Archive
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Will they make it better again then?
Supermarket group Sainsbury's has unveiled a multi-million pound rebranding in what it claims is one of the biggest changes in its 136-year history. The group is spending £10 million dropping its "making life taste better" slogan and replacing it with
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More businesses will fail this year
Nearly 50,000 businesses are set to go bankrupt in the coming three years as the economic slowdown takes hold. Chartered accountants BDO Stoy Hayward said it was predicting the first rise in the number of firms going under since 2002. The group expects
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Street cred DVD wins award
A SWINDON company has been awarded a top prize at a Hollywood awards ceremony beating off international rivals. Thamesdown SDC, one of Europe's leading multimedia duplication and replication companies, won the TV Special Interest category at the eighth
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It begins with us answering your call
PLEDGE WATCH: Swindon Council has made 50 pledges to its voters, covering all aspects of life and services in the town. Today we look in detail at its second pledge. EVER got home from work to find your bins have not been collected but found no-one is
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Battle to look after local history
Michelle Wynn with two of their children Joseph, three, and Thomas, eight months, along with their neighbour Sandra Mattews, right, want to protect the milestone from developers Ref: 99312-3A NEW conservation trust is fighting to protect a local literary
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College sports a new course
FOR many a football fan it would seem like a dream job. Being a steward would mean they could see almost every game for free and get paid for it. And now people will have the chance to fulfil that dream with a new course being run by Swindon College.
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Teenager stabbed in clash
A TEENAGER was taken to hospital with stab wounds after what is thought to be a punishment attack. The 17-year-old boy had to have surgery after being injured on the back of his thighs as well as his head and hands. Another teenager was also injured when
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Minety power their way past Puddletown
The Minety 1st XV opened this year's cup campaign by convincingly beating Puddletown by 49 points to nil. Although Puddletown play in the southern section of the same division as Minety, they offered little in the way of effective opposition and were
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College fail to hit the heights
LEAP OF FAITH action from Swindon College's Powergen Vase clash with Matson Ref: 99315-1Depleted Swindon College played host to Gloucester side Matson in the Powergen Junior Vase and suffered a 57-12 defeat. The final score does overshadow the effort
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Ampney young guns on the up
Brad Newman, left, in Supermarine's 2-2 draw with Solihull Ref: 99316-38Down Ampney moved into second spot in the Wilts Premier following their 3-0 win over New College, writes RAY BURROUGHS. Manager Pete Levitt said he was very pleased with the start
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Red card costly for Supermarine
Supermarine's Roger Emms sees red against Solihull Ref: 99316-114Swindon Supermarine will see their 2-2 draw with Solihull Borough as two points dropped, but Mark Collier's men still stretched their unbeaten run to eight games. Marine had led 2-0 at half-time
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Having second thoughts John?
NO PLACE TO HIDE for Highworth boss John Fisher during his side's 3-1 loss on Saturday Ref: 99321-19JOHN Fisher admits that he may have done the wrong thing extending his stay in the Highworth hotseat. He was tipped to walk away on top after guiding his
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Bike riders wheel in the cash for nurses
THIRTEEN staff from Monahans Chartered Accountants and Independent Financial Advisers set off on their annual bike ride supporting local charities or local branches of national charities. The team set off on the 72-mile ride from Monahans' Glastonbury
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Is police shake-up the right step?
