onionbagblog

Selected highlights from the recently published Wivenhoe News…

With a front page made up of a 2012 Wivenhoe Torch Relay carrier, an invitation to Wivenhoe Town Council’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations on the KGV and a picture of the lovely, lovely Pet Shop Girls, y’know that you are on to a winner with Wivenhoe News.

So much so that a condensed blog post is called for.

Whaddya mean you wanna watch Eastenders and can’t be bothered to bash out the usual 2,000 words of twaddle (blog post, not the ACE Wivenhoe News.) Oh - just go and buy the forty-page publication. Priced at just £1 of Her Majesty’s s sterling, you won’t get better value for money from anywhere else in the town. And that includes the rather competitively priced jumbo saveloy down at Papa’s.

Outgoing (in more ways than one…) Mayor Bob Needham tells tales of his recent trip to @15QueenStreet in Sunny Colch to talk all about town crying at the creative hub. Back on the hyperlocal beat and Jane Hughes provides a well-researched piece on the history of Rectory Road.

Kissing gates along the old Brightlingsea railway embankment add an element of al fresco frisson, but you are brought back down to earth with the prior warning of the peeling of the bells of St Mary’s on the morning of 5th June from 9:30am until… midday.

DING DONG, etc.

Alison Kent’s ACE Workers of Wivenhoe series continues with the Pet Shop Girls from Wivenhoe Pets, down at the Business Centre. Cheesy smiles and adorable good looks - and that’s just Merlin the little cat that is also in the picture.

Helen Chambers reviews the G & S Society’s recent run of Ruddigore. The phrase “endowing the Knowledge Gateway” proves that there is humour in the hyperlocal.

Private Resistance at the William Loveless Hall [where else?] gets a thoughtful write up by Jane Valentine. Superb acting, equally so when considering that the good ‘ol Willy Loveless ‘aint exactly the London Palladium.

Wivenhoe’s Got Talent is covered by Brian Sinclair; equally engaging - but on a very different level - was the St Mary’s Passion Play, reviewed once again by Jane Valentine.

Wivenhoe in Bloom are seeing the benefits of their work up (or down) at the Ernest Road triangle. All of this volunteer work is of course always in need of extra help. An open call is made to joining the monthly working parties. Friday 1st June is the next green fingered gathering, meeting at 10am at the Eyecare / Jardine / Co-op Bermuda Triangle.

Preparations for the WAGA Show (8th September) are well underway. Just wait until you get to sniff my rhubarb, Madam.

Richard Moulson, the Borough Council Ranger explains more about his work along the Colne local nature reserve. The addition of a metallic bench in the picnic part of the woods may not be to everyone’s liking, but hopefully it is robust.

Anyone out early at the KGV the morning after May Fair would have seen Richard and the Working Woods Party putting in place a stag beetle habitat on the edges of the park.

“Wivenhoe is possibly the epicentre of the stag beetle Universe”

…I was reliably informed.

Well I never.

Wivenhoe artist Caroline Moiret has a charming piece penned by Jane Hughes, to match the high quality of the world-leading glass artefacts that are produced right here in Wivenhoe. If you were fortunate enough to visit Caroline during Open Gardens you would have been treated to a display of her own unique craft.

THREE pages of diary updates [ta!] fill the centre pages; John and Kathleen up (or down…) at The Flag explain how they manage to keep a hyperlocal boozer in business (beer and food.) Moving Image celebrate the *shhh* Big Society grant that will help the hyperlocal cinema to purchase a new high tech projector.

listen to ‘#Wivenhoe #Wittertainment with @wivmovingimage’ on Audioboo

Still waiting for Purple Rain, folks…

Obituaries are never easy to cover - certainly not in blog form, but equally so in a local village magazine. As ever the incredibly sensitive and celebratory handling of these by Wivenhoe News remain the perhaps the most important and valued work that is published.

Leila Berg, Sara Wilkinson and Anthony Coxon are all lovingly remembered.

