8 Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, October 18th, 1090


Advertising feature by Tony Thorpe


Simonstone Hotel’s £70,000 facelift


GIVEN a man with a wealth of experience' in organising functions, who not only man­ ages to fu’lfil a lifelong ambition of get­ ting into the licensing trade, but does it in a property he’s dearly wanted to acquire for more than 30 years, wouldn’t you be pre­ pared to bet that he’d stop at nothing to make a go of it?


of comments, visits, and telephone calls from local people, all offering encour­ agement and support for the venture, and a location in the heart of some of our most wonderful country­ side, you have the mak­ ings, nay, the promise, of a very desirable and well- patronised watering hole indeed.


Add to that a tidal wave


and the watering hole is the Simonstone Hotel, Simonstone Lane, Simon­ stone — so good they named it thrice!


The man is Ramon Bell,


FRIENDLINESS pm-sonified - landlord Ramon Bell amid the ■ comfori and atmosphere of the hotel’s neiv bar


THE SIMONSTONE HOTEL » NOW OPEN


Re fu rb ish ed to a h ig h s ta n d a rd , o f fe r in g sp a c io u s a n d lu x u r io u s e a t in g a n d d r in k in g facilities.


A w a rm , f r ien d ly an d w e lcom in g a tm o sp h e re is


com p lem en ted b y th e in tro d u c t io n o f trad itio n a l ales a n d h om e co o k ed food.


F u n c tio n facilities, e n su i te a c com m o d a tio n a n d a f lo o d lit Bowling G re en a re available.


For Personal Service contact the Proprietor, Mr. Ramon Bell.


NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK.


Simonstone Lane, Simonstone. TELEPHONE: 0282 72424.


number of calls I’ve had from people who used to frequent the pub in the past,” he said.


“I’ve been amazed at the


First, that all those old customers will come flood­ ing back in droves, and second, that it must have been quite some place when it was on form.


That says two things.


V . H AW O R TH & CO .


JZourt Interiors.^


Makers of fine quality bedlinen, curtains and blinds


Classic designs for your home by qualified makers of window furnishings. Choose


from a wide range of fabrics and silks in your ownhome, including:-


Colin & Heys, Monkwell and Hardy's Free estimates and design


Lower Mill, St. Mary's Way, Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 8EL. Tel (0706) 210265 Chartered Accountants


1 /3 STANLEY STREET, ACCRINGTON, BB5 6PD


TEL: (0254) 3 2 5 2 1 /2 /3 FAX No. (0254) 8 7 2 4 5 9


msrjsrA A A Y A mfl*TACT (Best wishes to


(Mr and tMrs ‘Bed in their new venture


FARNWORTHS SOLICITORS


Richard W. Farnworth LL.B. Paul J. Smith LL.B.


BRITAIN’S BEST LOVED BITTER


36a Manchester Road, Burnley BB11 1HJ


Tel: (0282) 415515 DX 23872


We would like to take this opportunity to wish the


Simonstone Hotel every success in the


future. Dinoplan Ltd. T/A C E L 0D(ESS'


Unit 4, Trinity Row, Irwell Street, Salford, M3 5EB. Telephone: 061 835 1351/0706 861566


We specialise in pub, club and office re-furbishments and have a


full design service available.


Free estimates undertaken and Fair Trades approved


We would like this opportunity to wish the


Simonstone Hotel all the best in the future.


DWD Stone Clean


Tel: (0254) 888247 or 883712 (24 hr Service)


56 Station Road. Rlshton. Lancashire


Industrial and Domestic Contracts undertaken Professionals in High Pressure Wafer Cleaning Credit facilities available


We were pleased to restore the "Simonstone Hotel's” Stonework by high pressure water -


cleaning; and we would like to take this opportunity of wishing Mr Ramon Bell every success In the future.


(10 tons)


Wish Ray all the best for the future


'Telephone:


0282 - 72404 or 0836 - 698496


Instttlition


A.R.W. Skips Services Simonstone


JBTA


A . S


THE smartly-dressed and welcoming exterior of the newly-refurbished Simonstone Hotel, Simonstone Lane


WREN S HORTICULTURAL SUPPLIERS


Distributors of displays in dried and silk floral


artwork to the Trade. All work carried out meets the Fire Protection Standard.


We are pleased to have supplied through


our network "The Simonstone Hotel" and wish them every success in the future.


WREN'S WAREHOUSE


Dryden Street Padiham • Tel: 0282 75177 Open: 8-5 Mon-Sat • 9-5 Sun


the h o te l , s i tu a te d between Rossendale and the Ribble and Pendle val­ leys, handy for the motor­ way link, and well-placed for nearby industrial developments, from Tet­ ley’s brewery, and it was a very popular pub and function venue once before.


Mr Bell recently bought


Bell, "anyone who was anyone had their wedding reception at the Simi”, but things changed, and the place became so run down that it badly needed a face-lift.


just that — to the tune of £70,000 — and his fore­ sight has already been amply rewarded.


