Last updated at 17:04, Wednesday, 17 March 2010

Welcome to Notes from Cockermouth, Paul Crute's view on what is going on in the town. I have been the area reporter for the past year and this is my personal blog about issues affecting the town.

Keep checking back here for my thoughts - I'll update as often as I can.

Wednesday March 17, 4.45pm

IT has been pleasing to see the progress of work that has been taking place on Cockermouth's Main Street over the last couple of weeks.

During January and some of February many of the buildings were still drying out and people were getting frustrated with the lack of work that was going on.

However, building work has now started on many of these buildings and a lot of them could be opening up within the next couple of months.

Three will be open within the next two weeks with The Paper Shop on Main Street opening on Monday, Lily and Co in Market Place opening on Wednesday and Strolling 4 Shoes opening on April 1.

It is a sign that the town is returning to normality and businesses are getting back on their feet despite the hardships thay have had to face in the previous months.

Hopefully more businesses will not be far behind and Main Street can return to the thriving place it once was.

Thursday March 4

It was good news to hear that the Malcolm Wilson Rally was taking place in Cockermouth this year.

The fact that this is the first major event to take place on the Main Street since the floods shows that slowly but surely the town is trying to return to normality.

Hopefully the rally will attract visitors into the town as well as local residents and will again provide the message that Cockermouth is open for business.

It should also bring some well needed money into the town for those traders that were hit hardest by the floods.

If the rally had not taken place a lot of people would have got the message that Cockermouth was still a no go area which is not the case.

Main Street is a lot more lively now that the worst of the cold weather seems to be behind us and the amount of work that is taking place to repair damaged businesses and homes is showing that Cockermouth will again return to the thriving market town it was.

Wednesday February 17, 5pm

TRAFFIC problems in Kirkgate have been blighting residents for weeks since the floods hit Cockermouth in November.

With the closure of Gote Bridge, Cocker Bridge and the whole of Main Street, Kirkgate has been turned into a rat run, especially during morning and evening rush hours.

Large lorries using the road have got stuck trying to turn into Market Place and with the amount of traffic using the road it is surely only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs.

There needs to be some kind of traffic management measure put in, until the bridges are able to reopen, and suggestions put forward have either been temporary traffic lights or a one way system.

While it might slow traffic down surely it would regulate the flow of traffic down the street and so making it a lot safer which has got to be the ultimate priority.

However, the main problem is the closure of the bridges and people are annoyed that Cocker Bridge has been closed for traffic management reasons.

If they could open it up and see if it made any difference to the traffic in the town and if not then it could be closed again to assist with the recovery on Main Street.

At least then the town would know how much the bridges are affecting traffic in Cockermouth.

Thursday December 24, 12.25pm 

There was good news for residents of Cockermouth living north of the River Derwent yesterday as Gote Bridge finally reopened to pedestrians.

One of the most vital access points into town for people living on Gote Road and in the Wakefield Road area had been closed since the floods and may people had started to feel forgotten and isolated.

Many elderly people live in the area and had no access to the town apart from a half hour journey on a voluntary run bus service.

It has been a horrific time for the people who have been flooded and isolated but hopefully with the reopening of the bridge things will slowly start to improve.

A month and the town centre is also slowly getting back on its feet.

Everybody in the town has said they do not want the vision that Cockermouth is a town that was flooded and was standing still.

Great spirit and determination has been shown all around the town and many businesses on the Main Street that lost everything have been rehoused is other areas and are still continuing to trade.

The bigger chains on Main Street such as Boots and Greggs have also started trading in their original premises, quite amazing, considering the scale of destruction that was witnessed.

Hopefully soon Cockermouth will have returned to normality and will be an even better place than it was before and it would be nice to see some kind of celebratory event to mark the occasion.

Thursday November 26, 3.40pm 

As everybody in the town starts to come to terms with the devastation that the floods have caused many amazing stories have come out from the people of Cockermouth.

There are far too many to mention - but there is one common denominator in all the stories they tell.

Many have had their businesses ruined or their homes destroyed but everyone has praised the work of the emergency services.

The police service, fire service, mountain rescue, RNLI and lifeboats have all been involved and worked tirelessly not only in the evacuation of hundreds of residents but also in the recovery operation some throughout the night for four days in a row.

I think everybody in the town has given their enormous thanks to the people involved in the recovery operation and that they could not have done anymore during the crisis.

We must remember that these are the people who put their lives at risk every day to save others and that was most clear this week with the tragic death of PC Bill Barker in Workington.

They have been the true hereos alongside hundreds of volunteers who have helped the emergency services in keeping them well fed throughout the week.

I sincerly hope that they get the recognition and money from the recovery fund that they deserve for the stirling job they have carried out throughout the crisis.

Monday November 23, 5pm 

Amid all the devastation in Cockermouth it is pleasing to see everybody pulling together in the aftermath of the worst floods in living memory.

Peoples livelihoods, homes and prized possessions have been destroyed by the floods and everybody has their own personal tale to tell.

Talking with residents and business owners around the town they all say they have recieved terrific support from families, friends and members of the public.

People are pulling together to help everybody else which is pleasing to see. Everybody is doing their own little bit to help as many people as they can and is a great reflection of the community spirit shown in the town.

This is what Cockermouth is all about - people helping out others in times of need and reminds me of the great help Cockermouth residents gave to the people who were involved in the Original Mountain Marathon last year.

People have been going into other people's homes to help out, given up their free time to help at rescue centres and Mitchell's has provided space for 10 temporary shops in the former JobCentre next to the mart to help those worst affected get back on their feet.

It will take a long time to get everything up and running in the town and for people to move back into their homes but with everyone working together, like they have over the last few days, it will make things more bearable for people who have had to suffer this terrible tragedy.

Friday October 23, 3.45pm 

IT has been a long-running saga that will not go away but councillors in Cockermouth are standing firm.

Plans to turn the former county council depot on Sullart Street into a site of 114 flats for people aged 55 and over needing care, 51 houses and 34 affordable homes have angered councillors and have now not received the backing of the town council for a third time.

Provision of parking has been a long running concern and councillors have again voiced their concerns about the lack of parking, especially with Cockermouth's long-running history of car parking problems all over the town.

The other major sticking point is that the homes provided are not guaranteed to be for rent.

