Nailsworth News A free monthly community paper for the parish of Nailsworth Tel/Fax: 01453 832619 [email protected] Issue 52 www.nailsworthnews.co.uk May 2005 Relegation! Yes, but it’s still a great team for a town the size of Nailsworth. See page 9. Don’t forget to vote on May 5th See page 12 to take a look at the candidates. You need to vote for your Parliamentary candidate and for one County Councillor. Ever wondered about the Stamp Office in George Street? Does anyone know who did this beautiful drawing, sometime in the 19th century? Ann Makemson tells you about Stamp Offices on page 16 We thought you’d all like to see a picture of Nailsworth’s Our theme this month is about ‘where things happen’. See new roundabout at pages 18 & 19 to discover the amazing range of halls and meeting rooms in Nailsworth and some of the things Newmarket! which happen there - lace-making or jive, skittles, Photograph by Martin Stone snooker, darts - you name it, we’ve got it. NAILSWORTH GARDEN MACHINERY TOGGLE INTO Suppliers of a large TOGGS range of FOR ALL YOUR Domestic SUMMER LEISURE and NEEDS: Commercial CLOTHING, WALKING BOOTS, Garden CAMPING ACCESSORIES ETC. Equipment 1-2 WHEELWRIGHTS CORNER, NAILSWORTH Tel: 01453 834787 Mob: 07966 149539 25A Nailsworth Mills Estate, Avening Rd., Nailsworth GL6 0AN 01453 839152 The Mayor’s column - ~ LOOSE COVERS ~ Lesley Williams-Allen writes: ~ CURTAINS ~ BLINDS ~ Nailsworth Boys' and Girls' Club SOFT FURNISHINGS The National Association of Young Peoples' Clubs For advice and estimate ring Jenny Powell (NACYP - remember who tried to sell this building under Wright Interiors ~ 01453 768899 our noses?), has made another attempt to shoot across the bows of the Nailsworth Subscription Rooms ship which is Police in Nailsworth sailing steadily towards its renaissance. A few Committee Tuesday 20 April saw one of the largest gatherings of members were able to meet at short notice during the police officers for some considerable time in Nailsworth. Easter holidays with two representatives of the NACYP I invited Inspector McFarlane of the Stonehouse who had asked to visit the building. They appeared Inspector Neighbourhood Area (of which Nailsworth is a woefully ill-informed of the progress which has been part), to address Councillors and members of Forest made, and were even unaware of the solicitor's letter sent Green Residents' Association on current policing issues. by the Town Council, which made it clear that, since The Inspector brought along the newly-appointed Nailsworth Boys' Club is still in existence and has never Sergeant for Nailsworth, Steve Irvine, and Debbie been wound up, any matters concerning the day-to day Hughes and Claire Slark, our Police Community running and business plans are the business of the Support Officers (PCSOs), who can be seen on regular Nailsworth Trustees and Committee. We are awaiting visits to Nailsworth. On the number of occasions when I their response to our request to know under what legal have met Debbie and Claire, I have been impressed at circumstances they feel they can intervene with the Club's their local knowledge of our town. activities at this stage. April Fool - Not! As mentioned in my column in January, the car parking It was unfortunate that we chose to advertise for a Snow area at the front of the building has been reclaimed to Plough Operator to replace Dave Lear in the April enable access to the site for contractors and bona fide edition of Nailsworth News, at the same time as news of a visitors to the Club, and also for the erection of turntable drive-through at The Olive Tree, because we scaffolding to enable repairs to the main windows. Any were deadly serious. The Town Council is probably not additional spaces will be available for rent on a month-by- best known for its sense of humour (although our month basis, to be bid for at a minimum cost of £10 per meetings are often quite jolly), but we can see why some week, payable in advance. Please submit bids to Michael people might find this amusing. The point is, we really are Conroy, Treasurer, Nailsworth Boys' and Girls' Club at looking for someone to step into Dave's shoes (or boots), [email protected] or 833303. All money collected and he assures us that the job is not onerous. Remember, in this way will be used for the renovation of the building. you need to have an appropriate vehicle, and training will Forest Green Football Club be given. For further information please contact the Town So, at the time of writing, it appears that our Football Clerk on 833592. Club cannot avoid relegation, just when there were Nailsworth Youth Worker whoops