More Minehead staff fear for jobs as recession bites

MORE job worries hit workers in Minehead yesterday as Spanish banking giant Santander announced it was axing 1,900 jobs across three of its British businesses - one of them being the Alliance and Leicester Bank.
Alliance and Leicester has for many years operated a branch in Minehead in a prime site location in The Parade.
It was unclear where the Santander job losses would be made, but it was believed the brunt was likely to fall on Alliance and Leicester employees and particularly those in the cities of London, Leicester, and Bradford.
The company refused to rule out the possibility of compulsory redundancies.
Unions described the news as ‘a bitter blow’ for staff before Christmas.
It follows a 50 per cent fall in Santander’s share price since June.
Santander aims to save £180 million by the end of 2011 while having ‘minimal impact’ on customer-facing roles in its branches.
It said the focus of the reductions was on back-office jobs and across operational and head office sites, although some smaller offices could be consolidated into larger sites.
Santander UK business chief executive António Horta Osório said yesterday: “Today’s announcement shows we are on track to fulfil the commitment we made at the time of the Alliance and Leicester acquisition to grow our UK business while ensuring we meet our cost-saving targets.
“Santander is committed to its branch network in the UK, reflecting its status as one of the world’s leading retail banks, with the largest international retail branch network in the world.
“The combined UK business now has nearly 1,300 branches, which we expect to maintain or slightly increase in the near term.”

Pupils have star role in £400,000 supermarket reopening

PUPILS of Minehead First and St Michael’s First schools will take on star status next week when they perform the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially launch the £400,000 new look Co-op food store in The Parade, Minehead.
The children will receive £100 for each school from store manager Mark Jones as a ‘thank you’ after the opening on Thursday, October 16.
Mr Jones said: “As a community retailer, it is appropriate that we involve the community in our special events and we are delighted children from our local schools can play a central role in the relaunch of our store.”
The store will feature The Co-operative Group’s new identity, ‘The co-operative’, which aims to highlight improved service standards across its 4,500 outlets in the UK, including its travel, pharmacy, funerals, and bank branches, as well as its commitment to supporting local communities and ethical trading policies.
The refit has transformed the community store with modern décor, new fittings, and eco-friendly refrigeration, plus a more shopper-friendly layout.
It will offer a comprehensive choice, with an emphasis on fresh foods.
There will also be a wider selection of chilled beers and wines, while the Post Office, cash machine, lottery, and PayPoint services will be retained.
As the leading supermarket supporter of Fairtrade foods, The co-operative’s popular Fairtrade products will feature and the store will carry the retailer’s own health and beauty range with products that are not tested on animals.
In addition, shoppers will benefit from The co-operative’s policy on honest labelling, which gives the full facts about its food and drink products.
While all The Co-operative’s free plastic bags are fully degradable, customers will be encouraged to use a greener alternative such as The Co-operative Fairtrade cotton Bag for Life, which costs 99p or the plastic Bag for Life, priced at 10p, which the store will replace for free and then recycle.
The Co-operative Group also gives its customer members a share of its profits in cash.
Members can choose to keep the twice-yearly payouts or donate all or part of them to local worthy causes.
Mr Jones said: “We provide a much valued service and I am confident the new look store will better meet the daily food shopping needs of the local community.
“The transformed store will be a real asset. In addition, in the best traditions of The co-operative, it will make its contribution to community life.”

Teenagers face manslaughter charges after Minehead attack man dies

TWO of three teenagers arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of a Minehead man in a street fight at the weekend were appearing in court today, Tuesday, January 22.
Nineteen-year-old Sean Wylds, of Minehead, and a 16-year-old youth who cannot be named because the law protects the identity of those under 18 years, were facing reduced charges of manslaughter as they appeared before magistrates in Taunton.
They had been held in custody at Minehead Police Station since Monday, when 36-year-old Tim Chilcott (pictured) died from injuries he received in the incident.
A third youth, aged 18 years, was also held in custody but was later released on police bail pending furter inquiries.
Mr Chilcott suffered serious head injuries in an attack which was thought to have started outside Minehead's Wellington Hotel and then continued through The Parade and into Blenheim Road, where he collapsed unconscious at about 1 am on Sunday.
He was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, where he was put on a life support machine, but he died at mid-day on Monday.
Mr Chilcott, who was a self-employed gardener, lived in the Periton area of Minehead. His parents live in Hillview Close, Minehead.
A Home Office pathologist was due later today to carry out a post mortem on Mr Chilcott at Southmead Hospital, in Bristol, to determine how he died.

Teenagers arrested on Minehead murder charges

THREE teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a man in Minehead during a street brawl in the early hours of yesterday, Sunday, January 20.
The trio, aged 19, 18, and 16 years were taken into custody in Minehead Police Station today (pictured).
The man, aged 36, died from his injuries in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, at about mid-day today.
He had been found unconscious at about 1 am on Sunday in Blenheim Road, Minehead, and was believed to have been stabbed during a fight which started in Wellington Square and continued into The Parade and into Blenheim Road, where he collapsed.
He suffered head injuries which resulted in him being put onto a life support machine in hospital.
Police are appealing for any witnesses who may have been in and around the Blenheim Road or The Avenue area of Minehead shortly after midnight on Sunday to come forward.
Det Chief Inspector Martyn Triggol said: “Although we have three people in custody, I am very keen to speak to anybody who may have been in the area or might have come out of the Wellington public house near the time of the incident.
“We are also keen to trace people who may have spoken to the occupants of a dark coloured, three-door car around Wellington Square shortly after the incident.”
Police are also reassuring residents that the murder was an isolated incident and the police need the community’s assistance to help the investigation.
Det Chief Insp Triggol said: “We realise that incidents like this shock what is a tight knit community in Minehead.
“Incidents like this are very rare, but I would appeal for anybody who has any information to help inquiries, however small, to come forward and speak to police.
“Minehead remains a very safe place, but the community can help us best by telling us what they might have witnessed and seen on Sunday morning.”
Anybody who can help is asked to contact Taunton CID on 0845 4567000 or Criemstoppers on 0800 555111.

Murder squad police launch inquiry after Minehead street fight

A SERIOUS crimes inquiry was started in Minehead today, Sunday, January 20, after a man suffered life-threatening injuries in a running street brawl.
The man, aged in his mid-30s, was found at about 1 am in Blenheim Road, near the rear access to the town's hospital, suffering from serious head injuries.
It was thought that he had been stabbed during a fight which started in Wellington Square and which continued as a running battle through The Parade and into Blenheim Road.
The victim was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, in a critical condition, where he remained on a life-support machine.
Police have issued an appeal for witnesses and have asked anybody with information to contact Minehead Police Station on 0845 4567000.
The Parade and Blenheim Road remained sealed off this afternoon while crime scene officers carried out a detailed examination of the area.
Officers were also carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area and examining film on the town centre CCTV tapes.