Smarter Working Centre coming to Community Centre

Your new Community Centre is planning to provide a ‘Smarter Working Centre’ (SWC) in October. The SWC will provide a professional & flexible work space for start-up, home-based and fledgling businesses & not for profit organisations. Smarter Working Centre ‘work hubs’ offer a new, flexible and an affordable pay-as-you use new way to work, meet and learn. The local, low-cost, no-commitment ‘work-hubs’ provide high-speed broadband and office equipment, plus easy access to business advice from Business Link, Enterprise First, Hampshire Chamber and Job Centre Plus. The Milford on Sea Community Centre can also provide meeting or training room space for local business.

The aim is to encourage more local business start-ups, to better support the needs of existing fledgling and micro home-based businesses or community organisations, as well as provide a local work-hub for those that currently endure the daily commute out of the area and either do not wish to or find it isolating/difficult to work from home.

The proposal is that desk space will be available from £12 per day (or £4 per hour). Meeting room space will typically be £40 per day with equipment such as data projector and flip chart available, as well as refreshments and catering. Regular usage of the facilities will attract rate reductions and not for profit organisations will automatically receive a 10% reduction.

The ‘Smarter Working Centre’ would be in addition to the Internet Café, which is a pop in service for local people who wish to have access to the internet & e-mails.

If the ‘Smarter Working Centre’ would be of interest to you please download and complete the Smarter Questionnaire below, this will help the Community Centre team access how you feel about this new service.

Community Centre Smarter Working Centre Questionnaire:

http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/SmarterQuestionaire.pdf

Fancy finding out more about wine?

John James will be running a ‘Discover a World of Wine Course’ at the new Milford on Sea Community Centre. The course will run for four weeks & commences on Monday 4th October 8.00pm to 9.30pm. The course will enable you to experience the wines of the world & learn how to detect faults in wines. It also includes basic wine tasting techniques, how to match wines with food, & to gain the confidence to purchase wines you know you will enjoy. The Course Fee is £45 pounds which includes wine, tasting glasses and work file. There are limited places available, so if you fancy joining in it might be wise to book now!

The course is run by John James of Vine Associates in association with The Solent Wine Experience. To book please contact: John James at Vine Associates - Tel: 01590 642173

E-Mail: john@vineassociates.org.uk

Vine Associates Website:

http://www.vineassociates.org.uk/

The Solent Wine Experience:

www.thesolentwineexperience.co.uk

Tel: 07906 243889 | info@thesolentwineexperience.co.uk

Tour the New Community Centre

The new Community Centre’s official opening is on Friday 3rd of September between 3.30 & 5.30pm. The official opening will be accompanied by music from the New Forest Dixieland Band after which everyone can tour the new facilities at their leisure. If you can’t make it on Friday, the Community Centre will also be open on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September for people to wander around. Members of the Community Centre team will be on hand to answer any question you may have.

Pssst! The Marine is Open!

The long awaited opening of The Marine took place on Tuesday with no fanfares; the doors were just quietly opened. My wife of course doesn’t miss a thing, so we were soon inside. Anyone who has been watching the development of this attractive Art Deco styled building will be intrigued to get inside. When you do you will not be disappointed, the cafe bar is a modern and inviting space, with silver & grey theme highlighted with some hi-tech lighting & subtle splashes of colour provided by what I believe the girls call ‘accessories’. At the back there is a secret ‘snug room’ where visitors can sit in a more private space, or watch the flat screen TV. Keep your eyes peeled for the wine cellar, which is set into the floor with a glass viewing panel. On the way to the ‘snug’ you will also get a glimpse of the enormous kitchen with every conceivable piece of cooking equipment known to man!

The new team have obviously had some good training, and are welcoming & efficient. You may wonder why there has not been a major launch?, & the reason was explained by owners Richard & Sue. They simply wish everyone’s experience to be a good one. So, as everything is brand new and they are trying all of the systems & service for the first time, an initial steady stream of customers will enable them to ensure everyone goes home happy. Having put their heart & soul into creating this spectacular building, they now want to ensure everyone enjoys coming to visit. This week The Marine is open & serving a limited menu from 9am to 6pm & 9am to 9pm on Saturday. As of this Saturday they will be on regular hours from 9am to late, with a full service offering breakfasts, sandwiches, coffee, cakes, afternoon cream teas and a tasty full lunch & dinner menu. The first floor al la carte restaurant will follow in the next few weeks.

The new restaurant, bar & cafe on the seafront in Hurst Road is an exciting addition to the Milford on Sea dining scene, with a location that must be one of the most spectacular in the UK. So, take a trip to see for yourself over the next few weeks, but don’t tell anyone we told you it is now open!

The Marine website:

http://www.themarinerestaurant.co.uk/

Dick the MasterChef coming to Food Week

Dick Strawbridge will be joining us at Food Week 2011. Dick was a finalist in the 2010 BBC series of Celebrity Master Chef, and he is also a television presenter, Eco Engineer, Ex-Army Colonel & proud owner of the best moustache in showbiz! Dick’s warm & exuberant personality was energetically demonstrated in his 'Scrapheap Challenge' days, & in his popular BBC2 series 'It's not easy being green'. The series featured his family’s lifestyle changes and experiments into sustainable living and eco-technology. The programme was filmed at his family home, Newhouse Farm, which is a self-sufficient environmentally friendly smallholding in the West Country. Dick also published his latest book ‘Practical Self Sufficiency’ in 2010. His love of food is excitingly demonstrated in his hearty food and focus on flavours.

‘An Evening with Dick Strawbridge’ will be on Thursday 14th April 2011, and will feature anecdotes & stories relating to his life exploring self sufficiency and his experiences as a TV Celebrity Master Chef. Certainly a date to put in your diary now!

Dick Strawbridge website:

http://www.dickstrawbridge.com/

Handy with a brush?

As the new Village Charity Shop prepares to open they are in dire needs of some volunteers happy to do some painting. Any time you could contribute would be gratefully received. To volunteer your services with a brush please contact: Judit on 01590 644073 or judit.th@gmail.com

The Nearly Naked Chef is coming to town

Milford on Sea Food Week has its first new exciting event for 2011. Hardeep Singh Kohli will be performing his ‘The Nearly Naked Chef Show’ for Food Week on Saturday 16 April 2011 in the Community Centre. The Nearly Naked Chef show is a wonderfully laid back evening of entertaining stories and aromatic stir-fries. Just think Ready Steady Cook but with good cooking and great conversation. Who could wish for more from an evening’s entertainment than to arrive with your carrier bag bulging at the seams with carefully selected ingredients and a whole heap of expectations, and to leave with your taste buds bursting with the flavours of fine cooking and your mind abuzz with a mouth watering selection of pitch-perfect anecdotes? Hardeep's show has appeared at the Edinburgh fringe, & is a currently touring production.

