The Barnes Bugle

New deli for Barnes?

barnesbugle — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:21:33 +0000

Certainly seems that way. The old T Cowell butchers next to Barnes Fisheries at the bottom of Silksworth Lane is apparently going to be a posh deli called the Bishops Pantry. There’s even a Facebook group you can join.

They say it’ll be a:

Socially minded, non profit organisation, one stop artisan delicatessen with traditional values, practioners of forgotten methods and bespoke service.

And their favourite quote is:

Lets face it there’s nothing particulary inspiring about opening kithchen cupboards stacked with the weeks supermarket shop, personally i yearn for the luxury of a walk-in pantry just like my grandmothers. A place of intrigue and wonder, full of promise and possibility. This isn’t just nostalgia a well stacked pantry makes us think about food in a new light

All sounds good to Bugle – check out their pics on Facebook – my belly’s rumbling already!

Pssst… wanna buy a post office?

barnesbugle — Sun, 22 May 2011 16:32:39 +0000

For sale: One Post Office, barely used, one careful owner.

The Post Office on Barnes Park Road/Ormonde Street is for sale, and for just £99,950 it could be yours. The Bugle was quite tempted, but given the turn-over’s just £64,000 (and presumably you need to employ some staff out of that) we’re not sure it’s that much of a money-spinner.

That said, we wouldn’t want to see it close, so hopefully someone will take the plunge and breathe some life into it. With the Spar just round the corner, there’s probably not much scope for retail sales, but someone out there might have a bright idea. We hope so!

Barnes Park re-opens – our photos

barnesbugle — Sat, 21 May 2011 16:25:31 +0000

Barnes Park Re-opens, a set on Flickr.

Well, it was just as well the World didn’t end today, as all this work would have been wasted… Barnes Park was packed today, with loads of people from Barnes and beyond checking out our park’s makeover, making new friends and taking in the atmosphere. Check out the Bugle’s photos, and – of course – let us know what you think of our new-look park!

Today’s the day we get our park back…

barnesbugle — Fri, 20 May 2011 22:40:08 +0000

From 12noon today, Barnes Park will be open again. As we reported some weeks ago, our local park re-opens to the public today, and the fun goes on til 4pm (though the park stays open after that!)

Just to whet your appetite, here’s a pic of the park 25 years ago, from the excellent BBC Domesday site.

Providing the weather’s okay, the Bugle’s planning to head down to the park, so we might see you there – race you for the swings!

Changes to local bus services – will they have you beaming?*

barnesbugle — Thu, 12 May 2011 18:59:32 +0000

Go North East have announced some changes to some bus services which pass through Barnes. They don’t affect us much, but the Bugle thought they might prove of interest to someone out there.

The Laser (or the number 35 in old money) currently runs from South Shields to Sunderland then on into Barnes, past the hospital and the park, before heading up Silksworth Lane and ending up in either Houghton or Low Moorsley. The evening services run on to South Hetton, and on Sundays some journeys end up in Peterlee (though you have to admit, if you were heading from Shields to Peterlee, it’s not how you’d drive it!). From 29th May, this will change, and weekday services will all end up at the Rainton Bridge business park. I guess that’s good news for people in Barnes who might work there or consider a job there. Evening services will continue to serve South Hetton, but due to Durham County Council cuts, the Sunday services to Peterlee will stop.

Two new services are being introduced from the same date, both of which will serve Barnes. The ‘Fast Cats’ X36 (Who thinks of these names? Can the Bugle have some of whatever Go North East are having?) will run from Sunderland, via the hospital to Houghton, Hetton-le-Hole and Low Moorsley. The ‘Fast Cats’ X37 will run direct to Houghton (not via the hospital) then on to Hetton Downs, Hetton-le-Hole and Low Moorsley. Good news for Doxford International workers in Barnes is that both services will serve Doxford Monday-Friday at peak times. Each of the new services will run once an hour and will combine with the existing ‘Fast Cats’ X35 to provide 4 fast buses an hour between Sunderland, Barnes, Doxford Park, and Houghton, evenly spaced at 15 minute intervals. There’ll be some minor changes to the X35 timetable starting on the same day (29th May)

There are no changes to the other Go North East services in our area. Full details of the changes to the 35, and the new services, are on the Go North East website here.

*Laser… Beaming, geddit?!?

Chippy’s new look gets thumbs up from council

barnesbugle — Sun, 08 May 2011 06:53:08 +0000

We wrote last month about Merrill’s planning application for a new-look store front. If you remember, Merrills, who trade from 133 Chester Road, wanted to install a new glazed shop front in black aluminium, displaying a trendy new logo. They were also taking the opportunity to expand to the rear, and had applied to the council for planning permission for the changes.

No objections to the application were made, and the Council have approved it, noting that “a modern, branded shop front… would undoubtedly improve the existing fascia”.

Good to see a long-standing local business doing well and investing in the area

Ye olde Barnes (or should that be Barns?)

barnesbugle — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:14:51 +0000

From a map in the Pottery Gallery at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens:

Barnes Votes 2011: It’s Martin – by a whisker!

barnesbugle — Thu, 05 May 2011 23:10:38 +0000

Barnes ward result just in – and Coun Lee Martin has held his seat for the Conservatives by a whisker. Less than 100 votes separated the man who just last year stood to be our local MP and his Labour challenger, Rebecca Atkinson. The Lib Dems trailed in third.

Full result:

Lee Martin, Local Conservatives : 1,989

Rebecca Atkinson, Labour Party : 1,896

Anthony Usher, Liberal Democrats: 170

That means Coun Martin gets another four years at the Civic Centre as our local representative. Congratulations to him, commiserations to Rebecca and Anthony; and thanks to all three of them for putting themselves forward to represent our community.

Barnes Votes 2011 : Election Day!

barnesbugle — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:01:39 +0000

Election 2011 is all over bar the voting, and that happens from 7am until 10pm today.

Over the last few weeks, the Bugle has brought you statements from all three candidates seeking to be our next local councillor. If you’re still undecided, have a read here:

All that’s left for you to do now is to find your way to the Polling Station. To aid you in your task, here’s the Bugle’s quick guide to Barnes Polling Stations:

The Wavendon Public House, Wavendon Crescent (this definitely wins our prize for best polling station location – a ballot paper, a pint and a bag of dry roasted. Nice, and an improvement on the portakabin or van we usually get!)
Barnes Junior School (entrance from Wycliffe Road)
Humbledon Methodist Church, Ettrick Grove
St Nicholas Church, Haver Hall, Silksworth Lane
West Community Association, Chester Road

You don’t need a polling card to vote (though obviously it might help you work out which of the above is your polling station!). Apparently, the count happens from 10pm tonight at the Puma Centre on Silksworth Lane, and the BBC expect Sunderland to be one of the first councils to declare their results, at around 11.30pm – so we should know who our new voice at the Civic Centre is pretty quickly. The Bugle will bring you the news as we get it.

Craft Fair this Saturday

barnesbugle — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:26:42 +0000

Ewesley Road Methodist Church present their Craft Fair, this Saturday (7th May) from 10am until 1pm.

Attractions include:

Coffee and biscuits
Preserves
Jewellery
Sugarcraft
Home Baking
Cards
Light lunches served throughout.

The Bugle might just see you there. (we’ll be the one hanging out by the home baking…. Mmm…. home baking….)