It is a major problem in Cockermouth that enough rented accommodation is not avaialable and councillors are spot on when they say that the town will become filled with old people because youngsters cannot afford to stay in the town.

Cockermouth has plenty of care homes already in the town and does not need another development like this.

Let us try and keep the young people in the town by offering them homes that they can afford.

Friday October 16, 4.25pm 

Despite the gloom and doom of the recession Cockermouth town centre seems to have escaped the worst of it.

Many of the local shops that the people of the town value are doing well, and we have many new shops and businesses setting up.

Among those are Shills on Station Street the Castle Bar and the new greengrocers in Market Place opened.

Now another two have been added to that list.

Hospice at Home will be opening in December on Old Kings Arms Lane and The Old Sweet Shop, which is already doing well in Workington, will open on Monday.

It is nice to see to these new shops springing up and replacing any empty units we have in the town.

Cockermouth is a town that prides itself on local shops and residents are very keen to support them and must do so in the future to make sure they survive.

Friday September 25, 4.05pm 

Is the town going to be able to cope with its main entrance being closed for more than a week?

Well that is the prospect facing motorists travelling into Cockermouth from October 10.

The reason is to cut down 60 dangerous trees on Low Road and I think it is the right thing to do as the trees have been posing a risk to passing motorists in windy conditions.

Even though it is likely to cause even more traffic problems in Cockermouth than there already are, this must be weighed against the risk the trees pose to the motorists.

If people's lives are put at risk by falling branches then a week of other roads dealing with increased traffic coming into the town must be a small price to pay.

Friday September 11 9.47am

Churches are often the focal point of a small and tightknit community, such as Cockermouth, and many are steeped in history.

As many of them have been around for a great number of years they can often fall into disrepair and do need improvements and upgrades.

However, this can only happen throught the generosity and support of the community, so it is pleasing to see two of our town's churches improve their facilities.

Christ Church has raising money to pay for the repairs that have already taken place to fix the roof and are improving other areas of their rooms.

To raise up to £25,000 in a year and a half is a great effort by the team at the church and more money has been raised in a separate appeal to upgrade the interior of the church as well and they are continuing to look for further funds to carry out further improvements.

All Saints Church has also undergone a £60,000 upgrade and The Rev Chris Goddard has expressed his pleasure at how the refurbishment has gone.

They are also looking to carry out further work so we should look to support both churches as much as possible in the future.




How nice it was to see one of our community police officers to be nominated for a national award this week.

Sue Wheelhouse has been working in Cockermouth since 2000, and as a resident herself has continually strived to make the town better for its residents.

She has now been nominated for the community police officer of the year award and will be attending the awards ceremony in London next month.

The work of the police in making the town a better place to live often goes unnoticed, so I am glad to see that these people are being recognised for their hard work.

Friday September 4, 1.30pm 

Rugby league star Shaun Lunt now has one thing that no-one can take away from him - he has scored a try at Wembley in front of 90,000 people.

The Cockermouth youngster was picked in the starting 13 for the Challenge Cup final and his try will be something to savour for the rest of his career - and it could have been even better for him if his other 'try' had not been harshly disallowed.

Despite losing, Shaun impressed in the sport's showpiece event of the season, and has risen quickly in the game, playing for Workington Town just a year ago.

I hope the town will continue to follow the career of Shaun, as he has a lot of promise, and who knows maybe in the future we will have a future international rugby league star from the town.

Friday August 27, 9.20am

More than ever now we hear stories about people doing their bit to raise money for charity and helping raise money for those less fortunate than themselves.

Whether it is donating money from their golden wedding anniversary, doing a skydive or running long distances many people have benefitted from the generosity of others.

And now Cockermouth couple Susannah Lawrence and Dave Varty are cycling 26 miles to raise money for our servicemen in Afghanistan.

Their inspiration came from Susannah's brother Chris who was injured while serving in Afghanistan and we must try and support the people who are taking part in these charity events because we know it will benefit others in the long run.

Every day we hear stories about British soldiers losing their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq so any amount of money that will help the families that have suffered the tragedy will always be greatly received.

So if you see Superman and Superwoman on a tandem bike tomorrow somewhere between Carlisle and Cockermouth give them some words of encouragement or even better look to sponsor them.

Thursday August 26, 12pm 

We have again reached the time of year where exam results have come out and we get the same grumbles about exams getting easier.

It is disappointing to hear things like, especially when students have put in weeks and months of work into getting the results they want and their achievements have been put down in some quarters.

Of the pupils I met at Cockermouth School they were all delighted with their results they got and said they had worked hard for the results they deserved.

It was great to see the school matching their pass rate and their percentage of A and B grades went up and I agree with what headteacher Stuart Reeves when he said that the records are there to be broken and many of the students smiling when they received the results they wanted.

After going through exams myself I feel teachers (not only at Cockermouth School but at others as well) are supporting students better around exam time because they know what is required and students are better prepared because they know the need the results to get to their fist chocie university, particularly with places at such a premium.

More than 200 pupils received their GCSE results today at the school with 75 per cent attaining A* to C grades on a par with previous years and shows another excellent achievement for the school.

Wednesday August 19, 9.05am 

It was nice to see that the town's firework display looks like it will go ahead this year.

Many safety checks still need to be carried out but if it all gets sorted out we should be treated to a good display.

From what people have told me the last time the Memorial Gardens hosted the event it was a great success so let us hope that this year's display will be just as good.

There was a lot of disappointment last year when it was cancelled as it is one of the biggest displays in the county so let us hope that the same does not happen this year as it is a major feature in the Cockermouth calendar.

If the display is a success it will be used as a template for future displays so let us support the event that takes place on November 8.

Tuesday August 18, 1.40pm 

What great news it is to see one of our local rugby league stars make it all the way to Wembley.

Shaun Lunt, who was playing National League rugby only a year ago for Workington Town, will now have the possibility of lining up in the Challenge Cup final.

We have some promising young sports stars in the town including Papcastle golfer Seb Crookall-Nixon and Lunt can now add himself to that category.

He is sure to have plenty of support down at Wembley, with 50 relatives hiring a coach and many friends from Cockermouth Titans Rugby League Club also travelling down complete with shirts, banners and Shuan Lunt masks.

No doubt many of the pubs will also be heaving as Cockermouth will look to cheer on the youngster in the rugby league's showpiece final.

Thursday August 6, 12.30pm 

What a great success the Cockermouth Show was at the weekend.

