Harbourside craft market opening in Watchet on Sunday

THE first of a series of new craft markets is being launched at the recently refurbished Esplanade, in Watchet, from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday.
The market will host a wide range of stalls selling locally-produced craftwork, including jewellery, hand-made bags, wood craft and sculptures, paintings, and cards.
Market organiser Naomi Griffith said: “We are really pleased at the level of interest in the market from stallholders keen to take part, as well as local businesses and residents who have been really supportive of this venture.
“I hope that the market will appeal to visitors and locals alike and I am sure that the first market on Sunday will be a great success.
“I would like to thank West Somerset Council for its help in making this happen, and all the other businesses and organisations which have been incredibly helpful with their advice and input.”
Future markets will be held at Watchet Esplanade on the first Sunday of the month in June and July, moving to weekly events during August.
Miss Griffith hoped the market would attract tourists to the town and encourage more people to use the new-look Esplanade.
District council economic development and tourism portfolio holder Councillor Michael Downes said” “We are delighted to have been able to help the market and it is fantastic to see the Esplanade being used by local businesses.
“We think everybody will enjoy the craft markets, and that they will attract more people to Watchet, which will be good for the local economy as a whole.”

Busy times for golf club men

MINEHEAD and West Somerset Golf Club men competed in six different competitions during March and April.
The first Sunday in March saw 60 players competing in two divisions in the Ray Boddy qualifier, where the eight best scorers in each division went forward to compete for the Ray Boddy Cup in a knock-out competition.
The qualifiers from the two divisions were: Division 1 - A Webber gross score 82, playing off a handicap of 12, nett score 70, W J Perkins 82-10-72, W Knight 79-7-72, P Fullbrook 80-7-73, N Bangs 87-14-73, J Malarkey 86-12-74, P Baker 88-13-75, T Hardick 87-12-75. Division 2 - B Chaffey 93-22-71, I Gover 95-23-72, G Stone 96-21-75, D Hewitson 97-21-76, C Corbett 94-17-77, C Peters 96-19-77, D Coles 92-15-77, J Bird 97-18-79.
Sixty-three players then competed for the Martell Cup, which was played as a par competition where the players attempted to better the par on each hole in order to record a plus score, and each worse than par hole recorded a minus score. The player recording the highest plus score wins.
The winner of the Martell Cup was club champion John Fisher with a good +5 score, followed by: 2nd. D Hewitson +3, on count-back from 3rd: P Davies +3, on count-back from 4th: A Dover +3, 5th: W Brown +2, on count-back from 6th: B Waites +2, 7th: W Knight +1, on count-back from 8th:C Sidley-Adams+1.
At the beginning of April, thirty-six pairs competed in the first pair competition of the season, a club fourball better ball stableford competition.
In first place were K Babb & R Green with 24 points followed by 2nd: W J Perkins & T McGann 22, 3rd: B Hogg & D Bickerstaff 21, 4th: P Collins & S Clarke 20, 5th: M Gilbertson & P Baker19.
The Brown Cup having been postponed on Sunday, March 16, due to bad weather conditions, the first major cup to be competed for this season was the Spring Cup.
It was a fiercely contested competition with the winner and runner-up having to be decided on a countback with the cup going to the player achieving the better nett score on the back nine.
The winner was D Shambrook with a gross score of 81 off a handicap of 13 and a nett score of 68 (32.5 on back 9), from 2nd:K Murrell 72-4-68 (35 on back 9), 3rd: P Jenkins 89-20-69 (31 on back 9), from 4th: M Vickery 74-5-69 (31.5 on back 9).
The next best scores in each division were: Div 1: 1st: J Fisher 76-5-71, 2nd: K Babb 75-3-72. Div 2 -1st: M Gilbertson 84-12-72, 2nd: D Norman 85-12-73. Div 3 - 1st: D Hewitson 90-20-70, 2nd:B Hogg 89-18-71.
The second major cup to be competed for this season was the Grant Cup, again it was a very close thing with three players achieving a nett 68 score and the winner having to be decided on the countback.
The eventual winner with a gross score of 88 off a handicap of 20 and a nett score of 68 (30 on back 9) was G Hughes, from 2nd: J Fisher 73-5-68 (30.5 on back 9), 3rd: A Dahl 83-15-68 (33.5 on back 9), 4th: W Knight 75-6-69. Next best scores in each division were: Div 1 - 1st: C Keary 79-8-71, 2nd: P Collins 81-9-72. Div 2 - 1st: P Davies 85-15-70, 2nd: G Cunningham 84-13-71. Div 3 -1st: K Elliott 92-20-72 (31 on back 9), from 2nd: J Gunter 88-16-72 (36 on back 9).
Most recently was the Scorpion Trophy, where 44 pairs contested this popular better ball competition where the stableford points scored on the first nine holes were deducted from the number of strokes taken on the second nine holes, with the lowest scoring pair being declared the winners.
The scorpion ‘sting’ in the tail being that where on the first 17 holes only one of the pair’s scores counted, both had to count on the last.
The 18th hole at Minehead is a challenging hole and many a good round has been spoilt, so the winner of the competition was never certain until the last ball had been holed out.
The Scorpion Trophy for 2008 went to P Baker & M Gilbertson with 31 shots on the second nine, minus 25 stableford points on the first nine, giving a winning score of 6, 2nd: P Salter & J Coomber 31 – 22 = 9, from 3rd: T Hardick & J Fisher, 32 – 23 = 9, from 4th:B Waites & G Whalley 34 – 25 = 9, 5th:P Davies & R Lewis 33 – 23 = 10.
The first singles knock-out competition of the year was decided this month.
At the start of last December, 44 players set out to win the Dawson Thomas Knock-out Cup and the final was between Peter Baker and Paul Rees.
Both players had shown much improvement in their play over the winter months and a keenly contested final was won by Paul Rees.
Peter, who began the year playing off a handicap of 13 is now playing off 11. Paul, relatively new to the game of golf, is now playing off a handicap of 22 having started the year on 28.
May will also be a busy month for the Minehead club with seven competitions to be played and three single knock-outs in progress.

