Archive
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Green spaces ‘at risk’ after Local Plan expires
FEARS have been raised over the future of green open spaces in Swindon after the council’s core planning document was allowed to expire. In 2006, Swindon Council adopted the Local Plan, which was supposed to set out the council’s policies and proposals
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Demolition of Locarno will be 'last resort'
PLANS to demolish the crumbling Locarno are an absolute last resort, according to the landowner. Gael Mackenzie has spoken for the first time about the application to Swindon Council asking for permission to demolish the listed building,
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Panic buying starts at Swindon petrol stations
Motorists have taken to petrol stations across the town in their droves ahead of proposed strike action next weekend. Nearly all petrol stations across the town have large queues of motorists eager to fill up their tanks before the pumps run
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Adver triumphed in covering cup drama
Even though our football team did not triumph at Wembley, the Adver’s reporters certainly did. The coverage in Monday’s paper was brilliant. The pictures, as ever, tell a key part of the story. But it’s the writing that lifts off the pages, at least
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Pupils take on Co-op staff in green challenge
Pupils have been going green to help the environment with the help of the Co-operative. Churchfields Academy pupils faced a Dragons’ Den-style grilling when they teamed up to think of ways of helping the environment. And children at St Sampson’s Junior
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Burnt out business owner in plea for help
A WOMAN who saw her dreams of running a takeaway go up in smoke last year is asking people across the town to help her get her business back on track. Ma-Mi Hartwell, who ran Mama’s van, in Moray Road, Elgin Industrial Estate, has been trying to restart
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Performers show town’s got talent
ORGANISERS of the Swindon Music Festival have said their latest event was the best yet, with the calibre of entries at an all-time high. The annual festival, held at the Arts Centre, came to an end on Saturday, with performers across all disciplines
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Will you be in the running?
PEOPLE across the town are being encouraged to take inspiration from the Olympic Games and enter this year’s Nationwide Swindon Half Marathon. The 13.1-mile race, five-mile multi-terrain and two-mile fun run will be run on Sunday, October 14, and entries
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Grub’s up in our sizzling new kitchen
A SCHOOL’S new kitchen has been given an astronomical rating of a million out of 10 from pupils. East Wichel Primary School, which opened in September, has began dishing up cooked food for the first time. Pupils chose from meatballs in tomato sauce
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Fears development near blind bend will lead to accidents
CONCERNED residents fear a new development in Highworth will result in a major accident as it is to be built too close to a blind bend. The group, who have campaigned tirelessly to prevent the development off Pentylands Lane, said that the
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Prospect Hospice to host nurses recruitment day
“YOU can’t teach anyone to have compassion – to be a nurse you must be compassionate and you must care for others.” According to Prospect Hospice inpatient unit manager Liz Clements, it takes a certain special person to become a nurse. Liz, who has
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Police and council’s safety teams merge
THE community safety teams at Swindon Council and Wiltshire Police are set to merge in a bid to streamline the service and save money. Swindon Community Safety Partnership, employed by the council, and Citizen First, employed by the police, will become
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Helpers needed for Olympic Torch visit
VOLUNTEERS are needed to ensure the celebrations go off without a hitch when the Olympic torch comes to town. One person who has already come forward for the task on May 23 is Norman Butler, who is also one of the official torchbearers.
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PREDICTIONS LEAGUE: Town v Bristol Rovers
Dear all, . Back to the serious business of the league and given the way the fixtures work out between now and Good Friday the pressure could come on if the team show their softer underbelly again. . Saturday see us playing against 'The Gas' and having
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Mini trains are a model example of 3D art
PEOPLE sometimes ask railway modellers why they spend countless thousands of hours creating miniature landscapes and running miniature trains over them. If you think about it, the question’s a bit silly – and maybe a bit rude. After all, hardly anybody
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As nice as pies
THEY have been just a year in the making, but Paul Sykes has already got the judges wanting to eat all the pies. The 37-year-old pie-maker and poultry and game dealer, who started Paul’s Poultry and Game in Coleshill last April, has been crowned Wiltshire
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Please give me back my precious necklace
A MOTHER whose bag was taken after she left it in the Town Gardens, in Old Town, is urging people to keep an eye out for her jewellery. Claire Haynes, 31, of Taw Hill, put her bag down in the sunken garden to take her three-year-old son to the toilet
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Schools struggle with PFI contract
HEADTEACHERS have raised concerns about the private company which manages and maintains and buildings used by seven schools. Swindon Council entered into a 27-year contract in 2005 with John Laing, a public sector infrastructure management firm, to build
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Ole for guitar
Mark Wilcocks (pictured) and Janet Mosley perform romantic Spanish guitar duets at Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre today at 1.05pm. Tickets are £5 from 01793 524481.
