A KNIGdHT OmF ESKDAiLEr WAaS A KbEY PlLAYeER IN PaOLICIdNG ILmLEGAL SiLArVERaY: PAlGE 10 Series 2 No. 8362 Established May 1848 Thursday July 2, 2020 www.eladvertiser.co.uk 80p Langholm Moor Crowdfunding Appeal THE total raised is climb - ing and if you would like Sports centre plans to add a donation, go to www.gofundme.com/f/ langholm-moor-buyout The Langholm Initiative must raise £6.4m to buy 10,500 acres of land to aPubrlic eare atskeod top cho oose tfhei r tfavhoureite f rorm aa trino ofg opteions create the Tarras Valley THREE initial design options try to incorporate the feedback Nature Reserve. for redeveloping the Townfoot from the community survey in The Scottish Land Fund Sports Centre in Langholm June 2019. has given £1m. have gone on display. The group believes the design The trio of designs is published options are bold and ambitious. in the centre pages of today’s They give a sense of commu - E&L Advertiser, along with an nity pride, offer quality and Langholm artist’s impressions of the outside attractive facilities, make use of the building. of renewable energy sources to The project’s volunteer work - power the centre, maximise - £5.4m goal ing group is now seeking the efficient use of the available Common RidingSCIO no. SC044989 views of the community on plot and maximise use of the which one of the three designs existing building. The Common Riding Members have discussed the is preferred. For this initial feedback period Efficient options for observing this year`s Common Riding. It the group would like comments Each of the design options has was noted that almost every other Border Common Riding or Festival has by July 20 and it will consolidate a modern and efficient multi- use changing village which can had to be cancelled in view of Covid-19 restrictions but that by 31st July it and provide replies by the end was likely that restrictions would have been eased. of the month. be divided into dedicated zones Although the current COVID- for use by male/female or special The actual position would not be known until much nearer the time. activity user groups. 19 pandemic and lockdown It is hoped that a virtual online Concert will be available on the restrictions have caused some The changing area will have delays to the Townfoot Sports unisex changing and shower evening of 29th July. Regarding marking the boundaries the most Centre redevelopment project, cubicles comprising single, dou - likely option being considered is the Semi-Jubilee Cornet supported the group is pleased to report ble and family, along with accessible changing with show - by the Right & Left Hand Men & the Spade Bearer riding the that it’s making progress with Marches and cutting sods at the traditional places on Common the design feasibility study. ers. The day-to-day activities for This modern design provides Riding morning (possibly at an early hour to enhance social the project are managed and individual privacy for all user distancing for spectators). co-ordinated by the group which groups, while still providing a engaged Robert Potter & comfortable and safe changing However, the Members expressed grave concerns that pent-up enthusiasm Partners of Dumfries to provide environment. to get out & relax with friends will mean many visitors will still come despite design consultancy services for The drawings show a gym on the existing first floor, the old the Hound Trail & all Castleholm events being cancelled. This brings the the design feasibility study. risks of visitors unknowingly bringing the virus to the town & also disorder The group’s mission is to gym area, but the space will be develop and operate a first-class expanded and completely refur - on the High Street if celebrations get out of hand. bished and modernised. modern community-led sports A sub-committee will be reviewing the above and various other centre which will benefit the The design options are also general well-being and welfare available to view in the window possibilities for a final decision by the Members on 13th July. of the wider community in of Welcome to Langholm and Langholm and Eskdale. on the sports centre Facebook In trying to balance how much we can do this year against the risks The redeveloped sports centre page. highlighted above, we are keen to seek the views of townspeople & would will also bring employment and The working group welcomes any ask that members of the public who wish to do so, submit these either by comments or suggestions and will support Langholm’s economic e-mail to myself at [email protected] or in writing to Stevenson regeneration. share this feedback with the wider AMOUNT PLEDGED community in the near future. & Johnstone`s office or on the Common Riding facebook page. TO DATE The three initial design options >Turn