Community helps restaurant with graffiti clean-up

RESIDENTS in Wiveliscombe have been praised for coming to the rescue of a soon-to-open restaurant which suffered graffiti vandalism.
The Moorkhana restaurant in Silver Street is due to open mid to-late May, offering authentic Indian food cooked from family recipes.
But owners Mignon and Andrew Johnson were shocked to find that under the cover of darkness one night, vandals had graffiti-sprayed every window of the restaurant frontage.
Although some of the graffiti was particularly offensive toward the couple, Mignon – who is an Indian national - did not believe it was racially motivated.
And she praised local residents who expressed their disgust at the incident and who helped to clean the spray paint from the building.
Moorkhana is currently being converted from a former office and has already created an employment boost for the town by recruiting local staff.
Mignon said: “We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of our neighbours after this happened and quite a few of them came along and offered their help in cleaning it up
“It was quite a shock to see what had been done, but we understand that it was probably just the antics of some high-spirited youths who had been to a local party and had too much to drink.
“It has not put us off and work is now back on schedule for us to be ready to serve our first customers during the middle to late part of May.
“We have a CCTV system being installed in the restaurant and we will now adapt this so that if this sort of thing does happen again we will know who has done it.”
Moorkhana is still keen to hear from people who are interested in pursuing a career in the restaurant trade, especially anybody who could assist Mignon in the preparation of her authentic Indian cuisine.
Mignon said: “There is a shortage of curry chefs in the UK at the moment, so this would be a rare opportunity to acquire a culinary skill which is currently in great demand.”
The couple will be offering samples of their restaurant fayre when they take part in the Milverton Street Faire on the bank holiday Monday.
Moorkhana the trading name of The Saffron Kitchen, which built its reputation over the past few years through private party catering and regularly attending farmers’ markets in Taunton, Wellington, Cotford St Luke, Minehead, Exeter, Crewkerne, and Glastonbury, as well as by supplying select delicatessens.
The business has recently also been awarded five stars under the district council’s ‘scores on the doors’ scheme of inspecting food businesses, which means it is rated as having an ‘excellent level of compliance’ and being ‘highly confident in management of food safety’.
Moorkhana will be a family-friendly restaurant where children will be welcome. It also has a function room which can be used by local organisations. Customers will also be able to order takeaway dishes.
Any chefs who would like to work in the Moorkhana restaurant should contact Mignon and Andrew Johnson by telephoning 01984 623648.
More information about Moorkhana is available by visiting the website http://www.thesaffronkitchen.co.uk/.

• Our photographs show (TOP) Andrew Johnson cleaning away some of the graffiti, and (BELOW) some of the Wiveliscombe residents who have been helping with the clean up at Moorkhana. Photos submitted.
  
  

LETTER: MP criticism of county council 'is political strategy'

Dear Editor - I found your front page report on Ian Liddell-Grainger’s views (£74m venture, The Post April 24) where he implies by implication that the county council is being profligate with ratepayers’ money, very much part of a pattern; perhaps even what passes for a strategy of his.
He appears to be trying to undermine ratepayers’ confidence in the county council’s ability to manage the funds with which they are entrusted.
I am unsure why he has chosen this particular avenue of attack unless it is to associate the county council with the financial catastrophe that was the Conservative-run West Somerset District Council.
I think most people can spot the difference.
It is particularly ironic because during the entire, disgraceful period of the mismanagement of funds and priorities by the Tory-led district council, I cannot recall a single printed criticism by Ian Liddell-Grainger of the district council’s performance.
Had he done so, the outcome might have been very different.
The award-winning and innovative financial team at SCC belongs to all of us and has been independently audited as being a lynch pin of one of the top performing local authorities in the entire country.
I am all for constructive criticism by our Member of Parliament, but let us not begrudge success for political reasons.
Ian Galloway
Somerset county Councillor (Minehead ward)
Glenmore Road
Minehead