Hardeep will be remembered as a regular reporter on the highly successful BBC1 programme The One Show. He is also a regular guest on BBC 1's Question Time, This Week with Andrew Neil and was a former Newsnight Review presenter. He has also written & presented a number of TV shows for Channel 4. His love of food was demonstrated when he was runner-up on the first BBC series of Celebrity MasterChef, which then led to two series for UKTV Food, New British Kitchen and Chefs and the City. His foodie passion is also expressed in his larger than average belly and the publication of his first book Indian Takeaway, which was nominated for an Independent Book Award. He has written about food for The Times, The Sunday Times, Olive, Observer Food Monthly, The Spectator and various other publications and was appointed as a columnist for Waitrose Food Illustrated. Hardeep is also a member of the judging panel for the Soil Association Awards 2009.

Hardeep Singh Kohli website:

www.seabrightproductions.co.uk/hardeep.html

Milford on Sea: UK’s Second Most Expensive Seaside Town

New research by Halifax, Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, finds a strong correlation between waterfront views and buoyant property prices. The study found that Milford on Sea is the UK’s second most expensive seaside town for property.

Despite the trend being downward elsewhere. Estate agents Knight Frank suggest that a waterfront view adds more than 30 per cent to house prices on average. Explanations include demand from boat owners, second home owners and people seeking clean air and a good quality of life.

Nine of the ten most highly priced seaside towns also feature among seaside towns with the highest quality of life. Sandbanks in Dorset is the most expensive seaside town with an average house price of £545,000 followed by Milford on Sea (£335,000) and Lyme Regis in Dorset (£308,000).

Five seaside towns in southern England also provide good value for money with relatively low property prices. These are Dover, Newhaven, Folkestone, Burnham on Sea and Weston Super Mare. Halifax claim that residents of Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex have the highest quality of life among Britain’s seaside towns followed by Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex and Christchurch in Dorset. All three towns have higher than average weekly earnings and an above average employment rate. Over nine out of ten adults report themselves as having good health and residents have an average life expectancy of around 80. They also have four more hours of sunshine per week than the average for seaside towns.

Oh, I do love to be beside the seaside!

Public Enquiry relating to Seafront Development

The redevelopment of the Ravenhurst site, adjacent to the White House on the seafront has become subject to a public inquiry relating to a planning appeal. We understand that the developers, Penny Farthing Homes, have applied to build thirteen new houses in place of the now defunct bungalow buildings. The old Ravenhurst buildings in Ravens Way, Milford on Sea currently consist of four unused single story buildings, which were once a NHS residential home for people with severe learning difficulties. The original development plans were refused by the council and a public inquiry relating to a planning appeal by Penny Farthing Homes is now scheduled to take place from 14th to 16th September 2010 in the Council Chamber in Lymington Town Hall. The three day public inquiry has a 10am start on the first day and will probably finish around 5pm with a break at lunch time. The second and third days may start a bit earlier, and the inspector will decide on the first day. Anyone can go for one day if they cannot make the 3 days.

We have been informed that a group of local residents have joined forces to fight the appeal, calling themselves PMH (Protecting Milford’s Heritage) and are led by Martin Pitt. PMH are preparing specific questions to ask, all aimed at preventing the overdevelopment of a site which is in an area of natural beauty, and in a prominent seafront position with important wildlife & next to a listed building. PMH had considered organising a petition, but they have been informed that the more villager’s that turn up to the hearing is a stronger demonstration that people feel strongly about the outcome, the inspector said that a petition would not be given as much credence.

Everyone is welcome to go along to the public inquiry to find out about the latest plans, & to listen to the discussions. There is a formal process which limits who from the public can express their own views. We suspect that not many people would object to the buildings being sympathetically replaced, and it is a course a fine balance to redevelop a disused site in keeping with natural surroundings, and not just to maximise the developers profit. Let’s hope the people making these decisions on the future of our seafront get this one right.

Alex Aitken moors up at The Jetty

Living in Milford on Sea we are of course blessed with many fine places to dine in the evening, or we can while away the afternoons with delicious cream teas. Our local eateries provide just about every dining experience you could want, fine restaurants, international cuisine, pubs, cafes & tea shops, plus of course, The Marine will soon be opening to add to our extensive list of quality dining options. For those that regularly eat out, occasional forays to restaurants further afield is also fun. Many will know of Alex Aitken, who is one of the South of England’s most respected Michelin starred chefs. Alex started his career as a trawler man and this ‘raw’ fishing experience proved invaluable to Alex during his subsequent career as a chef. Alex has had twenty five years of cooking experience within the New Forest, including many years running his own highly-acclaimed restaurant, Le Poussin in Brockenhurst, followed by a move to Parkhill, a country house hotel at Lyndhurst. Alex became a partner and director of cuisine when Parkhill was developed into the luxurious Lime Wood.

His latest venture has been created in a breathtaking glass walled environmentally-friendly waterside restaurant, which was formerly home to the Gary Rhodes restaurant, Rhodes South. Alex’s has named his new restaurant, bar & grill ‘The Jetty’, and under his direction, The Jetty will be an informal, unpretentious and relaxing place to eat. The location is right on the very edge of the water within the grounds of the Christchurch Harbour Hotel at Mudeford. The views of Christchurch Harbour, Mudeford Quay & Hengistbury Head cannot be described as anything other than breathtaking.

Anyone who has had the pleasure to taste Alex’s food in the past, will know that he is a ‘home-grown’ chef with a huge amount of food knowledge and experience, which will ensure that his menu never disappoints & that his love of local food will shine through. Alex has won many of the UK’s top food awards and is now serving fresh fish & seafood, caught and landed daily from Mudeford Quay, including local oysters, shrimps and lobster, and tasty local meat grills cooked in The Jetty’s charcoal oven. If you are planning to venture out of Milford on Sea for a dining treat, The Jetty is certainly worth putting at the top of the list.

Alex Aitken at The Jetty Restaurant Bar & Grill:

http://www.thejetty.co.uk/

Volunteers needed for new Village Charity Shop

The new ‘Village Charity Shop’ will be opening soon & they are looking for volunteers to help out. If you have a few hours to spare & would like to spend it in a fun environment, meeting lots of people & helping a good cause at the same time, this could be just the thing for you. The shop will be sited at the old Muffins Bakery in Church Hill, Milford on Sea, next to the Co-Op. Unfortunately, the building requires over £2000 of urgent repairs to the electrics & plumbing before it can be occupied, so if anyone feels generous, any volunteers with professional trade skills, or individuals willing to make any financial donations to help out, would be warmly welcomed. Should anyone have access to any shop fittings, such as tables, display cabinets, clothing rails, mirrors etc, these would also be gratefully received. The shop will be managed by Judit Teuissen-High and run by a team of yet to be found volunteers from the village and Community Centre, with the profits being used to support the Community Centre & other local charities.

