Archive

  • Time for silent contemplation

    WE all remember where we were when we were told about the unfolding atrocity in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. And today it will do us no harm to spend a little time in silent contemplation about the tragedy. We are in a more dangerous world now

  • Not such an outrageous idea . . .

    THE borough council should be sitting up and taking notice of the claim by theatre producer Charles Vance that entertainers are blacklisting the Wyvern because of parking costs. Swindon, which wants to be viewed by outsiders as a sophisticated town with

  • Pizza Express slump

    PIZZA Express blamed increased competition as it served up weaker annual profits for the first time since it floated nine years ago. Shares in the Uxbridge-based high street chain, which has an outlet in Old Town, tumbled by over 18 per cent as it revealed

  • Time to remember for the Square Mile

    THE Square Mile is expected to come to a standstill today as workers across the City remember the horrors of September 11. The New York atrocities were felt deeply in the City, as workers feared for colleagues, friends and loved ones on the other side

  • Why we can never forget

    TODAY has a special poignancy for the 170 US airmen based at RAF Fairford. Twelve months ago they clustered around TV screens in disbelief as they realised their homeland was under attack. But as the scale of the September 11 attacks became clear, they

  • It is important that we try to live together in harmony

    SEPTEMBER 11 - ONE YEAR ON: SWINDON is home to a community of around 1,000 Muslims. Days after the September 11 attack a 19 year-old British Muslim woman was beaten with a baseball bat in the town centre. Police feared the attack was racially motivated

  • One day a tourist attraction, the next rubble

    SEPTEMBER 11 - ONE YEAR ON: ANTHONY OSBORNE was standing at the top of the World Trade Centre just two days before the events of September 11. One year on, he reflects on his experiences in New York. THE events of September 11 will live with people around

  • I had just witnessed the mass murder of hundreds of people

    SEPTEMBER 11 - ONE YEAR ON: MARY ANN OWENS is a journalist with the Evening Advertiser's sister agency Gannett News Service in the United States. On September 11 last year she was driving along Washington Boulevard, by the side of the Pentagon, when a

  • Why we can never forget

    SEPTEMBER 11 - ONE YEAR ON: TODAY has a special poignancy for the 170 US airmen based at RAF Fairford. Twelve months ago they clustered around TV screens in disbelief as they realised their homeland was under attack. But as the scale of the September

  • Mick reels in Isis triumph

    THE Bristol Avon at Sutton Benger fished well for the Isis AC Open. Top dog was Mick O'Brien he took tench and a good bag of roach for a fine 13-6-0 winning weight. At the very next peg was Sean Matthews he had a 5lb bream, roach and perch for a 12-13

  • Mum told Abby's grave is too big

    THE mother of three-year old cancer victim Abby Smith is refusing to halve the size of her baby daughter's grave to comply with new council regulations. Primary school teacher Helen Smith's daughter was buried at Whitworth Road Cemetery at the end of

  • Actors make drama out of parking costs

    THE Wyvern Theatre is being blacklisted by actors because of its extortionate parking charges. Veteran theatre producer Charles Vance says he has been told by acting agents that they will no longer send actors to Swindon because of the cost. And it's

  • Chippenham building on solid foundations

    CHIPPENHAM start the season with a new coach and new skipper as they try to bury the disappointment of missing out on promotion last season. An excellent South West Two East campaign saw them finish second in the table behind Marlow sending them into

  • Fijian flair may be key ingredient for Devizes

    DEVIZES hope to add some South Sea Island flair to their Southern Counties South bid this season. Mosses Navunisaravi, Manu Vunibaka, Joni Waquavonovono and Matawalu Tuivunilio are just some of the names to have pulled on the Saddlebacks' jersey during

  • Ciren bag a vital point

    Cirencester Town picked up a useful Western Division point last night, drawing 1-1 with Cinderford. Brian Hughes' side really should have taken all three, but some wasteful finishing denied them the chance to break into the top 10. Recent signing Stuart

  • Choir is on song

    SEPT 14: SWINDON'S Kentwood Choir will present a selection of popular songs from hit Broadway and West End musicals when it appears in concert with singers Judith Sharp and Ray Dance on Saturday. The venue is St Peter's Church, in Marlborough High Street

