WEST COAST The magazine for West Kirby and Caldy November 2010 Issue 14 Inside this month: Caldy Rugby Club, Boxing Day dip plea, Coronation Gardens, Ally Interiors, local news, what’s on, car club and gardening The FREE monthly magazine for West Kirby & Caldy Tel 01244 350398 E [email protected] W www.westkirbylocal.com A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country – Texas Guinan WEST COAST 4 CONGRATULATIONS to Caldy Rugby Club for putting on a brilliant multi nations junior tournament last month. The Touraid Festival brought in underprivileged players from Africa and Asia to take on the local teams. You can read more on pages 18 & 19. If you don’t mind the cold, why not try the 16 Boxing Day dip at the Marine Lake. The organisers are looking for volunteers to take part and raise money for charity. This month we’ve got lots of features, including Ally McDermott’s interior design column, books by Lingham’s of West Kirby and our regular classic car feature. We hope you enjoy the magazine and please 19 remember to use your local shops and trades people! Jon White The page footers this month are political quotes 20 For advertisement inquiries please call Hayley on 01244 350398 or e-mail [email protected] visit www.westkirbylocal.com Suite S3c, Chester Enterprise Centre, Hoole Bridge, Chester CH2 3NE 22 We are an independently owned company producing seven magazines, Keep it Local, Neston Local, Heswall Local, West Coast, Tarporley Talk, Overleigh Roundabout and Hoole Roundabout. For details visit www.talkaboutpublishing.co.uk Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few - Winston Churchill 4 To advertise call 01244 350398 E [email protected] W www.westkirbylocal.com West Coast magazine November 2010 5 IN THE NEWS Fund raising takes flight A WEST Kirby pilot is chartering a flight to Austria to raise cash for leukaemia research. David Cullen’s 15-year-old son Matthew was diagnosed with the disease two years ago. Since then, the family have organised various events to raise funds for Alder Hey Hospital’s Imagine Appeal. Mr Cullen, who is a pilot with Thomson Airways, is chartering the flight to Salzburg on Saturday 4th December so that people can get some shopping in at the famous Christmas markets. Tickets for the flight are £150. For more details or to book a seat, call Capt Cullen on 07814 931 816. Matthew’s auntie, Sarah White, is holding is holding a ladies’ night at Calday Grange Grammar, on Friday 19th November at 7.30pm. Tickets can be obtained from Mooch, on Banks Road, or by calling Sarah on 07764 615 934. You’re hired! WIRRAL West MP Esther McVey has followed in the footsteps of Alan Sugar by appointing her own apprentice. She has taken on 18-yearold Clare Worsnup to work at her Hoylake office. Esther said: “It’s good to talk about apprenticeships but surely it is better to turn words into action. To that end, I decided to employ an apprentice to work and train in my constituency office.” Sail project hits the rocks THE controversial Sail Hotel project on the West Kirby waterfront has received a major setback. At a Wirral council meeting on 14th October, councillors voted against giving the developers Carpenter Investments more time.They thanked for the company for its efforts but that the scheme was recommended for refusal The project, which includes a new sailing club, has run into problems over traffic access and parking on the waterfront. Cllr Andrew Hodson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning Strategy said: “Carpenter Investments have worked diligently to develop a scheme that would provide the people of Wirral and the region with a new high quality sailing school building and boutique hotel. “However, during this time we have been faced with one of the most hard hitting recessions on record and despite both Carpenter’s and the Council’s best efforts, have been unable to develop a proposal that adds up financially whilst delivering a realistic resolution to the loss of car parking at the Dee Lane site. Due to these issues Cabinet has decided not to proceed further with the development. “Council officers will now look at possible solutions to improving the Sailing School without impacting on the public car parking provision in the area.” I can only go one way. I’ve not got a reverse gear - Tony Blair 4 To advertise call 01244 350398 E [email protected] W www.westkirbylocal.com West Coast magazine November 2010 5 The Marsh Cat The Marsh Cat Restaurant on Parkgate’s attractive promenade Goodspecialises in qualitygood quality food fromfood around thefrom world around the world Now taking bookings for