The Village Charity Shop is also looking for any donations of good quality ladies and gents clothing, bric a brac, unwanted gifts & anything else saleable. It is all going to good causes, so anything bought into the shop would be very much appreciated. So, if you would like to help out in anyway please contact: Judit on 01590 644073 or judit.th@gmail.com

Milford on Sea Community Centre website:
http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Village Party in September

To celebrate the reopening of the new Milford on Sea Community Centre a Village Party has been organised & it is hoped a full house will enjoy the celebrations. The Friday (not Saturday) fun night on the 10th September will include foot tapping music & songs from the New Forest Plonkers, a hog roast by Dave Gates and a bar. Tickets are £10 & available for Gwen’s now. It might be worth booking early as the evening is expected to be a sell out.

Milford on Sea Community Centre website:
http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Community Directory under construction

A village project is underway to create a central directory of ‘who’s who’ in local village events, clubs, classes, charities & community activities. The Milford on Sea Community Directory will also contain a ‘Village Volunteer Register’. This will list people happy to join in events by lending a hand for a few hours, together with people who have particular expertise, knowledge or skills which they are happy to be utilised for practical support or advice to event organisers. The directory will also contain details of ‘Event Loan Equipment’, which is owned by a village organisation and made available for other event organisers to borrow.

To complete the project an Online Village Calendar is also being created where all organisers can centrally inform everyone of their activities & events. It is anticipated that the project will take some months, but once compete, the plan is to make this information available to all online. If you would like to ensure your organisation’s contact details are included, or have equipment you are happy to loan, or would like to become a invaluable ‘village volunteer’, please drop David an e-mail at david@milfordonsea.org

Your new Community Centre is coming!

Its nearly here! The opening date for the new Milford on Sea Village Community Centre has now been announced as the 3rd September 2010. Anyone who has watched the transformation of the site in Sea Road, from the old portacabins (which apparently went to Beverley, no idea what she was going to do with them?), to the new sparkling eco style building cannot help but be impressed. To have such a community facility for just 5000 residents is pretty amazing. The Community Centre officially opens with an ‘Open House’ between 3.30pm to 5.30pm on Friday 3rd September. Everyone is welcome to come and take a look at the new facilities, meet the team, all accompanied by tunes from the New Forest Dixieland Band. New volunteers to help out are also always welcome, so why not join in all that is happening. The new Community Centre is going to have a ‘Community Cafe’, where anyone can visit for a coffee, chat & to use the internet for free. There will also be a ‘Smarter Working Centre’ providing services for local small businesses, plus Tourist Information for visitors. There is also a new ‘Dance Studio’ for the energetic! All of the new facilities are available for hire to anyone who would like to use them. Once the Community Centre is reopened many old favourites will return to entertain us, such as Jazz Swing Nights, Folk Club Nights, Youth Club, Youth Band Nights, In the Green Room, Out of the Hat Play Readings, Milford Movies, First Friday Lunch & the Sunday Lunch Club

There are also a lot of new exciting things happening. To launch the centre a ‘Village Party’ is being held on the 10th September, with the New Forest Plonkers & a Hog Roast provided by David Gates. On the 18th September there is a ‘Celebration Dinner & Opera Concert’. Tickets for both events are now available from Gwens. New regular events include the ‘Fifth Thursday Comedy Club’, which starts on the 30th September with guest comedienne ‘Jo Caulfield’, who is regularly seen on shows such as ‘Mock the Week’ & ‘Have I Got News For You’. The first ‘Just Dance’ evening is on the 17th September, where you can dance the night away ballroom & latin dancing to a live band. There are also some new things for the kids, as the newly formed ‘Seahorses Community Toddler Group’ joins the entre & ‘Cheeky Monkeys’ will provide sessions of inflatables for the kids to enjoy. Add to this a comprehensive list of clubs & classes, and there really is something for everyone. It would be quite a project for a corporate body to create everything that is happening, so when you discover everything is created by a dedicated band of hard working volunteers you can’t help but be impressed. Congratulations to you all.

You can find out more about all that is happening at the Village Community Centre website:

http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Panto Stars sought!

The new Milford on Sea Village Community Centre is looking to use its impressive new facilities to stage a Village Family Pantomime in January 2011. Oh no they're not, oh yes they are! They are now looking for volunteers of any age as amateur actors, stage hands, lighting bods, or general helpers. The plan is to hold an initial meeting of everyone that would like to be involved or help, & then the project can be developed from there. The meeting will be held at 7pm at the Community Centre on the 23rd September. The actual pantomime to be performed has not yet been decided but I am putting my name down to be Snow White or perhaps a dwarf! So, If you would like to be involved on stage or behind the scenes, please drop Marguerite Willcox an e-mail at: margueritewillcox@googlemail.com

Village Community Centre website:
http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Village Artists Art Exhibition

Starting next Saturday the Keyhaven Sea Scout Hut (Opposite The Gun Inn) will be hosting an exhibition by local artists. The artist's exhibiting will be: Tony Clegg, Tessa van Hasselt, Shaun Stevens and Kate Danby. The exhibition will have free entry & be open every day from 10am to 5pm from 14th August to 30th August 2010. Tea and coffee are available for a donation to the Sea Scouts.

Two new Village Charity Shops

Next Monday a new charity shop will be opening in Milford on Sea village, which is being run by the ‘Lymington Cat and Kitten Rescue Charity’. The charity has run a shelter for unwanted & sick felines in Lymington for the past thirty years, and in these difficult economic times are in urgent need of further funds. Like most charities they are looking to put to good use all the funds they can raise. The new shop will be at 59 High Street, Milford on Sea, (formerly Curtleas Fashions) and the hours of business 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday. The shop would welcome any donation during opening hours & of course, there is a warm welcome for all visitors!

In the next few weeks ‘The Village Charity Shop’ will also be opening. They will be sited at the old Muffins Bakery in Church Hill, next to the Co-Op. This shop will be run by volunteers from the village and Community Centre with the profits being used to support the Community Centre & other local charities. Both shops are looking for any donations of good quality ladies and gents clothing, bric a brac, unwanted gifts & anything else saleable. It is all going to good causes, so anything bought into the shops would be very much appreciated.