  • Grab your partners for folk club's latest dance

    WROUGHTON Folk Dance Club is gearing up for a day of dance and fun. The club is set to hold its 15th barn dance for adults with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. The free stomp and swirl event, on Saturday, will be held at the Upham Road

  • More misery for motorists near Swindon

    DRIVERS experienced more motoring misery on the M4 and A419. Accidents on both roads combined to create major congestion between Swindon's Turnpike roundabout and junction 15. The M4 westbound at Swindon was blocked for more than an hour yesterday morning

  • Redevelopment is booked for success

    WORK has started on a long-awaited public library in Highworth. The £3.5 million redevelopment scheme will provide residents with a supermarket and library complex in Brewery Street. Foundation work is currently underway at the Burgage site and construction

  • Mum stabbed her former lover twice

    A YOUNG mum who stabbed her former boyfriend twice with a kitchen knife has walked free from court without punishment after her victim refused to give evidence. Zara Porter, 26, had been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent as well as

  • Is vaccination friend or foe?

    WHOM should you believe when experts disagree? The debate surrounding the safety of the triple measles, mumps and rubella vaccination has yet to be resolved and parents are left in a quandary. Concerns were first raised by consultant gastroenterologist

  • Repair job done in memory of Andrius

    THE memory of a Lithuanian man buried in Lower Stratton Cemetery lives on thanks to two kind-hearted groundsmen. Stratton Parish Council workers Bernard Minty and Rodney Collins were sickened to hear that vandals had smashed a wooden cross on Andrius

  • Westwood to spin the decks at Soda tonight

    ONE of the most influential men on the European rap and hip-hop scene will be playing in Old Town tonight. Tim Westwood, probably best known for his pioneering late night weekend rap show on Radio One, will be on the decks at Soda during a three-hour

  • Tory illusion

    YET again a Conservative councillor shows that constructive debate and co-operation between political parties is and will continue to be an illusion in Swindon. It was not very long ago the three group leaders promised a new start. His words "While they

  • Sam's Cup Bid

    SAM PARKIN is happy to sacrifice his place in the Wycombe Wanderers hall of fame if it means shooting Town into round two of the Worthington Cup. The 21-year-old is looking to rediscover his scoring touch and nothing would please him more than to dump

  • Calling all girls

    A GIRLS-ONLY football team has been launched in Highworth, following the success of development courses run at the Rec. Girls aged seven to 10 wanting to sign up with the team should contact Les Greening on Swindon 764720.

  • Spitfire fly-past will open business park

    UP to 100 jobs are likely to be created with the opening next week of a new business park at Hunts Rise at the South Marston Business Park. It was the former Vickers site where Spitfires and other wartime aircraft were built and one of the few remaining

  • Fingerprint card is a big money winner

    A HI-TECH security firm specialising in finger-print recognition technology has quadrupled sales since the September 11 terrorist attack. Sales manager Peter Chap-man said his clients aren't necessarily directly concerned about terrorist attack. But he

  • Defective tyre

    ROBERT Smith, 22, of Home Farm, Highworth, has been fined £100 with £35 costs after admitting driving a Vauxhall Cavalier on Fleming Way in March without the proper driving licence and with a defective tyre. Magistrates made the penalty payable within

  • Redevelopment is booked for success

    WORK has started on a long-awaited public library in Highworth. The £3.5 million redevelopment scheme will provide residents with a supermarket and library complex in Brewery Street. Foundation work is currently underway at the Burgage site and construction

  • Fire crew's special reason to grieve

    SEPTEMBER 11 - ONE YEAR ON: THE deaths of 334 firemen at the World Trade Centre provided a sobering reminder for firefighters everywhere of the risks they face on a daily basis. For several Swindon firefighters, the tragedy was especially hard to bear

  • Fire leads to evacuation

    HUNDREDS of workers at Swindon's Threadneedle Investments were evacuated after a faulty microwave caused a small fire. More than 350 employees from 11 different floors vacated the building, in Station Road next to Swindon Railway Station. Two appliances