WILTSHIRE Police is too small to cope with the future threats of terrorism, extremism and organised crime, the Home Secretary has been warned. Speculation is now rife that the force will be merged with Hampshire and Dorset to form a south west strategic
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Police force merger welcomed
THE merging of Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire police forces is long overdue, according to a Swindon councillor. A report published on Friday said Wiltshire Constabulary was too small to cope with terrorism and organised crime, leading to speculation
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Fire started in kitchen
FIREFIGHTERS were called to a home in Peatmoor after a kitchen appliance caught fire. A resident in Whitemoor Crescent raised the alarm at 12.32 on Friday. Two fire engines, one from Westlea and one from Swindon fire station, attended the scene. The fire
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Quiz night boost for school funds
CHISELDON Primary School will be hosting a quiz night on Friday, October 14. Regular quiz master Paul Boyles will be in the chair and will have a brow-furrowing range of questions for all taking part. And master chef Stuart Bennett will be preparing a
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Blanket check
WILTSHIRE Fire brigade and Swindon Trading Standards are joining forces to offer free electric blanket checks. It follows a house fire in the town caused by a faulty blanket. The checks will be available at Highworth Road fire station on Wednesday and
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Taylour moving
A SENIOR officer has left Swindon Council. Robert Taylour was group leader for public protection in the trading standards department. He is moving to take up a job in Derbyshire after having worked in trading standards in Swindon for many years. His departure
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We'll try to keep the noise down
RAF FAIRFORD say they will do their best to reduce noise as planes from Brize Norton are moved to the base. The first of 28 tanker and transport aircraft from the Oxfordshire base have started to fly to the American airbase north of Swindon where they
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Councillor pounds the pavement
A SWINDON councillor is swapping meetings for the gym as he trains for a fun run. Coun Dale Heenan (Con, Covingham and Nythe) will take part in the 4.3-mile Swindon fun run on October 16 after deciding the half marathon was a step too far for him. "Between
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How about leaving the car at home?
SWINDONIANS are being urged to leave their cars at home on Thursday for European Car Free Day. Swindon Council's Local Agenda 21 team is encouraging people to get to work by bicycle, walking or bus rather than driving their cars. Nearly 1,000 cities across
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Making music for the hospice
PROSPECT Hospice in Wroughton will be given a boost thanks to a group of Swindon musicians. The Swindon Concert Band will perform at the Wootton Bassett Memorial Hall at 7.30pm It costs £3.2m to run the hospice each year, which is £8,000 a day, to care
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Call for double yellow lines
A HAYDON Wick councillor is calling for double yellow lines on one side of Blunsdon Road. But Coun David Renard (Con, Haydon Wick) is warning the move may take some time as Swindon Council has almost 100 such requests to deal with. If the authority implemented
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Set to improve attendance at our schools
MEASURES to improve school attendance figures are being considered by Swindon Council. Earlier this year the council celebrated its lowest truancy figures ever but has been working on a new attendance policy. It aims to give the council the highest school
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Can we please have our money now?
WOMEN who took part in Swindon's Race For Life are still being urged to hand in their sponsorship money as soon as possible. Women pounded the paths at Lydiard Park on Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9, to help raise money for breast cancer research
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UK gets set for the big freeze
EXPERTS are warning householders to be prepared for power cuts in the coming months as Britain faces its coldest winter for 15 years. But gas and electricity suppliers for Swindon are confident that the town will not suffer from any problems with supplies
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It's all aboard for the Fforde festival special
Author Jasper Fforde leads an open bus tour of Swindon Ref: 99322-26THE bizarre world of Jasper Fforde returned to Swindon for a special festival. The author sets his Thursday Next novels in a place based on Swindon, so this weekend around 200 fans descended
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Charity party teatime
Jan Aylward, the senior organiser for Home Start, when the organisation held its Big Tea Party at the Punjabi Community Centre Ref: 99301-85A SPECIAL tea party has been held to help vulnerable families in Swindon. The party was organised by Homestart
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Here for the beer
Swindon mayor, and Arkell's employee, Ray Fisher gets ready to sample some beer Ref: 99314-85SWINDON...AND PROUD OF IT: WITH 33 different tipples on offer, Arkell's Beer Festival was always going to go down well with real ale drinkers. But with live music
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Passengers hit by disruptions
TWO months of disruptions on Wiltshire's train services started this weekend. Trains from Swindon to Westbury were replaced by buses while services between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington were also subject to some changes. The disruption is
