the online community newspaper for Nailsea people, their family and their friends

October/November 2017

Our town is a very nice town

GALLERY 2017

The world's strongest man comes to Nailsea to open @thegym a state-of-the-art fitness centre at Blackfriars Road. A pictorial record of the official open is in the galleyr. Click HERE to see more...the background is in the archives HERE.

CHRISTMAS 2017

Christmas is coming and for details of Nailsea Community Christmas Fair including where to buy online skate tickets click HERE. Other events are on the What's On page or a special festive page HERE.

BREAKING NEWS

From parking problems to anti-social behaviour, latest planning issues to council business we bring you breaking news as it happens on this page. Click HERE to read on.

New fashion store for Nailsea

M&Co opened its doors for the first time at Crown Glass Shopping Centre, Nailsea, on Saturday morning, October 7.

Staff at one of Scotland’s largest independent fashion retailers greeted customers at 24-25 Somerset Square with bubbly and bon bons.

Nailsea Town Council vice-chairman Clare Hunt performed the welcoming ceremony and cut the red ribbon.

The new store has created 10 new jobs and sells the latest ranges in Womenswear, Menswear and Kidswear, including teen, baby and accessories.

Executive chairman Steve Knott said: “Everyone at M&Co is delighted to be opening our fabulous new store in Nailsea.

“We are also really grateful to all at the Crown Glass Shopping Centre for their fantastic help and support.

“We look forward to welcoming all our new customers to this exciting store full of amazing fashion supported by M&Co’s famous friendly and knowledgeable service.”

CBRE Management Services operations director Carolyn Mantle said: “Crown Glass Shopping already has some great High Street name stores as well as an enviable and diverse range of independents.

“It is brilliant that M&Co are opening at the centre and gives our shoppers yet another reason for visiting Crown Glass.

M&Co was established as Mackays in 1834 and has traded as fashion retailer M&Co for more than 50 years.

The company has a portfolio of more than 290 stores andprides itself in selling quality products at the right price.

The retail unit was previously run for seven years by the Store21 chain which went into liquidation nationwide in July this year.

Some of its staff have been redeployed by M&Co.

Store21 originally evolved from a manufacturing business established in London in 1932, supplying clothing to West End and Marks & Spencer stores.

The clothing and homeware retailer was owned by Indian textile giant Grabal Alok.

Before then the shop was owned by Ethel Austin who went into receivership early in 2012.

Judging by the enthusiastic crowds on Saturday morning this should be third time lucky for the fashion store which has another North Somerset shop at Portishead.

To see all the photographs go to Gallery 2017 and for other news from Crown Glass Shopping Centre click HERE.

Footlights dads dance for CHSW

Footlights the performing arts academy is ‘auditioning’ for a dads-only fun(d)raising feat.

They are hosting a charity ballet class for dads, uncles or granddads from the extended family of its young dancers to perform for one afternoon only to raise monies for Children’s Hospice South West.

Remember the ‘take your daughter to work day’ well this a twist on that with a ‘take your dad to ballet class afternoon’.

It may turn into a scene from a Step Up movies or it could mimic that awkward moment at a family wedding when your dad gets up to dance but whatever mode of movement the men chose it is bound to be ‘absolutely fabulous’.

Or in the words of Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel-Horwood ‘an absolute disaster dahling!’.

The class is on Saturday, November 11, at the Blackfriars Road studio, Nailsea, from 4-430pm.

The aim is to raise £2,000 for the Charlton Farm hospice and they have opened a Just Giving page for donations.

Click HERE to support.

The blokes will get to train alongside their budding ballerinas and the organisers say it ‘will be lots of fun and hopefully raise lots of money for this brilliant local cause’.

On small note of warning: Ballet attire is obligatory.

As well as being put through their paces with the troupe afterwards there will be tea and cakes.

For its 25th anniversary Footlights trained parents of its dancers for Royal Academy ballet exams and featured on the BBC Children in Need programme.

It is currently in rehearsals for its Christmas shows when the children will be showcasing its talents and performing Matilda and Cinderella ballets during the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, December 15-17.

For tickets click HERE.

CHSW provide hospice care for children with life-limiting conditions and their whole family across the south west.

It offers respite and short breaks, emergency care, palliative care and end of life care at three hospices incuding Charlton Farm at Wraxall.

