An aspect of the law that I don’t quite understand was highlighted again in the recent court case involving the Coronation Street actor Michael Levell. Mr Levell was subsequently acquitted, so the jury decided he was telling the truth. By the same
On Monday evening at 5pm I parked in the parking adjacent to the doctors’ surgery to be told there was no public parking there. Is this some kind of joke? This has to be one of the most thoughtless set-ups around here. Fortunately I was with my
The Conservative chancellor, George Osborne, has announced that the unemployed “will be made to attend the job centre every working day”. Has Mr Osborne any idea how impractical this idea is for people in rural areas? Either unemployed people will
Friends of Doorway, the north Wiltshire charity for homeless and vulnerable people, would like to thank everyone in Royal Wootton Bassett who contributed so generously to our cake sale and street collection on September 13. We raised £182.90 which
In 1988 you published a letter I wrote on behalf of Goatacre Cricket Club passing on our thanks for the local support we had received on our way to winning the National Village Cricket Knock-Out. Twenty-five years later I am again writing to thank
At last the roundabout being constructed at the junction of Park Lane and Westwells Road has been completed and the traffic lights disappeared. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for persevering and supporting us during the
I am becoming increasingly disenfranchised with what our country calls ‘democracy’. The forthcoming Lobbying Bill is another in a long line of attempts by Parliament to reduce available information to voters on key issues and whitewash the popular
May I express the disappointment of parish councillors in Bishops Cannings on reading the article, published last week, concerning the foundation stone ceremony for the new care home off Corn Croft Lane. This welcome new facility is being built
I had to respond to last week’s letter from L A Pocock about council rent increases. Over the last three years my rent has gone up from £97.56 to £103.18 to now £108.40 per week. Fortunately, being a pensioner on pension credit, this is covered
It was a pleasure to read Ed Deedigan’s My Word column (Gazette, September 19). I enjoyed the thought of a custard pie battle in the park to decide the skate park location. But, most of all, I appreciated his balanced concern both for skateboarders
While I hope the boys in Chippenham get a skate park soon, I do hope the planning committee will have the wisdom to refuse the application to build it in Monkton Park, particularly in virtually the same place as the last skate park which became such
Knowing that I was a lifelong devotee of Fay Weldon, my daughter-in-law kindly took me to see her at the Marlborough Literature Festival. Sadly we were both very disappointed. This was because the interviewer completely dominated the conversation
I was interested to read on the front page of the Wiltshire Gazette under an item entitled ‘Pewsey’ that youngsters were out in force as the doors to Aldbourne Youth Council’s new home was officially opened. And then on page 6, according to Charlotte
I was delighted to join licensing officers from both Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Police in visiting a number of licensed premises across the county distributing guidance for licensees. Like many documents, it highlights the value of partnership
Judging by the letters page, many residents have now realised just how much money is, and was, wasted by Wiltshire Council. I wonder how many people would have voted in a different way if they had known that even more staff redundencies were days away
It is pleasing to see the restoration of the old barracks and its rescue from a state of semi-dereliction. I presumed that the installation of what appeared to be a giant metal water tank on the roof was part of a modern storage system or similar.
Devizes Area Board has approved plans to provide places for tourist coaches to drop off and pick up passengers in Devizes. More coaches are great news for all sorts of businesses in the town – keeping our shops, cafés and visitor attractions busy.