Hobby Horse planning spring and summer concert series

A SERIES of concerts are being hosted by the Hobby Horse, on The Esplanade, Minehead, throughout the spring and summer.
Organised by Mojo Promotions, the concerts will feature both band and solo/duo artists as well as the best tribute bands, all of which are professional national and international touring acts.
In May, there are two concerts, the first on Wednesday, May 21, features Jinder (pictured) singing the songs and music of Bob Dylan.
It will be singer-songwriter Jinder’s first visit to Minehead.
He has been featuring Bob Dylan songs in his set for many years, and his Minehead gig will take Dylan back to the beginning, stripped down - just vocals, guitar, and harmonica.
Having formed his own record label, the Dylan songs will be the first release.
Then, on Wednesday, May 28, there is a visit from The Castle Boys, featuring Richard Digance and Arnie Cottrell.
Richard Digance has performed to an audience of eight in The Falklands and to half-a-million at Knebworth, with the Beach Boys and Dire Straits.
He has also done lots in between, which led him to a BAFTA nomination and a gold award from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters. He also finds nine letter words on Countdown.
He has survived all trends in comedy and music and remains one of Britain’s most unique entertainers, performing his songs, rhymes, and stories like nobody else.
Others may tell stories and play guitar but they probably have not performed with Steve Martin and Robin Williams, or played guitar with Brian May, of Queen, Status Quo, or Joni Mitchell.
He has possibly supported more acts than anybody else in the world - Steeleye Span, David Essex, Supertramp, Elkie Brooks, Joan Armatrading, Cat Stevens, Jethro Tull, Jim Davidson, Chas n Dave, The Allman Brothers and Cher, Roy Orbison, Tom Jones, Mike Oldfield, and the Beach Boys.
His television specials for ITV ran for a record 11 years and on these shows he played guitar with Brian May, Status Quo, The Moody Blues, Buffy St Marie, Marc Cohn, who wrote Walking in Memphis, Chris de Burgh, Juan Martin, and Elkie Brooks.
The Minehead show will be purely music, with Richard performing with renowned Southampton acoustic blues-roots artist Arnie Cottrell.
It is one of only six tour dates.
Both concerts start at 9 pm and advance tickets are available from the Hobby Horse by calling 01643 702274 - £8 for Jinder and £10 for Richard Digance.
Future concerts at the Hobby Horse will include apres Janis’ Big Brother and the Holding Company vocalist and blues singer from Alabama Lisa Mills, blues-americana from Georgia USA with Bill Sheffield, eight-piece Pink Floyd tribute Breathe, and one of the UK’s top blues slide guitarists, Dave Kelly, from the Blues Band.

Molly is warm and well thanks to free insulation

A DUNSTER woman has become the 500th local resident aged 70 years or older to have her home insulated free of charge through the popular Somerset Warm and Well scheme
To mark the occasion, Mrs Molly Hathaway was presented with a bouquet of flowers by West Somerset Council’s health and well-being portfolio holder, Councillor Kate Kravis.
Somerset Warm and Well is a local scheme which offers residents free or discounted loft and cavity wall insulation.
Mrs Hathaway, who knew her home had never been insulated, contacted the scheme after hearing about insulation grants on Radio 4.
She said: “I wanted to find out if there was anything they could do for me.”
The team arranged a survey and found that Mrs Hathaway’s loft needed insulating and her windows were not draught proofed.
Because Mrs Hathaway was aged over 70 years, she was entitled to have all the work carried out for free.
Mrs Hathaway said the surveyors were ‘very good, very helpful’ and ‘quick to get in touch and dealt with the work in a very efficient way’.
Since having her loft insulated, Mrs. Hathaway has noticed her home keeps its heat much better, especially at night, and it is also less draughty.
She said: “Before, the wind would blow the curtains out, but it has been fine since they put the draught proofing round.”
Mrs Hathaway has talked about her experience at her local Women’s Institute.
She said: “Some people think that they may have to pay for it or are not too happy having people in their loft.
“I did not experience much disruption. It was definitely worth it - wonderful.”
Councillor Kravis said: “We are really proud of our partnership with Warm and Well because it directly helps local people to save money and to be more comfortable in their own homes.
“I would urge people to get in touch with the team, particularly as fuel bills are rocketing and insulating homes is one of the most simple and effective ways of saving money and energy.
“All applications are treated in confidence and the team is actively looking to help more people.”
Sarah Jeffrey, the Somerset Warm and Well manager, said: “Lots of residents put up with living in cold homes because they assume that home improvements would be too expensive.
“We are delighted that we have already helped 500 older people in West
Somerset to cut their bills and have more comfortable lives, and we urge all local residents to get in touch and see what we can do for them.”
Somerset Warm and Well is supported and part-funded by West Somerset Council.
Residents who are aged over 70 years, or on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits, may be eligible for free loft or cavity insulation through the scheme, as well as hot water tank jackets and draught proofing.
Anybody who wants to find out what help is available should call freephone 0800 512 012 for a chat with the Somerset Warm and Well team.

• Our photograph shows flowers being presented to Mrs Molly Hathaway (right) outside her Dunster home by West Somerset Council health and well-being portfolio holder Councillor Kate Kravis (centre) and Somerset Warm and Well marketing officer Lucy Hellier. Photo submitted.