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Town has plan for the future
BETTER links across the railway line and more leisure destinations are needed to help develop Swindon’s town centre over the next 20 years. Forward Swindon says these are among the key messages which came out of two invitation-only design events held
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Air base pre-school’s future is safe
A PRE-SCHOOL has been saved from an uncertain future. Little Albert’s Pre-School, in Lyneham, looked as if it might close following the withdrawal of the RAF from the base there. North Wiltshire MP James Gray said: “I am delighted that at a meeting
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Store helps raise much-needed funds
CUSTOMERS and staff at Sainsbury’s Bridgemead presented a cheque for £6,600 to its charity of the year, Headway Swindon and District. They raised funds through quizzes, raffles and also donated money raised through wrapping for Mother’s Day and Valentines
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Shoplifter jailed for dangerous driving
A 69-year-old shoplifter who drove away with a store detective hanging out of the window of his car has been jailed for nine months. George Mugford had stolen a bottle of vodka from the Co-op in Old Town and was in his car when he was confronted by
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Sporting youngsters speed up in aid of charity
YOUNGSTERS at Meadowpark School and Nursery have done their bit for charity – and got some exercise at the same time. Parents watched as the children, aged between four and eight, walked a mile around the field near the leisure centre in aid of Sport
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Taste of hi-tech future
PRIMARY school pupils were invited to Royal Wootton Bassett Academy for a taste of design and technology sessions. A workshop took place at which primary school students and their parents came into the school for a design and technology ambassadors event
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Shoppers can check out the best in spring fashion
THE Brunel will be hosting a two-day spring fashion and beauty show this week. On Friday and Saturday the centre’s retailers will be showing off their latest styles and trends for the upcoming spring/summer season. The fashion shows will be starting
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Down’s Syndrome group given a £2,000 boost
SWINDON Down’s Syndrome Group has been given a cheque for nearly £2,000 from telecommunications company AFL. The company, based at the Hawksworth Trading Estate, handed over a cheque for £1,890.72 to the group in support of its speech and language therapy
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OAPs stamp their feet over mail hike
PENSIONERS and businesses in Swindon have raised concerns over sharp hikes in the cost of sending letters through the Royal Mail, which were announced yesterday. A first-class stamp will rise in price from 46p to 60p and a second-class stamp will rise
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Nationwide caters to Liz’s need for a fulfilling job
A MUM-of-two who was unemployed for 15 months says she has something to look forward to every day after returning to the workplace. Liz Gurhy is halfway through an eight-week placement as a catering assistant at Nationwide’s HQ, in Pipers Way. Working
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All this glorious sunshine is putting...a spring in our step
A SPRING heatwave is set to fizzle out this weekend just as people in the town started to flock outside to soak up some early rays. But forecasters say the sunshine which marked the start of British Summer Time is here for a couple of days, with temperatures
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You have our fuel backing - suffering haulage firms support tanker strikers
SWINDON haulage firms suffering from a devastating hit on trade have backed strike action by petrol tanker drivers. The Army is poised to step in to prevent a fuel shortage after delivery drivers voted in favour of industrial action.
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SAVE OUR TREES
As you will have read in a previous story, there have been lots of trees planted around Buckhurst Field with a few more to come. However these trees now need the help of local residents for their survival. They need lots of watering and without this,
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150 jobs created as firm wins rail contract
A SWINDON company has won a five-year-contract creating 150 new jobs. Amey, based on Station Road, has won the contract to electrify the Great Western Main Line between Maidenhead and Cardiff – including the lines between Bristol, Reading, Newbury and
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NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Horgan pleased with response
SWINDON Supermarine twice battled back from a goal down to draw 2-2 at Leamington last night. The visitors had gone into the game looking to bounce back from a hefty 6-0 defeat to Chesham as well as having to deal with a goalkeeper crisis with
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Di Canio entertains fans at sponsors event
SWINDON hosted their annual sponsors evening last night as players, management and the board met fans and answered questions on all things Town at the County Ground. All the players were in attendance along with Paolo Di Canio, his technical
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Doyle poised to fly into UK
JASON Doyle is on his way back to the UK to launch his Swindon career. Doyle, one of many winter signings in a revamped Robins side, has seen his return from Australia delayed by an issue over his visa. Now he has received the necessary
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Bostock confident of kick-starting career at Robins
JOHN Bostock believes he has joined the ideal club to help him realise the potential that once made him one of the most promising teenagers in the country. The 20-year-old joined on loan for the rest of the season from Tottenham last Thursday
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Bassett fail to leave Stoneover Lane in style
CAPTAIN Gary Williamson hopes Wootton Bassett’s imminent move to Ballards Ash will help the club go forward in future years. Bassett were unable to sign off with victory in their final league assignment at their Stoneover Lane base, Dave Hogg
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Supermarine set club record in mauling of Saracens
SUPERMARINE scored a club record of 129 unanswered points against beleaguered Bath Saracens on Saturday. That trounced the previous record set in 2007 when Supermarine battered Sutton Benger 88-0. The visitors turned up with just 12 players, which quickly
