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EDITORIAL............... TEL CLITHEROE 22324 ADVERTISING..........TEL. CLITHEROE 22323 CLASSIFIED................. TEL. BURNLEY 22331


Clitheroe Advertiser and Times


THURSDAY, JULY 30th, 1987 No. 5,273 Price 22p


Man in charge of closure programme is determined to safeguard the welfare of residents and employees alike


WHAT does the future hold,for the area s two ’ ' mental hospitals . Brockhall (above) and Cal-


flerstones (below)? ,


AS the man faced with the job of eventually closing the area’s two mental hospitals set­ tles into his new role, his appointment has once again fired local speculation as to what will happen to the massive Brockhall and


HOSPITAL RUN-DOWN BLOW TO JOBS?


A special report by Alan Barnes


(Jalderstones sites. A holiday camp, leisure centre, even a high-secu-


rity prison . . . all have been rumoured uses for the two hospitals. But Scotsman Mr Jim


Abbott, whose job it is to co-ordinate the contraction and ultimate closure of the two sites, was adamant this week that there is no fact in any of the current rumours — although he is confident that one or both of the hospitals could well be used for educational purposes.


No doubt


sion, there is no doubt about one fact — the clo­ sure of the hospitals, between them the area’s biggest employer with a staff of 2,300, could have a devastating affect on the local economy if not planned ivith care. If the contraction plans


Whatever the final deci­


run to schedule, one of the two hospitals will close its doors within six or seven years.


ultimate closure of the remaining building.


hospitals’ unit general manager, was given the job in April of overseeing the co n tra c tio n p ro ­ gramme — “I don’t like the phrase run-down; it implies we are running and doing th in g s at speed,” he says — after 13 years as Chief Nursing Officer with the Black­ burn, Hyndburn and Rib- b le V a l le y H e a l th Authority. On the contrary, Mr


Mr Abbott (47), the The plan includes the


ately belives that the hospitals’ residents have a right to live as normal a life as possible in the com­ munity and is determined to achieve their resettle­ ment as smoothly as possible.


Rumours


Abbott is fully aware of the Implications of his task and that a great deal of sensitivity is involved. However, he passion­


future, he said: “I’ve heard rumours about the sites being used for prisons, schools, holiday camps and leisure centres, but I can quite clearly state that there is no fact in any of these rumours. The build­ ings could be used for many things, but I think their ideal use would be for educational purposes. “We’ve nothing to hide.


People hear rumours but we can only tell them what is fact and not fiction,” added Mr Abbott.


Sports centre action call ROEFIELD Barn is on the left, with the proposed sports hall in the centre and Ribbicsdale Pool to the right fmmvouRDKMms


\ k u x l i a l l B i^ e r


By design.


Better By far.


CLITHEROE sports enthusiasts are step­ ping up pressure on the Ribble Valley Council for a site at Roefield for a long- awaited £200,000-plus l e i s u r e c e n t r e


complex. Their message to the


council, says Mrs Doreen Euinton, chairman of the Ribble Valley Sports and Recreation Association, is: “Stop paying lip service only and produce some positive action.” While the council has


us the opportunity to use it.”


SHEILA NIXON


the mammoth fund-rais­ ing, but cannot get the off the ground


because the council has failed to hand over an agreed site, first ear­ marked six years ago. The council-owned site,


pondered the case over the last six years, local sports enthusiasts have had to face regular journeys of nine miles or more to use facilities at Longridge, Hyndburn and Burnley. “Some have even given


the council’s Recreation and Leisure Committee prepares to consider a let­


The statement comes as


ter from the association, calling for new moves. A decision is expected on September 1st.


behind the existing Roe- field Sports Barn, is cur­ rently used for storage purposes. Mrs Euinton says; “Councillors should re-site the equipment on this land and let us have the lease so that we can get on with the job. “Private enterprise is


up sport altogether and this has been an unneces­ sary waste of local talent,” said Mrs Euinton. She claims th a t the


association is eager to take on full responsibility for


Undeterred by Greek heatwave


DESPITE a soaring hea­ twave death toll in Greece, Clitheroe holidaymakers are continuing _ to fly out there in their droves. T emperatures have


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MAIN VAUXHALL- OPEL DEALERS FOR THE NIBBLE VALLEY


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been reaching 115F and a state of national emer­ gency has been declared, but no cancellations are r e p o r te d by e i th e r Althams Travel Service or Clitheroe Travel Agency. “It is a case of Hobson’s


council has so far not been able to find an alternative s i te to s to r e p a rk s equipment. But Coun. Mrs Myra


The snag is that the


slowly and we can appreci- a te th e a s so c ia t io n ’s frustration.” Deputy Planning Officer


O continued on page 7 As to the hospitals’


have a contraction plan em b ra c in g e x p e r t s ’ reports and recommenda­ tions on a number of important considerations.


By next January, he will


is obviously the welfare of the residents and their carefully achieved resett- l e m e n t i n t o t h e community.


