Old News is Now National

Details of January's Hampshire Potato Days have just been featured in Amateur Gardening, the country's largest selling weekly gardening magazine.

The article is featured as the top story on the front page and inside is the largest article, covering 4 pages. With a circulation of around 45,000, Whitchurch's name is now known even more widely throughout the British Isles.

Bulletin Board Crash

The webmaster would like to apologise for the absence of the Bulletin Board - a routine bit of maintenance on Friday has (temporarily) removed all the posts. Work is in hand to fix the problem.

Dentist open as usual

Noel Moffat would like all his patients to know that he is open for business as usual

Welcome back Jeff

Those who frequent the Town's centre's shops may well have noticed that House 'n Home has been closed during the week recently. This was because Jeff Phippen has been quite ill in hospital.

The good news he is back and House 'n Home is now open as usual.

Whitchurch Festival Progress

The outline programme for a month of events plus the Pubs' Race is close to finalisation.

The grand return of the Pubs' Race is scheduled for the Sunday of the late May Bank Holiday, so start training to push wheelbarrows and sort out your costumes!

The 5th July is the day picked for the Procession (authorities permitting) which will wend its way from Ardglen Industrial Estate to the Millennium Meadow where an afternoon of activities, including a hog roast are on the cards.

The Festival culminates in a bigger and better Twang Rocks at Testbourne. All planned events in the month , such as the Church Fete, are being invited to come under the Festival banner, in addition, new events such a 5-a-side football competition are being lined up.

If you want to help organise any of the events or just have an idea please contact Rob Dunlop on 07917 724 980 or come along to any of the Sunday evening planning sessions.

Full details (updated as plans firm up) are at www.whitchurchfestival.org.uk

Help wanted

Jo Dixson is looking for a volunteer certified accountant willing to validate charity collection moneys for a national charity for the blind.

There will be about 10 to 12 collection a year and each validation takes about 5 - 10 minutes. Jo can be contacted on 01256 892128.

Extended School Partnership

Testbourne Community School has just published its first extended school partnership brochure. You can download it here.

The booklet gives details of the school's links to the local primary schools and activities held in the school's premises for pupils and others. There are many useful telephone numbers and web sites. More information about what's on at Testbourne is available from Paul Bushell and Helen Bright on 892261

Speed Warnings ignored

The 30mph warning sign has been moved to the junction of The Weir and Winchester Road, but as the pictures show, it is not having much impact.

The sign is well inside the 30mph zone. Just beyond it are cars parked on half the road, the sign is highly visible in the twilight and had been on whilst the cars travelled (and braked) for at least 50m before the photos were taken. In the centre photo there is even oncoming traffic!!

Plans for Flats on Evingar Road

Outline planning permission is being sought for the building of 54 one and two bedroom flats on the unoccupied industrial plot at the top of Evingar Road. The plans are for 2 buildings on the steeply sloping plot with parking below them for 70 cars.

There are concerns about that number of vehicles joining Evingar Road at the bend where there is already problems with commuters parking during rush hours. One of the documents, submitted as part of the planning application, includes figures that show how the planned buildings would reduce the number of vehicle journeys in the area. Another worry is that the plan will result in its change to residential usage which will mean the loss of the only place left for Ardglen based companies to expand. The Town has already lost one employer to Andover because of lack of space.

The matter will be discussed by Whitchurch Town Council at 7.30pm on Monday 4 Feb, if you have any objection you are invited to attend or write to Basingstoke and Deane, call the Town Hall on 892107 between 9am and 12.30pm weekdays for more information.

Full plans are visible here (click on Documents) or at the Town Hall.

Film Thursdays are back!

The Gill Nethercott Hall film shows on the 3rd Thursday each month are to return. The first show will be on 21st February and they will continue until July; more details will be on the web when they are available.