Lymington Cat and Kitten Rescue website:

http://www.lymicat.org/

New Seahorses Community Toddler Group

A new group for the under 5s, their parents, grandparents and carers will be starting on Fridays 10am to 12 noon at the new Community Centre on Sea Road, Milford on Sea. The first session is on Friday 10th September 2010. It’s a place to play, have fun and meet new friends for the grown-ups as well as the children! The idea is to include everybody, so; if you have a new baby on the way, come & chat and compare notes with other ‘ladies-in-waiting’. New to the area, come along & meet the parents you will be seeing at the school gates in a few short years time… Dads, don’t feel left out, you are welcome too. To complete the generations, grandparents providing childcare are especially welcome. The new group hopes that everyone who is able, will take a turn helping out, but if you can’t, don’t worry - you’ll be just as welcome. The Seahorses Community Toddler Group will provide play equipment and toys, a craft activity, drinks and a snack, all for just £1.00 per child. The group would also like to provide occasional opportunities to learn new skills, perhaps an infant/toddler first aid course or a nutrition workshop? The new group are also asking for donations of toys and equipment. So, if you have anything to donate, or have any ideas on what activities you would like the group to include, or simply wish to join the group, please let Jan know by e-mailing her at: seahorses@btinternet.com

Hospital Annual Summer Fair raises £1500

The recent Annual Summer Fair run by the ‘League of Milford on Sea Hospital, Medical Centre and Community Health Care Friends’ held on July 24th in the grounds of Milford on Sea Hospital raised the fantastic sum of £1,525.71. The event was blessed with glorious sunny weather and the crowds turned out in force to enjoy the stalls, games and excellent cream teas, eaten to the relaxing melodies of the Midas Touch Duo. The Cairo Cats Belly Dancers and the Waterside Lions Dancers were also great crowd pleasers. All in all, a wonderful day with a wonderful result for a good cause. The money will buy a much needed phlebotomy couch which will make life a lot easier for the people in the village when they have to have blood tests.

Milford on Sea Hospital League of Friends website:

http://www.friendsofmilfordhospital.org.uk/

New Art Classes

Shaun Stevens will be running a new Art Class: ‘Watercolour for beginners’ when the new Milford on Sea Community Centre opens. You can enjoy how to successfully paint a wide range of subjects in Watercolour. The lessons include practical demonstrations & written guidance on how to achieve successful results. The new classes form a 10 week course from Wednesday 15th September until 24th November, & cost £80. If you would like to join in please call Shaun on 01590 673515

A jump of a lifetime

Local Milford on Sea girl, Emma Golledge, completed a sky dive for the ‘Dreams Come True Charity’ on Sunday. If that was not enough of a challenge, for some obscure reason she also chose to jump from 13,000 feet, rather than the normal 10,000 feet! There is even a film of her 45 second freefall, including backward and forward somersaults, on the weblink below. Dreams Come True is a national charity which fulfills the dreams of terminally and seriously ill children aged 2-21 years of age. Emma is a keen supporter & fundraiser, having overcome a serious illness herself in her earlier life.

It appears Emma thoroughly enjoyed her experience, and raised some money for a great cause, which is more than I achieved when I did my sky dive. There were four people in our airplane: the president, the smartest man in the world, a young girl & me. Unfortunately the plane caught on fire and there were only three parachutes. The president grabbed one and jumped, shouting; “My country needs me!” The smartest man in the world then grabs one and says; “Well, the world needs me, since I’m so smart”, and jumps. One parachute left, so I said to the young girl; “You take it, I’ve have had a good life.’ The little girl said; “It’s OK we can both jump. The smartest man in the world took my backpack.””

If anyone would like to give a donation to Emma’s charity you can do so at: www.virginmoneygiving.com, entering Emma Golledge in the ‘Find A Friend’ box. Alternatively you can contact Emma on her e-mail at: foxyemma_19@hotmail.com

Watch Emma’s skydive here:
http://www.watchmyskydive.com/show.php?name=emma+golledge

Fancy having a Hedgehog?

Lesley, at Sullivan Mitchell in Milford on Sea, is not content with just providing houses for newcomers to the village, she is now on mission to re-house injured hedgehogs! She is looking to help out the ‘CRASH Hedgehog Hospital’ in Poole by re-homing some hedgehogs by the sea. When injuries leave a hedgehog disabled to the extent it could not easily survive in the wild, the Hedgehog Hospital releases them to ‘foster homes’ with secure gardens, where they can enjoy the rest of their lives in peace being pampered a little. Apparently, they are not suitable as pets, as for obvious reasons they are not easy to stroke & training one to sit, or fetch, is almost impossible. However, by releasing one in your garden you will be rewarded by having all those nasty garden pests like slugs and snails, eaten by your little guest. I am reliably informed that all they need is a nightly feed of dog food and provision of suitable hibernation facilities through the winter. There is also no need to buy a collar or lead for walks, as they much prefer to just wander around on their own.

If you would like to re-house an injured hedgehog in your garden, or have any old towels or even old pet carriers you no longer require they would be gratefully received. If you would like to find out more please contact Lesley on: Tel: 01590 644747

E-Mail: lesley@sullivanmitchell.net

CRASH Hedgehog Hospital website:
http://www.hedgehogs.org.uk/

Tuck In with the Where to Stay & Eat Guide

As you have travelled around the village I guess that you have spotted the ‘Milford on Sea Where to Stay & Eat Guide’ in various shops & dining places. The guide was produced to promote our local businesses, & contains a plethora of vouchers & discounts from all of our local cafe’s & restaurants. We are very pleased to hear that many local people & holiday makers have been taking advantage of the special deals, which is of course good news for everyone. If you haven’t used your vouchers yet, or would like some more, please pick up another copy when you are next in the village. Our local restaurateurs & cafe owners would be more than pleased to see you, & to provide you with a treat.

Sea and Outward Bound Skills for Young People

A local mum is looking to find like minded mum’s who have young people (probably over 10 years and can swim) who may be interested in attending Keyhaven based courses run by Brokenhurst College instructors during the summer holidays, if there is sufficient interest. The courses would run along similar lines to those currently being offered by Brokenhurst College at the Hengisbury Head Outdoor Education Centre, Christchurch ( www.brock.ac.uk

Tel: 01202 425173).

Laura has two lads of 10 & 13 years, who both attended courses at Christchurch during the last half term (June 2010) and says both had a great time & found the instructors provided high quality tuition.

Please contact Laura Law: Tel.07956 652977 (laura@amskills.com) if your young people are interested in attending Keyhaven courses. This will just be taken as an expression of interest and will not be taken as a commitment at this stage. Laura will pass on the possible level of interest to the Hengistbury Head Outdoor Education Centre and hopefully something can be arranged if there are sufficient young people interested in this initiative.

