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The Clitheroe < The paper-that champions the Ribble V a l l e y cause


vertiser an imes Thursday, April 29th, 1999. No; 5,886 • Price 47p M ' i& i i


TIC’S FREE TEA AND iiscuns


Tarmac is fined £12,500 for a lapse in employee safety.


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The countdown begins to the most interesting elections in the history of the borough council.


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Councillors turn down a controver­ sial plan to convert a village pub into a house.


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A Bowland teacher is awarded a presti­ gious fellowship.


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Anguish turns to joy for an unem­ ployed man af ter the council returns his stray pet.


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Two men who admitted conspira­ cy to rob in an hor­ rific armed incident are jailed for 12 years.


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FOGGITT’S WEEKEND WEATHER: A northerly wind


will keep dry and sunny weather feel­ ing cool.


CALLUS


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E.mail: Editorial.eastlancs news@btlnternet.com


A LOTTERY grant of £637,988 will enable a 17th Century Ribble Valley farmstead to become a major recre­ ational and environ­


mental centre. Bids for cash to help


develop Clitheroe Castle and the sports complexes at Edisford and a t Whalley


refurbish Stephen Park, a Grade I I listed farmstead picturesquely situated in the middle of Gisburn For­ est, was seen as fitting the criteria calling for schemes to expand people's personal and social skills.


have been turned down. But one to completely


TIM PROCTER REPORTS However, the two years'


work needed to obtain the money has had little to do with this area - for the North West Water-owned complex, on a Forestry Commission estate, is leased by Knowsley Council for Voluntary Service. I t took over the farm and


for other uses such as envi­ ronmental displays and lec­ tures. Altogether there will be sleeping accommodation for 35 people, singly and in varied-size dormitories. Linda Walker, chief offi­


barns from the previous tenants, another Mersey­ side group which had run holidays for young people there. They led to a cata­ logue of complaints about vandalism and nuisance and the use lapsed - the premises have been unoccu­ pied for more than two years, guarded by special security measures. The Knowsley Council


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for Voluntary Service runs two large buildings in its area, providing accommo­ dation for several dozen charity organisations. But the plan to develop Stephen Park is much more ambi­ tious, and will be carried through with great care - par ts of the complex go back 350 years, and all the work will have to reflect this and the sensitive forest location. Several organisa­ tions, including the Build­ ings at Risk Trust, will be advising. The large barn will be


turned into a conference centre, with smaller rooms


cer of Knowsley Council for Voluntary Service, empha­ sised this week th a t, although there will be a hol­ iday and recreation aspect to the farmstead, there will also be a range of important environmental uses. "The conversion work


will take some time - and contractors in your area will be able to bid for it," she emphasised. The complex will be open


to everyone, not just Knowsley people, subject to supervision requirements being met at all times. Many plans have had to


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PUPILS and staff at St Augustine's RC High School, Billington, enter­ tained one of their most important overseas visitors ever on Tuesday. The British Council


selected the school as one to be toured by Monsignor Camille Zeydan, general secretary of Roman Catholic education in the Lebanon.


be submitted to the Nation­ al Lottery Charities Board as part of the bid, but fur­ ther work will be required for planning, listed building and building regulation applications. I t is not yet clear how


long the formalities and then the major refurbish' ment will take. The property is a few


miles from the Stocks Board House, which is being renovated by North West Water for similar, but unconnected, use.


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prised to find thnt nearly half the population there are Christians," said St Augus­ tine's headteacher, Mr Anthony McNamara. "Msgr Zeydan is visiting


"Most of us were sur­


Britain to study the way denominational schools can


work effectively within the state system - naturally we were honoured that we were chosen to help show this.


Meeting'and talking with him wash very pleasing and mind-broadening experience


for us all." Msgr Zeydan spent time


in lessons and also asked and indeed answered n lot of questions. He was especially interested in the curriculum for geography, which he used to teach. "We were all impressed by his excellent English,


William Hague pays flying visit today to boost election hopes


TH E Conservative P a r ty leader William Hague will visit local school- children and election candidates during a flying visit to the Ribble Valley today. Mr Hague will be greeted by local MP


Nigel Evans when he flies in by helicopter to the Moorcock Inn, Waddington, at 3- 50 p.m., before visiting a group of staff and senior pupils a t Ribblesdale High


School, where he will stay for an hour. Conservative Party members and elec­


tion candidates will also be given the chance to speak to their leader about the forthcoming local elections at Clitheroe


Conservative Club. I t is expected that Mr Hague will give a


rousing speech to his troops in an area that is being closely monitored by the media. O Election countdown - page 9.