An impressive season is looked back on for Wivenhoe Town Cricket Club, with optimism for the early weeks of the new campaign at Rectory Road. Wivenhoe Town Football Club meanwhile somehow manage to hang on to Premier League status (Ridgeons Premier League…) as well as achieving a great amount of positive work at the junior level. New season at Broad Lane kicks off on 4th August.

Both schools have been busy. VERY busy. Broomgrove Juniors update with news of a trip to the Natural History Museum, a concert at the Colne Community School and World Book Day events. The Infants have been occupied with celebrations for the Jubilee and the Olympics. A lovely, lovely piece of literacy from a Year 4 Millfields pupils is reproduced.

The Royal British Legion and WORC carry news of the £2,186 raised during the Boxing Day Walk, as well as the Laying Up Service at St Mary’s for the Normandy Veterans Standard.

And then we get on to the updates from the local politicos.

Whoops.

Bernie Boy bangs on about the hyperlocal issue of the Euro, although to be fair, he follows this up with the work he has been carrying out concerning drainage around the former port site.

Outgoing Mr Mayor Bob Needham could have penned an entire page on the activities and achievements during his Mayoral year. The purchase of the two police houses along the High Street remain the administrative high point; bringing an ex-Iron Maiden guitarist to the William Loveless Hall [where else] tops the social bill.

POTHOLES have been on the mind of the good Cllr Julie Young, as well as the University Car Park planning application - now passed, with a little brokerage from Cllr Young for the provision of a cycling path between Wivenhoe and campus.

Fifty years of the William Loveless Hall [um, where else?] are celebrated by Toni Stinson, whilst WivSoc thank all the volunteers who turned up for the March riverbank clean up. Committee members still needed…

A truly brilliant piece by Brian Sinclair is published, documenting the highs and lows of the building of the Lord Nelson at Wivenhoe. The story is much more than a simple one of construction. It encapsulates the social history of the town during the ’80′s and the demise of the shipbuilding industry. There is a happy ending however - buy Wivenhoe News blah blah blah to find out…

The adoption of the Wivenhoe Local List by Colchester Borough Council is explained by Sue Glasspool, News in Brief covers recent exhibitions at Curiosity, the Bookshop and Wivenhoe Gallery. A reminder that the annual Art at the Nottage summer exhibition is now open each Sunday from 2pm - 5pm, featuring Elizabeth Morris, Ken Kemperley and Robert Mowels.

Condensed sufficiently?

Wivenhoe News is sold at the Co-op, Crossways, the Post Office, Bryans Newsagents and the lovely Wivenhoe Bookshop.

One week you’re playing outdoors on the main Tree Stage at the Wivenhoe May Fair, the next and you’re supporting New York hipster Jeffrey Lewis inside at the splendour of the Lakeside Theatre at the University of Essex.

Don’t forget the mid-week commitment of an *ahem* intimate kitchen gig a couple of doors away down the road.

Phew - rock ‘n roll.

It’s already been quite a week for Wivenhoe based Lou Terry. Kitchen sink drama gigs aside, the young singer-songwriter drew a considerable crowd for his May Fair solo slot in front of the largest crowd in his short career to date.

Next up on the hyperlocal world tour is the short trip up to campus for the Jeffrey Lewis support slot on Bank Holiday Monday at the Lakeside Theatre. If any of the calm, inner sense of confidence can be transferred from the May Fair via the kitchen to campus, Lou will do all right.

With a background of classical guitar playing taught at Broomgrove School [blimey] then leading to self development and a keen observational sense in his songs, it’s no wonder that Lou Terry is now getting the invites for support slots with the likes of Jeffrey Lewis.

When pushed, he rather reluctantly describes his music as “indie folk” - a reply that probably tells you more about the banality of the interviewee than the ability to try and tag the songs that he is writing.

It’s quite a welcome relief to hear someone coming up that isn’t self-obsessed by an X-Factor style agenda; the songs speak for themselves, a point that Lou was keen to put across during our short chat.