The Village that Rocks

The 2010 Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival was blessed with glorious weather & provided a fantastic weekend of entertainment. The festival achieved a unique balance between professional presentation & the quaint charm of a village event. Thursday evening saw a lively start to the festival with the Folk Night & children’s ceilidh. This was followed on Friday by Young People’s Band Night where local youth talent performed to an audience of all ages. Cool Saturday was a full day event with plenty to keep the children entertained & included a special performance from the local primary school. The village green was alive with food stalls, beer tent, children’s entertainment & craft stalls. First on the main stage were the village’s own ‘The Four Winds’, a saxophone quartet who soon got feet tapping. Our very own ‘Total Voice’ village choir gave a powerful performance in the afternoon, followed by ‘Keya Bobo’ playing tribal African music. To maintain the international theme, we were then treated to traditional Thai dancers. The village ‘Windmill Band’ strutted their stuff before were entertainment by other local bands ‘The Travelling Johnnies’ & ‘Dog Ruff’. The glorious summer’s evening saw the village rocking on the packed green & it was certainly a case of standing room only, as hoards of local people & holidaymakers enjoyed the live music. As the night commenced our winning youth band gave a further performance followed by ‘The Alex Hall Band’ taking us back in time with some timeless pop classics. ‘Drew Flanigan & the Black Bombers’ were then on stage with a high octane rock & roll show. To close the evening the headline act, ‘Freddie & the Freeloaders’ rocked the enthusiastic crowd with soul, motown, jazz & modern classics.

Smooth Sunday morning maintained the glorious sunny sky, & spirits were again high. The day opened with a charming combined service by the four local churches on the village green. Soon after the music was underway with a classical extravaganza. A stirring performance of a Rossini opera was presented by professional local opera singers & Lymington Choral Society. The Hyde Band then blew any remaining cobwebs away with some rousing tunes. The afternoon then turned to dance as Georgian & Regency dances were performed by The Hampshire Regency Dancers, followed by Zapp School of Dance giving us a contemporary dance show. Milford Musicale then treated us to a set including arias & musical theatre numbers as the afternoon gently passed by. Next we had the New Forest Community Orchestra, some live poetry & a surprising Nautical Percussion performance.

The grand finale was certainly worth waiting for, as The Three Tenors took to the stage. Colin Judson, a professional opera singer from the village, was joined by Wynne Evans ( the tenor from the ‘Go Compare’ TV advertisement) & Nick Ransley to provide us with some classic opera performances. In minutes the guys had everyone eating out of their hands, and the mix of incredible music & sharp humour was intoxicating. There was not an inch to spare on the green, with children & adults, young & old, recognising many of the numbers & being enthralled by renditions they may not have heard before. The concert played for well over an hour & the entire audience was spellbound. Unsurprisingly, the closing drama of ‘Nessun Dorma’ thrilled the enthusiastic audience and this was rewarded with rapturous applause and a well deserved standing ovation. It was clear to see why each singer has such a strong reputation on the international opera scene & we were very lucky to have experienced their individual talents at this festival.

Once again the village had enjoyed a great weekend & spectacular festival. The annual event is run by the Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival Committee, & this small group of dedicated village volunteers once again created a major event in the village calendar. Their efforts are greatly appreciated & certainly enhance the character of this special seaside village. Well done to all.

Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival website:
http://www.milfordfestival.org.uk/

The Three Tenors:
http://www.colinjudson.co.uk/
http://www.wynneevans.co.uk/
http://www.nicholasransley.com/

Naughty night at Bon Appetit

Christina is again running a ‘Sweet & Savoury Crepe Evening’ at Bon Appetit Creperie, our very own taste of France, in the High Street, Milford on Sea. 22nd July 6-9pm which proved so popular during Food Week Why not treat yourself to a continental crepe with a wide selection of sweet or savoury fillings. Great as a different kind of evening meal, or a 'naughty but nice' treat after dinner! Please feel free to bring your own drinks & make a complete night of it!

Local Produce on Show

Our local village gardeners & growers are enthusiastically preparing for the Milford on Sea Flower and Produce Show on July 17th. The show will take place in the Church Hall with classes for both adults & children. Free schedules are available from Gwen’s. If you would like to make any entries, be quick, as registration closes in a couple of days. Entry forms are also available from Gwen’s.

The show will include competition classes for flowers, home grown or homemade produce, handicrafts & photography. There will also be tea and a raffle. The event will be open from 2.30 to 4.30pm & admission is 50p at the door. Come & join in the fun.

New Children´s Choir

The Total Voice Children's Contemporary Choir will launch on Wednesday 8th September 2010 in the brand new Milford on Sea Community Centre. 

The choir will meet weekly during term time between 5.30pm and 6.30pm and is open to children between the ages of eight and eleven. Featuring fun vocal warm-ups, musical games and a range of fantastic contemporary songs, the choir is a great way for children to boost their confidence, enjoy themselves and make lots of new friends. 

The cost is £2.50 per session. Please call Christine on 07826 748625 if you are keen for your child to get involved. 

Total Voice website: www.totalvoice.co.uk/childrens-choir.php

Notes from Milford on Sea Community Event Organisers Meeting

Meeting: Thursday 24th June 2010

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The ‘Community Event Organisers Meeting’ was an informal gathering of people involved in running community events across the village. The purpose was to have a discussion on ways we may be able to share resources & help each other to make life a bit easier! Over 30 ‘organisers’ attended & although the meeting had no formal agenda, the floor were soon discussing a number of ideas that could benefit all of the individual organisers & the village community as a whole.

It is not planned to make this ‘another organisation’, it is purely an occasional forum to share ideas & resources to support each other. Indeed the ongoing independence of each individual event is paramount. As we all know there are a lot of excellent community events run across the village & we all applaud the expert way in which they are each organised. They are a major reason our village is so special. It was stressed by the chair that any plans made must not damage the unique ‘village character & atmosphere’ we all enjoy so much. The ideas discussed are noted below, as are the initial plans to move the ideas forward.

Thank you to David & Christine at Westover Hall Hotel for kindly hosting the meeting.

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1. Community Directory. Featuring: Community Event Organisers, Village Club Leaders & Community Support Service Contacts. It was felt that it would be very useful to have a central directory of ‘who’s who’ in community activities. Often it would be handy to chat with someone to utilise their experience & expertise. A ‘Milford on Sea Directory’ is already available from the Parish Council Office & this contains lots of this information.

Community Directory Plan: The plan is to enhance the information available in the Parish Council ‘Milford on Sea Directory’ & to make it available to everybody online. This will be done by adding further organisations, club, village classes etc. together with e-mail contact information. To do so we will identify the key contacts in all event organisations, clubs, classes & village support services. The list will then be provide online for everyone to view, & also offered to the Parish Council to add any additional information to their directory. Gathering the information may take some time, but with support from everybody this could become another valuable source of information.

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2. Village Equipment Directory: Many event organisers & clubs have equipment they use for their own events which may also be useful for other to loan. It was agreed that we would see how this could best be achieved.