There was a really good crowd for all the aspects of the show, and the fine weather will have swelled visitor number as well.

It was a good turnout from all the farmers that were exhibiting and the selection of livestock on offer was very good as well.

Farming has been seen by some as a dying trade, and they have suffered in recent times, with last year's wet summer cancelling many of the shows, and the outbreak of foot and mouth, so it was pleasing to see so many children and young people both attending the event and being involved with the animals.

The show has always been very family orientated, so it is hoped that these youngsters will be be able to carry on their parents work in the future and continue to exhibit at the show.

Events like this are a major feature of the year in Cockermouth and take a large amount of organisation so everybody should be grateful to the organsing committee for putting it on.

However, it would not happen without the support of the public as well as the many trade stands that are on show so it was good to see so many people turn out to support the event.

Let us hope this event will go from strength to strength for many years to come.

Friday July 31, 9.45am

Let us get behind the town's events and support them as much as possible.

This year we have had the best turnout for the Cockrock and the Cockermouth Festival and tomorrow will see thousands of people descend on the Fitz for the annual Cockermouth Show.

However, news comes today that the Georgian Fair is looking for more volunteers to help out with the event otherwise its planned expansion will be under threat.

The committee has planned to roll out the fair to include Main Street as well as Market Place and the Memorial Gardens and other highlights will include Cumberland wrestling and maypole dancing.

The last Georgian Fair was a huge success bringing in up to 15,000 people to the town and it is hoped an expanded event will bring in even more giving a boost to local businesses.

An expanded event would give an added dimension to the popular event and would be welcomed from people in the town.

Let us get behind the event and make sure it does not suffer from a lack of volunteers.

Thursday July 30, 2pm 

It has been a mixed week for the James Walker factory.

The factory, which employs 400 people, has confirmed that there will be 30 redundancies with staff leaving on Monday.

On a brighter note nine workers have been honoured for their long service to the company.

Three members of staff have been at the factory since it opened in 1969 and they will have seen it develop into one of the largest businesses in West Cumbria.

It is quite an achievement for the business considering the factory opened with only 16 members of staff.

Six other staff have been there for 25 years and all nine should be recognised for the dedication and hard work they have put into their job.
In the future let us hope we hear more stories about people being recognised for their long service rather than redundancies that we have been hearing too much of in the last few months.

Friday July 24, 9.15am

Calls for more rented accommodation has again become a major talking point in the town.

Last year we had news of 10 new apartments being built at the Globe Hotel and eight new homes built at the former Market Hall depot.

While it has created housing there is still a big need for rented accommodation in the town and the issue has become a major talking point again due to the fact that land in the town is being earmarked for development of care homes.

Councillors are angry about plans to build a 'retirement village' of 200 homes at the former County Council depot off Sullart Street and have been against the plans from the start, especially because we already have more than enough care homes already in the town.

I have to say I agree with their views and that young people will be pushed out if rented accommodation is not provided in the town.

When I moved up to Cumbria it was very difficult to find affordable rented accommodation in Workington and there was no way I could have afforded to pay for a house.

The same problem exists in Cockermouth, perhaps even more so, and if there is enough space to build 200 homes for over-55s surely it should be used for rented accommodation instead, especially if we are to keep the young people in the town and keep together the communities that already exist.

Thursday July 23, 11.10am

What great news it is to hear that this year's art exhibition in the town hall has been a huge success.

The exhibition, which is part of the Cockermouth Festival, has suffered declining numbers in recent years and was in danger of being cancelled next year.

Organisers of the festival admitted that in recent years the exhibition had not been advertised well enough, and they have put more effort into this year with plenty of posters put up around the town.

Around 600 people have attended the exhibition, with a week still to go, showing that people will support it, and it will be visited by tourists, if they know that is going on.

It would have been a great shame, and a backward step for the town, if something like this was cancelled so in future years let us hope that all festival events that take place are well supported.

Wednesday July 22, 9.20am 

Pupils at Eaglesfield Paddle School could be the next stars of the England womens' football team.

Three of the pupils at the school, Kate Spiers, Ashlyn Holliday and Enise Guldesiren were all picked for the Cumbria Centre of Excellence girls' football squad which means they have the chance of being identified as future England representatives.

For three girls from the same area to be picked out of 130 is amazing and they will be competing agaisnt other centre of excellence teams in the north of England including Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Everton and Blackburn.

The girls have already shown their potential by being part of a team that won a five-a-side tournament held in Carlisle earlier this year.

Cockermouth does not always get recognised for its sporting success so we should keep a look out to see how the girls get on and maybe we will see them in an England shirt in the future

Tuesday July 21, 3.05pm 

The success of the Cockermouth Rock Festival surpassed all expectations this year.

Up to 5,000 people passed through the gates of Wellington Farm every day to watch more than 100 bands play over seven stages with the event being a huge success for the town.

The festival has grown since it began in 2005 and the ambitious project by the organisers to hold it over three days proved popular with the campsite packed even on Friday night.

The headliners on each day showed how popular the festival has become and all drew large crowds.

Many other local bands drew large crowds who were all danced, jumped around and sang in the sun that all festival goers were treated to on Saturday and Sunday.

There were far too many bands that I saw to mention, but it meant I was treated to a diverse range of music and I am pleased to say I enjoyed every single one.

We must remember that the festival is raising money for two very worthwhile charities and let us hope that it tops the £7,000 that was raised last year for the Pride of Cumbria Air Ambulance and Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team.

Cockrock is one of the biggest events of the year and let us hope its popularity keeps on growing. Maybe it will start to rival Glastonbury in the future ...

See photos and video from the festival here.

Monday July 13, 10.30am

The debate over Market Place has rumbled on and on and was even going on before I moved up to West Cumbria over a year ago.

It has been a continuous talking point in the town with people praising it and people vociferously against it.

The fact that it had to be planned and completed quickly to secure funding was definately one of the main problems with the development and a more carefully thought out process may have been the better option even if some funding had not been available.

One of the most interesting points I felt that came out of the neighbourhood forum on Tuesday was the suggestion that land next to All Saints car park could be used for extra parking.

Although it is seen as a green space and is used by people quite frequently, even using a small bit to increase parking spaces would help ease the problem, although I do not think it would solve it.

There are a variety of factors contributing to a lack of parking and it is a townwide problem not just a problem in the Market Place.