And so if you’d rather not be waving the Jubilee bunting come the evening of June 4th, Jeffrey Lewis and Lou Terry up at the Lakeside looks like being the ideal alternative. It’s a mighty long way down rock ‘n roll from the Wivenhoe May Fair to the concert down The Mall.

Keep it hyperlocal with Lou Terry, every time.

Lovely.

You can buy tickets for the gig over here.

listen to ‘#Wivenhoe local Lou Terry looks ahead to his gig with @jefflewisband @LakesideTheatre @Uni_of_Essex ’ on Audioboo

HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

Wivenhoe: We have a new Town Crier.

Hurrah!

Step forward Steve Godwin, who has been formally adopted as the official Town Crier for the town following the recent Wivenhoe Town Council meeting. Steve’s immediate task will be to help open the WTC Jubilee events, taking place from 11am on the 4th June at the KGV.

If the three and a half hours of the peeling of the St Mary’s bells don’t wake you up, then Steve’s first civic occasion certainly will.

The role of the Town Crier has a fascinating local history. Butler (still *the* hyperlocal Bible for these parts) documents how the introduction of the telephone exchange at 88 High Street at the turn of the Century effectively put the Town Crier out of a proper job.

Previous callings to announce:

“Lost, stolen or strayed - a Sailors bag belonging to one of the crew of the Yatch Valfreyia. Whoever will take the same to 1 Blood Ally, will be handsomely rewarded”

…were long lost with the new technology.

Same as it ever was. Sort of.

Paul Brown was the last local man to hold the role in Wivenhoe, a regular feature on Regatta Days and Crabbing on the Quay. This is a role that Steve Godwin will now be able to take on board, and carry on the long tradition of using oratory skills to make public announcements.

Proposing the motion to appoint Steve as the Town Crier, Cllr Bob Needham commented:

“Paul Brown ceased his activities as voluntary Town Crier some time ago. He deposited his regalia with me and requested that I search for a suitable replacement. I can say that a suitable replacement has been found amongst our midst.

Steve Godwin has expressed a desire to take up this role. In fact Steve accepted an invitation to appear at the City of Ely Town Criers Championship last weekend in the capacity of the benchmark crier. He performed extremely well and earned accolades from all present. I have no doubt that he could capably represent Wivenhoe.”

Wise words from a man who is no stranger to the art of Town Crying [?] himself - Cllr Needham is of course the official Town Crier of Sunny Colch, and has been known to pick up the odd international award over recent years.

And so now we have a young Padawan to Bob’s Obi Wan Kenobi.

HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

Your clones are very impressive, you must be very proud, as a wise man once remarked.

Wivenhoe Town Sunday XI beat St Osyth by… ooh, some distance.

A toss up on Sunday between an afternoon spent on the settee watching the Trent Bridge Test, or a trip down to Rectory Road for the Wivenhoe Town Sunday XI at home to St Osyth. We didn’t move to these North Essex estuary wilds to relive former Trent Bridge glories. Five pints of shandy and a lifetime ban from the Family Stand back in the Fair City (sort of) won’t be repeated down at Rectory Road.

Honest.

If you choose Sky Sports over village cricket on a sun drenched Sunday afternoon then something is seriously wrong. And so @AnnaJCowen and I carted the settee off to Rectory Road and set up the TV on the boundary.

Only joking. That’s what the iPad is for, high tech Comrades.

Arriving fashionably late, we found our friends from St Osyth on 85-2 in the 23rd over. How did we know this? Well looky, looky here - Wivenhoe have installed a flashy new electronic scoreboard in the far corner of the ground over the winter months.

Well I never.

I was half expecting to see scantily clad cheerleaders and a grown man wearing a silly mascot costume come the tea break. The B & Q garden chairs around the boundary would suffice.

A strategic position was taken up, with the sun bleaching the side of my face that May Fair missed out on the day before. It meant that half of the wicket was a blind spot for me, but it’s all about the suntan, dahhhling.