Village Equipment Directory Plan: Events & clubs will be invited to add a list of the equipment they are prepared to loan to other groups. This list will then be available online with a ‘suitable & fair loan system’. Milford on Sea Food Week are planning to purchase an ‘A Board’ to use on the green & ‘Raffle Ticket/Programme Seller Stand’ which will be available to all. It is planned to gather all of the relevant information over the coming months.

Thought would also be given to ideas to improve signage in the village for promoting events that are happening. We were all in agreement that any signage must be totally sympathetic to the village character & atmosphere.

Village Equipment Store: The Community Centre kindly offered to try & find some space to store ‘community available equipment’, or alternatively people can advise where the equipment can be collected from. Storage space is at a premium in the Community Centre, but the team was confident they would find a suitable solution.

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3. Village Volunteer Register: It was evident that every event could do with an extra hand or two. The support required is often only for a couple of hours or so, but people are unsure how to get involved. New members would also be welcome on most organising committees. It was also felt worthwhile to identify people who have particular expertise, knowledge or skills that can be utilised for practical support or advice. (Such as: Food Hygiene Certificate Holders, First Aiders, Risk Assessment Experts, Raffle Ticket Sellers, etc.)

Village Volunteer Register Plan: The plan is to build a ‘Volunteers Register’ where local people can put their names, together with the volunteering time & skills they are happy to make available. This will eventually be available online.

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4. Online Village Calendar: From a technical & practical point of view this is a big task. The village is already very well served with valuable information from Gwen’s, milfordonsea.com, milfordonsea.org, the Community Centre’s website, the ‘Village Voice’, Ruth Bufton’s Village Diary, the Church Office & the Parish Council Office. It is important that each keep their own activities going for their own audiences. The idea is to also have a central ‘Online Village Calendar’ where each organisation & club can display all of their own activities. If this could be achieved then it would keep more people in the village aware of what is happening & boost participation.

Online Village Calendar Plan: The plan is to identify a suitable online calendar tool & then to discuss with potential contributors (village events, clubs, classes & organisations) as to whether they would be willing to enter their own information on a regular basis. We are conscious that not everyone in the village use online services, but we would hope that we could design a printable version which could be easily downloaded & used or displayed by anyone. Ideally the current village business & community websites could also link to this community ‘Village Calendar’, giving everyone full information on everything that is happening.

________________________________________

5. New Village Events: The following potential future events were also discussed:

Milford on Sea Garden Festival: June 2011 (This will be a larger Bi-Annual Event based on the recent ‘Milford on Sea Garden Open Day’)

Anyone willing to help in the organisation of this new event please contact Jenny Spenser at jspenser@talktalk.net

Tel: 01590 644489

Village Community Committee Golden Jubilee Celebration: Plans are being made by the Village Community Committee for a Golden Jubilee Celebration in 2012. Once again anyone who would like to help or contribute to the events are invited to get in touch. Please contact: david@milfordonsea.org & I will pass your offer of help on.

Newcomers Supper: Ruth Bufton asked for all club & event organisers to provide her with what you do, together with an A4 Advert for forthcoming Newcomers Supper.

Ruth can be contacted at: ruth.bufton@tiscali.co.uk

Tel: 01590 641875

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6. Help & Volunteers: If anyone would like to offer help in any of the activities above, or would like to add their names to the ‘Volunteer Register’ please let me know at david@milfordonsea.org

So there you have it, lots to do! The process will take quite some time to gather all of the data & too then make it available online for everyone. The information gathering process will commence shortly & we hope to have support from everyone that is able to provide information or help. We will then identify the best way to make the information readily available to all. As previously mentioned, none of this will happen overnight, but we hope that in the coming months we can have everything in place.

If you have a list of people involved in: organising events, club leaders, organisers of village classes, or community support services, please send us your list of contacts now. Ideally we would like: Name - Organisation - Tel No. & E-Mail Addresses. (Please check people are happy to have their e-mails made available to other people before sending.) Please send your list to: david@milfordonsea.org

It is planned to hold further occasional Milford on Sea Community Event Organisers Meetings as & when people feel they may be of benefit.

Thanks again to all that contributed to the meeting & as we move forward with the plans we will be in touch again soon.

The Marine reveal opening plans

The Marine, located in a spectacular position on Milford on Sea seafront, is planning to open in the first couple of weeks of August. Having visited at various stages of the build it is evident that no compromises have been made to ensure that we will have a very special addition to our village. The new venue will contain a contemporary café-bar and fine dining restaurant. The Marine has three floors available for public use, all offering full table-service. On the ground floor will be a high quality, family friendly café during the day, which becomes an informal restaurant in the evening. There is also a small function room at the rear of the building which is ideal for private dining or corporate meeting use. There will also be three external patio areas which will provide additional seating. On the first floor there is a fine dining restaurant & dining balcony, both offering unrivalled views across the Solent & Christchurch Bay. Finally there is a roof terrace with unique panoramic views offering a weather-dependent al fresco dining experience. It is also planned for this space to be used for occasional BBQs & themed food offerings.

This landmark art deco styled building will be managed by a highly professional and experienced management team, headed by local man and catering professional, Marcus de Kaldam as General Manager, and Frank Eckermann, a Michelin Trained Chef who has worked in Michelin Star restaurants in both France and Germany. The proprietor and developer is Richard Thompson, who has been a resident of Milford on Sea for the past 10 years.

The Marine is hoping to attract local people & holidaying families who love to dine out. In order to retain a high quality image for this beach-side business they will have a dress code that will be applied throughout the premises. Background music will be provided to complement the dining experience, together with occasional live entertainment events. Richard stressed that The Marine will be a dining venue and that the management are sensitive in ensuring that no part of the business becomes a nuisance to its neighbours or the general environment. To ensure this, The Marine will have a strict ‘Challenge 21’ policy in place when serving alcohol, & the management will reserve the right to refuse entry after 10pm.

Richard said; “I feel quite confident in stating that The Marine represents the biggest financial commitment to tourism and local employment that the village has seen for many years. At a time when unfortunately many shops and business premises in the village remain boarded up, due to lack of interest in risking financial investment, I am wholly committed to creating what could possibly be a flagship business that helps to keep Milford on Sea on the tourism map. He continues; “The new business will help to bring continued prosperity to the village, and be a real asset to the local community. It will help to encourage more visitors to Milford, and create more trade for the existing businesses. We greatly appreciate the positive feedback that we have received from the majority of the villagers and look forward to welcoming them to The Marine in the very near future.

So, after what seems like an eternity, The Marine is soon to be on the Milford on Sea dining map. At last we will be able to sit on the balcony enjoying a fine meal & taking in the glorious panoramic views. Surely this will be one of the most spectacular locations to eat in the UK. Get working on that menu Frank!

