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| St Ives needs
you! |
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As 2008 draws towards the Christmas season
I think I can honestly say that few of us,
businesses and residents alike, could have
predicted back in January, the economic
challenges that the last 6 months have brought,
and continue to bring to us all.
Despite this St Ives still has a lot to
celebrate.
Our last footfall survey shows that residents
& visitor numbers to the town continue to
increase, bucking the nationwide trend and
now St Ives has been declared (by a TV documentary)
as the second bes Town to live in the UK
for best value for money and best quality
of life. You might not think it, but St
Ives did manage some great summer days this
year. 2008 saw a very successful Riverside
Gala.
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You might not think it, but St Ives did
manage some great summer days this year.
2008 saw a very successful Riverside Gala,
Summer Concert, Town Carnival and Music
Festival, and these events, combined with
our lovely river and especially our wonderful
range of independent retail outlets; continue
to make St Ives a great place to live, work
and visit. In fact our town continues to
be a top visitor destination.
Next we can look forward to the hugely
popular Dickensian Market to be held in
the town centre on 30th November.
Now more than ever, it is time to “use
it or lose it!”. Out of town shops try to
convince us that sole trader equals expensive,
but if you add in travel costs, parking
fees, costs of transporting larger items
home, plus time taken, the overall cost
is often much higher than staying local.
Our town shops will only survive if used,
so if you want a vibrant town centre where
people can socialise as well as shop, shop
local, and what better time to do this than
Christmas?
St Ives is lucky to have a unique group
of local shops selling a wide range of great
products at affordable prices, so please
support them since in doing so you will
help the whole community.
On behalf of SITI I would like to take
this opportunity to wish you all a Happy,
Healthy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.
My very best wishes to you all.
Jane Bowd,Town Centre Manager
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| What do you know
about... Moonie? |
As Moonie says “St
Ives is a small market town, but big hearted when
it comes to events, encouraging visitors from all
around to come and enjoy our party!” So, if you
want to help, you should now be able to recognise
Moonie, and he looks forward to seeing you all on
30th November for the Big Switch On at the Dickensian
Market.
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Moonie is the promoter for The Music Box
night club, and so gets to meet people in
the town all the time, and in his role running
Don’t Panic Events he gets to meet many
well connected people in the music world.
All of this helps when arranging town events.
Christmas Lights, the Town Carnival and
the Music Festival.
Every year in July residents and visitors
alike flock to Warners Park for the weekend
of the Carnival and Music Festival. This
year Moonie was proud to win the Mayor’s
Community Award for his major part in the
success of these events, together with his
support of our Christmas Lights in the town.
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| The town has
just celebrated its 10th Carnival, with floats
from all local schools, and Moonie says he
was proud to run the event this year, whilst
Sylvia was unwell, and counts himself lucky
to have had sunshine all weekend. He began
working on the Carnival 8 years ago by supporting
Mike Purchas, when The Music Box arranged
the music. This Music Festival has now, thanks
to the Town Council’s backing, become the
biggest in the area. |
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| Not content with
this summer weekend of events, for the past
three years Moonie has been the lynchpin of
the Christmas Lights in the town. Along with
financial backing from The Town Council and
the St Ives Town Initiative who run the Dickensian
Market, Moonie has helped to brighten up the
town just in time for Christmas. Moonie appreciates
the support he receives from JPS Lighting,
Maria, David, Sandy, Sylvia, Angie and others
on these events. |
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| Member
Profiles |
| Denise’s
Flowers |
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Quite an achievement for its owner, Denise
Circus. Having left school aged 15, Denise
took up floristry, continuing to live in
the town, and opening her own shop in 1979.
Denise and her staff offer an excellent
personal service which has kept her customers
loyal over all these years.
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| Stocking everything
from roses and chrysanthemums through to the
more exotic flowers Denise’s has something
for all occasions. They provide a full wedding
service from the bridal bouquet, flowers for
the church and reception, buttonholes and
corsages, as well as a sympathetic service
for the unhappier times. |
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| There is always
something we can say with flowers, so Denise’s
Flowers main business is arrangements, hand-ties
and bouquets for birthdays, anniversaries,
new babies, and thank you gifts. As you might
expect, Denise says that Christmas, Mothers
Day and Valentine’s Day are the busiest times
in her year. |
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| Six years ago
Denise began flower arranging classes locally,
running in the spring and autumn. Since then
her classes have become so popular that she
now has 60 ladies attending on a regular basis! |
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| Denise’s Flowers
has become well known over the last 30 years
but if you have never found her, then her
shop will soon be filled with Christmas gifts
& arrangements, so it’s well worth seeking
her out, in Bull Lane on the corner with Free
Church Passage. |
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| Piggotts the
Jewellers |
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| Long term residents in St Ives will
remember the time Piggotts and Hephers swapped premises.