Radio station battles to survive parent company's financial woes

STAFF at West Somerset’s commercial radio station, Quaywest 102.4 FM, were this week putting a brave face on its parent company’s financial troubles which threaten its future.
Both Watchet-based Quaywest and its sister Bridgwater station, formerly BCR FM but rebranded as Quaywest 107.4 FM, are owned by Laser Broadcasting, which has its headquarters in Darlington.
The West Somerset Free Press recently reported on how Quaywest’s Watchet telephone and fax lines had been lost for several days and listeners could only contact the station by email.
The station has also been without a website for several months - although it can still be heard over the internet – and staff had received late payments of wages.
Now, The Post has discovered that Laser Broadcasting has had a county court judgement entered against it for a £34,147 unpaid debt.
And a High Court petition for the winding up of one of Laser’s companies has also been presented by the Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs.
The county court judgement was made in Leeds on March 17, and the winding up petition went to the London Companies Court on April 9.
The Revenue was seeking to wind up Fresh Radio Ltd, which Laser bought for more than £1 million only a year ago.
Laser also owns also owns Sunshine 855 in Ludlow and Classic Hits in Hereford and Worcester among its portfolio of six stations.
The move came after some staff at Fresh Radio quit amid claims they had not been paid. Staff at other Laser-owned companies around the country had also complained of late salary payments.
The problem of telephone, fax, and broadband connections being cut off has also struck a number of Laser’s stations.
In March, Fresh Radio suspended its live broadcasting in Skipton for several days and instead played a continuous loop of pre-recorded music.
The Post was this week twice told that Laser operations director Stuart Linnell would make a statement on the company’s position, but he had not done so at the time of going to press.
However, Mr Linnell has told other newspapers that Laser was forming a new company to run Fresh and was working hard to settle its problems and looked forward to a positive future.
Laser, which has invested £3.5 million in its stations in a 12-month period, has also set itself a target of owning 15 stations in three years.

Association suspends rogue photographer

POLICE in two counties have now been informed of the business practices of rogue West Somerset photographer Mark Stothard.
Mr Stothard, aged 40, who lives with his wife Sarah Masters off Seaward Way, Minehead, trades as Mark The Photographer and also uses a number of other business names.
They include South West Debt Recovery, as well as several internet-based businesses, including www.pressservice.co.uk, www.copyrightact.co.uk, and www.picturesthatsell.co.uk.
The Post complained to Avon and Somerset Constabulary about Mr Stothard’s business conduct and is compiling a comprehensive dossier of information to pass to detectives.
Now, Mr Stothard has also been reported to police in Sussex, where he traded before moving to Somerset about four years ago and first living and working near Yeovil, before relocating to Timberscombe.
He has now also had his membership of the British Press Photographers’ Association suspended - becoming only the second photographer in its history to be suspended – following inquiries into the copyright of pictures he has been using on his websites and on his BPPA gallery.
Many of the photographs were of international politicians and celebrities, such as France President Nicolas Sarkozy, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, and footballer David Beckham, as well as rally cars competing in Spain and New Zealand.
However, the BPPA has received information that many of the photographs were actually taken from the European Press Agency, Reuters, and other organisations.
As word of The Post’s investigation into Mr Stothard has spread, the newspaper has been inundated with telephone calls and emails from people around the country claiming to have outstanding debts for work they carried out on his behalf.
Some of the information relates to businesses he ran in Hailsham, Sussex, before he was made bankrupt in 2005.
They include Confused Media, High Quality Film Scanning, and a wedding photography business which used advertising in glossy magazines.

Golden wedding cruise couple 'held for ransom'

A ROUND-the-world cruise to celebrate a West Somerset couple’s golden wedding anniversary took a potentially worrying turn when their ship dramatically found itself effectively being held for ransom in a foreign port.
Richard and Julia Bath had saved for two-and-a-half years for their once-in-a-lifetime romantic holiday, which was to have lasted 93 days, taking in 28 different countries.
But the holiday was threatened with disaster when travel firm Travelscope went bust at Christmas and Mr and Mrs Bath were told the cruise had been cancelled.
Then, within a few days a second firm, Dutch-owned Club Cruise, agreed to lease the cruise liner MV Van Gogh and the trip was back on.
But after a ‘marvellous and fantastic’ holiday, Mr and Mrs Bath suddenly found themselves caught up in a legal wrangle between the two holiday firms.
As the MV Van Gogh dropped anchor in Madeira, its last port of call before returning to Falmouth, a court action was begun and the ship was placed ‘under arrest’ and a police cordon was thrown around it.
The dispute resulted in a court order detaining the vessel in Funchal while Travelscope’s receivers tried to claw back £1.5 million from Club Cruise.
The liner and its 460 passengers who had paid between £12,000 and £20,000 for their cabins, was then stranded.
It took two days before the dispute was resolved and the ship was allowed to leave the island and return to England.
Safely back in their home in Metropole Court, Minehead, Mr Bath, aged 72, and Mrs Bath, aged 71, explained to The Post how the trip had only gone ahead because ABTA had guaranteed it after passengers agreed to sign over their payments to the insurance agency.
However, Mrs Bath said the deal was that no money would be released to ABTA until after the cruise had been completed and the ship had returned to Falmouth.
She said: “By holding us hostage in Madeira, they were holding ABTA hostage and that increased the pressure to get the dispute resolved.
“They had to get us in a neutral port as it would not have worked if we had returned to the UK because the money would have been paid out.”
Despite the wrangle, Mr and Mrs Bath did not feel like prisoners.
Mrs Bath said: “We were allowed to leave the ship in the meantime and do what we wanted, and they put on an excursion for us with eight coaches on one afternoon.”
The hiccup did not spoil the holiday for the couple, whose 50th wedding anniversary was marked last September with a family party in the Beach Hotel, Minehead.
Mrs Bath said: “It was an absolutely wonderful time. There were never any worries about anything and no skimping or shortages at all.
“We went through the Panama Canal, which was an absolutely marvellous experience, and we went up Table Mountain, in Capetown, and saw lots of other places.”
The cruise also took in the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Caribbean, Ecuador, Tahiti, New Zealand, Sydney, Mauritius, and other stops.