Another suggestion was to try and use Wakefield Road car park, another good idea as it would allow visitors to walk around and enjoy the town.

We eventually will have more spaces available in Bitterbeck car park when the building of the flats has been completed and All Saints provides short term free parking, but I am afraid the issue of parking in the town is not going to go away for a long time yet.

Friday July 10, 3.30pm

Is a new school uniform a good idea for Cockermouth School?

The proposal is to let pupils wear the polo shirt all year round, which is currently worn for the first few months of the autumn term as well as from Easter through to the end of the winter term.

I think this is a good move by the headteacher as a more comfortable uniform will surely allow pupils to concentrate more in class and perform better.

The polo shirts are worn for the majority of the year so what is the problem with a few extra months.

The hooded top I feel is also a good addition to the uniform as it will promote the school while children are off school premesis.

With consultation taking place with all bodies I feel the idea to change the uniform has been a good new initiative taken on by the school.

Friday June 26, 11am

It is a shame that there will be a delay in the start of building work on Cockermouth's new £14.6 million cottage hospital.

There had been hopes at the start of the year that work on building the hospital could start this summer but now we will have to wait until next year before that happens.

However, despite the delay, it is worth it considering funding has now been secured for the rebuild especially in the gloomy financial times.

This hospital will be a major asset and help many people in the town so as long as the hospital is still on target for its completion date of 2011 we should not worry about the slight delay in the start of building work.

Tuesday June 23, 11am

The recession has cast much doom and gloom not only over Cockermouth but the region as a whole.

James Walker and Co have announced redundancies and the Government seem to be making it hard for local businesses to be viable.

The threat of a ban on tobacco displays that is being discussed by MPs as a way of tackling underage smoking and is threatening many local businesses and it is not what we want to hear in the current economic climate.

We should surely look at other ways of tackling under age smoking rather than threaten the survival of local businesses, something which Cockemrouth prides itself on, that this ban would surely do.

The Government should be looking to work with local businesses and hopefully people will still support the local newsagents even if the ban comes in.

Monday June 22, 4pm

It was great to see so many people turn out for the Cockermouth carnival on Saturday.

The weather was kind to everybody and it made for a great display of floats, fancy dress and dance groups.

The involvement of four of the town's schools was great to see as was the originality of some of the fancy dress costumes.

When the procession reached Main Street both sides of the road were packed with people enjoying the day and many of them made their way down to the Memorial Gardens to enjoy the funfair that was on offer.

The carnival is such a important part of the festival of events that takes place in Cockermouth each year and gives a real boost to the town.
The amount of people who turned out for the carnival was great to see and let us hope that the support shown for this community event will continue for many years to come.

Friday June 19, 3.25pm

What a week it has been for the Wilson family.

Firstly Malcolm Wilson, managing director of M-Sport at Dovenby Hall was awarded an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours list for his services to motorsport.

Mr Wilson is a former British rally winner and has had some fantastic achievements in his life and for someone from the town to achieve the award is brilliant.

Seondly his son Matthew who drives for theStobart VK M-Sport Ford team set some scorching times in the closing stages of the Acropolis Rally of Greece.

He took a victory on one of the stages and also completed the teams first ever one-two stage finish to complete the rally on a high note.

Cockermouth is lucky to have two very talented sportsmen and it is right that Mr Wilson has been recognised for his services to the sport and let us hope that Matthew has as many successful years ahead of him.

Friday June 12

After launching our Pride in Cumbria campaign last month it is pleasing to see the people of Cockermouth people carrying out challenges to raise money for charity.

Over the past couple of weeks we have had Jack Shepherd, from Eaglesfield riding from Lands End to John O'Groats and Fred Moore climbing Scafell Pike, Snowdon and Ben Nevis both raising money for charity.

Cockermouth should be proud that we have these generous individuals in our area, and the fact that they carry out these challenges to make other people's lives better.

Over the last few months we have seen businesses closing down as the recession still grips our country.

So it was a bright spot to see the Wellington Jersey Ice Cream have expanded to add an extra dimension to their business, Celebration Cakes.

They have added a bakery to their business to produce cakes for special occasions such as graduations and weddings and it is pleasing to see them move forward with their business despite the difficult times.

Tuesday June 9, 12.45pm

Cockermouth School has recently received a glowing Ofsted report from inspectors.

It is great to see the school get such a good report showing it was above average in nearly all subjects and outstanding in others.

It shows the hard work and dedication the headmaster Stuart Reeves and his staff have put into the school after the sad death of Mike Wilde.

He has continued with Mr Wilde's project of official opening the Eco-centre, which took place in July and has overseen the school add a third specialist subject of modern languages to its curriculum.

It will be a huge loss to the school when he leaves in December but I am sure the school will be able to find a suitable replacement to continue the excellent work the school is doing.

Friday June 4, 9.15am

Summer may finally be upon us and with the good weather that it should bring us, it also brings with it many carnivals across the county.

Carnvials are always eargely anticipated wherever people live and shows a great community spirit when everyone joins together to make the event a special day and is always one of the main events throughout the year in Cockermouth.

Sadly in recent years the tradition seems to have died off with Maryport carnival being cancelled this year.

The people of Cockermouth should make sure that this is not the case with their carnival as it is one of the highlights of the year.

Despite the horrendous weather we got for the event last year, people still tunred out in their hundreds to watch it showing it is still as popular as ever.

Huge praise must be given to the organisers Julie Laidlow and Isabel Burns who have organised it for many years and lets hope the tradition continues in the town for many years to come.

As well as Cockermouth we must not forget to support the other carnivals taking place in the villages of Eaglesfield and Broughton, with Broughton's event last year being hailed as one of the best in many years.

Let us hope this tradition does not die out not only in Cockermouth but across the whole county.

Thursday June 4, 2.45pm

People in Cockermouth should be looking to support the ale trail that is currently taking place around the town.

When you buy Jennings beer at some of the 18 sites around Cockermouth you will collect a stamp and anyone who has collected eight or more stamps by the deadline of June 13 will be entitled to a free bottle of Cumberland Ale at the Fell Gather festival.

The top prize is to become a brewer for a day at Jennings brewery, surely a prize any ale enthusiast, including myself, would want and enjoy.

The trail is being held to celebrate the involvement of Jennings as the main sponsor of the Fell Gather event which takes place at Mitchell's Livestock Centre on June 13.

