the Linlithgow’s news by Linlithgow’s people BLACK bitch LINLITHGOW COMMUNITY MAGAZINE ISSUE 81 APRIL 2021 >>>>>>>>> VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SUBSCRIBE AND CONTRIBUTE TO SUPPORT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PAGE 4 LOWPORT CENTRE WHAT NEXT? Subscribe to the Black Bitch Magazine. READER SUBSCRIPTION LINLITHGOW NEW PRACTICE, PAYMENT OPTIONS 3 STREET TREES 14 NEW SERVICE 26 Linlithgow Distillery Competition, Police Scotland, Burgh Beautiful, Local Arts Review, PLUS Lisa Nettleton Book Review, Bruce Jamieson - Artist JMW Turner visits Linlithgow See our website to download a pdf of this magazine: www.linlithgowcommunitymagazine.co.uk Magazine Subscription Linlithgow Street Trees New Hopetoun Gardens Why subscribe? Yes there will be more A fragrant Summer 3 14 trees on our high street 22 in the Garden Linlithgow Community Council cghcreative.co.uk 4 The Wynds and Burgh Linlithgow Police News Town Planning Issues Mills House Scams & Frauds, 16 Laurie Alexander 23 Calling all Parents, One Linlithgow Bogus Callers Interviews with members The Young Team Neighbourhood Watch contents 6 of the business community, by Graeme Armstrong Digital Market 17 Reviewed by Lisa Nettleton The Arts “Writing & Reading” Burgh Beautiful: Peter 24 Local Arts news Common’s Flower Bed Litter Picking in and events 8 Local resident care of Linlithgow Amy Cornock shrubs and herbaceous 18 looks for more volunteers beds to ‘Keep Linlithgow Tidy’ Linlithgow Dental and Clinic 26 New practice and The artist Turner and Ancient relics found in new services - meet 10 a visit to Linlithgow museum... It’s not what the team A history by 19 your thinking Bruce Jamieson Paul Rolfe Black Bitch magazine design & production: www. & production: design Bitch magazine Black Property market on ‘Dipping’ around the The music man, 28 the move Avon Amy Cornock and 20 Gary Clinton 12 the joys of wild swimming Promoting the great work of students, helps us to Skin Happy learn guitar and checks Introduces new services, The Linlithgow out some new releases. 29 products and online 13 and District consultations Allotment Society Gordon Wallace 10th Anniversary a.k.a. Kirk Gates, Westport Vets reflections by Paul Taylor 21 remembered for his love Meet Benny Reynolds, of poetry and song 31 Cocker Spaniel A few volunteers from the Committee also gave up some of their time to clean COMMUNITY up the 3G facility at the Leisure Centre and put up some new nets ready for the FOOTBALL CLUB new season. We are delighted to see the 3G look at its best ready for the full return to playing at some point in the RETURNS TO TRAINING near future. Linlithgow Rose Community Football It’s been great to see our coaches also Club returned to training in late March continue with their own coaching having fun and just letting the kids play following a near 4 month absence from development attending online with minimal instruction or coaching playing football. It’s great to be back, qualifications being run by the SFA. from the coaches – easier said than done! albeit some of our older age-groups Our club continues to go from strength We have also been working with the have had to wait a little bit longer to to strength despite lockdown, with SFA as one of a few clubs in Scotland return to contact training. Through the return of the Linlithgow Rose the SFA, we have implemented all trialling an updated online PVG Community Football Club Ladies (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) process of the guidance including a one way team. Interest in the team has been system, Covid officers for each team to ensure we could continue to welcome significant and the newly formed new coaches without falling foul of any and a cleaning process to ensure team recently had their first training all equipment is cleaned after each session on the 3G in preparation for social distancing guidance. session. the competitive season starting. We remain hopeful that a return to We’ve not been quiet during lockdown. games will follow soon, but in the Many teams have continued to keep all We are delighted to see the Walking Football team train on the 3G and with meantime, we’d like to thank the players occupied with charity quizzes parents and players for their patience and online fitness challenges just to Linlithgow Rose FC also training there during the week, the 3G really feels like and our partners at Xcite for all they ensure we kept the broad sense of the centre of football in the town. have done to help with the return. community alive and well. One of our teams raised £500 for the The younger age groups continue to Alistair Paton Doddie Weir foundation and for a focus on having fun with small-sided LINLITHGOW ROSE Mental Health charity. games