• Our photograph shows Richard and Julia Bath, safely home in West Somerset after a round-the-world cruise drama. Photo submitted.

Police dossier grows on rogue photographer

A DOSSIER being compiled by The Post on rogue West Somerset photographer Mark Stothard (pictured, left) has been growing by the day.
The Post has been inundated with calls and emails since revealing in last week’s edition some of the businesses practices of Mr Stothard, who trades under a variety of names, including Mark The Photographer.
The dossier will be handed to the police by The Post’s advertising and marketing manager, Dudley Seale, who contacted the constabulary after the newspaper suffered prolonged harassment by Mr Stothard for money he claimed he was owed.
Since last week, The Post has established that a business calling itself South West Debt Recovery and using a Taunton PO Box number is actually registered to Mr Stothard at one of the accommodation addresses he uses in the county town.
South West Debt Recovery had been purporting to act on behalf of ‘its client’ Mr Stothard and had issued threats of court action and complaints to various authorities, including the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset.
It has also been found that even more county court judgements have been lodged against Mr Stothard’s businesses than previously thought.
It was known that a CCJ for a £12,194 debt was granted in December, shortly before Mr Stothard began billing The Post for sums of nearly £1,000.
Now, The Post has learned of a CCJ for £3,852 in Exeter County Court on April 3, another for nearly £1,000 in Taunton County Court on March 10, while a number of other businesses have said they are in the process of trying to recover money from him.
At least two different website designers - both based in Wales - have said they designed websites for Mr Stothard and had not been fully paid.
One said he was recruited via an advert placed by Mr Stothard on the JobCentre website and was commissioned to work 50 hours a week but had only received one initial payment despite completing an extensive portfolio of four different websites for him.
Another of Mr Stothard’s businesses, Inco IBS Ltd, was found to have seven CCJs totalling more than £8,000, although the company was not trading.
Mr Seale said: “I would urge anybody who has had dealings with Mr Stothard or any of businesses and who feels aggrieved to get in touch with us.”

Political award for defending country way of life

AN organisation which has championed the lifestyles of people on Exmoor and other rural areas has won a prestigious television award.
The Countryside Alliance, born out of the fight against the hunting ban and the effects of Foot and Mouth Disease, was named ‘the most inspiring political personality’ of the past 10 years in a Channel 4 News political awards programme.
It won the title for ‘its campaigns against the fox hunting ban and its defence of rural life’.
Founding president Baronnes Mallalieu QC and chairman Kate Hoey, MP, accepted the award from actor Jeremy Irons.
Baronnes Mallalieu quoted Shakespeare in describing her own Government as being guilty of the ‘insolence of office’.
She warned future administrations, of whatever colour, that there was ‘unfinished business’ in the countryside.
The ‘inspiring’ category was a special award in the annual political awards to mark Channel 4 News’ 10th anniversary.
Other shortlisted candidates included Tony Blair and Ken Livingstone.
Countryside Alliance chief executive Simon Hart said: “This win is a great shot in the arm for the Countryside Alliance at the start of 2008.
“It is clear that we were shortlisted primarily because of the hunting issue and our vocal campaigning style.
“Our ongoing tenacity and support for the hunting community will remain at the core of what we do, but Channel 4 also acknowledged our broader reach, naming our ‘defence of rural life’.
“The Countryside Alliance believes that when it comes to the defence of that rural life, it is ‘all of us or none of us’.
“This belief in unity makes the victory all the sweeter, the acclaim is for all of us.
“Everybody who has marched, signed petitions, written to their MP, volunteered or worked for the Alliance, and stoically continued to defend country sports and the rural way of life for the past decade can rightly claim this award as their own.”
The award was voted for by telephone, text, and email to decide the winner.
Spokesman for the Minehead Harriers, Mike Padgett, said: “We are so pleased that the Countryside Alliance has won this prestigious award from Channel 4 for fighting our corner, the fox hunting ban and its defence of rural life.”

• Our photograph shows Kate Hoey and Simon Hart, of the Countryside Alliance, with their Channel 4 award. Photo submitted.

Everest Base Camp is first stop for Sir Ranulph

EXMOOR adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has arrived at Everest Base Camp to begin his second attempt to climb the world’s highest mountain.
Sir Ranulph, aged 64, who lives near Exford, hopes to raise £3 million for the Marie Curie ‘Delivering Choice Programme’.
It took an eight-day trek through the Sagamarta National Park for Sir Ranulph’s team to reach Base Camp.
He will now begin the long acclimatisation process which will eventually see him make a bid for the summit in May.
Sir Ranulph said: “By the time we first saw Base Camp in the distance it was a very welcome sight.
“Lots of people try to make it to the Everest Base Camp and a lot do not because of the various problems with altitude sickness - not just headaches but sickness.
“I am feeling confident. The feeling of altitude - even walking in light boots from the tents to the mess tent, you are completely out of breath and you wake up in the night with panicky type breathing.
“It does not bode well, but you have to think of each day as it comes and hope that when the leader takes you over the next bit you are up to it.”
Everest Base Camp, at more than 17,600 feet, is perched on a creaking, shifting glacier at the bottom of the notorious Khumbu Icefall.