This is a perfect opportunity to support the pubs in the area through this difficult financial time and look to make the Fell Gather event a huge success.

Monday June 1, 3.10pm

It is a shame that a theft of 10 boilers, with a combined value of £10,000, at the Derwent Mills site has put the completion date in doubt.

The site was due to be completed next Monday but that date is now in jeopardy after the theft.

The £3.5 million, 50,000 sq ft site will feature 12 business units and provide 100 jobs for local people.

The site will offer opportunities for younger people in the town and will hopefully bring trade in, so the sooner it is up and running the better.

During the credit crunch we need to offer as many employment opportunities to people as possible so the fact that the completion date has been put back is disappointing considering it is down to a theft of boilers.

Friday May 29 9am

Let us hope it is not the sign of things to come but many people in Brigham feel their village is dying.

The closure of the post office and loss of three pubs have been the main reasons behind the feeling, but resdients say neglect is also a factor after roads were not gritted in January and bus services bypass the village.

Although other similar villages seem to be going the same way Brigham does seem to have a tough time of it recently and maybe more could be done help it.

Despite this doom and gloom the memorial hall in the village is thriving, the play area is well used and church groups are well supported so there is cause for optimism in the village.

If villagers can get together to discuss issues and build what already happens in the village and try to find solutions the village could be revitalised in the future.

Thursday May 28 7.41am

Work has finally started on the roof at Christ Church Rooms just after a year it launched its sponser a slate appeal.

With the rooms more than a hundred years old and the roof in a state of disrepair, new slates had to be put in and it is thanks to the generosity of Cockermouth people that they have enough money to start the project.

The church fund raising association has raised a fantastic £30,000 so far and hope to have raised more by the time the works are complete.

Further works including improving the seating, lighting and heating as well as installing other new facilities will hopefully make the church a better place to be in the future.

A summer sereanade is being held in June to raise more funds which will feature a concert in the rectory garden on Lorton Road by the Cockermouth Mechanics Band and Castlegate Singers.

Not only is this a wonderful opportunity to support the church in raising funds but also the chance to listen to a concert by two of the town's most established organistions.

Wednesday May 27 7.25am

It is very pleasing to see one of Cockermouth's organisations celebrating a milestone anniversary.

Cockermouth Amateur Dramatics Society celebrates its 25th anniversary today with the launch of a new website.

The society, which has performed in the Kirkgate Centre, Theatre by the Lake and the Blue Box theatre, is looking to put on five productions this year and already have three planned.

After seeing their winter performance The Memory of Water and knowing that their January pantomime went very well we are lucky to have so many talented actors in the town, not to mention the stage crew who put on the performance.

If you have the time make sure you can get along to one of their productions they put on during the year as it is well worth it.

The society is looking to develop and is currently looking for new and younger members to join.

Let us hope they can continue for a further 25 years and continue to produce the performances that many of us will have enjoyed over the years.

Tuesday May 26 7.50am

It was sad to hear that the art exhibition that is part of the Cockermouth festival has experienced declining numbers.

The exhibition has been running for a number of years and there were fears it may have been cancelled next year.

The festival is another important event in Cockermouth and should be supported as much as possible.

It would be sad to see things that have been in the town for a number of years disappear due to a lack of support and more effort will be put into advertising the event better next year.

Many of the artists spend a lot of their time preparing for and exhibiting at the festival and should be rewarded for their work, by people at least coming to look at the talents they have to offer.

It is sad to see anything in the town close down, especially if it has been around for many years, and we should to look to support these things as much as possible to make sure that is not the case.

Monday May 25 10am

It was great to see two of our schools receive awards this week.

Broughton Primary School received four awards at the Whitehaven music festival and were highly commended on their achievements by the judges.

Secondly All Saints Church of England School had their breakfast club named as the best in Britain.

Judges including Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton selected the club as a finalist in the healthy lifestyle category.

The schools are important part of the community and it is great to see them doing so well in whatever they are involved in.

Friday May 22, 1.45pm

It is just under a year away but preparations for the Georgian Fair in 2010 are in full swing.

The fair held last year was a great success, with thousands of people attending and celebrating the openig of Market Place.

The organising committee are now looking to widen the Fair's appeal to the whole town which can only be a good thing judging by last year's popularity.

The town should be proud of it's Georgian heritage and it is thanks to all the hard work of the organising committee that we have an event like this every two years.

The town needs to get as many people involved in the Fair as possible, and with 50 people attending the first Friends of the Georgian Lunch event, it is a good start.

With the organising committee seeking more volunteers prior to the event and with more Friends events planned throughout the year we certainaly hope that more people will come and support it.

Wordsworth House receives thousands of visitors each year and the town retains some of its old Georgian features and this should be celebrated as often as possible.

As chairwoman of the organising committee, Anne Meeghan said: "It is not something that is imposed on the town but a celebration of it's Georgian heritage."

Friday May 15, 9am

Hopefully an end is nearly in sight for parking problems that have blighted the Market Place.

Complaints have rumbled on for over a year, ever since the works began, and the one of the main issues has been over the parking.

Now Coun Eric Nicholson has organised a forum meeting in July inviting all interested parties to make final decisions on parking in the Market Place, as he feels the problem has gone on for far too long.

Unclear signs and a loss of spaces in Bitterbeck car park, due to the creation of eight new homes, have only worsened the problem but it is good to see that action to try and resolve the problem for good is being taken.

John Carlin of the Allerdale Court Hotel has conducted a survey of traders in the area with more calling for more parking and clearer signs.

A loading bay, which Mr Carlin said is only used by a minority of traders, could be better used for parking.

The county council will also be holding a meeting where the survey and a report will be considered on July 6.

Let us hope this is one of the last times we here about problems in the Market Place. It is here to stay and we should enjoy the facility as it is and try to support it as much as possible.

Thursday May 14, 2pm

Glory sadly evaded one of our junior rugby league teams this week.

Broughton Red Rose under-16's did amazingly well to get to the final of the BARLA under-16 national cup and although they did not reach their best on the day they should still be proud of their efforts to reach the final.

After conceding four first half tries the team did well not let their heads drop and threatened a fightback in the second half.

The final scoreline of 44-10 flattered their opponenets, Hull Isberg, as Red Rose conceded three late tries.

