Back in the day: We delve into our archives to see what was going on 10 years ago, 25 years ago and 50 years ago this week
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10 years ago – January 22, 2015
Grapes are gone
Another independent Newbury business is closing this month after two years of trading in the town.
The owner of Weavers Walk store Just Add Grapes, Greg Brighouse, said that he was moving his business because there was not enough passing trade at his current location.
However, he added his thanks to all his regular customers who had supported him.
Mr Brighouse plans to move his business to Norwich and open a shop amid a cluster of other independent stores.
He said: “If you go to Cirencester or Henley, you have a group of independent shops,” he said.
“We have got Hethertons, Oldbury’s... we are just so far apart, and there’s nowhere (independent) to buy fruit and vegetables. Newbury’s not really a food destination.”
25 years ago – January 21, 2000
Crime figures fall
Crime figures released by the Home Office this week have shown that West Berkshire remains one of the safest places in the country, despite sharp increases in car crime and criminal damage in some areas.
The Newbury Weekly News revealed last week that car crime and criminal damage had risen sharply in Thatcham and Pangbourne over the last year, while the national trend saw car crime fall.
This week, Sgt Ian Symms, the staff sergeant for area commander Supt Graham Hooper, said that the local car crime figure of 6.2 offences per 1,000 people was high, and that the local force was out to tackle the problem.
However, the amount of crime in West Berkshire still fell below both the national average and Thames Valley average last year.
Just over 50 per cent of all crime in the district was related to property, with violent crime accounting for eight per cent, compared to a national average of 13 per cent.
50 years ago – January 23, 1975
Save our trees!
Lambourn villagers were still on the alert yesterday after their resounding victory at the weekend in what has become known as the Battle of Lambourn Place.
The fight to save the trees in Lambourn Place began on Saturday morning when a villager heard the sound of a chainsaw starting up.
Other residents were immediately contacted and villagers swarmed to the 4-and-a-half acre site to stop contractors cutting down the trees.
Parents put their children into the trees to prevent the felling and one boy had to “jump for his life” as a tree was being cut down.
After this, the villagers were so incensed that the contractors decided not to continue, but 12 trees had already been cut down.
On Sunday well over 100 villagers arrived at 7.30am, armed with banners and placards, and blocked the entrances that the contractors could not get in.
After two attempts to get in, the contractors withdrew from the site.
Mr DF Warr, a Newbury district councillor, said that the parish council were “organising an army.”
Mr David Harris, churchwarden, has been on alert at the church, ready to ring the bell to summon the villagers. “We can get 250 there within minutes,” said Mr Warr.