to Page 2 £220,000 THE ESKDALE & LIDDESDALE ADVERTISER • Owned by the Community, Published for the Community 2 Thursday July 2, 2020 Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser www.eladvertiser.co.uk Deaths Church Notices Moor options Who else could buy the land and why? McLURE CANONBIE UNITED Peacefully at Thomas Hope Hospital, on 28th & LIDDESDALE Langholm Moor – community own - June 2020, Robert (Bob) Holburn McLure, Caroline PARISH CHURCHES ership – what are the alternative Street, Langholm, much loved and loving husband options to community purchase? Although Covid-19 has of Nancy, dear father of Andrew and Rosemary, This is discussed by Mairi Telford meant our doors are closed Jammeh, a member of the Langholm special grandpa of Tom and Rachel we remain available to offer Initiative’s buy-out working group. Funeral private due to current circumstances. support where we can. THE Langholm Initiative has No flowers please donations in lieu to a cancer Please contact the Session been offered £1m towards the charity of your choice. Clerks on 013873 25255 or community buy-out of the moor If you wish to show your respect the cortege will [email protected]. by the Scottish Land Fund if it be moving down the High Street at 11.55am on Canonbie Treasurer Fiona can raise the rest of the £5.2m Friday 3rd July. Smith has received the new needed by October. weekly offering envelopes. Given this situation, it is timely If you would like to receive to consider what could happen to yours or wish to donate by the moor if the community purchase Funeral Services bank transfer please contact doesn’t go ahead in 2020. her on 013873 71616 or Looking at the experience locally [email protected] and elsewhere in Scotland, there for details. are a number of possible scenarios. Mairi Telford Jammeh on Langholm Moor Photo by Caroline Legg Funeral Directors Another purchaser might buy the Undertaker & Monumental Service Inverinate estate in Wester Ross. That is a real possibility if it is All Services land from Buccleuch and that, of New Memorials supplied There is the Lego billionaire, also not managed to ensure the hen har - CANCELLED course, would include the Common a Dane, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen who riers continue to nest there. Additional Inscriptions and Cleaning until further notice Moss. But what kind of buyer might owns several estates in the north. Last year SNH recommended that be interested? The total land area, 25,000 acres, the designation be removed from It’s possible a national, non- which Buccleuch hopes to sell, governmental organisation such as the sand dunes at the Menie estate includes Irvine House so, perhaps, in Aberdeenshire as a result of David W. Erskine a wildlife charity may buy it but, it’s something which might happen Briery Bank, Ewes, Langholm given the pressures on charities at Donald Trump’s golf course being because most of the wealthy would- built. Tel: 013873 81251 or 07710 906257 LANGHOLM, the moment, that seems unlikely. be buyers would want a ‘big hoose’. There are a number of wealthy So the designation could also be ESKDALEMUIR, people who own and acquire land ‘Land bank’ lost here because of predation of EWES & WESTERKIRK in Scotland, including Anders Another option is for someone to all the ground-nesting birds. FUNERAL Throw large wind turbines on the PARISH CHURCHES Povslen from Denmark. buy it to ‘land bank’, namely, pur - DIRECT ORS He is a billionaire and the owner chase it as an investment with a moor into the mix, which is another For a Personal Service With no services the of online retailer ASOS and Jack view to land prices rising even fur - possibility, and the character of the church is getting little or and Jones, to name two of his com - ther in the future and being able to land we love on the back of the hill Hedle y and Tur nbull no income. panies. He is now probably the capitalise on that at some point. could be changed radically. If you wish to donate by second-biggest landowner in This is effectively what we have There is also the possibility, of 013873 75404 / 013873 75532 / 0789 655 7941 making a bank transfer Scotland to Buccleuch. with the former Woolly Mill site course, that Buccleuch will remove please contact the trea - Povslen’s interest is in rewilding where there has been no develop - it from sale and decide on another surer, David Johnstone, which would mean quite a different ment and, as a result, no positive option for managing the land. But that seems unlikely. Thank You on the phone numbers be - approach to land management, albeit impact on Langholm whatsoever. There are forestry companies, The alternative options to low and he will supply tempered by the oversight of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).