And Mr Bell has done In fact, according to Mr


form again. In fact, it’s on better form than at any time in its history.


Well, now the Simi is on


place has been redecorated inside and out, from fresh paint on the ceilings to new carpets on the Bool’s. The brand new bar, which opened on Monday, still sells good old Tetley’s beers, but they’ve been augmented with tradi­ tional hand-pulled pints.


been replaced and the hotel’s letting accommoda­ tion, which will be ready for guests by mid-No­ vember, has been rede­ signed to provide alost entirely “en suite” accom­ modation.


All the old furniture has


tion suite has been rebuilt and refurbished, and even


The once famous func­ For starters, the whole


has been mowed back into working order —and floodlit!


ig


Simi’s policy on food. The entire kitchens have been upgraded, as has the bill of fare, and once things are really “cooking” (and that’ll be within the next couple of weeks) the hotel will feature a comprehen­ sive menu, seven days a week, including superb traditional-style country cooking to go with the Simi’s superb traditional country-style setting.


Equally new is the


is due to open shortly and it will be used as a restau- rant/dining room, com­ plete with its own tradi- tional-ale-equipped bar.


The new function suite


lies will avail themselves of its culinary delights, particularly at weekends, but it will also accomodate


Mr Bell hopes that fami­


wedding receptions with buffet facilities available for up to 100 guests.


make the new Simi com­ fortable, atmospheric, and friendly, perfectly suited to those whose idea of a good evening out is to melt into a good pint, good food and good company in the right surroundings.


Mr Bell’s ambition is to


table and juke box-free zone!.


It is, therefore, a pool


asking, did Mr Bell have such a yen for the Simi in particular?


But why, you may be


lived in the area, on and off, for more than 30 years, and even when he lived in far-away Burnley he always went back to that area to socialise.


For one thing he has


He has spent many years organising functions


Clitheroe 22321, (Editorial), 22S2S (Advertising). Burnley 22331 (Classified) .


Moorland trail of death sets


hunt in motion


for Read village’s cricket and football clubs, and actally played for both!


may be Mr Bell’s first foray into the licensed trade but, with the hotel’s beautiful location, his deep-rooted desire to see the place blossom, and the enthusiasm of local people for a re-born Simi, it’s hard to see how it could possibly fail.


• The Simonstone Hotel


word: “ I am looking forward to settling down to a working operation in which my enthusiasm, and that of my staff, can best be directed to the benefit of our patrons.


To give him the last


nowhere I can go without someone commenting on how much they’re looking forward to the reopening.” Enough said. On! I got


“ I t seems th e re ’s


the last word after all. Sorry.


BIRD protection officers in the Forest of Bow- land are hunting senseless “human persecu­ tors” who have left a trail of death on the


hen harriers, their eggs and young have been des­ troyed in what has been described as the worst catalogue of slaughter of birds of prey in the North


heather moors. Peregrine falcons and


Warning to new arcade


operators THE new operators of the amusement arcade in King Street, Clitheroe, have been warned that they must stick rigidly to the conditions of their licence. A new licence for Chris


West in recent times. The birds belong to a


protected species and local police officers are also making inquiries. The man at the centre of


the investigation is Mi- Terry Pickford, the North West Bird Protection Group’s regional co-ordin-


ator, who is currently col­ lecting evidence and warns that the culprits must be found. He says the problem is


apparent in various parts of the Forest of Bowland, including the fells over­ looking Clitheroe, and he


believes that the slaughter c o u l d h a v e i n c l u d e d


liam Bowker (Chipping) warned that the licence would be revoked if the conditions were not kept. His remarks came follow­ ing past allegations about youngsters under Center­ ing the premises and prob­ lems of noise. Coun. John Cowgill


ing them n. The


(Clitheroe) noted that there had been no com­ plaints for some time and that the present operator a goo<


were shared by Coun. Bowker.


tance to under-18s would be strictly adhered to.


officer, Mr J. R. Dunn, presented them with a timetable for the work required to achieve the implementation date of January 1st, 1992.


COMPULSORY competi­ tive tendering for sports facilities in the Ribble Val­ ley will soon be here, members of the Ribble Valley Council’s Recre­ ation and Leisure Commit­ tee heard. Their chief technical


Here soon


Chris Thompson said the new operators were well experienced at running amusement arcades, hav­ ing similar operations in West Yorkshire, as well as on the East coast. It was an expanding family busi­ ness, with the eldest son, who was 25, ta k in g r e s p o n s i b i l i t y fo r Clitheroe. The policy of non-admit­


A representative hese views


Thompson and Sons, of Bridlington, to operate the arcade at 14-16 King Street has been approved by Ribble Valley Council’s Finance and General Pur­ poses Committee. Chairman Coun. Wil­


tected under the law and anyone killing them or destroying their eggs is committing a criminal offence,” he said. “We have built up a lot


walkers and other mem­ bers of the public to help bring the culprits to task.


of evidence and are appalled by what we have found. Nests have been raided, the young killed and the eggs destroyed. Bloodstains at the scenes of destruction also point to the fact that the adult birds have been shot and taken away.” He is now calling on fell


of fiereprine falcons and hen


made aware of this prob­ lem, which is dramatically reducing the number of


“ Everyone must be


in Blackpool, patrols the area regularly and came across the destruction dur, ing routine observation of known nesting pairs.