For more information contact: Richard Thompson | Tel: 01590 644369

richard@themarinerestaurant.co.uk | http://www.themarine.co.uk/

Local lad teams up with Elton John

Milford on Sea born Murray James has appeared as a support act at Elton John’s only UK concert this year. The concert performed to a sellout crowd at Watford FC’s Vicarage Road Stadium on Saturday 29 May 2010.

Murray James is actually a ‘stage name’ & he may be known better locally by his real name of James Billet. Now pursuing a career as a singer songwriter, Murray has now signed a recording contract & he is in the process of writing his debut album between the UK and the USA. Murray’s musical style is a mix of soul, blues and reggae inspired songs, with a distinct vocal style that defies his appearance. Having already supported names such as Amy Macdonald, Candi Staton, Natalie Imbruglia and Joe Purdy, we hope that this is the start of a great musical career for one of our very own.

You can hear some of Murray James’s music here: www.myspace.com/murrayjamesmusic

French for a day

A beautiful sunny sky welcomed my Saturday morning & I was up bright and early to go shopping for my wife’s birthday BBQ on Sunday. Plans had been made for a run around the village shops & then a godforsaken trip to Tesco’s.

On checking the website’s ‘Whats On Diary’ I spotted there was a ‘French Market’ in Christchurch. My wife was still in her blissful beauty sleep (takes a little bit more time these days) & she was unaware I now had a new plan. As she awoke from her slumbers, she stumbled bleary eyed into the lounge. I was sitting in a blue & white striped top with nonchalantly placed beret, reading an old copy of ‘Le Figaro’. I greeted her with a cheery ‘bonjour madame’. It is always hard to hear anything she mumbles before her second morning cup of tea, but she did manage a brief ‘idiot’ in my direction.

Whilst my wife reconstructed herself for the day, I sat reminiscing of 2007 & the time we emigrated to Deauville in France. It all came flooding back; my fluent pigeon French, our beachside home, friends visiting & of course the food markets. During our time in France I considered applying for French residency & a French passport. My wife insisted that I could not do this, as we hadn’t actually emigrated, but just had an extravagant six week holiday.

My wife then appeared resplendent in a new summer outfit from her magic wardrobe that contains ‘nothing to wear’, mumbling that she had decided to join me on my market trip. ‘Ah, that’s nice, you want us to go together’. ‘Not really’ she explained, ‘The last time you went to a French market you came back with some unidentifiable fish, some goose gizzards & a book in French neither of us could read’.

On the way over to Christchurch my wife was still in the grunting phase before normal conversation had been rediscovered from the second cup of tea kicking in. This did not however prevent a number of large ‘tuts’ relating to my driving. I commented that I could not understand how I used to drive up to 30,000 miles a year without her help, but from the blow I received to my arm I think she felt I was being sarcastic. As I awaited further driving instructions, I mused as to why the French do not have their own words for things like ‘au pair’, ‘saboteur’ or ‘eclair? My wife looked at me & simply said; ‘vous êtes un imbécile’, which I believe means ‘You are so clever’.

The French market was worth the effort, although small, it was perfectly formed. First stop was the cheese stall. As we tasted the cheese offered for ‘degustation’ I chatted in French to the stallholder, but he did not appear to fully understand me. I guessed that it must have been the ‘Northern French brogue’ I had acquired. My wife thought it was more likely because I made most of the words up & just added a silly accent. I hate to admit it, but she may be right. So I decided to just shout.

After purchasing our French cheeses, we then enjoyed the aroma & colourful displays from the stalls overflowing with fresh fruit, olives, meats & pates, there were also large ‘paella style’ pans offering hot garlic prawns & other Gallic concoctions. The hot crepes stall looked irresistible as my wife dragged me past, saying ‘oh no, you don’t want one of those’. I think it is wonderful how she always knows what I don’t want, when I actually think I do. Le Boulanger had a great trailer with three fully active bread ovens baking baguettes, loaves and croissants. My wife then imposed yet another ban, as I was instructed that ‘we don’t want any cakes from the Patisserie stall’. Blimey, she’d done it again, I thought I did want some, but somehow she knew I really thought that I didn’t.

By now I was getting slightly distressed as to who knew better what I wanted, & that she was winning. My wife then amazed me by deciding she wanted to buy some loose Breton biscuits. It was quite painful watching her putting occasional single biscuits in a bag, so I showed her how to do it properly by adding lots of biscuits by the handful. I think it ended up a little more expensive than she had imagined.

Before we left, my wife ‘needed’ to buy some shoes. (To go with the other few hundred pairs she already has.) I considered saying ‘you don’t want any shoes’, but I knew I would lose that one before I even started. ‘Wait here & don’t move’ I was instructed. Of course, as soon as she entered the shop I immediately disappeared. As she returned from her ‘essential shoe mission’ I was exactly where I had been instructed to stay, but it did not go unnoticed that I was just enjoying the last mouthful of a tasty hot crepe.

Before returning to the village to get our BBQ steaks, sausages, and some extra stuff, I was informed that we had to pop into Sainsbury’s to get some bits we couldn’t get in the village. Oh no, I hate supermarket shopping.

After patiently following my wife around some strange aisles, I got my customary chastising for wanting to take a bit of time looking at the different wines. Then, wine unread, we went to the till. I have to be honest supermarket shopping is one of my least favourite activities, but what is worse is queuing at the till, what is even worse is getting out of crowded supermarket car parks. The particular Sainsbury’s were we in had decided to have their car park designed by a Hungarian of the name of Erno Rubik, & he had managed to make it even more complicated to escape than his cube. Lucky it wasn’t really hot, - oh yes it was!

On returning home our lunch took us back to our life in Deauville, as we tucked into a fresh baguette, creamy goat’s cheese, ripe camembert & Normandy brie. I thought a glass or two of Dows vintage port would be a perfect accompaniment. ‘You will be asleep by 3pm’ my wife advised. ‘Not me’ I said.  To round off a perfect lunch I settled to watch the afternoon’s World Cup match.  I was delighted to prove her wrong by being awake at 3pm for the kick off, - but I did sleep through the second half though!

Free parking going at last!

Congratulations must go to our local New Forest District Council on their recent decision to remove the current free winter parking in the Lymington Quay car park from the 1st November to the end of February.

Milford on Sea beach & cliff car parks have not been mentioned, but it would be remiss of them not to include us as well. How they have previously missed this opportunity to increase revenue in this way is not explained, but we are pleased that they have got there in the end. Perhaps in the past, car parking charges did not apply during this period to encourage people to visit the village? The problem with this, is that it results in more people visiting & spending money, but of course these additional people can make the village look untidy.

