Blog

AN application for Planning Permission to demolish the existing banqueting suite at the Spread Eagle Hotel, Thame, and replace it with retirement homes, has been withdrawn.
Thame Town Council turned down the application to build 10, three-bedroomed, terraced, retirement homes, back in July, on the grounds that it constituted overdevelopment of the site.
Mr David Barrington, had told the town council’s planning committee that the banqueting suite had become unprofitable over recent months.

NB The above was before the closure of Thame United as a venue, but it is not known whether that loss has meant an up-turn in bookings for the Spread Eagle’s banqueting and other facilities as a venue.
Awaiting comment from Proprietor.

Over 50 years after working as a fireman on the Chinnor and Watlington branch line from Princes Risborough, Malcolm Stottor returned to Chinnor station last Sunday act as a guest fireman on the 11.00 am departure.

Malcolm joined British Railways in 1951 at Slough engine shed, which provided the locomotives and crews for the Chinnor and Watlington branch, and was soon working regularly on the branch.

In 2007, the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the closure of the line to passenger trains and they are keen to hear from any former employees who worked on the line with a view to holding a reunion and running a special service nearer the anniversary.

They would also like to hear from any members of the public who used the Chinnor and Watlington branch passenger train services before it closed in 1957, with their memories of the line.

For further information please telephone Brian Dickson on 01296 622569.

THE 14 year-old Lord Williams’s student who was fatally injured at the week-end, has been named as Chloe Owens, of Haddenham.
Chloe died after being hit by a car whilst crossing the Thame by-pass on Friday evening. Her many friends held a candle-lit vigil on Saturday night near the Aylesbury round-about where the accident happened, and where a sea of flowers now covers the ground near the scene.

Chloe’s family today issued the following statement:

“Chloe was a girl who brought an enormous amount of joy to all who knew her. She was a wonderful daughter to Suzanne and Stephen and a close sister to Natalie and Rachel. Her death will leave a very large hole in our extensive family.

Chloe was a very friendly girl who had no sense of barriers when making friends. She was a kind and forgiving person who could see no wrong. Her sunny personality will be remembered by all who were fortunate to come into contact with her.

Chloe will also be remembered for her ?dry? sense of humour and how she would often mimic others. She adored children and wanted to work with them in the future. She attended Lord Williams School in Thame, and it was in Thame that she loved to spend her leisure time with her close friends.

We could not have wished for a better daughter and sister, she made all of us very proud. She had a beautiful, smile that could light the world, and often did.
We will miss her so much. We are honoured that we had time to be part of her life.”

POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision on the A4129, Thame By-pass at the junction with the A418 roundabout.

At around 7.20pm last night,(30/9) a grey Saab was in collision with a pedestrian, a 14-year-old girl from Haddenham. She was air-lifted to the JRII hospital, oxford but later died from her injuries.

The road was closed until around 10.30pm while emergency services worked at the scene and collision investigators worked to establish the cause of the collision.

Anyone who witnessed the incident should contact PC Alison Brown at Aylesbury Roads Policing base via 0845 8 505 505.

The girl will not be formally identified until all her next of kin have been informed.

POLICE in Thame are launching a crime reduction initiative to reduce car crime in the area.
?Operation Magpie? involves crime reduction letters and leaflets about how to avoid becoming a victim of car crime being hand-delivered in roads where three or more vehicle crimes have been reported between January 1 and June 31, 2005.

A network, consisting of managers of local beauty spots and hotel and rural car parks, has been set up on the police ringmaster messaging system which will allow information to be sent to individuals about suspicious people and vehicles, keeping them up-to-date with any significant criminal activity in the area.

Crime Reduction Adviser, Lesley Nesbitt, said: ?Thame does have a higher rate of vehicle crime than other areas close by. Unfortunately the police can?t be everywhere, so the aim of this initiative is to give local residents as much information as possible about reducing the opportunity of becoming a victim of vehicle crime and to encourage the public to work with police and phone in any unusual or suspicious incidents.
?Research has shown that a large number of vehicle crimes occur because items of value have been left on display or that the vehicle has been left insecure. By removing items of value from your car, securing it and setting your alarm or immobiliser, you can dramatically reduce the chance of becoming a victim.?

The local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership have funded some large crime reduction signs that will be displayed in the area to raise people?s awareness to remove items of value from their vehicles.

Information from the public is essential to try and catch offenders. If you see anything suspicious please contact Thames Valley Police on 08458 505 505 or the anonymous Crimestoppers number on 0800 555 111.

THAME town council has rejected a request from the operators of the Jubilee pool, to install a four-person warm air drying room in the changing area, on the grounds that it would not be ?green?.
The council?s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee discussed the request for a so-called ?Haystack? dryer, at their meeting lastTuesday, at which several councillors expressed the view that it would be: ?completely ludicrous?, ?an excessive waste of energy?, ?a gimmick that would only make the manufacturers a lot of money?.
The town clerk said in her view, the dryer would be just a novelty, adding: ?The management should address some of the other issues in the area like cleanliness and running the pool more effectively. I think we should look at spending money on the Poseiden, (anti-drowning system) first.?

FOLLOWING a distraction burgary in Wellington Street last Thursday, Thame police have issued some tips to avoid becoming a victim.
Lesley Nesbitt, the Crime Reduction Advisor for Thame, issued the following advice on how to prevent becoming a victim of distraction burglary:
“There are several simple rules that we must all remember to avoid becoming victims of distraction burglary,” she said.

“Never let anyone into your home if they have not made a prior arrangement, particularly with people claiming to be from utility companies. If they call and ask to come in, check with the company they claim to be from, if they are genuine they will understand.

“Avoid using people you do not know to do odd jobs for you, as in this case they could prove to be criminals.

“Fit a door chain and use it. Stop, Chain and then Check should be the routine you use when anyone calls at your door.

“If you have elderly friends, relatives or neighbours, help them by ensuring they understand the risks and that they have the proper security measures fitted.

“Finally, if you think you may have been a victim or a suspicious caller comes to your home, contact police immediately via 999. These criminals are often highly mobile and do not stick around in the same area for long. A prompt phone call with good descriptions of those involved and most importantly, any vehicles they may be using, will give police the best chance of catching them.”