Hefty wood was being waved about mid-wicket by St Osyth. Combined with the fast pitch and you just knew that something was going to give.

It did - the scoreboard went on a go slow.

Whoops.

A few tech teething problems, and nothing to do with my iPad bluetooth connection that could control the scoreboard. Probably. It’s gonna be a fun summer season down at Rectory Road…

But where’s there’s heavy slogging, there a boundary boy waiting with a steady hand. Top catch, fella, leaving the visitors on 108-3.

I think.

Forty boundary winks later and the game (and scoreboard) had moved on to 161-7, with three overs remaining when I woke up. St Osyth went in for the tea interval on 170, a target certainly achievable by Wivenhoe, and if not, then there was always a bit of bluetooth scoreboard assistance to see the home side through.

“Who’s the bowler?”

…came the shout from the score box as St Osyth took to the field after the break.

“Bean”

…came back the answer.

He certainly ran like him.

The Wivenhoe openers batted as though the scoreboard could only be increased in increments of four. Which possibly isn’t too far away from the truth.

Bare chests and tobacco was the warm-up routine in front of the home pavilion. I like your style, Sir.

The run rate slowed down fifteen overs in as St Osyth put a break on the boundaries with some tight bowling. The pace of the game changed, and the boundary activity went a little bonkers:

“Daddy, what are we doing?”

“…we’re looking for the bullet.”

Blimey.

A victory for the Wivenhoe Sunday XI was never really in any doubt, scoreboard malfunction or not. A slog of a six from the esteemed Director of Cricket saw the home side through.

Back at base and the fag end of play in the Trent Bridge Test wasn’t nearly half as fun. I needed another five pints of shandy just to see me through the final few overs.

Golden days down at Rectory Road.

Bottle them.

To the King George V Playing Field! …on Saturday afternoon for a leisurely, quiet Wivenhoe weekend: walking around the empty spaces, observing the changing of the seasons and then possibly some al fresco naturist yoga balanced on the brow of the skateboard park. Make sure that you oil your ball bearings.

Only joking.

Empty spaces are there to fill, the transition from spring to summer is a chest beating rallying call to come out and play; naked yoga gives you grass in your groins.

Hurrah then for the Wivenhoe May Fair 2012 - six hours of community building, all with the rather ACE soundtrack of music from Sunny Colch and the surrounds. THIS is what it means to take a hyperlocal holiday.

The May Fair confirms that a community is only as strong as the citizens who step forward to organise. Much, much work goes into May Fair. In return a community gets to come together for one afternoon of the year in the sun, shake hands and say, woh, what we have here folks is something rather special.

Awww.

Wanna see my naked restorative pose?

Which most certainly *wasn’t* a question that I posed to the very good @SgtLouMiddleton, our midday friendly face of May Fair greeting down at the lower gates of the KGV. My lunchtime stubble granted me ease of passage without a check on ID. There was no booze in the bag anyway - I get HIGH on vibes, kids.

Which was also the case for some of the *ahem* younger folk attending May Fair. A very polite operation was put in place by Sgt Lou and the police. A crate of Special Brew isn’t really a wise idea for a yet to start shaving kid of Sunny Colch.

“I’ll look after that for you,”

…were the wise words from the preventative policing.

TOP work, community policing at its best.

The whole site had been made into a safe environment to enable the best May Fair experience for all. Wivenhoe Woods ‘aint a great location for free love, mannnnnn. All those creepy crawlies get up the wrong cracks. A smart move in fencing off the fauna of Wivenhoe.

An early stroll around the site, and some familiar and new faces were found. Sam King, local filmmaker extraordinaire was already set up with his unique time-lapse approach to documenting events and telling stories. I felt a fraud flashing away with the SLR - the poor chap had probably been on site since 4am.

Looking forward to the results, Sir…

The Big Tissue was the gag that kept on giving.

And again - Big Tissue?

ACE.