and the emphasis being on COMMUNITY FOOTBALL CLUB NEXT ISSUE COPY DEADLINE CONTACT THE EDITOR 19 MAY 2021 [email protected] 2 BLACK BITCH ISSUE 81 APRIL 2021 DAVID TAIT, EDITOR Subscribe to 4 EASY SUBSCRIPTION the Black Bitch PAYMENT OPTIONS Magazine SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS In our previous issue we touched across West Lothian of the decisions stone by stone – 225 years ago - on the precarious position at Low to be made for Springfield. from a location on the High Street Port Centre. This time John Kelly to become Burgh Mills House at of Linlithgow Community Council Still on the subject of trees, Phase 1 Linlithgow Bridge. picks up the story going into more of the project to increase the number detail following increased interest of trees on the High Street has been These are just some of the highlights in its future. broadly welcomed by the community. from this Issue but there are lots Burgh Beautiful have submitted an more to enjoy all celebrating the Hopefully good progress is being article explaining the ups and downs impressive range of talents and made now for the future of the of the project so far and answering interests of the people of Linlithgow. Centre but its past is an interesting some concerns in relation to the story too. Low Port Centre, a planting and maintenance of the To finish, I’d like to thank again all dedicated outdoor pursuits centre new trees to ensure no repeat of the our subscribers and in particular opened in 1987. Built by Lothian “shelterbelt” issues while adding a all the new ones since last time. Regional Council, it had been welcome uplift to the town centre. Your contributions are vital now promoted by Mel Gray who was also to our aim of encouraging readers a main driver in the campaign to Meantime, tentative signs of recovery to take an active interest in their reopen the Union Canal. Initially from the pandemic can be seen in a home town. There are countless managed by a committee of local number of indicators. Most obviously opportunities to take part in or residents, ownership of Low Port perhaps in the very significant drop support the activities of the very transferred to West Lothian Council in infection rates. With continued large number of groups that make in 1997. John’s article on page 4 close observance of the rules a huge contribution to quality brings the story up to date and perhaps we are through the worst of life in Linlithgow. All sorts of provides some interesting insights and can hope for a return to the new opportunities present themselves and perhaps some lessons for the normal in the short term. from helping those who need help future. to encouraging young and old to Another good indicator of the return keep fit and healthy, both physically The second part of the Community of confidence is the property market. and mentally. Council article also deals with an As reported in this issue the first issue with origins in roughly the quarter of the year has shown a Please think about subscribing to same time period - the 1970/80s. promising rise in the supply side the magazine if you haven’t done At the time Linlithgow was to match unfulfilled demand for so already. Every contribution of growing rapidly with the residential properties. whatever amount helps us to grow development in what is now the New businesses continue to defy and improve too. Springfield area. A shelterbelt of trees the gloom and invest for the future And one final, final point we was planted around the southern looking forward to when visitors offer condolences to the family of perimeter of the estate ostensibly as a will return and the usual wide range protective barrier between homes and of events can be organised in and Gordon Wallace a.k.a. Kirk Gates, railway line. At the time West Lothian around the town. our contributor, who passed away District Council would have been unexpectedly in early March. the relevant Authority but much of On heritage we are delighted to have Murdie Kennedy who collaborated the record of proceedings was lost on Bruce Jamieson’s commemoration with Gordon in the 80s pays tribute the transfer to West Lothian Council of the visit made to Linlithgow in on page 21. in 1996. The new Authority adopted 1801 by the then “promising young ongoing maintenance obligations on painter” JMW Turner. Bruce includes Murdie includes a poem written inadequately defined terms in 1996 in his article a selection of the by Gordon based on Linlithgow with the result that residents became sketches Turner had made on his street and place names. As always, increasingly concerned as trees one day visit to the town. Also on ingenious, quirky and with a great outgrew their location. With ongoing heritage Laurie Alexander produces sense of fun.