Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


Model conditions’ council enforcement brings closure of popular kennels


by Vivien Meath


A LEADING kennels propri­ etor is closing his business after nearly 25 years due to Ribble Valley Borough Coun­ cil's strict enforcement of new


recommended conditions. ; Mr Richard Birtwistle, of Dud-


lands Kennels and Cattery, Gisbum, 4ays he would have to spend £160,000 on new premises to comply with the Institute of Environmental Health's "model conditions". * His dogs are currently individually kennelled within a large bam and are exercised over his farmland three times


a day. His decision to close has resulted in


more than 300 telephone calls to loyal customers who have booked with him over coming months - many having Used the facility for two decades. In 1996, Ribble Valley Borough


tions for dog and cat boarding estab­


lishments. The previous guidelines dated back


to 1963. Councillors agreed that existing ken­


nels and catteries within 30% of the model size requirement standards for combined sleeping and exercise areas be deemed to comply with the conditions until major refurbishment or rebuilding was required. All those not meeting the standards should be required to carry out improvements to meet them during an agreed phased programme by 2001. The council agreed that the previous


the imposition of conditions which have not been adopted by many neigh­ bouring authorities. Mr Birtwistle is closing his premises,


Mrs Pat'Taylor, speaking on behalf


between Gisburn and Sawley, off the A59, on May 18th. He obtained plan­ ning permission to convert the barn, currently utilised as kennels, in order to finance the building of the new pur­ pose-built kennels and cattery. With an estimated building cost of £160,000, his accountant has advised him that the expense is not justified. He will be placing his own farmhouse


option of providing exercise for dogs by lead walking only be removed and that an individual exercise run should be provided for each kennel. During almost 25 years as a kennel


home on the market. "Regrettably, after almost 25 years,


Council adopted the 1995 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health's Animal Boarding model licence condi­


proprietor, Mr Birtwistle has gained an excellent reputation for dedication to the animals left in his care and is highly thought of by others in the trade. Within hours of his initial telephone falls to customers, the Clitheroe Adver­ tiser and Times received a number of telephone calls from some, expressing disquiet that one of the area's largest premises was having to close because of


I C o l t f r o m b l u e ; - a s P r i d e o f W h a l l e y


g i v e s b i r t h


THIS is the latest addition to Whalley's Swan Hotel Racing Syndicate's family - and who knows he could be the next


Red Rum. ; Pictured here, a t the tender age of two days old, the young thoroughbred is already winning over local hearts a t the friendly local. • When landlord and syndicate organiser Captain Harry Barlow led a delegation of syndicate members out to see the young colt, it was his four-year-old grand-daughter the wobbly baby took to.


1 "He seemed a little frightened of the rest of us, but he went straight over to her. She said he was just Bamb3i," said Capt. Barlow.


like 1, saiu vjiipu Wrtuun 1 __________________ ____________ ________ ■ • 5r im a r y s c h o o l p u p i l s a r e a l l i n t o p f o rm ........ iii111 iL n I " ! I iU i -J— jff-ffifft-r—1 — r- 1 'i ■


I have had to call it a day," says Mr Birtwistle, whose kennels currently have capacity for 40 dogs and 22 cats, making Dudlands one of the largest premises in the area. "Every dog I take in needs one hour


of the Ribblo Valley Kennels Associa­ tion, a group set up when the "model kennel conditions" were first mooted, said the current situation was "a night­


mare”. ■ "The good kennels in the area haven't.


got room for the extra animals. The Ribble Valley has responsibje kennel owners who formed a committee and now we feel responsible. We are nearly demented, but what can we do? "The Institute of Environmental


Birtwistle. "They have been let down


by Ribble Valley Borough Council." Mrs Taylor stressed that the new


spent with it each day. Unfortunately, I will be making my two girls redun­ dant. The council has given me permis­ sion to run the kennels until the year 2004, but I do not believe that you can run a business that needs a total com­ mitment, such as this, with a finite end


to it."


Health took thousands of pounds off the value of our kennels. They have made it a rule that when people are car­ rying out searches, it has to go through the Environmental Health Officers. People like Richard would not be able to sell their kennels as a going concern because potential customers would be told that the premises are not operat­ ing under "model conditions". “He is held in very high regard. The


conditions could lead to pitfalls. Irre­ sponsible kennel proprietors would have the capacity to double up in sum­ mer. "I am convinced that this has something to do with rabies. If we have an outbreak, we have facilities paid for by the private sector, ready and wait­ ing. We even have to have different sized muzzles on the premises and suit­ able dog catching devices. "If these conditions were being


imposed across the country, I could understand it, but they are not. I t is left to the individual authority. "Running a kennels is about good


vets will all take their dogs to him. What do Environmental Health Offi­ cers know about the care of animals?"- Mrs Taylor emphasised that no cus­


tomer of Dudlands should think that they had been let down by Mr


animal husbandry. It is about patting them, loving them, checking them, being responsible, making sure they are happy and feeding them the best of food, preferably what they have at home. The council thinks Dudlands is dark and that it does not have outside runs. The dogs there are exercised out­ side, in open country, three times daily. Some of these conditions don't make sense."