Christmas Inclusive Lunch Menu (Served Mon - Sat 12 - 2.30pm) 2Christmas Courses Festive £9.50 Menu 13th-23rd Decembr InclusiveTwo courses for £14.95 Dinner Menu (Served Mon, Tues 6 - 9pm, Wed, Thur 6-9.30pm, Fri 6 - 10pm, SatChristmas 5 - 10pm, Eve Sun 5.30-9pm)Dinner Two courses for £26 25.30-8pm Courses £12.50 Opening times: Inclusive Sunday LunchLunch: (Served Mon-Sat 1212-2.30pm, - 3pm) Sun 12-3pm Christmas Eve Lunch Evening: Sun-Tue 6-9pm; 2Two Courses courses for £13.95 £11.50 Wed-Thur 6-9.30pm; Fri-Sat 6-10pm Christmas Day Four courses for £60, 12-3pm Mostyn Square, New Year’s Eve Parkgate CH64 6SL Three courses for £29.95 Tel 0151 336 1963 5.30-9.30pm1 Mostyn Sq, Parkgatewww.marshcat.com Tel 0151 336 1963 Web www.marshcat.com email: [email protected] Now taking bookings for Fathers’ Day Sunday 20th June You only require two things in life: your sanity and your wife - Tony Blair 6 To advertise call 01244 350398 E [email protected] W www.westkirbylocal.com West Coast magazine November 2010 7 Calday governors seek Hoylake and District Horticultural Society to reassure parents THE group meet on the THE governors at Calday Grange Grammar 2nd Wednesday in the School have written to parents following a difficult month at 7.45pm in West year. Kirby Concourse with guest Head teacher Andrew Hall was suspended 12 speakers on a wide range of months ago and is suffering with ill health. gardening topics. Meetings The letter aims to address the concerns of are free to members but parents who are anxious to find out when the visitors are welcome for £1.50. head teacher issue will finally be resolved. My telephone no. is 625-7036. It says: “The governors remain anxious that Our November 13th meeting the new academic year has commenced with will welcome Mr David Toyne continued uncertainty regarding the position of from Ruthin who will talk about Headmaster but remain confident that the existing Bulbs for all Seasons. leadership/management teams are well equipped to run the School.” Lifeboat rescue It went on “The governing body remain fully THE West Kirby lifeboat crew committed to doing everything in their power to had a busy October on the finalise this matter, and are working with the Local Dee estuary. The combination Authority and Advisers to ensure all appropriate of good weather and high actions are being taken to draw the issue to tides led them to be called a conclusion. We fully recognise that parents out several times, including and staff are frustrated by the lack of detailed rescuing two people from the information but we assure you that we do share water. details of the process when possible.” Latest plans Crafty work PLANS to put up a rear CALDAy Grange Grammar School student Calum balcony at 102a Banks Walsh-Middleton is hoping to build a fully working Road, West Kirby, have been hovercraft as part of his design and technology submitted to Wirral Borough studies! Council. Help with your family tree THE West Kirby Group of the Family History Society of Cheshire meet monthly at Westbourne Hall, Westbourne Road, West Kirby on the second Wednesday in the month, starting at 2pm. There is a Help Desk beforehand and admission is £1 including refreshment. There are a variety of speakers who talk on topics relating to Family History or/and Local History/Social History. Help Desks are also held each month at West Kirby Library, from 10am-1pm. Other help desks are held at Greasby, Heswall and Upton libraries. On Wednesday 10th November “The Boyne to Basra”. The Story of the Cheshire Regiment’ is the title of a talk by J.Ellis. For information, please email [email protected] or visit the website under the auspices of the Family History Society of Cheshire: www.fhsc.org.uk. Now I am no longer president I find I no longer win every game of golf I play – George Bush Sr 6 To advertise call 01244 350398 E [email protected] W www.westkirbylocal.com West Coast magazine November 2010 7 WIRRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR GIRLS WIRRAL Grammar School for Girls has been a Grammar School catering for girls aged 11-19 since 1931 and they now have just over 1,000 pupils, 300 of them in the sixth form. The results at A‘ ’-Level are outstanding: There is a 100% pass rate and an average UCAS point score of 411.0. 67% gained the top A* to B grades. These results placed us among the top schools in Wirral and the North West. In 2010 all the girls who applied to university were offered a place, the majority at leading institutions including Oxford and Cambridge. One of the schools many strengths are the number of girls studying mathematics at Advanced level.