With May Fair ([arguably] having its roots in radicalism and all things of the Left, what the chuffers was the Labour party doing in attendance? Only joking, Comrades. It was charming to see Cllr’s Liddy, Young et al, doing a fine service with the non-political practice of selling Labour cakes.

Made with the blood, sweat and tears of the oppressed proletariat, was a point that I posed to the m’Comrades.

“Actually, no. I made them at home in the kitchen.”

Whoops.

SANDINISTA with yer soufflé, Comrades.

And then just after midday. May Fair 2012 was officially open with the playing of the National Anthem.

Blimey.

Jubilee Weekend hadn’t come a week early to Wivenhoe, but the brilliant Jay and the Friend (a sorta Jay and Silent Bob for Sunny Colch) serenaded the site with the ode to the Old Lady. This was the King George V Playing Field, after all.

The set soon relaxed, and Jay Nicholls (and the friend) were a class opening act, wigs ‘n all.

And so the pattern for the afternoon was in motion. With May Fair spread out across three stages - Tree, Sunrise and Open Mic - punters had plenty to see, much mileage to walk and only six hours in which to fit it all in.

A wander up to the Open Mic stage and Jules Everest was singing songs about ASBOS in the style of ABBA (damn keyboard.) Something tells you that sadly the same won’t be heard later on in the evening at Eurovision.

The Band of Fools over on Sunrise were only living up to one half of their name. A collective of quality musicians, for sure - most certainly not fools.

“They sound a little bit like The Beatles”

…remarked @AnnaJCowen.

They didn’t, of course.

Instead we had a remarkably tight, yet somehow loose ragtag of accordion, violin, bouzouki, trumpet, double bass & cajon. All Made in Wivenhoe as well.

Back on the Tree Stage and Brainstorm Wednesday were showcasing the more thoughtful singer-songwriter style that can be found within Wivenhoe. Long since established as favourites at The Greyhound and elsewhere, the step up to the big space of the KGV was made with ease. They’ll be headlining Wembley by Christmas. Which won’t be anywhere near as good as May Fair.

Exit stage left, enter stage right.

This was the moment that many at May Fair had come along to see with the much love that the town has for local heroes Hobo Chang. Has there ever been a band more suited perfectly for playing May Fair?

A tight rhythm section, a lead guitar that transcends styles and… a front woman that isn’t exactly shy about coming forward. And no wonder either with a voice like that. Fiona sounds the way that she looks. Which is unique, welcoming and ever so slightly naughty.

This was the first mass May fair mosh moment. The C’mon!!!! cry went out, and the kids came down to the front. Some to dance, some to snog, but most to simply smile. If you aren’t feeling happy when listening to Hobo Chang then you may as well bugger off back to base.

A little bit of Snake Oil up at Sunrise, and then the summons came from Madam Mayor, Cllr Penny Kraft of Wivenhoe Town Council (who most definitely *isn’t* a snake oil type sales person.)

The conversation covered the merits of Birmingham (not bad, but it ‘aint Wivenhoe) as well as the effort made by Madam Mayor in meeting the request from the May Fair Committee to come dressed in 70′s style clothing.

At least we think Madam Mayor had made the effort…

Time to dress down back over on the Tree Stage. Shoes and socks off - it’s only Animal Noise.

Hurrah!

Some bands you just need to make that connection with; you need to remove any barriers between you and the artistic muse. You need to allow the spirit of creativity to flow upwards and free your polluted inner soul of all the s*** that hits you during the working week.

Animal Noise politely request that you remove your shoes and socks, and allow the beats and the bellowing from the three-piece to synchronise as their set hits crescendo.

ACE.

Wanna see my naked yoga, boys?

Having played the Colchester Free Festival last summer, and now May Fair, this might be one of the last occasions that we get to see Animal Noise demonstrating the healing power of communal noise making for free in a North Essex field.

Where are we going, boys?

To the Toppermost of the Poppermost, Johnny.

Better believe it.