Whalley centre car park shocker


TRADERS, general practitioners and Whalley residents have expressed serious concerns over Whitbread's threat to withdraw the Whalley Arms car park from


public use. The brewery wrote to Ribble Val­


ley Borough Council last week warn­ ing of its intention, because, it claims, its business is suffering. Residents and business owners fear that with parking spaces already at a premium in the village, the move could spell chaos for Whalley. Chamber of Trade chairman


Coun. Joyce Holgate (pictured), speaking in a personal capacity, said: "This is a real problem that must be resolved. If Ribble Valley Borough Council is unable to negotiate an agreement with the brewery, alterna­ tive arrangements must be made. Whalley must have central car park­ ing facilities otherwise chaos will pre­ vail." The Chamber of Trade is prepar­


are well used by visitors and resi­ dents. A meeting is planned between its representatives, Whitbread's and Whalley parish councillors in May. Whitbread's offered to re-lease the


ing a formal response. The car park has some 50 spaces, most of which


car park to the borough council when the existing agreement ran out with Whitbread's two years ago. But the Chamber of Trade and parish coun­


cil said it was unacceptable for the borough council to implement park­ ing charges and the lease was not


renewed.A Whitbread's spokesman said: "The car park has been used openly by commuters, shoppers and people using the health centre for the last two years and it has now got to the


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stage where even the landlord of the pub cannot park. We appreciate parking is a major problem in the area, but it is not down to Whit­ bread's to solve it. Our responsibility is to look after our customers and


staff." Whalley Medical Centre manager


Mrs Joan Lee warned: "The effects for traders and ourselves could be catastrophic. We are a rural area and most of our patients have to travel in by car. If there is no parking the whole place could come to a stand­ still. There just isn't anywhere else for people to park. I can understand the brewery's point of view. They are a1 business after all. But shouldn't they have a social conscience as well?" Borough council chief engineer Mr


Graham Jagger said: "We did have negotiations to buy the lease, but the problem was our ability to fund the lease payments. We said it should be funded from income derived from car parking charges, but that was not acceptable to people in Whalley.” (280499/1/16) Picture Colin Horne


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Three local men make an appearance in court on Stonyhurst College indecency charges


- : by Tim Procter


EVERYBODY at Stony­ hurst College was adopt­ ing a "business as usual" approach this week after a media barrage about indecent assault charges.


The former headmaster of St The. former headmaster of St


M a ry 's H all p re p a ra to ry school, Roderick O'Brien, (56) faces six charges of indecent a s sau lt between September 1972 and June last year. His trial will be a t Preston Crown Court later this year. The allegations put to five men in court a t Blackburn on


Thursday date back to 1977, and m . to b .ck to lSO T .an d


some go back to 1971. The defendants appeared in


separate hearings, and were allowed bail until committal pro- ceedings to Preston Crown Court, which will take place in


June. Those charged are a former


head of St Mary's Hall, Rae


Massive Lottery windfall for new


activity centre Grant of £637.988 on the way


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Lawrence Carter (68), of Bleas- dale Avenue, Clitheroe, one charge from 1972; a one time priest at Stonyhurst, John James Pearson (87), of Winckley Square, Preston, two charges from 1973; John Richard Steel (75), of Copthorn Common, West Sussex, nine charges relat­ ing to five different individuals


Carter (68),.of Btau-


on dates between 1971 and 1977; currently suspended Stonyhurst College teacher Raymond Turn­ er (64), of Smithy Row, Hurst Green, three charges against the same boy between 1972 and 1977; and Anthony John (56), of Brennand Street, Clitheroe, a former music teacher, one charge


from 1976. Officers dealing with the cases


ask anyone who would like to speak to them to ring 01772 410544. Further arrests have been


expected all week - in the mean­ time, both detectives and the col­ lege continue to emphasise that there is no evidence of current pupils being at risk.


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Farmer's wife speaks out as crisis


hits families


A HILL farmer's wife has hit hut at the dam­ aging effects the indus­ try crisis is having on the wives and children of those working the


land. Speaking in the wake of


the Archbishop of York's m tsm m w a®®! ;


visit to the Ribble Valley, when he listened to the problems affecting farmers and the industry as a whole, Mrs Christine Scott, of Lamb Hill Farm, Slaid- burn, said th a t although suicide and depression rates among farmers were well known, little was known or asked about how their fami­ lies coped with the repercus­ sions of the crisis. Mrs Scott, who put her


views to the Archbishop, commented: "I have been to two Samaritans' meetings through the WI and no one


| seems to ask how we are coping with it. "As a wife and mother, I


am sure I am not alone in saying we are working longer and longer hours or working away to make ends meet." The sheep and hill farm­


f


ing business run by herself and her husband, Alan, has been scaled down by 50% as a result of industry prob­ lems. She said: "Children are also being deprived of holi­ days or time together.”' Mrs Scott commented


that Euro bureaucracy and red tape had led to a recipe of anger, frustration and stress which had affected normal family life. She said: "The wife and mother, by nature, tries to protect her family from this by putting on a brave face, but at what cost?


"How many are there out


there feeling this way? And what can be done? 8 Full dclnils of the Arch­


bishop's Ribble Valley visit on page 6.


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