Our village centre car park already happily charges all year round and it is clever how all of the village pay machines do not give change, which we are pleased to say squeezes extra cash from people who have not arrived with the correct coinage. To ensure that this over payment is a regular occurrence I love the way they cleverly apply different charges in various car park just to ensure that you can’t remember which change to bring. I particularly commend the wag at the council who included the statement on the pay machine instructions which says; ‘Overpayment Accepted’, that’s funny, very funny. Giving official permission to overpay could perhaps also be included on council tax & utility bills then we can all make our own extra little donations on a more regular basis.

It is unclear whether our glorious district councillors have yet spotted that we still have some free parking remaining in the High Street & we now look forward to the introduction of parking bay machines & more signs to enhance the quaint character of our village.

Some local motorists may say that they already pay road tax, fuel duty & council tax, but they are missing the point, just because you pay to drive, you shouldn’t expect to also be able to enjoy the places you visit. The council will now be able to derive additional benefits should they be successful in ensuring people avoid the village, as there are substantial additional hidden savings to be made in the reduction of road maintenance & cleaning costs.

Some may ask why we charge for parking in the village centre car park when people want to pop in to visit the shops. The giants of Tesco & the like mistakenly provide free parking because they believe that charging is a significant deterrent to shoppers, little do they know that our council know a lot more than they do. In my years of running multimillion pound businesses I obviously missed out on the benefits to be made by making it difficult for customers to buy from us.

Disappointingly, the ‘park & ride’ plan we never suggested has been shelved as the bus company could not afford the parking charges to allow people to get on & off. Our further suggestion of a ‘roulette park & ride’, where everyone had to jump on & off a moving bus, has also unfortunately been rejected by our friends at ‘health & safety’.

To help the council coffers Milford on Sea Food Week did it’s bit by bringing crowds into the village during a normally quiet April week. Thankfully our local council did not just accept the additional car parking income, but also supplied a team of traffic wardens to ensure that any parking offenders got a parking ticket. We of course also paid for the road to be closed for the Food Market. We are not sure how much extra the council made from the event but with a bit of luck it was more than the donation that Food Week made to the Community Centre.

When I was explaining the car park situation to my wife she wondered what would happen when the village is full of empty shops & the council have lost the council tax revenue paid by the shopkeepers. I of course have a simple solution, they can then double the car parking charges. The slow death of traditional High Street’s is often blamed on the supermarkets, but my wife reckons the council are actually doing a better job of getting rid of independent shopkeepers than the ‘big boys’.

A council spokesman was quoted in the Daily Echo as saying: “We’re looking at making charges applicable throughout the year because we are maintaining the car parks throughout the winter and are not receiving any income.” My wife suspects that ‘Mr council spokesman’ may be using maintenance as a bit of a red herring. I am guessing that if my wife could be bothered to have a conversation with the councillors responsible for this decision she would say; “No mate, your increase in revenue is not as important as the survival of our village centre’. If he had any sense he would not argue with her & just do as she says, I have many bruises to prove not agreeing is both futile & often painful. Just a thought, can someone tell me what significant ‘maintenance’ there is for a car park?! How about we maintain the car park? We have around 40 shops, if each contributed five pounds a week that would raise two hundred pounds weekly, and I reckon we could remove any weeds & keep the white lines lovely for that amount. My wife has suggested ‘Free two hour parking permits for residents’ to make it as easy as possible for everyone to support our village shops, but what would she know, she’s just a girl who can’t park properly anyway. Have you any idea how many extra people would shop in the village with that plan, and the additional wear & tear this would cause to our pavements!

Some cynics may say that the council now thinks of itself as a business, and may have forgotten that they are public servants, there to provide and support services for the community. Fortunately the district councillors that voted for this decision appear not to have taken into account the livelihood of our local shops, as of course a few extra quid in the councils pocket is much more important. It is always a pleasure to see our council demonstrate their commercial acumen and we can only applaud their ability to focus on raising revenue to fund critical projects like the numerous twelve foot signs along the seafront warning us that there is no lifeguard & that getting in the sea may make you wet, resurfacing the High Street in a nice sandy colour and spending one hundred & forty five thousand pounds on an essential luxury toilet block refurbishment in Keyhaven car park.

Whilst it is gratifying to witness the council maximising revenue through stealth taxes, I do not personally think these additional car parking charges go far enough. So I have another idea. It seems a little unfair that some people use the village centre pavements a bit more than others, so I think anyone stopping or walking slower than two miles an hour on the pavement should incur a charge of £1 per minute. To save costs, the collection can be made by the shop keepers as they can easily spot offenders, & of course the council are helping to ensure they are not wasting their time serving customers by keeping drivers out of the village.

An insider tells me of further council plans afoot to make the main road in & out of Milford on Sea a Toll Road, and also to tarmac the village green to make way for an industrial incinerator where can all empty our own rubbish bins. The removal of refuse collection lorries visiting the village will reduce carbon emissions & little old Milford can really do its bit to save the planet. Now all we need is a plan of what to do with the old shops once the council has emptied them.

Milford on Sea Village Open Gardens

A large variety of private gardens will be open across Milford on Sea village on Sunday 13th June & everyone is welcome. The pupils at Milford on Sea Pre-School will also be showing off their green fingered efforts with plants grown most from seeds & buckets of flowers, they have also made scarecrows & constructed windmills to give the garden even more colour & interest. Selected gardens will be serving tea & cake. If you would like to make a visit you can get a ticket in advance from Gwens or from the Village Green on the day. The five pound tickets gives you entry to all of the 15 to 20 village gardens which will be open & transport between the gardens is also available. The event has been organised by Milford Gardeners Club.

http://www.milfordgardenersclub.co.uk/

Milford on Sea Club looking to Help the Heroes

The Milford on Sea club is running a Help For Heroes Fundraising Night on Saturday 26th June. The club are aiming to raise around £10,000 for the 'Help For Heroes' charity & are hoping that members bring plenty of guests to enjoy the fun. The evening will be free for members, with a £1 charity box donations for members guests. The evening entertainment will be opened by State Trumpeters from The Blues and Royals, followed by burlesque dancers, wartime act, and a late night disco. Food will be served from an army style kitchen offering a curry and a BBQ. There will also be a Super Draw, a Raffle, and an Auction with an opportunity to bid for donated gifts, including a day out at Chewton Glen and a power boat racing experience. For more information please contact Mark Ketchen on 07967 547639

Martin off to World Cup

Martin Scott, from our local estate agents Murray & Hayward, is of on an all-expenses-paid five day trip to watch England take part in the World Cup. His trip to South Africa is courtesy of the prize draw he won at Everton Hyundai Garage, and includes two tickets to watch England take on Slovenia on the 23rd June 2010.

In spite of my offer to accompany him he has decided to take his friend Rob Crouch. Let’s hope they have a great time & see our team progress in style. Everton Hyundai Garage website:
http://www.evertonhyundai.co.uk/