A slight come down was needed, and thankfully Sunrise provided this with Sleeper Cell. Don’t be fooled by the name - no time for forty winks, but instead the incredible musicianship of two men. No surprises that Jay Nicholls was involved once again.

The set included the most delightful cover of Everybody’s Talking, which somehow just made perfect sense as the sun shined across the Colne Valley and May Fair was the centre of the hyperlocal universe.

Love those metaphorical contradictions. May Fair sorta does that to you, folks.

Having marched up to the top of the hill, time to march back down again. Another hyperlocal hero in Lou Terry was putting in an incredibly brave performance on the Tree Stage. Singing about matters of love and y’know, understanding, can’t be easy. Especially so for a Wivenhoe teenager that talks more sense than most in the town.

He must be doing something right - Lou’s personal fan club came out in force to support the move from the appearance on the Sunrise Stage last year. With a slot alongside Jeffrey Lewis [blimey] up at The Lakeside next week, Lou Terry is another Wivenhoe act that looks like turning an eye elsewhere.

A short wait for the set change over, and back by popular return - both online and offline - looky, looky here: it’s only the superb Sonic Manipulator and his digital bag of bleeps and body popping. Some of the lyrics may *or may not* have required the bleep-ometer, but the little ankle biters of Wivenhoe loved the man wearing a tinfoil suit on the hottest day of the year.

Surfquake finished things off on the Tree Stage - well they did for the hyperlocal blogger who had a date back at base feeding the bonkers cat. Close yer eyes, take in that aroma of the Colne and you could almost be in Hawaii as the surf ‘n space cadet sound carried across the KGV.

And so that was May Fair 2012 - how was it for you?

A HUGE thank you to the May Fair Committee who have worked their sweaty bollocks off ever since May Fair 2011 came to a close. The planning was absolutely perfect, with a friendly, family festival back in the town. Quite an achievement and one that needs to be recognsied.

A good start would be the clean up of the KGV at 10am on Sunday.

You might even get to see some naked yoga.

Full flickr feed.

<

The Planning Committee at Colchester Borough Council granted unanimously on Thursday evening the application by the University of Essex for a multi-story car park on a site close to the existing Sports Centre. Conditional to the agreement is that £250,000 of Section 106 money that was put aside for the Knowledge Gateway, will now be borrowed to fund a cycling path between the University and Wivenhoe.

Even after an hour of debate at the Town Hall, confusion remained amongst some councillors. The apolitical CBC Planning Officer had to remind the Committee just prior to voting that they weren’t deciding upon planning permission to build the car park. Instead the decision being made was to agree in principle to press ahead with the legal process, prior to planning permission being formally granted.

The meeting started with the Planning Officer explaining the background for the application:

“The first planning application was refused. In the intervening period we have held further negotiations with the University. We are now recommending that this application be approved.

The main change is in the structure. It is important that is was strengthened and planted into the ground. There is also a relocation so that some green space is left between the car park and the Sports Centre.

The reason that we are now recommending this application is because of overspill from Car Park A. We agree with the applicant that there is a need for additional spaces. As part of the recommendation, a link will be provided between campus and the University. We have secured the necessary funds.”

Speaking against the application was Richard Monk from the Colchester Cycling Campaign:

“I have been running Cycling Champion schemes in Colchester for three years now. We have got 3,000 local people cycling, many of them for the first time. This is a real achievement.

This application goes against CBC policy. Colchester has set the standard in encouraging cycling. We are one of only 19 towns with cycling status. We would like to see a transport assessment and the University’s Travel Plan being made more robust. The Wivenhoe link needs to be completed before the process of shifting traffic management.”

Andrew Nightingale, the Estates Manager at the University spoke in favour of the application:

“More misinformation about this application has been shared than any other that the University has put forward in the past twenty years. Your Planning Officers understand how we function. The University has addressed your concerns. In the past 20 years there has been no increase in car park provision. £250,000 is available for Wivenhoe immediately.”

