Eco gardens from airport funds, pink pride in Torbay and flashing blades are all part of the things to be cheerful in the Devon news in our good week/ bad week round up. Find out about the losers. (From The People’s Republic of South Devon)
GOOD WEEK
Eco funding: £2,000 from the sale of Exeter airport will go towards the creation of an ‘eco garden’ at Combe Martin School.
Grave diggers: Plymouth Ford Park Cemetery could be one of three UK cemeteries in a guide which aims to promote the cultural value of cemeteries. Ford Park itself ran a project called Rejuven8.
Pride in Torbay: Ignore the news from the Torbay tourist board that it has put the kibosh on new festival in favour of the established ones. Torbay is to hold its first gay pride event, er, because every other seaside town does, according to organiser Matt Newbury (he who organised the laughathon comedy film festival last year). But there is room for a cream tea garden party and cinema screenings in the four-day Pride Torbay festival. There will be no gay pride march or parade because it is considered ‘too tacky’ and might not be to everyone’s taste. Too tacky for Torbay?
Cider insider her inside: family owned cider brewers are enjoying a good crop after a miserable summer. That’s something to looked forward to…
Glowing green: Exeter city’s recycling rate has risen to 38.87 per cent, on target for 37 per cent for the year. Grey waste (the non-recycled stuff) has dropped by 91 dustbin lorry-loads compared to last year.
Back to college: the sale of Seale-Hayne, the former agricultural college, has fallen through, fuelling campaigners’ desire for it to revert to an educational role.
Green hair: the Herald Express gave over some of its column inches to say a Boots in Torquay has two eco hairdryers in stock. Huzzah! (although the article reads like an ad masquerading as news)
Flashing blades: a new Nortre Dame-based Plymouth fencing club, Salle Lawrence, boasted impressive results in its members first outings, including a gold, silver and bronze in the Plymouth Open.
BAD WEEK
Home alone: Devon’s Michael Morpurgo (author and fella behind Country Farm for City Kids) has joined the critics of the Channel 4 programme Boys and Girls Alone, claiming, in the Times that it contained “child abuse and cruelty”.
Last Picture Show: The final broadcast from ITV Westcountry’s Plymouth studios took place on Friday, February 13.
Rising water: South West Water bills are set to rise again by an average of 0.9 per cent, to £489.
Pot out: A shopkeeper in Budleigh Salterton has been ordered to curb her ornamental flowerports which jut out three inches too far on the pavement outside her fashion store.
Whip crack away: Tory Torbay Councillor Cllr Robert Horne was removed from his role as whip after he abstained on a vote to protect the civic chairman’s budget.
Jesus Christ: God, et al, got a bad rep again when a classroom incident, where kids spoke about theological matters, was blown out of all proportion.
Every little helps: Asda has withdrawn its plans for a supermarket in Exmouth, which also means the loss of: a replacement sports centre and indoor swimming pool, a new library and a Jurassic Coast visitor centre.
Tally ho: Shock, horror, someone involved with blood sport turns out to be facing a prison sentence after assault. A Devon huntsman used his horse to knock an animal rights activist to the ground.
posted by Cptn
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