Now Piggotts has the view down The Broadway on the
corner with Crown Street, in what was once the Co-Operative
store. |
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| Piggotts Jewellers have always been
a family run business. Both Linda and Michael have
built the business based on excellent customer service
and quality products, with their mission statement
being “to exceed your expectations “. |
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| Staff at Piggotts understand that
when you purchase a piece of jewellery that only
the personal touch will do. Jewellery is often bought
from the heart, to give pleasure, so Piggotts say
they are proud to be able to offer, as an independent
jeweller, an extensive range of fine jewellery,
gifts and watches |
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| It is worth noting that Piggotts has
a customer-for-life policy, and offer various services
to keep your jewellery and watches in the condition
in which they were bought. They can repair/restore
all fine jewellery in their workshops. Piggotts
also offer watch services on most brands and models.
There is also the opportunity to personalise a gift,
with their in-house engraving system. What Piggotts
the Jewellers want, is for their customers to feel
relaxed and comfortable in their modern showroom.
As one of St Ives valued Independent Retailers,
they look forward to seeing you. |
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| As one of St Ives valued Independent
Retailers, they look forward to seeing you. |
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| St Ives Town Centre
Improvements |
| In November and December,
members of the public will have a chance to see
and comment on options for the next phase of the
Town centre Improvements. |
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| In 2001, works were carried out by
the District Council to enhance the shopping experience
in Bridge Street and Crown Street by widening pavements
and reducing car movements through the streets.
High quality materials were used to reflect the
importance of this area. |
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| The District Council has now allocated
further funds to improve the Market Hill area of
St Ives. The budget of around £1million allows for
the work to be carried out on site from January
2010. The District Council has been working in conjunction
with the other Councils and representative groups
to come up with options that will bring benefits
to the Town Centre. |
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| The next stage is to enter full consultation
with the people of St Ives to gain their views on
the possible options or other ideas as to how the
centre can be improved. The aim of these works is
to ensure the future viability of the town and to
enhance the shopping experience. Two of the options
increase the areas of public open space to give
better market layouts and the opportunity to have
extra events within the market hill area. Pavements
will also be widened to improve access to the shops
and make it more pedestrian friendly. These options
re-allocate the parking and also reduce the amount
available to varying extents. The third option just
looks to enhance the existing street furniture,
signage and surfacing. |
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| The consultation is also considering
the requested changes to the loading/unloading provisions
in Bridge Street to allow for street cafes to use
some of these bays. |
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| Exhibitions over three days are being
arranged so that the public, residents, the business
community and all other groups get a chance to comment
on the proposals and to influence the future design.
These exhibitions will give visitors a chance to
discuss the proposals with the design team and record
their views. The dates for the exhibitions are:
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| Saturday
15th November 9:30am to 2:30pm, The Free Church,
Market Hill |
| Monday 17th
November 8:00am to 6:00pm, The Free Church,
Market Hill |
| Saturday
6th December 9:30am to 2:30pm on The Sheep
Market, Market Hill |
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| The display boards are then planned
to be located at the Library, Rainbow Store (or
adjacent location) and the St Ivo Leisure centre
for one week each.The exact dates will be publicised
later when finalised. |
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| The information and questionnaire
will also be available on the Council’s website
www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk
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| The consultation period ends on 7th
January 2009 and all comments should be received
by that date. |
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| What do you know
about... St Ives Day Care Centre |
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This most valued and important facility
in the town provides care and social contact
for frail elderly residents of St Ives and
the surrounding villages. The centre gives
every member a hot cooked lunch with afternoon
entertainment, and outings when possible.
Some background
It was only around 1976 when alterations to
the Free Church were planned, giving space
for community projects, that the opportunity
for such a centre was first considered. |
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Thanks to local fund raising, initially
motivated by the then Town Mayor Wallace Hodgson
and his wife Barbara, and with the appointment
of Bob Dicker as day to day organiser, the
scheme eventually came to fruition. Bob did
a magnificent job remaining right up to his
retirement in 1997, with the centre flourishing
in its Free Church venue until December 1996
when it moved to its present home in Ramsey
Road.