The support the team received was excellent with a couple of hundred people travelling down to Hull and was by far the biggest travelling support across all the age groups on the finals day showing how big the game was and how much it meant to the club.

Red Rose are still fighting for honours on two fronts in the league and League Cup and it would be great if the club could secure one or both of these titles to cap a really good season for the club.


The club, however, has sadly missed out on having a makeover for their pink changing room.

The club was representing the border area in the Paint for Change competition run by Dulux and The Sun and if they had won they would have received a complete makeover of the disabled toilets and away changing room which was painted pink to affect the morale of visiting players.

Let us hope that the pink changing rooms will affect their opponents for a while longer, so the club can continue and look to build on their successful season.

Monday May 11, 10.20am

It is nice to see that people in the town are doing their bit to help their community.

Robert Chapman and Mary Mitchelhill, chairman and secretary of Highfield Residents Association, have looked at doing exactly that for the past eight years and done it with success and enjoyment.

Over the eight years they have enhanced the estate, promoted the interests of estate residents and built community spirit.

They have put the children on the estate first by organising events and trips for them and also look after the elderly by taking them on various trips as well, including a trip round the Christmas lights.

The fact that Mary and Robert feel this is just being good neighbours and not doing anything special shows that they care passionately about what happens in their community, and they won the RESPECT award in 2006 for their work in preventing crime on the estate.

All their fundraising takes place on the estate and Robert and Mary send out newsletters to keep residents informed of waht is going on and welcoming letters to new people arriving on the estate.

After meeting some of the people on the estate I know they are grateful for the work Robert and Mary do in providing activities for the children and other residents.

Robert and Mary are looking at futher plans to continue to enhance the estate and after making a difference over the last 10 years let us hope they can continue their work well into the future.

Friday May 1, 5pm

Although it is still a long way off, I am already getting quite excited about the number and range of events that will be taking place in Cockermouth over the summer.

I really enjoyed attending many of the events last year, especially Cockrock and the Cockermouth Show.

I am not sure whether it is the sunny weather or the anticipation of the festivals coming up but I am looking forward to attending them over the next month or so.

Whether it is the Cockermouth festival, one of the carnivals at Cockermouth, Eaglesfield or Broughton, the Fell Gatherer event, Woolfest, Cockrock or the Cockermouth Show there should be something for everybody of any age to attend over the summer.

Summer is one of the busiest times for Cockermouth and we should look to support all these events as much as possible, and it will be a great boost for the local economy, especially in these gloomy financial times.

Last year many of the events benefitted from the little sunshine we had over the summer and if the recent spell of good weather is anything to go by the events programme in Cockermouth this year should be an absolute cracker and something we should all look forward to.

I hope many of you will try to attend as many as you can over the summer and enjoy the fantastic array of entertainment that Cockermouth has to offer.

Monday April 27, 5pm

While walking around Cockermouth over the past couple of weeks it has been a pleasure to see how vibrant the town is looking.

Although Cockermouth is noted for having a lot of tourists coming to the town, especially over the Easter and the summer, there seems to have been many more in the town recently, than this time last year, making use of the facilities.

Cockermouth seems to have benefited from the sunny weather that West Cumbria has experienced over the last couple of weeks in addition to the fact that many people are taking holidays in England as opposed to abroad due to the recession.

Speaking to many businesses down Main Street and in the Market Place they said they have been busier than normal and have enjoyed seeing the amount of tourists enjoying the town.

Despite the credit crunch, the past few weeks has shown that Cockermouth can still attract a large number of people from all over the country and shows that tourism is still a major part of the town.

Tourism brings in lots of money to Cockermouth every year and everyone must try and do their bit to continue to promote the town so it continues to attract as many people as we have seen over the past few weeks.

Friday April 24, 4.30pm

It was sad to see one of the longest serving businesses in Market Place close down this week.

Steven Hamilton, co-owner of the Fuit Market, has blamed the fact that people cannot park next to the shop anymore and so this has had an adverse affect on trade.

He said that the problem was worse because lorries could not park to unload close to the shop either.

He said trade had dropped around 40 per cent and felt there was no point in continuing.

Although many of the major problems that existed in Market Place have disappeared, and the revitalisation of the area on the whole has been a success, lingering problems still remain with parking and the narrow streets being the two main ones.

Despite the constant groans about parking, not only in the Market Place but at nearly every other point in the town, the problem is not going to go away soon, and we will have to hope that many other businesses in the town will not be affected by the problem.

We have had to deal with one business closing down, but for everyone it is probably one business too many, especially one that has been around for a number of years.

We have to look to support our businesses in these times of recession and try not to let issues of parking, or anything else, affect how businesses in the town operate.



Our first training session for the hyperlocal website, hosted by the Times and Star, was a success.

Up to eight organisations and groups attended the session and were trained by myself on how to upload information about themselves on to the website.

Following on from this success, I will be holding another session on Wednesday from 4.30pm to 6.30pm in Cockermouth library where I hope many more people will come down and learn how to upload information about their groups.

I look forward to meeting many more of you there on Wednesday and if you need any more information or to book a place contact me on 01900 607628 or email pcrute@cngroup.co.uk.

Friday April 17, 10am

It is six months on and we are still talking about the floods that hit Cockermouth in October.

It was a terrible time for everybody who was affected and only now are people are getting their lives back on track after months of misery.

While residents of Waterloo Street have had the defences behind their homes improved, people on Gote Road are still angry that nothing has been done to help them try and prevent further flooding.

Many of them said they feel that they have been neglected because of where they are situated and want to make themselves heard so they receive help.

In response they have set up an action group and I am happy to see them taking action to try and protect themselves.

Residents on this road have had to find alternative accommodation and experienced their insurance prices rocketing, after two serious floods in three years, so you can understand why they want to see action taken to prevent having to go through this experience again.

Hopefully later on they will be able to take over the responsibilities of the Cockermouth Flood Action Group which seems to have achieved its goal of getting defences built on Waterloo Street.

Flooding on Gote Raod is linked to a number of factors and residents have said many of the problems experienced are easily solvable, such as clearing the drains and fixing the pump house, and after talking with some of them I agree.

Now defences have been built on Waterloo Street which everybody hopes will prevent flooding now let us hope that this new action group will solve at least some of the problems on Gote Road.

Wednesday April 15, 9am

Sadly, yet again, the issue of parking has reared its ugly head in Cockermouth.