T a le s o f th e


NEW & RECONDITIONED CATERING EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS


Maintenance Service


ANDERSON’S CATERING & BAKERY EQUIPMENT


Surplus Equipment Bought Installations Carried Out


PARK VIEW WORKS, PARK VIEW, PADIHAM TELEPHONE: PADIHAM 72408/74211


Riv e r Bank By Martin James


Brian Christopher Leisure Ltd R , 3 Farrington Place, Burnley,


Suppliers of Gaming A Amusement Equipment


vL Lancashire BB11 5TY X/Ltd. Telephone: 0282 33356 Fax: 0282 30547


♦ V ♦


A.U Management and Staff tuish all the best to the


Simonstone Hotel


CLIFF LINGARD UPHOLSTERERS


Bridge Mill, Bridge Mill Road, Lomeshaye, Nelson TeL 0282 693362


Simonstone Hotel's Suppliers of the


upholstery ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖


"Staff and Management of Cliff Lingard ,


Upholsterers wish all the best fo r the future to Mr and Mrs Bell"


tial that the float can be easily seen at distances of up to 30 yards and over. Some anglers use floats which are completely hopeless for this sort of fishing — either so small that they are hard to see once past the


long, with a thick cork body and a large shot capacity — are, to my way of thinking, an absolute menace, their only use being in floodwater conditions when necessity of getting the bait down to the fish outweighs the needs of sensitivity. One of the biggest disadvantages with this type of


end of the rod or so big they can be seen 200 yards away. The typical Avon-style floats — eight to 12 inches


shoulder and, invariably, this results in a break just above the float. What is more, it is hard to set the hook.


float is the bulky body. The strike needed to contact a fish at, say, 20 yards, is a sweep of the rod over the


from the conventional orange, red and yellow, I find that black and white, used either separately or in combination of horizontal strips, are very useful. A plain black float is useful on the sort of day when a cold sun spreads its weak rays across the smooth


adjust mine until the bait is just tripping along the bottom. Tip-colouring is a matter for the individual. Apart


the weeds it is best to use a sliding float. If fixed float tackle is used, it is hard to get the line


Sliding float tackle helps to produce a far more accurate cast, as all the weight is at the end of the line. Rather more shot is needed to enable the line


between hook and float to enter cleanly into the oviP* ^


on5 tends to get hung up on the weeds.


to slide, through the rings and get the bait at fishing depth quickly. . •


- t •. ?


spears one finds in elder trees. Split the outer skin off, cut to size and push the shaped balsa stem through. Shape the body with fine sandpaper, add the eye and it is ready for painting and varnishing. Give six coats of varnish to avoid waterlogging. • When fishing the very narrow channels between


water is the balsa and elder-pith float. These combine extreme lightness with high shot-carrying capacity and are very sensitive to the slightest of bites. These floats are very easily made from the dead


water and turns it into a mirror. Black really shows up then. A type of float which is high up on my list for fast


ments, preferring to bunch it all together. The dis­ tance between shot and hook is of some importance I


to have these fast rivers running at a low level. Under these conditions a medium swan quill, or my own favourite, a quill and cork float carrying the equivalent^ eight BB shot, is ideal. I have never bothered much with shot arrange­


It does not take a long period of rain-free weather


streamer weed, laced only with narrow, free chan­ nels. Fish the leger in such a place and very quickly you become snagged up. A float handled correctly works its way down, presenting the bait in a natural manner to any fish which may be there. Long-trotting is a favourite method and it is essen­


art, trotting his tackle down the narrow swims between the streamer weed, his baited hook search­ ing out the likely fish-holding bumps and dips. How­ ever, this perfection cannot be attained without due regard and care to the choosing of suitable floats to suit conditions. Quite often in fast rivers the bed is full of thick


FAST-WATER float-fishing is a specialised technique which requires much practice to reach perfection. It is a joy to watch an angler who really knows his


tion Group was set up in 1967 under the auspices of the Nature Conservancy to offer protection to birds in the region and particu­ larly in the Forest of Bowland. Mr Pickford, who lives


of nesting birds and seven of them have failed to breed as a direct result of persecution by man. The public could help by reporting any suspicious act they might witness.” The North West Protec­


Bowland. In recent times these birds have been returning to the area to nest in increasing num­ bers, because the unspoilt heather moors of the area are their natural habitat. They nest in rocky out­ crops and some people wrongly believe they are a threat to game. “There'were eight pairs


uirriers in the Forest of


several newly-hatched birds from seven nests, plus several adult birds. “These birds are pro­


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