Number one on the list


from the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Health Authority is to endeavour to resettle about 50 resi­ dents from each hospital per year, an achievable number in his view, with resettlement teams geared


Mr Abbott’s guideline


Telecom contract secures jobs


THE jobs of 75 employees at the Econ works in C li th e ro e have been secured, following the news that the firm has won a £110,000 order from British Telecom. Staff returning to work


on Monday after the holi­ days will begin immedia­ tely building 106 cable drum trailers for the giant concern. The work is seen as a


up to check on residents’ needs. “There’s a great deal of


sensitivity involved and the staff want to see the best for the residents,” he said. Another consideration


for Mr Abbott is the salea­ bility of .the sites after their closure. Specialists are now checking on the sites and will produce an estate control plan which will identify all the wards and departments, describ­ ing the conditions of buildings. Manpower is a vital con­


sideration during both • continued on page 3


PASSIONATE about his mission . . manager Mr Jim Abbott.


hospitals' unit


No gaming machines


Despite ‘last chance’ appeal


against Ribble Valley Borough Council’s refusal to gi-ant a per­ mit for two machines at the F and M Cafe in King Street, Preston Crown Court heard that


were the last chance to stop the business from collap ising


the machines


major coup for the firm in view of the depressed state of the agricultural machinei'y market. British Telecom places


missed the appeal by Mr James Foster, of Milton Avenue, Clitheroe, and Mr Anthony Murphy, of Peel Street, Clitheroe. The hearing was told


Judge David Pirie dis- sing.


up to 300 orders annually for these trailers and with such a large portion going to Clitheroe, the manage­ ment at Econ is hopeful that similar orders will be placed in future. Company chairman Mr


GAMING machines will not be allowed at a new Clitheroe amusement centre and cafe. During an appeal


into the venture and were not making any money.


tion, Mr Foster agreed that the gaming machines were their last chance to stop the business from collapsing. He added that if the


Under cross-examina­


to young i)eo])le. Dismissing the appeal,


permit were allowed, under 1 6 s would be banned from the premises and the machines parti­ tioned from the other games inside, in an ai’ea th a t could be closely supervised. Representing the coun­


that the premises opened three months ago and con­ tained six video games, two pool tables and snack bar. The original intention was to cater for young


Bill Lupton said that with­ out the contract things would have been bleak on the agricultural side


I continued on page 7


gone as well as the two men hoped. They hjid put between £5,000 and £6,000


people aged 14 to 18 years, because the owners felt there was nowhere for them to go in Clitheroe. The business had not


Clegg, chairman of the Recreation and Leisure Committee, has promised to give the matter full con­ sideration and says that every effort is being made to find an alternative site. “This council looks


the corner-stone of the present Government. Give


favourably on granting the lease, but unfortunately things are moving very


A blooming good show


THE green-fmgured residents of Whalley have done it again and won the Britain in Bloom Competition for the


success of two years ago and came top in


North West. They repeated their


the large village sec­ tion of the contest, o rgani s ed by the


THE FUN BUS SPECIAL


region’s tourist board. “We’re a b so lu te ly


thrilled to bits,” said Mrs Thelma Feather, chairman of the Whalley in Bloom Committee — organisers of a colourful display of hanging baskets, tubs, and windowsill boxes for vari­ ous strategic places in the village.


Feather was still await­ ing the judges’ written assessment of the village’s overall display, but was informed by telephone that special praise has gone to the warden and residents of Vale House sheltered housing for the elderly, for their beautiful gardens.


Earlier this week Mrs


that hanging baskets out­ side all the village shops and a newly-created gar­ den near the bus turn- round helped to sway the judges.


I t is also understood


choice; if people cancelled now, they would stand to lose a lot of money, but the fears do not seem to have put them off,” a spokesman for Althams said. After all the miserable


w e a th e r in England, Clitheroe people were just determined to get away now that the holidays are in full swing. Just back from Corfu,


girls. They boarded the fun bus to Longridge Sports Centre, a holiday special which


where tem p e ra tu re s soared to I20F, is Clith­ eroe resident Angela Tay­ lor, of Hillside Close. “We did not find the


USING up their holiday energy on the badminton courts are these Clitheroe


is once again proving a winner with children of all ages. The bus heads out to Longridge for sports fun from Clithcroe on Tuesday afternoons and from Whal-


Icy on Thursday mornings. In the picture are, left to right: Ruth Harrison (10), 'Victoria Valovin (10),


temperatures as daunting as'it might seem. Nobody burned, but then we did enjoy staying in the sea all day,” she said.


Rachel Clegg (13), Nicola Arkwright (10), Catherine Steer (10), Robyn Kilmis- tcr (9) and Judith Clegg (10).


* J Pictuires galore inside bn Pages 8 and 9


have now entered the competition on'three occa­ sions and won it twice, which is pretty good going by any standards.


Said Mrs Feather: “We


the judge sakl that either th e men had a 1w a y s intended to have gaming machines as an integral part of the business, or they had been incredibly naive and impractical in their approach to the whole matter.


cil, Mr Peter Openshaw argued that the premises were unsuitable for gam­ ing machines, which would be a hazard and a danger


tation in the months ahead for these men to allow these machines to be used by anyone because of the position the business is in,” he added. “There is a real prospect


“There must be a temp­


that these machines would not be properly controlled and not used solely by mature people.”


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