Also speaking in favour of the application was Cllr Julie Young, the ward councillor for nearby St Andrew’s, as well as the local representative on Essex County Council:

“The last time that I was speaking at Planning was for the University’s Meadows accommodation. You will remember that not a single car park space was included. If you look at the wider community, this has been an issue for me at St Andrew’s. Students and staff park in roads. This application needs to be looked at in the context of other developments such as the Meadows and Quays accommodation.

Wivenhoe wants a cycling link. This is too expensive to deliver. The new budget for Colchester from Essex County Council is £1m. Can I access this for the cycle path? No I can’t.”

The twelve members of the Planning Committee were then given the opportunity to ask questions to the Planning Officer, as well as to make observations ahead of the vote.

Cllr Jon Manning, the ward councillor for Wivenhoe Cross stated:

“I get phone calls from residents saying that students are parked outside their houses. We need a car park. My issue is about access to it. Throwing cyclists towards the car park will only lead to conflict.

I would like to see the Boundary Road barriers being moved towards the top of the road. This would encourage more people to cycle. It would act as a deterrent for Wivenhoe staff or students to drive in, as they would then have to go round in a long circle down Clingoe Hill. I would like to see a deferment on this application until we can sort out the University’s Travel Plan.”

Cllr Peter Chillingworth added:

“Time has moved on. The University has a huge number of students. The overspill is unsightly and dangerous. This proposal addresses it. Multi-story buildings are never pretty.

I have concern about the Travel Plan. Twice as many permits are granted.”

Cllr Nick Barlow seeked clarification from the Planning Officer over a number of issues:

“What timescale will it take for the green wall to grow? Where does the cycle path finish - Boundary Road or on campus? When will the Knowledge Gateway S106 money be paid back?”

Questions asked, questions answered. Sort of.

The green wall will establish itself over time. The S106 money is a legal requirement to be paid back. The Travel Plan can be revised to make sure that it is robust enough.

Cllr Steve Ford of Wivenhoe Quay drew upon his hyperlocal knowledge of the area:

“Cyclists leaving Wivenhoe need all the help that they can get. We have got to design an environment that will let cyclists do this. Is the cycle path on our wish list, or are we going to guarantee that this will happen?”

Cllr Manning once again called for a deferment:

“The University is a seven day operation. The safety of cyclists has to be paramount. This is why I am calling for a deferment.”

It was only at this point that the Planning Officer seemed to clarify exactly what the Planning Committee was voting upon. Planning Permission to build wouldn’t be granted at this meeting. What was being decided was the process to press ahead with the legal agreement.

The application went to the vote, and despite suggestions of a deferment, it was passed unanimously 12:0 in favour of the University.

*pssst* - wanna know about the Wivenhoe Society? Nope - not a trouser-rolling secret society that sacrifices virgins around Midsummer. That happens over in Alresford, apparently.

But speaking of the changing of the seasons, and yep - it’s only the Spring Newsletter from the lovely folk of the Wivenhoe Society. And rather splendid it is too.

Content is king, blah blah blah, as was once the mantra back in the day job sometime around, oooh, 1996. It sorta still remains true. Fine work then in Ellie Sangwine-Shirley for stepping forward to edit the Newsletter for the next two issues.

Carrying on the work established by Moira Collet, the Newsletter remains a highly readable mixture comprising of essential updates on planning matters, events previews / reviews and diary dates taking us all the way through until the next post-Christmas knees up (that’s a knees up as in frolicking around with much gay abandon in the William Loveless Hall [where else?] and *not* a knees up involving a trouser-rolling secret society that sacrifices virgins around Midsummer. And good luck with finding them over in Alresford.)

Incoming Chair Dave Harrison introduces the Newsletter with thanks to the outgoing Chair, Tom Roberts. One in, one out, as is the strict door policy with all the best clubs:

“I would like to thank Tom for his term (+1) as Chairman. He will be a hard act to follow.”