of joy over the completion of the final hurdle of You will see elsewhere in this edition a report on the the planning application for the New Stadium. We still recent successes in our fight for a full-time Youth Worker have a lot of work to do to make sure that the new site in Nailsworth. Congratulations all those who worked so will be a real financial asset to the Club. It will certainly hard - Youth Club Chairman Steve Robinson, Cllr provide some first-rate facilities for our community. We Norman Kay and of course the young people themselves. must also support the team during the next season so that We have successfully covered the coming year, but the we can return to where we belong. fight continues to make this permanent. OldstoneOldstoneOldstone MARTIN GREEN RestaurantRestaurantRestaurant Building Contractor On the corner of Old Market and Market Street Extensions NailsworthNailsworthNailsworth Renovations 01453 832808 Carpentry/ Joinery Dinner served from 7pm Tuesday to Saturday Saturday brunch 11am to 3pm Tel: 01453 834009 Al fresco dining in our sheltered courtyard garden Fax: 01453 833950 Dinner reservations recommended 2 Mobile: 07775802047 Steve Robinson writes The Editor writes: Success if only for one year. Our newly designed Website is now up and running! Over the past year a lot of effort has been put in to trying Catherine Hutchinson of Webunlimited has done a to convince the County Council that they should employ a great job, as she did for the Festival. Let us know what full-time qualified youth worker in Nailsworth. This has you think of it - or of any aspect of the Nailsworth News included our young people presenting a petition to Shire for that matter. www.nailsworthnews.co.uk Hall as well as endless lobbying from the Town Council, As I write this, the Festival has just started and our the Youth Club and our MP David Drew. French friends from Lèves have, sadly, already left us. We are pleased to report that the County Council has now We look forward to making the return visit at the end of agreed to enter into a funding partnership with the Town May. There’s still time to join in this event; it’s always Council to provide a full-time qualified youth worker in great fun - our French hosts are always so welcoming and Nailsworth on a one-year contract. After this, because of a so generous and, simply, so nice. change in the structure of the Youth Service, the position Still on the subject of the Festival: the theme is based will be looked at again. around St. George & the Dragon but apparently nobody We would like to thank three local businesses which have thought to involve our Parish Church which is, of course, contributed to the partnership: E.A. Chamberlain, Snow dedicated to St. George. A rather sad oversight. Business and Trade Plas and also our local County We hope that the new arrangements at the Police Station Councillor Sybil Bruce and Town Councillor Norman may lead to our being able to resume the monthly police Kay who have made a determined effort to succeed. reports we used to publish. For some time it has been Although we are pleased about having a full-time worker difficult to get any sort of reply to our enquiries. We may for just one year there is a sense of disappointment that the even get a report from the Fire Station as well. It’s not young people were not listened to by the Administration at that we’re short of things to print but it’s good for people the County Council. We still feel that we deserve a full- to have closer contacts with these organisations and to time qualified worker on a permanent basis and over the know what they do. next year we shall certainly be continuing to press our The news about the Subscription Rooms/Boys’ Club is case. fundamentally good. Would anyone like to sponsor the (Steve Robinson is Chairman of the Management refurbishment of one, or part of one, of the magnificent Committee of Nailsworth Youth Club) windows? Ring Andrew Wright on 832875. A Not-so-Green Piece We welcome a new member of our team, Pauline Those who worry about traffic and car parking in Simpson. She and her husband, Jim, have recently Nailsworth will have found little of comfort in a study in moved here from South Africa. The Times. Notwithstanding Mr Prescott’s 1997 pledge to ‘far fewer journeys by car [in 5 years time]’ the annual Phone home! distance travelled by car has increased by some 20 billion Graham Wood, the Jeweller, wants to thank whoever miles since 1997. The car population, nationwide, is picked up his mobile phone in Norton Wood and took it growing by 600,000 a year, there are now more to the police station.