• Our photograph shows Sir Ranulph at Everest Base Camp. Photo submitted.

Micro generation grants are now open

THE Building Research Establishment which administers grants on behalf of the Government, has just announced the launch of a new open grants programme as an award from the Big Lottery Fund.
The programme will provide £8m for the installation of micro-generation technologies and energy efficiency measures by community based organisations and £1m for project development grants.
Whilst project development grants will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis the capital grants will be awarded on a competitive basis determined by quarterly selection panels.
Grants will be made to not-for-profit-organisations which will now allow applications by Parish Councils.
This new scheme reinforces the existing grants but uniquely seeks to combine micro-generation of energy with energy efficiency measures.
Edwin Beckett, Chairman of the Exmoor Trust, warmly welcomed this announcement which adds to the emphasis which the Trust is giving to the advantages for the communities of Exmoor of sustainable energy.
He said: “The capital grants available under this scheme are considerable – up to £50,000 or 50 per cent whichever is lower.
“Even the project development grants offer up to £5,000 or 75 per cent whichever is lower.
“However there are downsides for systems producing electricity as they want a fairly large output. “There is also a complex application process but the principle benefit appears to be that all production systems have a level playing field.”
Archie McIntyre, who is arranging the Energy for Exmoor event on 2 May at Ralegh’s Cross Inn, is confident that communities seeking more information or clarification about this new grant scheme will be able to get advice from experts.
He added: “The Exmoor Trust has produced a guide to funds available to support the installation of micro-generation systems which will be available at two identical sessions starting at 9 am and 2 pm.
People wishing to guarantee the session of their choice should pre-register on www.exmoortrust.org.uk.

Drunk driver crashes into woman's parked car - police breathalyse HER!

CONSULTANT business trainer Margaret Worth had a shock when she heard a drunk-driver crash into and wreck her car while it was parked outside her home.
And as police responded to her 999 call and arrived to arrest the Eastern European driver, she was even more surprised when they promptly breathalysed - her.
Mrs Worth, of Glenmore Road, Minehead, had been sitting on the sofa in her living room when the crash happened outside.
But she still found herself being formally breath tested by officers to check if she had been drinking.
The result was ‘zero’ – and Mrs Worth has kept the breathalyser as a souvenir of the bizarre law enforcement approach.
However, she has not complained, as she reasoned that the test put her in the clear just in case the foreign driver tried to claim in court that she had driven into him instead.
The incident happened at about 4 pm on a Friday afternoon.
Mrs Worth told The Post: “I was sat on my sofa and heard this car going along, and then I heard a crunch and thought somebody must be hurt.
“I got to the door just in time to see him ricochet into my car, lifting it up and pushing it along by three feet.
“I could see he was drunk, and he roared off as I dialled 999 and did a circuit and came back.
“He was sat there when the police arrived and they removed an empty bottle of whisky from his car.
“I actually got cautioned and breathalysed and I had to produce my documents. Apparently, it is the law.
“The police were extremely professional. I was quite happy to give a breath test because I do not drink, and naturally it came up zero.
“On the face of it, it does sound ridiculous. I still think it is funny to be suspected of being drunk in charge of a sofa.
“But when you start to analyse it, then I suppose it does make some sense.”
Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman Wayne Baker confirmed to The Post yesterday that it was not routine to breathalyse witnesses to such an incident.
However, Mr Baker said the officers who attended Mrs Worth’s incident had incorrectly received information that she may have been driving her car at the time.
Mr Baker said police who dealt with the incident had arrested a man on suspicion of drinking and driving.