NEW play equipment costing more than £92,000 was unveiled at Christian Malford recreation ground on the day of the village’s fourth annual charity fun dog show. As well as the long-awaited multi-use games area, which can be used for tennis, basketball
DEVIZES teenager Thomas Bright is looking forward to pulling on an international shirt for the first time after earning a place in the England U21 short mat bowls squad. The 18-year-old, who plays for Bromham, was spotted by U21s manager Brian
The Baydon wife of a convicted drugs smuggler, jailed for killing a Wootton Bassett teacher in an alcohol-fuelled car crash, today failed to convince top judges her prison sentence is too long. Paula Barnes, 45, was twice the drink drive limit
Re-routing the river in Malmesbury was one of the more elaborate plans discussed by councillors this week in an attempt to reduce the risk of flooding. The six-figure sum project would take years to complete, if it were to be approved, but the
MARLBOROUGH’S Richard Cooper is hoping he can handle the Hawaiian heat when he takes on the world at the World Ironman Championships later this month. Cooper, 55, who is chairman of Marlborough and District Junior Athletics Club (MADJA), earned
Fuel giant BP has confirmed plans to take over the Esso petrol station on Station Road in Royal Wootton Bassett. BP will move in to refurbish the building and forecourt later this month, and will be open for business from October 23. The refurb
Marlborough woman Kate Bowers was among the dozens of people awarded for their loyalty and commitment to giving blood. A total of 51 blood donors from Berkshire, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Oxford-shire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire were recognised
A 47-year-old Devizes man is today undergoing reconstructive surgery in hospital after sustaining severe facial injuries in an incident outside the Corn Exchange in the early hours of Sunday morning. The victim, who does not want to be named, suffered
Cycle Devizes will be celebrating its first birthday with anniversary rides on Sunday. “Since launching Cycle Devizes last year we have noticed a marked increase in cycling this summer, so there is much to celebrate,” said Margaret Nightingale,
DANNY Thomas says healthy competition for places could be the positive outcome from Chippenham’s 60-5 drubbing at Redingensians. The Allington Field side slipped to their third defeat in four National Three South West matches in Berkshire, but,
Thousands of literature fans descended on Marlborough this weekend to see some of the country’s most celebrated authors during the town’s annual Literature Festival. Now in its fourth year, the festival celebrated record ticket sales with well-known
STEVE Winter believes finding the perfect balance to his Chippenham Town side will take time but was pleased to see his side take all three points last weekend. Chippenham saw off Redditch United thanks to Alan Griffin’s hat-trick at Hardenhuish
A PAIR of youngsters from Malmesbury Marlins Amateur Swimming Club will be taking on the world at this Saturday’s Biathle World Championships. Nine-year-olds Charlie Hosking and Poppy Clark are both representing Great Britain in the Youth E (ten
I would just like to say how appalled and saddened I was at the gesture ceremony hosted by Wiltshire County Council and local MPs for the veterans of the Arctic Convoy. I am sure many others, like my mother and I, are extremely proud of all the
Mr Manasseh raises an interesting point in his comparison of executive salaries at Selwood Housing to senior housing officers at Wiltshire Council. However, they also seem to be out of sync with other housing societies. A look at Selwood’s website
Two gardeners who keep the town looking good without being paid for it were recognised at last Thursday’s Devizes and Roundway in Bloom presentation evening. Les Fielding from Massey Road and Quentin Kent from Roundway Park were the first people
CARELESS drivers are causing havoc for Ramsbury residents Sylvia and Edward Judge with four vehicles crashing into their porch in three years. The most recent incident happened on Saturday at around 4.30pm when an Asda delivery van drove on the
SHELLEY Rudman has weighty expectations for the Winter Olympics in Sochi next year as she bids to go one better than the shock silver medal she claimed at the Turin Games in 2006. The Pewsey slider readily admits she has been piling on the pounds
A huge thatched roof on a 17th century barn at Avebury is being replaced by the National Trust thanks to a grant of £75,000. The roof of the barn, which houses part of the archaeological museum at Avebury, is in urgent need of replacement having
The medal-winning achievements of skeleton bobsleigh World Champion Shelley Rudman have been cemented in Pewsey’s history with a plaque outside her parents’ home. The plaque was donated by Pewsey Parish Council which has been discussing a fitting
Tots in Seagry took the law into their own hands when police turned up at the pre-school last week. Chippenham bobbies played the bad guys when they went to meet the two to four-year-olds to teach them about safety. And the toddlers got to
