News Archive

Ruddlemoor traffic plan

TRAFFIC calming measures could be introduced in Ruddlemoor in a bid to slow down speeding motorists and improve road safety after a number of serious accidents.
Cornwall Council is proposing to provide a number of traffic calming measures and associated “No waiting at any time” restrictions on the B3274 through the village.
The scheme has been nominated by Cornwall Councillor for the Bugle ward, Jackie Bull, after residents called for action on speeding motorists, and Cornwall Council said it hoped this will have the effect of reducing the speed of vehicles through Ruddlemoor and improve the safety of all road users.
A consultation drawing plan revealed proposals to install a number of measures including a length of ‘No waiting at any time’ restriction to protect the entrance to the museum, an obstruction in a layby to prevent vehicles avoiding the priority system and five ‘No waiting at any time’ restrictions.

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Few empty shops left in town centre

A NEW survey of St Austell town centre by the Voice shows that only 10 per cent of shops are now vacant, compared with a national average of 14.4 per cent.
In July, the Voice reported that there were 34 empty units in the town centre area. This week, only 24 shops are not trading — and seven of those have tenants in the process of moving in.
Our July survey — in response to a BBC claim that a quarter of shops in St Austell were empty — showed 198 shops open in the town centre area. That figure has now been boosted to 209 as tenants have moved in to fill the former RDA premises on the corner of Fore Street and Trinity Street, the Market House has almost filled and Fore Street itself has only two units actively looking for tenants.
The revival in the town’s fortunes has come despite countrywide economic gloom and recent figures showing a sharp drop in town centre footfall nationwide.

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Aliens blamed for eerie power cuts

ALIENS are being blamed for an unexplained power cut which struck hundreds of homes in St Austell last week.
Eyewitnesses described seeing a blue light flash across the sky like a UFO before TVs, computers and radios lost power.
Spooked residents in Gover described the mysterious power cut, which hit homes twice last week at around 11pm on Sunday and 9pm on Tuesday, November 22, as “eerie”.  
One eyewitness, who lives in Tewington Place, said it seemed as though the blue light had sucked all of the power from electrical equipment.
They said: “It was eerie. There was a blue light at about 11pm on Monday and then everything went black. The TV, computer and game station just switched off. It was as if someone had switched the off button, but the lights stayed on inside.
“The street lights went out and it was just pitch black. When they came back on it was eerie. It was as if everything had been dimmed.
“It was like someone had flown over and sucked all the electric away."

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Santas run amok in St Austell

ORE THAN 200 Santas assembled in Aylmer Square at the weekend to compete in Cornwall Hospice Southwest’s inaugural one mile charity Santa run.
With all shapes, ages and sizes it made for a surreal sight as the merry swarm of Saint Nicks huffed and puffed their way around the undulating town centre circuit. Some even brought their four legged friends, suitably attired of course.
After a brisk warm up from keep fit ace Petra Rowden Harvey, it was time for the off. It may have been a run for fun but the competitive streak revealed itself as several ‘proper' athletes hitched up their tunics and ran hell for leather.
Cantering home in North Pole position at a reindeer’s pace was Andy Hitchings (right), and to be fair to the man he did have a broken arm.
It was all for a good cause as race organiser Mary Murfin explained: “Although we raised the money to build Little Harbour, the only children’s hospice in Cornwall, we now have to raise over £1.3m a year to run it. I am so very grateful to everyone for entering and let’s hope this becomes an annual event that gets even bigger and better.”

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£400k rebuild for Par Cafe

Par Beach could soon be the home of a new £400,000 cafe after it was announced on Monday that Park Leisure — the parent company of Par Sands holiday park — has won the tender to take over the old cafe site.
The tender for a new cafe at the site was put out by Cornwall Council in September for a 25 year lease that would require prospective bidders to demolish the existing building and build a new one in its place.
Park Leisure's winning tender for the cafe is a two storey environmentally considered building with a solar heat recovery system.
The building boasts a large terrace on the second storey which has disability access provided by a lift.
Plans also include an education suite for local schools, residents and visitors which will include the history of the area, a full tourist information suite and free use of sand friendly wheelchairs.
It is hoped that the building will be used as a state of the art cafe during the day time with local sourced food and a hot rock style bistro in the evening where you can bring your own alcohol.