Many people over the years have helped to
raise funds, especially ‘The Friends of St
Ives Day Care Centre’ who constantly raise
many thousands of pounds to encourage the
work of the staff and volunteers who run the
project. |
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And now
St Ives Day Care Centre is able to open five
days per week from 10.00 am to 3 pm, led by
manager Mrs Valerie Pratley and her staff
of 32 carers and volunteers. The centre now
has charitable status, with a panel of Trustees
and a Management Committee. They can take
up to a maximum of 25 people each day, so
if you are elderly and need company or if
you can give time as a volunteer or have talent
to entertain, then please contact Mrs Valerie
Pratley Tel 01480 463444 who will be very
pleased to hear from you. |
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| The Hunt
for the best sandwich in Huntingdonshire |
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It was the battle of the nurseries to find
the best sandwich in Huntingdonshire at this
years Food and Drink Festival. St Ives, Ramsey
and Huntingdon all had finalists from nursery
schools, and after a difficult decision from
the judges, a Ramsey nursery won with a sandwich
made with home made bread from locally milled
flour, home cured ham & home made apple chutney.
We were delighted with the response from entries
to the St Ives competition and our entry “HEGGY”
from Hemingford Grey Nursery was a strong
contender for the title. |
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The prize-giving was held at the Food and
Drink Festival Event held at Wood Green Animal
Shelter on Sunday 28th September, with the
winning entry securing a £150 cheque for their
school. An award winner for St Ives was “Pub
of the Year 2008” going to The Oliver Cromwell
in Wellington Street.
This festival event was very well attended
with plenty to see and do including special
offers, demonstrations, and local businesses
promoting their produce. SITI used the event
as an opportunity to advertise the Food &
Drink Guide to visitors with the added incentive
of limited period offers by many of the contributors.
Although the offers were specifically linked
to Sunday’s promotion, copies of the handy
pocket-guide can still be collected from our
office at 1 New Road, St Ives and many outlets
within the town. |
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| St Ives Dickensian
Market |
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| Sunday 30th November 2008 is a day
not to be forgotten because it is the date of our
6th annual Dickensian Market being held in St Ives
Town Centre. |
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| Last year at the very last minute
we had to change the location due again to high
winds. This year we will do our very best to ensure
that the stalls will be located in Bridge Street
and Crown Street. As in previous years, we are at
the mercy of the weather! |
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The stall holders will all be dressed in
Dickensian costume and there will be a range
of stalls there to tempt you – everything
from Christmas gifts and clothing to Christmas
decorations and candles. The majority of our
shops too will be open, many of them entering
into the spirit of the Dickensian era. |
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| Tapestry and Hemingford Ladies Choir will
sing traditional Christmas carols. Somersham
Town Band and street entertainers will also
add to the festive atmosphere. Father Christmas
will be in his grotto with a gift for each
boy and girl who visits him. A traditional
funfair will be in The Broadway with many
of the rides from a bygone era. This year
however due to circumstances beyond our control
there will be no aerial fireworks. |
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| So why not come along to the
town centre from 11.00am and enter in to the
Christmas spirit – helped by the Glühwein
on sale and the delicious hog roast which
amongst other food stalls will be there to
cater for all tastes. |
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| And don’t forget
the Christmas Lights Switch On at 4pm. |
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| An
improved Town Hall |
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| As some of you may have already
noticed, the town council is currently having
major building works carried out on our Town
Hall. This building work commenced in June
and is on schedule to finish in December.
The works have been necessary to bring the
building into line with the current Disability
Discrimination Act (DDA) and once complete
will have a lift with access to all three
floors. |
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Whilst undertaking such major work
it was also felt prudent by the council
to rationalise the electrical supply
and the outdated data and telephony
systems, and since previously the heating
system was unreliable, to take the opportunity
to install new gas central heating.
The other main change you will notice
is that the town council offices are
now on the ground floor opposite the
District council offices and so offering
improved customer service. Unfortunately
along the way additional work has been
needed since problems have arisen with
the original listed part of the building
and the project has gone slightly over
budget. It is understood however that
this will not affect any of the councils’
other capital projects. |
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| St
Ives Sudoku Challenge |
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| Congratulations to the winner
of our latest Sudoku Challenge, Betty Goodburn.
Thanks as usual go to St Ives based Greenstreet,
who kindly donated the prize for SITI’s popular
competition. |
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