Chronicling The Chronicle
The weekend is here - hurrah! And whaddya know - it’s only a door-to-door delivery of the ACE Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle.
Double hurrah!
The saving of the Brightlingsea Music Festival is the lead story on the front page. Flick through to page 4, and of interest to the #hyperlocal Wivenhoe patch this month is news of the Wivenhoe December Market taking place on 2nd December:
“The town’s acclaimed festive illuminations will be switched on by Town Councillor Brian Sinclair, Mayor of Wivenhoe. A Christmas exhibition of paintings and photographs will be held at the Wivenhoe Gallery, in conjunction with bespoke picture framers Cutting Corners.
Refreshments and Yuletide food will be available in St Mary’s Church. A number of stores selling a variety of items will be located in and within the vicinity of the churchyard.
The event will run from 6pm to 8:30pm and a local Salvation Army Band will be providing carols and live music.”
I’ve received a number of requests from readers of m’blog (hello, cheers for finding me and it would be lovely to meet up offline…) asking about possible stall provision outside St Mary’s.
I’ve not been sure what to suggest, apart from ask around within the Church or the Town Hall offices. Maybe even go for a chat with Andy Bass at the Wivenhoe Business Centre?
The festive theme continues in the Chronicle with news of yet more appearances around Wivenhoe from Father Christmas:
“Our special Greenland correspondent [um, bet it's Scoop...] reports that Santa Claus, assisted by his enthusiastic helpers from the Brightlingsea and District Rotary Club, will be touring Brightlingsea, Wivenhoe and Thorrington during the next few weeks.”
Wednesday 15th December is the date for your Wivenhoe diaries. The Chronicle lists the reindeer route as:
“Bowes Road, Claremont Road, Friars Close, Petworth Close, Castle Close, Wood Close, Denham Close, The Dale, Valley Road, Bobbits Way and *cough* Park Road.”
Best get writing that Christmas wish list…
But wait! There’s more! Father Christmas continues his whistle stop tour of Wivenhoe on Wednesday 22nd December, with the Chronicle adding:
“He will proceed along Heath Road, Broomfield Crescent, Broome Grove, Spring Lane and Tower Road.”
Down town folk needn’t feel left out. The big man with the funny beard will be at St Peter’s on the 2nd, as well as landing Quayside on Saturday 6th December in his Sinterklass guise. A helpful blog reader adds:
“If you want to see some Dutch and Belgian culture then come to the Quay at 10.30 on the 4th of December - Sinterklaas and his helpers will arrive by boat. Don’t miss it! Sinterklaas is the best friend of every Dutch child.”
Lovely.
But back to the Chronicle…
“An all singing, all dancing Christmas spectacular, Let Us Entertain You, will include a strong local cast from Wivenhoe. The show will be performed by the Wivenhoe based ADP Theatre School at the West Cliff Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea on Saturday and Sunday, 11th and 12th of December. Tickets are £10 and can be purchased at the theatre’s box office on 01255 433344.”
Page 14 provides a loving obituary for Wivenhoe legend Denis Wirth-Miller. A couple of quotes include:
“Denis was instrumental in changing the face and outlook of Wivenhoe” [Daniel Chapman]
and:
“The pair of them [Richard Chopping] were fundamental in making Wivenhoe the cosmopolitan and non-judgemental community that it is today.” [Celia Hurst]
Something to smile about in the Chronicle is the return of the Wivenhoe Funny Farm comedy club to the cricket club on 16th December.
“Acts include Marc Lucero, Ria Lina, Del Strain and Wivenhoe’s very own Chris Singleton. MC is Hazel Humphreys, who established the Funny Farm in September 2005 after helping to set up the University of Essex Comedy Club.”
Hazel adds:
“Wivenhoe’s Cricket Club has been kind enough to give us an opportunity to use their lovely room and bar for comedy. If this night goes well, we hope this can become a regular comedy night. I’d urge anyone who wants a regular live comedy show back in Wivenhoe to come along and support us.”
The show starts at 8pm, with tickets available at £6.50 on the door.
The recently opened forty-six-seater restaurant upstairs at The Greyhound gets a good write up on page 16.
“The decision to open a second and considerably larger restaurant at The Greyhound follows the overwhelming success that chef Michael King has achieved during the seven months he has been at the pub.”
The murals in the upstairs restaurant have been painted by Wivenhoe artist Hilary Lazell, depicting:
“A love story with a cheeky twist.”
Cripes.
Sticking with The Greyhound and the Chronicle reports that Martin Newell, the pop genius of this parish, will be hosting another of his highly successful seasonal nights in the downstairs bar on 29th December. Anyone who attended the Halloween reading will no doubt be returning for the Winter Story Night during the festive season.
The Crab and Winkle Gallery gets a look in on page 19, and finally…
“A course entitled Great Tsars of Russia [blimey] will be run by the Wivenhoe branch of the Worker’s Educational Association, starting on 17th January, at the Methodist Church on The Avenue. Contact Janice Allen on 01206 824470.”
And so that’s yer lot in the Chronicle for this month. I was privileged to be able to share a pint with Scoop Scarpenter in The Station earlier in the week. As most locals know, Derek IS The Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle.
He was apologetic during our drink for the ad heavy appearance of the current publication. Not an issue my friend, not an issue. For the town to be able to support (and share…) a genuinely independent publication, is something to celebrate and be proud of.
Everyone needs to make some dosh. If a local newspaper is continued to be funded by carrying local adverts, which in term generates local business, then the mix of news stories with ad copy sits rather nicely.
The Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle is distributed free amongst local households. Additional copies are 25p from local newsagents.
Roll on next month.
