Blog

A THAME shop became the victim of a walk-in thief yesterday, when almost

THE four initial concept plans for the Thame Cattle Market site, can be viewed on line.
Follow the links:
Village

Piazza

sport

sports

Multi-national

THIS was the message to elderley and other vunerable people earlier today, when drama students illustrated how distraction burglaries can be avoided.
There have been around 20 burglaries carried out by bogus callers using distraction tactics, in the Thame area over the past year, and it is hoped that today’s Bogus Caller Event will alert those open to this type of crime to ways of avoiding becoming victims.
Thame’s Community Police Officer, Russell Hounslow introduced the event before handing over to Oxfordshire’s Assistant Chief Officer, Michael Page, who earned himself a cheer from the audience when he leapt up on to the stage from the floor of the TLC’s main hall. He thanked Lord Williams’s Year 8 Drama school for their work to present what he called “A serious message in a light-hearted way,” their efforts going against the grain of “all the moaning we hear about youngsters”.
Andy Ford, Thame’s Fire Chief, another member of our emergency services whose talents as a stand-up comedian became apparent, nevertheless sent out a powerful message as to how important it is for the elderly to work with him and his colleagues to make a Safety Plan that will keep them and their property secure but enable them to get out of their premisies quickly and in an emergency such as a fire.
The main message from the students was, when hearing a knock on the door, first lock the back door and close all the windows, put the chain across the front door before opening it, then to ask for the caller’s ID; take it and look at it carefully and then to phone the Company or organisation the caller claims to represent. Genuine callers will understand and not mind waiting.
Finally, the main message was: “If in doubt, Keep them out!”
Transport wad layed on for the visitors, some of whom came from Henley, and during the interval, refreshments were served to them and pupils from Barley Hill school’s orchestra entertained.
Several agencies were represented around the hall, including the Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust, who run the Community First Response Scheme, Oxfordshire Trading Standards Service, who give advice about Rogue Traders, The Lions Club with their ‘Message in a bottle’ scheme, Help The Aged (who also provided the refreshments), and Anchor with thier ‘Staying Put’ scheme which is a small repairs service for South Oxfordshire.
Thame’s Mayor, David Laver,who was also invited to the presentation, told ThameNews: “The event certainly was very well organised and the students’ presentations certainly rammed the message home about people protecting themselves from bogus callers.
“It was very effective and the audience seemed to have really enjoyed themselves. Most of them however came from sheltered housing schemes and I hope that those living alone who perhaps were not able to come will have neighbours who will look out for them and pass on the message.
“The other message was that not all callers are crooks and deserve to be treated with suspicion but that sensible precautions should be taken to protect themselves.”
Thame’s Crime Prevention Officer, Leslie Nesbit, who helped organise the event was also on hand for advice and information.

Photo courtesy of Strathclyde Police

THAME Town Council is in support of plans to demolish the old ambulance station in Southern Road and build two, three-bed houses on the site.
However, the Conservation Area Advisory committee, whilst supporting the plans, have said that they regret the loss of parking space for residents in Mitchell Close.
Several residents in the Close had written in to the town council?s Planning committee, also concerned about the loss of parking space.
The planning committee voted to recommend approval of the plan which will now go to South Oxfordshire District Council for a decision.

THE Six Bells in Thame, is has won the coveted Thame Festival Best Pub or Club competition, which came to its climax on Saturday, with a Tug-of-war.
The Star and Garter was 2nd, Towersey Sports and Social Club was 3rd, The Cross Keys came 4th, Thame Snooker Club 5th and the Nag’s Head came 6th.
However, Thame Snooker Club raised the most money, which so far amounts to over

IN future years, the current Thame Cattle Market site could be transformed to include a piazza, affordable flats, a day nursery, specialist shops, and a leisure and arts activity centre.
Or may be an indoor sports complex with tennis court and bowling lanes, or a chainstore such as B & Q or Homebase and an underground carpark.
These were some of the proposals put forward by CMAG, Thame’s Cattle Market Action Group, at its third public meeting in Thame Town Hall last night (June 20).
The Cattle Market site is the last piece of communally owned land in the town and the current occupiers, Thame Farmers Auction Mart, plan to move the livestock market to Thame Showground, leaving the North Street site, located in the heart of the town, ripe for development.
During the year since the last public meeting, CMAG’s Working Group has consulted local organisations including the business sector about what sort of space and facilities the town centre really needs. Using this feedback, the group commissioned local architect Steve Broadway to produce a range of concept plans to get people talking and thinking about what could be achieved on the site. Steve showed outline plans for four very different schemes. His ‘Village’ scheme focused on housing and community facilities, while the ‘Piazza’scheme presented a mix of small business, retail, flats and a leisure and arts centre grouped around a large piazza, part green space and part hard-surfaced with the potential for indoor use.
His ‘Sports’ scheme used part of the site for extended indoor recreation, while what he called, the ‘Multi National’scheme proposed a single large building, housing a medium-sized chainstore with flats above, alongside a leisure centre and increased parking spaces.
“These plans are not meant to be set in stone;” Steve Broadway said. “They show what can physically be accommodated on the site, and the sort of mixed use that SODC, the owners of the site, are keen to develop.”

Responses to the plans came from members of the audience who included residents and representatives of local schools, churches, adult education, community and commercial organisations, as well as councillors from town, district, county and youth councils. Ben Lindsay, from Thame’s Youth Council, welcomed the suggestion of an open piazza and all-age drop-in facilities: “This will be really good for young people during after school hours when little children are going to find big children like me a bit threatening in the recreation ground,” he said. People living near the Cattle Market site were concerned about the height of some of the buildings and the proposed relocation of Thame Town Council’s machine depot and access through to Lee Park.
“These are just the kind of comments we need to hear,” Steve Broadway said.

Angus Lachlan, who works for a large development company, suggested that all the schemes ‘look a bit light on the commercial element’. Deputy Chair of Thame Partnership, Keith Slater, who also chairs Thame and Oxfordshire Chambers of Commerce, added: “Redevelopment of this important site needs to be considered in relation to Thame as a whole.”

A public inquiry into SODC’s Local Plan 2011 recently upheld the District Council’s view that Thame has no need for another supermarket, either on the Cattle Market site or anywhere else in or around Thame. SODC’s planning policy limits potential shopping space on the North Street site to 2000 sq metres of non-food retail. Jake Collinge, a former member of SODC planning department and CMAG’s Deputy Chair, told the meeting:”Development can’t just happen overnight as it used to. All planning authorities are now required by law to consult the community about local developments”. Darren Baker, Chair of CMAG, urged everyone to look at the plans and make comments and suggestions.

All four concept schemes are now on view at Thame Town Hall, with feedback forms for the public to fill in. Forms can also be downloaded from www.thame.net