Over the past year, since I started reporting on Cockermouth, we have had problems with parking in Market Place, the loss of spaces in Bitterbeck car park due to the building of affordable housing, constant moans about the lack of spaces in the town and the possible increase in parking charges.

Now we have the problem of parking on Isel Road particularly around the cottage hospital.

Many residents have complained that people parking on the road are not actually hospital patients and are people who work in the town or attend Cockermouth School.

On some occasions school coaches have been seen parked by the side of the road.

The fact that people park there should not be allowed especially as the situation is causing a danger to pedestrians as well as destroying grass verges and the pavements.

Not only this, but it is causing a hazard to motorists who drive up and down the road every day, due to the fact that two way traffic is impossible and there are a few blind corners as well.

I understand the Highways Agency point of view that they need to look at people's concerns and that it takes time to carry out surveys about what needs to be done, but surely a temporary measure can be put in, especially if it is in the interests of safety for motorists and pedestrains alike.

Something such as traffic cones, temporary double yellow lines or a permit system could be introduced to try to stop people parking there.
The plans for the new hospital should be available soon and the traffic system will again have to be reviewed in relation to that and hopefully solutions can be found to the problem that is causing a major headache for residents.

Tuesday April 14, 5pm

It is nice to see that some businesses in Cockermouth are looking to defy the credit crunch.

With news coming out every week that businesses are cutting jobs, slashing hours and closing down it is nice to see businesses in Cockermouth fighting back against the recession.

Wordsworth Hotel, on Main Street, has spent £120,000 to refurbish the facilities and bosses feel that the investment will be worthwhile, especially with the news that people seem to be staying at home rather than travelling abroad in the summer.

All the rooms are expected to be completed by June, and with Cockermouth expected to pull in a host of tourists during the summer months, the refurbishment could be a huge success.

The hotel has already had many positive comments off customers about the refurbishment of some of the rooms and it is hoped that this will continue for the foreseeable future.

In a time when all we seem to hear is bad news it is good to see that Cockermouth is bucking the trend and its businesses are looking to provide a pleasant environment for visiotrs to enjoy the town.

Friday April 2 8.35am

IT is good to see that the flood defences being built on Waterloo Street are nearly finished.

When the floods came in October it was a terrible time for everybody and Waterloo Street suffered the brunt of it.

Many of the people had already experienced the floods in 2005, so to have two major floods in three years was devastating.

Now the walls have been raised by around 16 inches and an earth embankment has also been raised by the same height.

The whole project has cost £100,000 and will offer increased protection to around 120 properties.

The speed that the work has been completed is also impressive, especially with the problems they have experienced.

Many of the residents I have spoken to on Waterloo Street are pleased with the work that has been done and while looking at the defences myself the work carried out has been done professionally and looks quite impressive.

Some residents have already taken some measures to protect themselves but lets hope these improved defences will be able to withstand the Cumbrian weather and we will not see a repeat of what we saw in October for a long time.

I think everybody is pleased to see that something positive has been done to protect the residents who live in this vulnerable area of Cockermouth

Now we need to see the same kind of thing done on Gote Road to protect the residents there as well, as they suffered badly in the floods as well.



WITH the expansion of the Kirkgate Centre it is hoped that more arts events can take place in West Cumbria.

Kirkgate Arts has gone into partnership with Arts Out West and I think it can only have befits for West Cumbria’s art scene.

The Kirkgate Centre will be able to extend its box office opening hours and create more volunteering opportunities and hopefully bring new arts events to West Cumbria.

The partnership will start from the beginning of June and from then we hope to see the Kirkgate improve its already varied and impressive list of arts programmes.

Friday March 27 9.21am

THE proposed demolition of Manor Court has caused some ill feeling among many residents in Cockermouth.

When residents were first told they were moving out many were annoyed with landlord Home for not telling them and ignoring their views.

Now many of the residents have been found alternative accommodation and have taken part in many consultation programmes and seem happy with what has been agreed.

However, the St Leonards Close and Wakefield Residents' Association have voiced their disapproval of how the process has been handled.

They have said that some of the homes on St Leonards Close earmarked for demolition are up to the government's Decent Home Standards and that residents of Manor Court have not been given a written guarantee that they will be promised one of the new rooms when they return.

The way the residents have been treated is not ideal but there seems to be no other way to resolve the issue if the building needs to be upgraded.

If some of the houses on St Leonards Close are up to standard then they should not be demolished.

Looking at the artists' impressions of the new Manor Court building I do not agree with the council view and the view of the residents association that it does not fit in with the conservation area.

Cockermouth cannot not live completely in the past and the modern design complements the area and some of the materials being used are sympathetic to the area as well.

Tuesday March 24, 4.30pm

It was dispappointing to hear that groups of youths are causing damage to businesses in Cockermouth.

Retailers around the Lowther Went parade are angry about youths kicking footballs against their shops as well as trying to climb on the roofs, drinking alcohol and damaging the guttering.

The businesses in this area have had to bear the brunt of this behaviour because of the large car parking area that is situated round the back of the shops which gives youths the space to kick around footballs.

In times of recession shop owners should not have to fork out money for damage caused to their buildings and the message that the dispersal order Cockermouth police introduced into the town last year does not seem to have got through to a minority of young people in the town.

The police seem to have been doing their best to keep the problem under control and said that extra patrols taking place in the area have meant that complaints have reduced, although some owners were angry that something was not done sooner.

The two three-month dispersal order programmes that were run between June and September last year and October and January saw crime in the town reduce dramatically.

A reimplementation of the dispersal order would surely be a good idea at preventing these youths from gathering at such places in the town and so in turn they would be less likely to cause damage. It would also improve the quality of life for businesses and residents in the area.

Friday March 20, 9am

The economic recession that the country is experiencing is not going away.

Nobody seems safe from it as first Woolworths went under and many other high street stores have either been forced to lay off workers or have had fears of going bust.

Now one of Cockermouth's largest businesses, James Walker, has had to put its staff on a four day working week due to the economic recession.

I am sure nobody wants to see workers taking cuts but it is good to hear that the workers will remain on full pay, although it is disappointing they will have to use some of their holidays to cover the lost days over the coming weeks.

As the union UNITE commented it hopes this arrangement is only a temporary one and I am sure we all feel the same.