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Police order will prevent teenagers gathering
A DISPERSAL order is now in place at Theatre Square, outside the Wyvern Theatre. Police have put notices around the area, which explains what the order means. The order will be in place in this area from today until March 16, next year. It means if a
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VIP treatment for pink ladies
From left Karen Egan, who won the competition and her friends Janine Brown, Debbie Morse, Linda Hunt and Sue Hilton Ref: 99328-41A GROUP of Wanborough women were tickled pink when they won a VIP trip to a London concert. Karen Egan won a national competition
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Rising costs
WITH the further gas price increase of 14.2 per cent that will make a 50 per cent increase over the year, with electric also up 61 per cent over the year. Both commodities will then cost 111 per cent more. If this is divided by four to obtain the percentage
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The media add fuel to panic
MAY I respectfully take issue through your columns on the subject and current topic of fuel (petrol) supplies. The bold headline on the Swindon Advertiser on September 14 should be directed at the media, radio, television and the press for, if there is
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Don't be soft lock 'em all up
SOFT on crime? Even if tough sentences are handed down life doesn't actually mean life two years means four months. ASBOs. 40 per cent are not complied with and community service (just what does that entail) seems to be a joke not to be taken seriously
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'I believe'
Stefani MIglioranzi hangs his head after Town lost 2-1 at Bournemouth on Saturday Ref: 99317-235ANDY KING says only the loss of his dressing room would force him to consider his position at the County Ground and he sees no sign that his players have lost
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Set to improve attendance at our schools
MEASURES to improve school attendance figures are being considered by Swindon Council. Earlier this year the council celebrated its lowest truancy figures ever but has been working on a new attendance policy. It aims to give the council the highest school
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Passengers hit by disruptions
TWO months of disruptions on Wiltshire's train services started this weekend. Trains from Swindon to Westbury were replaced by buses while services between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington were also subject to some changes. The disruption is
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Pub launches memorial CD for skater Neil
Landlady of the Victoria pub Anna Sprawson with the Neil Cole charity CD Ref: 99313-8THE Victoria pub in Old Town has launched a special CD in memory of a Swindon teenager who died in a skateboarding accident. Neil Cole, 18, died in hospital in Truro
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Born to be mild
Bikers descend on the Famous Ale House to take part in a charity fun day in aid of bikers with disablities Ref: 99320-48THE Famous Ale House has hosted a special rally for disabled bikers. Hundreds of bikers arrived at the Rodbourne pub to fill the car
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Taking life in bite-sized chunks
Nicky Holland is about to start chemotherapy to fight her breast cancer Ref: 99302-4aSWINDON CANCER APPEAL: Two months ago Nicky Holland was told that she had breast cancer. She is soon to be starting on chemotherapy. Now she bravely tells us of the journey
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Revellers are caught up in late night fight
A MAN was beaten unconscious in an unprovoked attack in Swindon town centre. Four men set upon a number of people as they queued outside the Casbah on John Street just after midnight on Friday night. So many people were attacked that Swindon Police are
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Youth left for dead by gang
James Gowland, who was attacked in Queens Park. Ref: 99318-15A 17-year-old youth was "left for dead" after a terrifying attack by a gang. James Gowland, of Chippenham Walk, Penhill, was walking through Queen's Park near the town centre when he was punched
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Chippenham suffer embarrassing loss to Walcot
Chippenham suffered an embarrassing defeat at neighbouring Walcot in the Intermediate Cup. Walcot finished the game with just 13 players on the park and still came away with the win. The game started badly for the visitors, with Scott Sherratt being sin-binned
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Skills Council set to axe jobs
SWINDON'S Learning and Skills Council offices could face closure as the organisation prepares to axe more than 1,000 jobs. The official body is responsible for improving the skills of young people and adults in England through a variety of vocational
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Healthy success for proud students
NURSING students from Swindon have been celebrating their graduation. About 100 family and friends turned up to see 30 students attend an alumni badge pinning ceremony at the Oxford Brookes University, Swindon campus, in Ferndale Road, on Thursday. They
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Help us to catch this gang
PEOPLE in Swindon are being urged to do their bit to help catch a ring of bag snatchers on bikes. Since May there have been 38 snatches many of them were on vulnerable members of our society. Detectives suspect a gang who use BMX bikes to make their getaway
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Did you see bogus police steal cash?
