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It Black Horae'


Clitheroe 01200 426919 Whalley 01254 823719


A ATA GLANCE


Anniversary cele­ brations to mark the founding of Sawley Abbey 850 years ago will transport both it and its namesake village back to medieval times this weekend.


— — page 2


■ Clitheroe history in : time for the Millen- ■ nium is the task ’ Sarah Robinson has set herself.


Compiling 100 years-worth of


^ ^ H ^ p a g e 4


, Until recently, Aus- • tralian Mrs Maria ; Frossinakis was | more used to dodg- ' ing bouncing walla- ' bies on a dirt track "Down Under"


; than helping ■ youngsters cross a Ribble Valley road. page 16


■ Clitheroe Town ' Council is planning


; light procession to launch a pro­ gramme of events to celebrate the new Millennium. page 7


a spectacular torch-


FOGGITT’S WEEKEND WEATHER:


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There is a good outlook for the weekend. It will be fair and a little


The Clitheroe


dvertiser and 1 imes r r


Castle replaces pipework after Cemfuel leaks


THERE has been a response this week to questions over the safety of some of Castle Cement’s plant and the levels of thallium going through its process. Campaigner Mrs Mary Homer raised both ■


points at a full meeting of Ribble Valley Bor­ ough Council, and we reported her com­ ments on our front page last week. She said that allegations had been made —


without revealing by whom—that some Cem­ fuel pipework and storage tanks were danger­ ously corroded. She suggested that inadequate­ ly qualified welders had done some work. Mrs Horner also referred to the amount of


tions would be looked into. This week, Castle Cement emphasised that


work on piping systems and associated plant was carried out by fully-trained personnel. It has told the Environment Agency that work is in hand to prevent further minor leaks in the Cemfuel feed system at its works. The agency had asked what it was doing to prevent a recur­


rence.


when the company stopped burning Cemfuel to allow pipework in the fuel storage area to be


The first steps were taken at the weekend, ■ replaced.


thallium going into the kilns and quoted med­ ical figures about safety levels. Community Committee chairman Coun. Gra­ ham Sowter assured Mrs Homer that the ques­


General manager Mr Ian Sutheran said: Over recent months, pipework on the storage instal­ lation has gradually been upgraded, using materials with an expected life of a number of years. After recent leaks we have decided to use stainless steel pipe to ensure the integrity of the


.


system.” The company has no comment on any alleged problem about storage tanks themselves. A spokesman for the Environment Agency told us that, whatever the amount of thallium going into the kilns as part of the raw material, only a tiny and insignificant amount came out. Read­ ings taken by specialised air quality equipment during part of the period mentioned by Mrs Homer gave a figure for thallium of .007 mil­ ligrams per cubic metre. The agency could not comment on health-related matters, but did not regard the amount as of any importance. Castle Cement said: “The figure is just seven


per cent of the maximum allowed,” and repeat­ ed that almost all the material going into the kiln was absorbed into the clinker and did not get into the atmosphere.


nightmare could cost


Village parking by Tim Procter


URGENT car park­ ing needs in “tourist honeypot” Whalley and historic and pic­ turesque Ribchester could cost anything up to half a million


expensive to buy — but grants rather than local council taxpayers will probably foot the


pounds to meet! Land in both places is


majority of the bill. As always, some residents are keen to see problems solved, but others feel that the more parking there is the more tourists will dis­ turb what is, after all, their home environment. Members of the council’s


scheme. Cost figures are quoted, but officials point out that they could well have gone up by the time there is any action on the ground.. The report points out that


parking reflects the wider use of land, and social change, with tourists trav­ elling by car to visit areas


through the village. But in order to do this a large car park site would have to be found. In the past, small sites within the village envelope have been looked at, but this is not a practi­ cable solution.” The only, available place


Planning and Develop­ ment Committee will dis­ cuss officers’ ideas about solving bottleneck, jammed sideroads and main road crawls at their meeting tonight. A report recommends


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Major changes for quarry sites


COUNCILLORS are being recommended to approve major planning applications sub­ mitted by Castle Cement about its Lane- head, Bold Venture and Bellman Quarries. Very large amounts of -


For Lanehead, the offi­


detailed work and consul­ tation have been under­ taken by the company and then the county’s planning officials to sort out the details of just what can be allowed, and under what conditions. A special meeting of the


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cials say that modified conditions of working which are part of the appli­ cation secure substantial improvements to the con­ trols on working practices. There has been some con­


county’s Development Control Committee on Monday will discuss what has been described as one of the most com­ plex issues i t has dealt with in recent years. The company has applied for Interim Development Orders to extend and regu­ late the workings at Lane- head and Bold Venture, and for permission to re­ activate Bellman, and councillors are recom­ mended to approve the applications.