Fraud squad police investigate photographer

FRAUD squad police have investigated a Minehead photographer who is also a former bankrupt.
Two detectives visited the town last year to speak to local businessmen about the activities of Mark Stothard (pictured), who has been trading under the company name Mark The Photographer Ltd.
The inquiries at that time were in relation to items being sold on the internet auction site eBAY apparently on behalf of a firm called Carnopy.co.uk, which was a genuine company not involved in any scam.
Mr Stothard, aged 40, who at one time took photographs for The Crier newspaper and subsequently for The Post, was found to have been discharged from bankruptcy only the months earlier.
He had been made bankrupt in Eastbourne County Court in May, 2005, when he was known to be also using another name, Anthony Leaver, which coincidentally was the name of a Scottish man who had lost his wallet the previous year. Anthony was also his middle name.
His occupation at the time was given as unknown and his address was listed as Gates Cottage, Beasley Farm, Timberscombe, although it had recently been in North Street, Taunton.
A month after his automatic discharge from bankruptcy, Mr Stothard converted his Mark The Photographer sole trading name to a limited company with a registered address in Praed Street, London, which continues to be used as a trading address.
Eleven months later, in December, 2007, a county court judgement for a debt of £12,194 was obtained against Mr Stothard’s company Mark The Photographer Ltd during an ‘in chambers’ session held in Banbury County Court, Oxfordshire.
A few days later, The Post began receiving invoices from Mark The Photographer Ltd claiming fees of nearly £1,000 for photographs taken under an agreement whereby had received promotion of his business in the newspaper.
Since then, the bills claimed against The Post by Mr Stothard have risen to nearly £1,300 and the newspaper has also been receiving demands on his behalf from a business calling itself South West Debt Recovery.
Mr Stothard, who uses his wife Sarah Masters a company director to sign correspondence, was recently believed to be living off Seaward Way, Minehead, but has now started using a trading address in Bridge Street, Taunton.
SW Debt Recovery – which is also the name of a dissolved company – conceals its identity by using a Taunton PO Box number as its address and does not give any names of people in the business.
After threatening court action against The Post, the debt recovery business has since claimed to have reported the newspaper to the ‘Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary together with the electoral and Parliamentary bodies regarding your business activities’.
The Mayor of Minehead, Councillor David Hawkes has received correspondence on behalf of Mr Stothard complaining that he was owed money by The Post’s sales and marketing manager, Dudley Seale, who is a town councillor.
It is understood Mr Stothard has sent similar letters to the Conservative’s constituency office and to the West Somerset Free Press and Somerset County Gazette newspapers.
The Post understands Mr Stothard has similarly harassed a member of Minehead Cricket Club and other local businesses have been upset by his demands for payments they did not believe he was owed.
Since moving to West Somerset, Mr Stothard has been involved in a string of different business names, including We Have Delivered It, Inco (IBS) Management and Business Consultants, Summerlands, Carnopy.eu, and Tender First.
One interested party who has tracked Mr Stothard’s known business history since he left school in Lancing, West Sussex, at the age of 16, described him as a ‘moving target’ who used anonymity of the internet and the privacy of accommodation boxes to evade creditors.
The Post has received an extensive dossier on Mr Stothard listing a trail of people said to have been owed money by him.
Prior to moving to live in West Somerset, Mrs Stothard also had many other business names, and one company The AJ Management Company Ltd, was compulsorily wound up by the Official Receiver in Brighton, in July, 2002.
During his time working with The Crier, Mr Stothard used a 07074 premium rate telephone number on his advertising which he claimed was a ‘mobile’ number, and he earned money every time somebody called him on it. The practice stopped when The Crier challenged him on the matter.
He also made claims on his website during 2006 that he was going to be away in France photographing the Tour de France cycle race and in Germany for the football World Cup finals – while somehow he was actually still able to be in Minehead taking photographs for The Crier.
His glossy website contains a gallery of photographs of world leaders and sportsmen, but Mr Stothard carefully avoids actually stating in writing that they were taken by him.
This week, Mr Seale went to police in Minehead to complain about Mr Stothard’s business practices.
The Post will make available to the police the dossier of information it has on Mr Stothard.
Mr Seale said: “I would like to hear from anybody else who has had dealings with Mr Stothard or any of his businesses so that I can draw up as comprehensive a picture of his activities as possible.”

Finally, a final decision on Vulcan Road on the way

THE future development of Minehead’s Vulcan Road car park could finally be decided next week, after months of back peddling by district councillors unable to face letting down the people who elected them.
Councillors will consider their preferred option for the future development of the site at their meeting on Wednesday – even though the authority previously formally agreed a supermarket scheme and other retail use two years ago.
Another round of public consultation recently revealed there was significant local support for a medium-sized supermarket to provide competition for similar outlets in the town and support for affordable housing.
There was little support for a large Tesco supermarket, mixed retail/industrial development, or an hotel.
In light of this, the report being presented to councillors next week recommends:

• The site for development is restricted to Vulcan Road car park and the council’s Mart Road depot site
  
• The ‘preferred option’ for elements of the development consist of a medium-sized supermarket, plus A1 retail and affordable housing
  
• A future draft development agreement includes clauses that require:

1. any viable scheme put forward by the developer to include proposals for linking the development site with the town centre
   
2. any viable scheme to include proposals that minimise the environmental impact of both the design and subsequent operation of the finished development
   
3. the limitation of A1 retail following the non-inclusion of a hotel as part of the preferred option
   
4. any viable scheme put forward identifies the difference in the amount of capital receipt generated between units of rented affordable housing and shared equity affordable housing

Once members have decided their broad preferred option for the development of the site, work will begin on drafting a detailed development agreement which will go back to the council for consideration at a later date.

Council to find £1.1m for new hospital

A NEW agreement is to be considered next week which could be an important milestone in the ill-fated New Horizons project aiming to deliver a new £36 million community hospital for West Somerset.
The cash-strapped district council will be recommended on Wednesday to find up to £1.1 million to pay for capital works to enable the scheme to go ahead.
The council previously pulled the financial plug on New Horizons when its share of the costs rose to £11 million – but there was said to be nothing in the coffers to fund it.
Despite The Post being told the council was bound by an undertaking to provide infrastructure for the hospital to be built anyway, the authority’s media and PR officer, Stacey Beaumont denied this.
Now, the ‘riot act’ has been read to district councillors by their Somerset Primary Care Trust partners and a new agreement has been drawn up, which also involves Somerset County Council and the West Somerset Community College.
New Horizons also aims to deliver a 14 to19 years vocational training centre, adult learning facilities, sports opportunities, and affordable housing.
If the agreement is approved by councillors on Wednesday, the proposed new Minehead Community Hospital will be then the subject of a detailed planning application which will be submitted by the PCT in the summer.
The agreement also maps out how the partners intend to take forward land deals so that work can also start on marketing the housing aspect of the project, 30 per cent of which will be affordable housing.
The county council has already approved the agreement, in which it commits to contributing up to £1.2 million as well as transferring significant amounts of land to partners to make the scheme work.
The report going to district councillors recommends:

• A capital contribution equal to approximately a 25 per cent share of certain infrastructure costs of the project. This sum is to be capped at £1.1m and would support all elements of the community facilities, the Community Hospital, Skills and Enterprise Centre, new playing field provision and residential housing.
• 
  The transfer to Somerset County Council of an area of land adjacent to Seaward Way equal to approximately 4.4 acres. In exchange, Somerset County Council will transfer an area of land adjacent to Seaward Way equal to 0.42 acres to West Somerset Council. This will enable the creation of an access road from Seaward Way and the replacement of sports pitches within The West Somerset College.
• 
  The transfer to Somerset Primary Care Trust of an area of land adjacent to Seaward Way equal to approximately 0.42 acres to enable the completion of the access road to the new hospital site.

West Somerset Council has already invested £2.7m in purchasing land to help facilitate the project and has also contributed a significant amount of staff resource and time in working with the partner organisations.

Town crier to open new-look Watchet Esplanade

THE official opening of a new-look Watchet Esplanade will be celebrated on Saturday with a packed programme of events.
West Somerset Council secured £138,380 of European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) and more than £51,000 from the Somerset Rural Renaissance Partnership to enhance the area alongside one of West Somerset’s best-loved historic ports.
The enhancement project included infrastructure such as market stalls to enable the town to host local farmers and craft markets, new seating, audio/visual equipment, a refurbishment of the current shelters to include an information point, new paving in some areas, railings, lamps, curved benches, planters, and new tree plantings to boost the overall appearance.
District council chairman Councillor Jenny Hill, who is also a Watchet town councillor, said: “We are delighted with the project.
“It is now a really good area for tourists and the local community to enjoy.
“We are looking forward to the opening and to The Esplanade hosting a range of other events for the benefit of everybody.”
Town council chairman, Councillor David Banks, said: “The open day is essentially a community day where local organisations can take advantage of the enhanced facility.”
The celebrations start at 11.30 am with the cutting of a ceremonial ribbon by Alec Danby, who has served Watchet as town crier for 20 years.
A samba band, balloon modelling, the Rattlebox Theatre, Raventale Giants, and wandering clowns are also lined up to keep the crowds entertained for the afternoon.
Other activities will include a climbing wall, trampolines, hair braiding, and face painting, as well as a vintage car display and a variety of stalls on The Esplanade.
West Somerset Council’s acting head of paid service, Adrian Dyer, said: “It is great to see this project come to fruition and to see The Esplanade being enjoyed by local people.
“As well as providing new seating and renovating the shelters and paving, there is now provision for the town to host markets which will attract more visitors to this lovely, historic seaside town.”
A programme of events for the day is available from the Watchet Tourist Office or by emailing tourism@watchettowncouncil.org or telephoning 01984 632101.
The official opening celebrations will continue until 4.30 pm.

Our man 'Deadly' Dudley chosen for by-election challenge

THE Post columnist Dudley Seale has been chosen to fight the Alcombe East by-election for a seat on West Somerset Council.
Mr Seale, who is also a Minehead town councillor, will stand for the Conservatives.
He is one of four candidates contesting the vacancy created when former Minehead and Alcombe Mayor Nick Messarra stood down last month.
The others are Tony Bowden (Lib Dem), who has made several unsuccessful attempts at winning a seat in Watchet, Ron Bridlefor the Labour Party, and retired Minehead Town Council employee Sandra Slade, who is standing as an Independent with town and district Councillor Terry Venner acting as her agent.
The by-election will b e held on Thursday, May 1, and anybody living in the ward who is registered to vote will receive a poll card in the weeks running up to the ballot.
Polling will take place at St Michael’s Church, Alcombe, between 7 am and 10 pm, and the count will take place at the church immediately after the close of the poll.
Anybody wishing to have a postal or proxy vote must apply by 5 pm on Wednesday, April 23.
To register for a postal or proxy vote contact Electoral Services Officer Elisa Day on 01984 635272.
A vacancy in the ward for the town council will be decided by co-opting a candidate, possibly as early as next week, after nobody called for a by-election to be held.

Smart new look for Dreamscheme community volunteers

DREAMSCHEME volunteers and young people in the Seaward Way area of Minehead will now look smarter than ever, thanks to the support of local printing firm, Porlock Print.
PCSOs Luisa Skinner and Rachel Cutler met with Porlock Print boss Gary Needs and came up with a design for a polo shirt for all volunteers and children to wear when carrying out their activities and tasks in the community.
The Dreamscheme project is planning a fun day with sports coaching and re-opening of the revamped multi-use games area at Sandpiper Close, on Friday April 18.
During the past three months, young people and volunteers have been redecorating the boards that surround the area, and with support from Magna West Somerset and Knightstone Housing Associations, West Somerset Council, and police, new lines will be painted for football and basketball, and new football goals and basketball nets will be fitted.
Funding for the Dreamscheme project has also been received from local businesses and agencies.

• Our photograph shows Gary Parker with some of the Dreamscheme volunteers. Photo submitted.