Office building sold for £2+ million for flats

The 1960s office block at the end of Nailsea High Street has been sold for flats.

The 1960s building called Coates House - not to be confused with the neighbourhood bar and café at the other end of the High Street - has been empty for many years.

The freehold 30,000 sq ft four-floor office building has been sold for more than £2 million.

It has planning permission a £10 million conversion.

This is despite concerns by Nailsea Town Council about the 64 bijou apartments and fears it would add to the parking problems at Lodge Lane.

In 2016 permission was given for 25 flats.

Coates House is a joint property venture by Kent-based Watermark Homes and the Ocea Group.

The sale was negotiated by Mike Woodliffe, of chartered surveyors Williams Gunter Hardwick.

Mr Woodliffe said: “This is a significant development for the property market in Nailsea.

“Converting offices to residential is now a well-established trend in cities like Bristol, but this is the first change of use on this scale locally.

“It demonstrates the strength of the residential market locally and the continued demand for freehold conversion opportunities in areas that had not previously been considered.

“Nailsea is in a great location – close to the M5, well served by rail and just 15 minutes from Clifton, where the price of apartments is well beyond most people’s budgets.”

North Somerset Council has given the go-ahead for the ground floor of The Atrium restaurant at The Courtyard to be converted into two flats.

Walking to the shops or school along Station Road at Backwell is a nightmare with its narrow width and intermittent footpaths.

Calls for urgent safety measures have been voiced this month.

Backwell Residents Association reports that 'the main characteristics of this road have not changed in 50 years, when traffic levels were a fraction of the current numbers'.

It says; "Earlier in the year, arising from long-standing public concern about the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in Station Road, especially at school in/out times, Backwell Parish Council (BPC), with encouragement from BRA, formed a working party – comprising councillors and three members of the public.

"This working party has been in liaison with North Somerset Council officers and members.

"After several months of negotiation, and analysis on road safety by NSC, a number of improvements have now been agreed which should go some way towards making this very busy road somewhat safer."

These improvements include:

A dropped kerb in Station Road, opposite the existing one at the junction with Embercourt Drive, plus a school safety zone triangle on the road;
A 'keep clear' sign on Station Road, opposite the entrance to Backwell School via Meadow Close;
'Edge of carriageway white lines on Station Road running from Embercourt Drive to Backwell Common, to encourage drivers to slow down;
Hedges on either side of The Crescent to be cut back, and maintained, to give a better area for students to wait by the bus stop
Slow markings on Station Road on the approaches to the existing pedestrian crossing, near the Westfield Road/Backwell Common junction;
Dropped kerbs on both sides of Station Road at the Waverley Road junction, to create a safer crossing point
Hedges between Waverley Road and the bus stop near the bridge to be cut back to improve visibility; and
A footpath to be created behind the hedge to access the bus stop near the bridge, for those coming from the Waverley estate.

The cost of the improvements is £7,200 and will be implemented sooner rather than later.

Long term solutions are still being sought.

Road safety calls for Station Road

School bus combats hate crime

A week of events raising awareness of hate crime in North Somerset sees the Mavis bus head for Backwell School.

The activities are organised by the RHINS (Responding to Hate Incidents in North Somerset) partnership will highlight how to report hate crime and the support that is available for victims.

The week includes a launch event, a school roadshow with the community safety bus Mavis and stands at various locations where representatives from a range of organisations will be available although most are in Weston-super-Mare.

But on Thursday, October 19 from 12.30-2pm the Mavis bus will be at Backwell School.

Hate crime comes in many different forms. It can be because of hatred on the grounds of race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.

It can happen anywhere and can be verbal, physical or, increasingly, on social media. It is usually unprovoked and often has a long-term effect on the victim.

North Somerset Council’s executive member for community safety, Cllr Felicity Baker, said: “If you are a victim of hate crime or witness an incident or behaviour that you think is, or could be, a hate crime, please don’t ignore it, report it.

“By reporting hate crime when it happens, you can help stop it happening to someone else. There are many organisations able to help, so there is no need for anyone to suffer in silence.”

Hate crimes can be reported at any North Somerset Council or Citizens Advice North Somerset building, online by clicking HERE or by calling 01934 888 801 during normal office hours.

Alternatively it can be report to police by calling 101 or in an emergency 999.