March 2009 Archives

Bishopthorpe Parish Council has been awarded a grant of £245,000 to extend and upgrade the facilities in the Village Hall by the Big Lottery Fund.

The hall will close after Easter and major works will start to to undertake the following:

• Build a small extension on the front;
• Install a lift, allowing disabled and pushchair access to all parts of the hall;
• Improve the existing kitchen and install a new kitchen upstairs;
• Build additional office space for the village archive;
• Enlarge the entrance hall creating an improved welcome area and storage area.

We expect the work to be undertaken by the following local companies:

David Chapman Associates
Martin Design Assocaites
H Watson - Builders
Dennis King - Electrician
BM Plumbing - Heating and Plumbing

The Parish Council first started looking into improving the Village Hall back in 2004 when a proposal to improve the hall and promote wider use was presented to the Parish Council by Lisa Thornton (later Councillor).

During the intervening years we had protracted discussions with City of York Planning and Conservation Officers before planning permission was granted in May 2007.

We then received the necceary mountain of paperwork to complete from the Big Lottery Fund before submitting a provisional bid in the summer of 2007.

Further paperwork and documentation was followed by site visits from commercial and technical represetatives of the Big Lottery Fund in October 2008.

We received the favourable decision in February 2009 but due to a publicity embargo were not allowed to broadcast our success until 30 March 2009.

As you can see this has been a long complicated exercise and I would like to thank Lisa Thornton for her drive and enthusiasm throughout the whole process. Along the way there have been numerous helpers and I would like to thank them all for their support but would specifically like to mention Cayley Godfrey, Shirley Burden, Keith Thornton, Tim Bruce and Liam Godfrey.

Stewart Harrison - Chairman Bishopthorpe Parish Council

Competing for the Dunn Cup the inaugural darts match between the Ebor Players & Parish Council took place recently at the Ebor Inn.

Played on a match play format with a best of 5 rubbers, first up were the ladies  doubles  with Chris Gajewicz & Diane Curran representing the Players and Cllr. Catherine Bruce (ex Barclays Bank darts team) & Clerk Cayley Godfrey representing the Council. After a fine 100+ start from Cllr. Bruce the Players eventually ground them down to secure victory in a close fought match. First blood to the Players.

Next up in the Mixed Doubles were David 'The Dame' Rose with Bev Linfoot against Jo Bewley & Cllr. Andrew Dunn. Another close match ensued, the Players needed 11 to finish with Mrs Linfoot duly obliging. 2.0 to the Players.

Mens Doubles next to the tune 'where have all the young men gone?' not gone to London but defected to the Parish Council, the Players were represented by Lisa Thornton & Tracey Patrick reprising their Rank & Phile role from last years Panto. Opposing them were the Parish Council Dream team of Chairman Stewart Harrison and Tom 'Traitor' Davis. However dream team or no they were soon put to the sword by Thornton & Patrick showing that they 'weren't in trouble' at all to take an unassailable lead for the Players.

The remaining two singles matches were for pride only with Julia Sykes against Cllr. Bruce. Sykes forgot which game she was playing with a most aggressive follow through (service style) which saw her trip over the ocky at one stage (you needed to be there). Nevertheless, despite an unconventional style and in a very close match she triumphed to give the Players a 4-0 lead. A whitewashed beckoned.

Up steps team captain Liam Godfrey against No 1 seed Cllr. Chris Dale to uphold the honour of our elected representatives. After early exchanges the match was delicately poised Godfrey needing 5 and Dale 10. The latter holed out on 10 to prevent the whitewash.

Ouse Boozer, the newsletter of the York Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, has a report in the Spring issue of a visit to Bishopthorpe Social Club...

"At Bishopthorpe Social Club our reporter, Tony Wicks, received a really warm welcome from the steward and his wife, Roger and Anna Bacon. They are real ale enthusiasts who have introduced a real ale policy with the support of the Committee. There are six handpulls, three of which are always in use, serving John Smith's Cask, Bish Ale (3.9%, brewed exclusively for them by Clarks of Wakefield) and a guest such as Billy the Kid (4%, also from Clarks) and Black Sheep Best Bitter. They intend to have John's and Bish Ale on permanently, with the third pump rotating a series of guests from all over the country.

There's a small bar area with pool table, a really nice lounge with bench seating and wood panelled walls plus a spacious concert room. Tony says 'Although this is a club, all are welcome and it certainly feels more like a pub than any club I have ever been in'."

We're lucky in Bishopthorpe to have all three pubs and the club too all serving real ales. Maybe Ouse Boozer could feature a Bishopthorpe real ale trail in a future issue. Any volunteers for tasting duties?...