We then have the familiar cry for new stewards to steer the good ship WivSoc. Ideally six more Comrades are required to attend monthly committee meetings. It’s a very civil, social and sometimes gloriously silly affair. You get to offer opinion and collaboration on projects that have a very real impact around the town.

Trousers rolled up, and an email over here should grant you the warm WivSoc welcome.

Editor Ellie adds a bit more meat to the bone, so to speak, about exactly what is required for the editorial role. Ideas, inspiration and finger touch-typing should suffice. Plus the call goes out for the contribution of any photographs of hyperlocal happenings that could be featured in future publications.

In Planning News: Controversy and Car Parks should suffice.

We all know about the St John Ambulance Hall situation. No point in picking over the bones of a corpse that has already been ravaged.

Jane Black then updates with developments regarding the University’s current application to build a multi-story car park besides the sports centre along Boundary Road.

This is an ever-changing situation. The latest update is that the esteemed members of the Colchester Borough Council Planning Committee will hear the application this Thursday. The apolitical recommendation to the political committee is to pass the plans.

I’ve blogged before about the back scratching involved in this application. Allow us to build a new car park that will encourage cars into the area, and we will give you the dosh for a bicycle path between the town and Wivenhoe Park, appears to be the University’s stance.

WivSoc is blessed to have someone such as Jane Black offering to source and evaluate the implications of any hyperlocal planning applications. It is a forever rolling requirement, and one that requires diligence, technical understanding and objectivity.

Jane Black brings all three of these qualities to the top table.

Commenting on the car park application, Jane states:

“There are arguments for and against additional parking. The Society objected to the application on grounds of location. Access to the additional parking would be via the road leading from the A133 to Wivenhoe. We fear that there would be congestion and delays at rush hour with extra traffic turning into Boundary Road.”

Its odds on that the application will be passed on Thursday, given the £250k S106 wonga offered to appease the locals. It is great that WivSoc can still keep an objective analysis when it comes to such grand schemes.

In more positive planning news and Wivenhoe now has “a little list.” Actually it’s a lot more than that. Jane updates with info on the Townscape Forum, which was formally adopted by CBC back in March:

“The Wivenhoe Townscape Forum produced a list of 78 buildings and open spaces which are not recognised by English Heritage but which are of landscape or architectural or historic value.”

The value of the list is that these locations will not receive extra consideration, should they ever become the subject of a planning application.

Quite separate, but also quite connected is the new list that WivSoc now hopes to draw up. This is in relation to incoming legislation that gives a heads up to any hyperlocal organisation should a building or location of community asset value become available.

Jane adds:

“If the owner of the listed asset then wants to sell it there is a moratorium period which during which the asset cannot be sold.”

Let’s hypothetically think about the hyperlocal Philip Road Centre - Wivenhoe Town Council, WivSoc, Moving Image, The Hub et al all are…

Should current owners Essex County Council decide that it wishes to offload the asset, rather than allowing a free for all scrambles with the free market (as was the case across the road…) then there is scope for a community group to start bidding ahead of the private sector.

Recent And Upcoming Events covers the WivSoc AGM (390 members on the books, Committee Musical Chairs and an ACE talk on Witchcraft by Dr Alison Rowlands) as well as the Spring WivSoc Riverbank Cleanup (which definitely was a trouser-rolling experience. Didn’t find no virgins, mind.)

Open Gardens is eagerly anticipated within the Newsletter pages - and with good reason; Radio Wivenhoe meanwhile is also given the full multi-media treatment with decent plugs for all the ways that you can access the hyperlocal content of the Voice of the Colne.

Future WivSoc Committee meetings get the call to arms - non-Committee members are made to feel most welcome. Wednesday 23rd May is the next date, 7:30pm in the splendour that is The Nottage.

And so with a back page stuffed full of Diary Dates, and that’s about yer lot from WivSoc for spring. Fine folk working with little resources or reward. It’s not all about planning, but without the objective eyes of reason then all the parties that then take place wouldn’t have anywhere to be held.

Anyone had any fun over in Alresford of late?