  • The Dry run

    NEW skipper Jon Beachey believes Cirencester's Gloucestershire Premier Division opener at Drybrook on Saturday will set the tone for his side's campaign. Front row Beachey, appointed by new Whiteway coach Brian Johnson in the summer, reckons victory or

  • Bubbling Bassett ready to fire

    ANDY 'Taff' Lock has paid tribute to the pre-season commitment of his Wootton Bassett teammates as he prepares to lead them into another tough Southern Counties South campaign. Hooker and new skipper Lock has been delighted by the effort put in on the

  • Adam goes west

    Swindon have lost the services of talented fly-half Adam Westall for their latest assault on Southern Counties North. The youngster, a product of the Greenbridge Road club's youth system, has gone to try his luck at Forest of Dean-based National Division

  • Play sixes at your Leisure

    Leisure Leagues are on the look-out for Swindon's best six-a-side teams to compete in their new season. It will be held on Sunday evenings at Abbey Mead Primary School, Swindon from September, 22. Teams will play an intense half-hour game each week, in

  • Former Town players come face-to-face

    Hardenhuish Park plays host to the Swindon Town old boys reunion tonight masquerading under the guise of Chippenham Town versus Havant & Waterlooville. Bobby Howe and Gareth Hall will return to play in Wiltshire for the first time since leaving the

  • Murphy getting hot under collar

    If Swindon Supermarine don't win against Merthyr Tydfil tonight, manager John Murphy will be feeling a bit hot under the collar, writes Craig Lyus. Last season, the much-maligned Clive Maguire led Marine to just three points from their first six games

  • Now it has to apply for right to carry on

    SWINDON'S only gay nightclub faces closure. The London Street club was last night refused permission to expand by the council's Planning Committee. The propoal had met with strong opposition from neighbouring residents worried that it would bring an increase

  • Hunt is on to find the greatest grandparent

    AGE Concern Swindon has joined the charity's drive to search for the UK's greatest grandparent. The Grandparent of the Year Award is billed as a chance for grandchildren across the country to celebrate the role of grandparents. Nominations are being sought

  • Cyclists have a heart for charity ride

    SOME 364 cyclists used pedal power to raise over £10,000 for the British Heart Foundation. The third annual bike ride set off from Lydiard Park at around 9am on Sunday to take in some of Wiltshire's prettiest country lanes. The 28-mile route called at

  • Spitfire fly-past will open business park

    UP to 100 jobs are likely to be created with the opening next week of a new business park at Hunts Rise at the South Marston Business Park. It was the former Vickers site where Spitfires and other wartime aircraft were built and one of the few remaining

  • Couch potato?

    IF you spent most of this summer slumped on a sofa eating food with only Big Brother's Alex, Jade, Kate, Johnny and Spencer for company then, like me, your clothes might feel a little tighter than usual. Don't worry though now that Big Brother 3 is over

  • Blinkered Blair

    I AM writing to support E Hazell's opposition to Tony Blair's wild rush to lead us into a needless war. Nearly all the world's statesmen men of the calibre of Nelson Mandela realise the danger of the resulting chaos in the Middle East and have advised

  • Join African bike ride for tetraplegics

    I WOULD like to appeal to any readers or their friends or family who are tetraplegic. Many of them will know of the work of REGAIN the only organisation in the UK that supports those who become tetraplegic as a result of a sporting injury. We would like

  • How can the council justify roundabout?

    CAN somebody from the council planning department please explain how they can justify the permission given to build the roundabout on Dorcan Way. The new access road leads to a office development on Edison Way. The chaos and hold-ups caused by the building

  • A hint of Hinduism won't hurt

    I was amused to read your report (Evening Advertiser, August 28) of the concerns expressed by the Rev Derek Smith of St Michael's Church, Melksham, regarding the implicit evils of yoga and the malign influence of "pagan" Hinduism, ie that in some unspecified

  • D-day for Dan

    Bath and England forward Danny Grewcock will appear before a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel in Coventry next Tuesday. The Bath captain was sent on Sunday for illegal use of the boot in the league clash Saracens at Vicarage Road. Saracens skipper