The company opened its Cockermouth branch in 1969 and employs 400 workers and it seems it has taken all the necessary steps to try to minimise the impact on its employees.

In my view the company could not have done any more - it has kept the workers on full pay and is still taking orders and delivering five days a week.

I think we all hope that this recession ends soon and that many businesses in the area will be able to recover from the turmoil they have experienced over the last few months.

Friday March 13, 12.30pm

So Aldi has set a summer date as a target for its store extension and completion of the car park.

The sooner this is done the better, as the site has stood derelict for almost a year, while Aldi resubmitted a planning application, and the site became an eyesore on a major entrance into the town.

There have been complaints in the past about the site, so if the building work can get finished as soon as possible then it will be better for the town.

It is hoped that when the store extension is completed it will provide a much better shoppping experience for everybody in the town, with more choice and easier access.

If this kind of thing will bring more people into Cockermouth and benfit the town it has maybe been worth the wait.

It also has the possibility of bringing extra jobs into the area, although numbers are still to be confirmed, and in this time of recession will be another excellent thing for the town.

Monday March 9, 4.30pm

I was appalled to hear last week that Cockermouth Juniors had been kicked out of the County Cup by the Cumberland Football Association.

The team could not fulfill their original semi-final fixture, against Carlisle team Pirelli, on February 7, because of the bad weather and rules stated that the fixture had to be played the following weekend. However many of the team were away on holiday or school trips due to the half term.

Chairman Stuart McFadyen said he had contacted the FA and proposed another date for the match with Pirelli, but the Carlisle team did not agree to it which meant that Cockermouth were kicked out of the competition.

I am sure I am not the only one who feels sympathy with the team and that the decision to remove them from the competition was wrong.

Although the Cumberland FA say they have to abide by the rules, they surely could have made an exception due to the circumstances, because it was by sheer bad luck that the match was cancelled because of the weather and that the next week was half term.

We are trying to get more chiildren involved in sport in this country and if this the way an under-13 team is treated I fear that many of the children will be disillusioned with the sport and possibly walk away from it.

The children must be devastated and I cannot begin to imagine how they felt when they were told they had been kicked out of the competition, especially as it was so close to the final and that it was not their fault.

Common sense needs to prevail in these types of situation, but this was certainly not the case, and I think the Cumberland FA needs to take a long hard look at themselves for allowing such a thing to happen.

Friday March 6, 9am

The parking charges debate has again reared its head and become a major talking point in the town.

After being told by Allerdale council that car parking charges were going to be rise by a significant amount on April 1, the council have now made a dramatic U-turn and said they are going to freeze the prices for the year.

I wholeheartedly support the decision to freeze the parking charges, especially after the public outcry from businesses and residents, not just from Cockermouth people but from everybody across the county.

Everybody must be pleased that the prices are going to stay as they are, especially during the recession, and even the thought of rising them was not a good idea in the first place.

The council must have known about the reaction they would get from the public and hopefully the decision to keep the prices as they are will appease many people and it will keep residents, visitors and tourists coming to Cockermouth and still keep it as a vibrant place to be.
If the rises had gone ahead I believe it would have driven many people out of the town, who would either have not been able to or refused to pay the parking charges.

Although some people have said Allerdale could have gone further and either dropped the prices a bit or provided more free parking in the town, I think freezing the prices is the only sensible decsion.

Councillor Sturat Moffat said at an Allerdale council meeting on Wednesday that the council needed to "balance their budget" and while dropping the prices would have pleased people even further, it may not be feasible for the council to do so.

Thursday March 5, 12pm

Well, the trees in the Memorial Gardens have been causing split views with many people in Cockermouth this week.

After walking through the Memorial Gardens myself I was quite surprised about the amount of trees that were due to be cut down and understood why many people were complaining.

However, I sympathised with the reisdents of Derwentside Gardens as well,  many of them telling me that the trees have not been managed properly and have grown out of control.

After seeing the trees from the residents' gardens I could see how they were infringing on their gardens, had grown too tall and could pose a significant danger to them if any branches were to snap and fall in their gardens.

It was also very plain to see that when the leaves start growing on the trees in the spring and summer their gardens will be devoid of any kind of sunlight or views out the window.

Thinning or pollarding them would only solve half the problem and some of the more dangerous trees overhanging the residents gardens need to be removed.

I can see both sides of the story and I feel a lot more consultation is needed between residents and other bodies before a decision is made about what to do with the trees.

I feel the best course of action is a compromise because some of the trees do need to be removed for the residents sake, but some others do need to stay to preserve the beauty of the Memorial Gardens.  

Thursday February 26, 4.30pm.

I was surprised to hear that the town council might cancel this year's fireworks display.

It is one of the highlights of the year and is a big event not only for Cockermouth, but for Allerdale as a whole, and will be sorely missed for a second year if it is cancelled.

I agree with the fact that the organisation of the display takes a lot of time and there are many safety issues to contend with but if everything is done in plenty of time these should not cause too much of a problem. 

Finding a site might be a bit harder to organise but if the council can secure The Fitz for the display I feel this would be an ideal choice, due to the space available, and there would be less trouble with road closures and other safety measures. 

Whilst using some of the money that was saved from the fireworks display not going ahead last year on other projects in the town is a good idea, cancelling the fireworks display in favour of this I feel is just not an option due to the popularity of the event. 

If the council agree, sooner rather than later, on what must be done and organise the event quickly enough I see no reason why the display should be cancelled for a second consecutive year.

It is possible a decision will be made at next month's town council meeting on the future of this year's fireworks display.

Tuesday February 24, 4pm.

I was interested last week to hear about people's views on the 'rat-run' deliveries that are taking place in Cockermouth.

After seeing the streets that the lorries come down I agree with a lot of the residents' views that the roads are too narrow for the lorries, especially with the cars parked by the side of the street.

Many people's concerns were to do with the amount of school children that are around the area and that an accident could occur, but the real problem with the children is the fumes will cause a major health hazard to the many that play around the area.

However, there is the argument that if the lorries come down Low Road, the suggested alternative, will it actually cause any fewer problems?

True, they will not have to negotiate the narrow streets and there will be fewer children around, but residents around Crown Street may complain and it has the possibility of causing more congestion around the town centre than there already is. 

Let us know what you think by leaving your comments on the website.  

First published at 12:48, Tuesday, 09 June 2009
Published by http://www.cockermouthlocal.co.uk