G o - a h e a d i s l i k e l y s o o n f o r s u p e r s t o r e


SAINSBURY'S could get the go-ahead for its


Clitheroe store in the next few weeks. Members of Ribble Val- company want to come


ley Borough Council'3 Planning and Develop­ ment Committee recom­ mended a t their recent meeting that Chief Execu­ tive Mr David Morris should be granted the power to approve the appli­ cation, subject to various legal formalities, regarding car parking. He will also have to wait for the Secre­ tary of State's decision, but the time limit for this runs out soon. ■


back to us about changing the opening times we should let them." Commenting on Sains-


ed that permission for the new supermarket should be subject to 14 conditions, some of which are of a rou­ tine nature. One condition was that


Councillors have accept­


bury's plans for Clitheroe, Coun. Stephen Sutcliffe (Ribblesdale) said: "There are upsides and downsides with all large develop­ ments, but I am happy with the proposals for parking and other facilities. "The store will provide great benefit for the town."


nUiLsKaa b o o r i .p u t b a c k t o G - aZm r to eC aU s e Of5r e l e v a n t ‘


no deliveries should be made before 7 a.m., but


'8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Coun. Derek Waller


information backing this proposal being submitted to the council. Another suggests th a t retailing hours should be kept from


(Gisburn) commented: "The retailing hours seem


to be more restrictive than other supermarkets,


including Tesco, which is open until 9 p.m. some evenings. Is it not reason­ able that we insist that the opening hours should be the same as Tesco's? We should be willing to accept


this." . Ribble Valley Mayor


MP’s surgery


A DROP-IN surgery will be hosted by Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans tomorrow. No appointments are


EARING up for Millennium appearances a "University Challenge" are the Ribble alley's own top-of- the-form youngsters. Teams of four from primary schools Edis-


,rd, Pendle, St Michael and St John’s, Barrow, hatburn, Slaidburn, Waddington and West


Bradford, plus St Mary's, Sabden, brainboxed it out in a general knowledge quiz, organised by Clitheroe's Tesco store. In the battle of minds with computer equip­


John's was second, with the Slaidbum team in third place.


Questions were compiled and posed by ■


ment vouchers at stake, the Waddington and West Bradford team was victorious. Competition host school St Michael and St


Tesco's Mrs Julie Woodhead, centre in our pic­ ture, with help from colleague Mrs Sara Tom­ linson (left) and customer service manager Mr


Jerry Cottrell. (240498/19/15)


necessary, so borough vot­ ers who wish to air prob­ lems or who need advice can meet Mr Evans between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the offices of Ribble Val­ ley Conservative Associa­ tion, Railway View, Clitheroe.


U n d e r s t a r t e r ’s o r d e r f o r t h e i n t - t o - p o i n t


run- up to Gisburn races The annual point-to-


point is due to take place on Saturday - despite exceptionally heavy rain­


fall for much of the month, the Westby Hall


course was in quite good condition earlier this


week. Pendle Forest and.


Craven Hunt officials are hoping that whatever the weather today, tomorrow or on Saturday, the event will not be jeopardised in


anyway. But the ground will be


on the soft side of good. A new main sponsor,


Hillendale Land Rovers, of Colne, has come forward for thi3 year. ■ .


Ltd, main 1997 sponsor, is -t.who'won the 1996 Aintree still supporting the event and there are also contri­ butions from a wide vari­ ety of local companies. There are thanks to them and to "hosts” Mr and Mrs R. Townson from the


But Abbey Hospitals organisers. out. .. .-rv- - * ;


a t .t . eye3 have been on the skies this week in the Entries are described as


"quite good", and all the


usual car parking, catering and other arrangements


are well in hand. The afternoon is the


-Whitby, a gelding trained at' Waddington by Chris-


nearest steeplechasing gets to this area and it opens with the members' race, where entries include


. tine Billington. I t ran well in the Land Rover final at Towcester last week. Other, runners could


Coun. Mrs Jenny Grimes (Billington) added: "If the


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Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, April 30th, 1998 19


MP’s personal crusade in cancer battle


A PERSONAL crusade has become a public one. for Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans, who has joined a Commons all-party committee to fight


cancer. I ts agenda is to pressurise the Government into


resourcing research into the disease. Said Mr Evans: "I believe that more parliamentary


resources ought to be ploughed into the light against this condition, which affects so many families. , "I have personally been touched by cancer as my father ; died of it and recently, my brother had an operation to remove a malignant tumour." He added: "I am proud to be a member of this new


group and trust it will be able to bring pressure to bear to ensure that cancer is prioritised by the Government."


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