pm - 9:30pm 1927. By this time the shops sold a wide variety of Friday 7pm - 9:30pm goods including bicycles, toys, radios and Further details from Bishop Mark Anderson gramophones. Currys pulled out of cycle manufacturing 0116 283 8237 / 07568 155307 in 1932, when they closed their Leicester factory, but Email: [email protected] continued to retail bikes (badged as Currys) until the --------------------------------------------------- 1960s. Currys was taken over by Dixons (now Dixons St Edwards Roman Catholic Church 655 Aylestone Road, Aylestone Carphone, owners of the Dixons electrical products retail chain) in 1984, but maintained its separate brand Sunday Mass 9.30am identity. Please check our notice board for other activities and to confirm our services www.aylestoneparkleicester.org.uk Page 2 The Aylestone Cinema by Bill Shelton Built by local builder Bert Cole in 1926 to serve the cinemas they do look very similar. From 1928 and southern spread of Leicester, the Aylestone Cinema was through to 1957 Mr Fred Stafford was the manager. The amongst the first suburban cinemas to open. Bert Cole interior was well decorated in blue and gold with was in fact one of the business partners in this new matching seats and curtains. It seated 1,206. The silent venture. It had no competition on that side of the town films were accompanied by an eight-piece orchestra. To and must have been very popular with the residents of Kalee projectors provided the picture to the 16’ x 12’ the rows of terraced houses in that area. The slum screen. With the introduction of sound films in 1930 the clearance of the Wharf Street area and the rehousing of BTH sound system was installed and also a larger the residents on the newly built Saffron Lane Estate also screen fitted. In the late 1940s the sound system was benefited the Aylestone’s business. In the 1930s many changed to the WE system. In 1950, the Aylestone was new private houses were also built in that area. owned by The Park Kinema (Leic.) Ltd, which I believe was part of the George Scarborough chain of cinemas. When Cinemascope arrived in 1955 the screen size increased again to 30’ x 16’. Like most suburban cinemas, the Aylestone suffered a drop in patrons in the 1960s and finally closed in 1968, last film being Planet of the Apes. As with many other suburban cinemas, the Aylestone found an extension to its life as a bingo club. This proved to be very popular and survived until the new, much larger bingo hall opened on the redeveloped cattle market site in 1997. After standing empty for some time looking for a buyer Although built facing onto Milligan Road, the business (at £118,500pounds) the building was accidentally set address was actually Grace Road. The Aylestone first on fire by a maintenance contractor and was so badly appears in Kelly’s Directory in 1928, the proprietor was damaged that the charred remains had demolished. listed as Mr Walter H. B. Emson, who also owned the The site is now occupied by Grace Court, a block of Belgrave Cinema. In fact, if you compare the two flats. News from LCCC There is lots of action at the Fischer County Ground in 2018 with lots of opportunities to get involved as neighbours of Leicestershire County Cricket Club. Our Royal London One-Day Cup fixture against Yorkshire Vikings on Sunday, May 27 is a family Fun Day with all tickets costing £1 each. The game starts at 11am with gates opening at 9:30am. We will ensure that there is entertainment for the whole family! The Foxes Den will be open for children as well as the Red Monkey Play Area. There will be inflatables as well as cricket themed activities running throughout the day. There will be a treasure hunt around the ground and face painting and, to finish off the day of fun, a signing session on the pitch with the players will be held after the match. We will be hosting a mini beer festival throughout the day too with a number of specialist Yorkshire ales. It’s an exciting summer packed full of cricket with a combination of Leicestershire CCC games as well as visits from international sides, including the England Women’s team. England are taking on New Zealand under the floodlights in a Women’s One Day International on Friday, July 13. There are also six Vitality Blast fixtures which will be using the floodlights in 2018 and one Royal London One-Day Cup where they will be turned on. The Leicestershire Foxes fixtures using floodlights in 2018