Lives at risk on


CLITHEROE Mayor John McGowan is appealing to the pub­ lic to back his campaign for a long­ term solution to a dangerous foot­ bridge saga._______ _______


by Sheila Nixon


cern — expressed this week by several people locally— that the long-term effects of the work, coupled with deeper digging out applied for at the Tarmac quarry, may be hard if not impos­ sible to judge at the moment. But the report to council­


lors says: “The concerns of local residents, expressed in their representations and through local councils, have been addressed so far as is possible under the provisions of the legisla­ tion.” ^Continued on page 19.


at Riverside, Low Moor, is falling apart, and Coun. McGowan is concerned about his search, so far unsuccessful, for the owner or any group willing to accept responsibility for long-term mainte­


Spring Bridge, which crosses the Ribble


nance. The Mayor, who has already been given


the backing of Clitheroe Town Council, warned: “The structure on the underside of the bridge is in such a dangerous state that lives could be lost if nothing is done.” He told the Advertiser and Times this


us she used to regularly walk across the bridge in her youth. We are also appealing for photographs showing it in former times. Anyone who can help us is asked to go along to the town hall or contact me.” Coun. McGowan, of Whitewell Drive,


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Clitheroe, is also appealing for local gov­ ernment money and private funding to provide an estimated £9,000 needed for


the repairs. He said that, so far, Lancashire County


Council was asking for proof that the foot­ bridge was on the definitive map as a right of way before the matter could progress


any further. The bridge, which links Low Moor with a


week that the public could help by first proving that the bridge had been a right of


way over many years. “We need people to come forward with


evidence that the bridge has been used for between 20 and 30 years — or more,” he said. “One lady in her 80s has already told


back lane to Waddington, is currently used extensively by walkers and children. Others local councillors have highlighted the repair problem — coupled with the ownership mystery — at various times over the past 10 years. However, Coun. McGowan launched a new campaign to solve the problem “once


and for all” at the end of last year, when he raised the matter in both the Ribble Valley Borough Council and town council chambers. • Continued on page 19.


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them to put together a five-year major spending plan, which will form the basis to bid for money under the capital challenge


where the residents them­ selves also own many cars. The planners emphasise tha t major housing or other developments can alter long-standing situa­ tions. For instance, the problem of parking in Whalley will be worsened when Calderstones Hospi­ tal is re-developed,, creat­ ing a substantial amount of extra traffic. Officials say frankly: “The ideal solution would be to limit the amount of on­ street car parking to enable the free flow of traffic


big enough and close enough to the centre is the open space off Accrington Road. A housebuilder has first refusal for it, but it is outside the settlement boundary so there may be room for negotiation on any buying price. However, the £175,000 cost of a 50- space area which was quot­ ed last year may be too low, hints the report. Ribchester has on occa­


with residents’ cars, leav­ ing little for visitors. Attempts to add to the 80- space council park have been frustrated by land values, highway issues and “problems associated with the archeological history of the area.” The report says that the wish in the village is for a 150-car site outside its boundary. But a more real­ istic number would be 50 to 60, with access off Church Street. Most of the larger villages


A friendly welcome for oui#| Chernobyl children J


CHILDREN visiting the Ribble Val- Whalley youngsters made their Russian le yW O h em oW a ™


welcome at one of their first outings, „ ties'and little Olga Avseeva (10),is pic- to Whalley CE School. ,


, tured, here showing some Russian


Language barriers came tumbling down artistry. (CAT-12406.) - there was no real need for words as the ■ For full story see page 20.


HEATWAVE HAS BARBECUE FIRM’S PROFITS SIZZLING!


sions been “closed off” because there are so many cars there, bringing people attracted by its various features. The majority of village streets are lined


, on the council about park­ ing, and the report details the current situation in them. There are ongoing discussions in several for joint public house/public use areas but only when sufficient funding is avail­ able can officer time on negotiations be justified.


in the Ribble Valley are putting resident pressure


THE hot weather of mid and later summer has put turnover of a Clitheroe-based com­ pany up by more than


a quarter. The 50-strong team at Bar-Be-Quick have had to work overtime to cope with the extra demand for barbecue sets sparked


off by the weather. About 4,000 outlets all over the country stock the firm’s products, which have been developed over the years. They include low- priced instant dispoable, sets and the more tradi­


I


tional permanent ones. Somewhat unusually, the


company has revealed its on-going sales performance — so far this year it has topped the £6.15m mark, against £4.88m at the same point last year.


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