SWINDON Police are renewing an appeal for witnesses following a theft in the town centre on Monday, August 29 at 3am. A 21-year-old man was standing alone on the paved area in Fleet Square when two men approached him, posing as police officers. It is
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Get out and stay out
HOURS after squatters were removed from a drugs den in Swindon they had returned. A man and woman arrested by armed police who raided the flat in Goodridge Court, Toothill, were back inside the the property within 24 hours. Despite the door being boarded
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Ballet stars set to shine
THE English Youth Ballet is appearing at the Wyvern Theatre next weekend in their production of Sleeping Beauty. The show runs from Thursday, September 22 until Saturday, September 24. Evening performances begin at 7.30pm and the Saturday matinee performance
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Spreading a massage message
DEMONSTRATIONS of baby massage will be given at a Swindon creche. A qualified baby massage instructor will be at the Toybox Junction Creche at the Designer Outlet Village to run a taster six-week course which will be held on Fridays. Baby massage helps
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Denim day is a boost for charity
PEOPLE are still being urged to raise money for Jeans for Genes day. Swindon celebrity Melinda Messenger, is backing the day to raise money for genetic research and family support services. She has agreed to be a celebrity patron for Jeans for Genes Day
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Back to school for Irish dancers
THE Moloney School of Irish dancing has just started its new term. Children and adults are welcome at the classes, which are held weekly. And organiser Patsy Moloney hopes the classes will continue to promote Irish culture in Swindon. Dance classes are
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Acting class
ACTRESS Rebekah Gibbs, who plays Nina Farr in the hit BBC series Casualty, will be taking masterclasses in acting at New College, Swindon. Students will be able to ask her anything a question and answer session. She will also sign autographs and give
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Children's writer pays special visit to library
YOUNG readers had a treat at North Swindon Library when a famous author paid a visit. Chris d'Lacey, author of children's books The Fire Within and Icefire, visited the library on Saturday to hand out prizes to the winners of the summer reading challenge
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Are you ready for a challenge?
THE Anthony Nolan Trust is looking for Swindon people to sign up for a fundraising challenge. The Anthony Nolan Ultimate Overseas Challenges include trips to China, Peru, Mongolia and Brazil for walking, cycling, running and horse riding events to raise
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Work begins on the A419 flyover
WORK on a flyover at Commonhead roundabout starts today. The £16m scheme will take traffic from the A419 over the roundabout. It is expected to be open by the end of next year. Drivers are being asked to take extra care while driving past the works.
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Rail fans get steamed up
Music producer and rail enthusiast Pete Waterman with marketing manager Jeff Salter Ref: 99323-34THIS year's Swindon Railway Convention has given former Great Western railway workers the chance to re-live the glory days of the age of steam. And pop guru
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Marathon mum won't be stopped
Gina Ford in her orange wigA SWINDON mum has pounded the paths in Newcastle to successfully complete this year's BUPA Great North Run. Gina Ford, from Lyneham, took part in the 13.1 mile half marathon to help the Wiltshire Blind Association. Even a painful
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Bath NIMBYs
HOW convenient - In August the Bath unit of Friends of the Earth were campaigning for more green spaces in Bath. Yet Bath University are fully prepared to build on Swindon's green spaces. I CHALMERS Swindon
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Make it official
WE have protested about the building at Coate by many means but there is now an official response. This is a form entitled: Wiltshire and Swindon Structure Plan 2016. Proposed Modifications Comments Form. If you sign this form then it will be counted
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OAPs fined
DO Swindon Borough Council think it is fair to give parking tickets without any warning, to disabled old age pensioners? My shop is situated on Faringdon Road in the town centre. On Tuesday of this week one of Swindon's finest did just this. An elderly
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Glass tower will ruin Mechanics'
I RECENTLY became aware of a move in Swindon to demolish at least part of an 1855 historic building, the Mechanics' Institute, and replace it with a ten storey glass tower. I have strong ancestral ties to Swindon which go back to the early 19th century