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Torchlight carnival lights up St Austell

Last weekend saw the third outing of the St Austell Torchlight Carnival.
Those concerned that it would compare unfavourably with the Truro equivalent it would flop were categorically proved wrong.
This was the biggest, brightest and best — in short, it was an absolute triumph.
Garnishing unilateral support from all the local primary schools, scouts and guiding groups and Cornwall College, ably supported by a plethora of amateur dramatic and Panto groups, samba bands and brass bands, this was a dazzling show of community fun on a grand scale.
With a flotilla of illuminated floats coupled with several hundred walking, this was as impressive a display as St Austell has ever seen, and for once even the weather was perfect with little or no wind and mild conditions.
Even Mayor Sandra Heyward pitched up in a Aztec dancing girl’s outfit to be accompanied by her Stig for the night, driving a racing car.
A credit to the organisers and participants who've produced the ultimate pathfinder to the forthcoming Christmas celebrations.

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Culture Secretary at Eden

THE UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt praised St Austell as a “magical place” as he arrived at the Eden Project last week as part of his whistle-stop Olympic tour of the UK.
The cabinet minister in charge of the London Olympics urged local businesses to make the most of the opportunity of the country hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year during a summit at the iconic landmark.
The Eden Project will be among one of the first places visited by the torch during its 70 day tour of the UK next year in the lead up to the 2012 Games.
Addressing more than 100 hoteliers, businesses and tourism bodies from across the county, Mr Hunt said: “I am very happy to be here for the third time. It’s a wonderful place. It’s a testament to what ambition and imagination can achieve and what Tim Smit has done here is absolutely remarkable.
“I hope next year will be a testament to what ambition and imagination can achieve. It is a magical place here. It was the last place I came on holiday with my wife before we got engaged.

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Council leader intervenes again in incinerator battle

For a second time, Cornwall Council leader Alec Robertson has intervened in the planning battle over the proposed SITA incinerator at St Dennis, urging Secretary of State Eric Pickles to make a quick decision over an appeal against last month’s High Court decision in favour of campaigners against the the incinerator.
 Councillor Robertson wrote to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on November 8, and last Thursday Mr Pickles announced he would appeal against the High Court’s decision to overturn plans for the 240,000 tonne burner.
Last month a judge quashed planning permission for the Cornwall Energy Recovery Centre (CERC) after ruling that the environmental impact had not been properly considered under an EU directive.

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More plans for town regeneration

The developer who has overhauled several of the properties on Trinity Street is preparing to do the same to other properties in the town.
Broadley Park Properties are planning to refurbish and extend the rear of what was once the town’s Woolworth's store.
The developer is currently trying to reach an agreement with Poundland and their direct landlord to deliver the project.
Plans include removing the current mural, tidying up and refurbishing the exterior of the building with finishes to match White River Place.
The old card shop, which was on the south side of the building, will be reinstated and four small shops, around 200 square foot each, will be created, targeted at starter retail businesses and let on short flexible terms which will provide a stepping stone for retailers to go from a market stall, for example, into a shop, without the worry of a long term commitment.
The five current shops to the west will be refurbished and they hope to convert the old Woolies escalator access into a further shop to maintain a retailing frontage around the building.

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Town prepares for Torchlight Carnival

This year's Torchlight Carnival Princess Erin Harris was crowned in style by TV actress Jill Greenacre in the White River Cinema last weekend.
The flame haired beauty was joined by attendants Matilda Rose Johnson, Dereka Antonio and Julianna Louise Nicholson. The royals were dressed in shabby chic, too, with top seamstress Sue Bamford drafted in from the Eden Project making their wonderful outfits out of recycled material.
Erin and her entourage can be seen on Saturday when they lead the Torchlight Carnival procession from its starting point at Cornwall College at 6pm.

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