Chatbox

Stuart- I'm sad that you feel that way! However the overwhelming feedback from the other 700 ish people would dispute your opinion!
If you have any positive comment on how it could have been better then the volunteer group would be glad take it on board for next year!
Nb I love figs

Great day at Audlem Festival. Disappointed to read Mr Lawton's comment. The event was well received by the 300/400 or so people that attended during the day. Great event to support the village and get younger groups involved. But some people are just happy moaning!!

Festival was about as well received and interesting as an article about figs

I think trying to be considerate of villagers feelings is one reason and possible litigation a smaller consideration.

Just want to say congratulations and well done to all those involved in the festival at the Marina yesterday. Thanks to all the volunteers , especially the bar staff who worked their socks off – good to see so many youngsters helping out.

From reading the contents of today's article. – a better title might have been "Brief Encounter".

Well done to Overwater and all the volunteers who made the music festival a success. Great bands and a lovely atmosphere that was enjoyed by many. Cheers!

I agree with you Peter (rather rare I know)
It's sadly become WOKElum online. What's happened to free speech?

Hi all we have had two peacocks appear in our field the last couple of days if anyone is missing some. Please give me a call on 07512 142399

I took the article as tongue-in-cheek but humour doesn't always seem obvious.

Can anyone recommend a reliable roofer, one with experience of working with lead? Fatigue cracks in a lead valley in our roof is causing leaks and we'd like to get things repaired before winter. Here's hoping.

I have been taught that if something is too good to be true, then it usually is!!
It could be a scam! I know the team at AOL are savvy about things like this, but PLEASE check it out very carefully before responding to it!

Right on both counts Peter. I've just had a post blocked, although the editor did have the courtesy to offer an explanation (with which I disagree – but never mind). It's all a bit capricious if you ask me, which you probably won't.
Will we all be able to come and sit around your smokeless fire come winter and hopefully roast our chestnuts? Maybe we could even stage some combative debate from regular chatbox protagonists for your entertainment.
On topic, it's worth remembering that the government allowed the Rough gas storage facility to close in 2017 following their decision not to subsidise the maintenance and upgrades needed to keep the site going. It provided 70 % of our gas storage capacity. We now have 4-5 days storage capacity. Critics at the time warned that the shutdown of the North Sea site would leave the UK exposed to the volatility of the global gas market, and forced to compete with other nations to attract imports with sky-high prices. And of course the writing was already on the wall about their ambitions with Russia's annexation of Crimea. There's no effective strategic planning, it's all about short term cost saving. Well we're paying for it now.

Britain, thanks to a lack of adequate potty training for previous PMs, now finds itself importing electricity via undersea cables from France (nuclear) and Norway (hydro) which is fine until a two year shortage of snow in Norway means that their dams are running low and that they may not be able to fulfil the contract, force majeure clause. Then the front runner to be our next Prime Minister, slighted President Macron last night in a public debate in Devon and one is forced to the conclusion that a dim PM will result in dim lights. Or have I got it wrong?

How sad that as soon as anything, even slightly controversial scrapes into Chatbox, the editorial team crush it, in the interests of what precisely? A neighbour recently commented, as our dogs examined their respective canine rears (better strike that Ed.) that Chatbox had become anodyne and uninteresting, whereas it had once been vibrant and sometimes even combative. Anyway, I have just ordered an early supply of smokeless fuel, having discovered it is far more efficient than coal, from our local coal dealer as the price goes up at month end. Stay warm this winter, otherwise you may not live long enough to witness the end of the world, global warming, or Putin!

The lights ain't working as of 12:00 Friday

Bob, your entry is worth 10 out of 10.

Can anyone recommend a carpet cleaning company please

One question; 'How Long'? I don't mean, how long are they, I mean, how long are they going to be there? Put it another way. How long are they going to be there for no apparent reason? If there were work people working there, fair enough but..the only work people I've seen are the people who put the damn things up then beggerd off. (7 weeks and counting)
While I'm here; If you have to stop in your car by my house because of the unnecessary things; can you turn your sound system up a bit more please? I can't quite hear what 'Dizzy 50p Rascal Cent' is shouting at the start of his "Same As All My Other Songs" at 1: 34AM. Many thanks.

Perhaps the Web Team could co opt Adrian Davies to mark our submissions for literary standards . Obviously this is more important than the message people are trying their best to get over to the readers .Oh to be a literary genius. Is this submission worth 8 out of 10 ?

a huge thanks to Sue for sharing her old photos of the Combermere. Whilst I don't remember the buildings on the (now) car park, I do just about remember her grandparents ! The buildings that are now gone were compulsory purchase by the Council in the 1950's for "road widening" – which I don't think actually ever took place. One of the buildings was a tea room run by my Great Aunty Dos Williams and her husband, Stan Williams. They also occasionally took in lodgers (a school mistress at one point) . Great Uncle Stan was the eldest of George William's children (previous owner of Williams of Audlem ). Like all his brothers, he was more interested in driving, and mechanics, than shop work. He owned (?) drove a coal lorry – but was noticeable by his white plimsols that he always wore driving it ! Next door to the tea room, there was also Turner's Grocers – which then became Fielding's. There was a garage and petrol pumps where the fire station now stands, accessed from the left side of the Combermere. The U.S. soldiers used to fill up their jeeps there during the War. When all the building were pulled down the owners were paid a pittance by the Council, and were told that they were fortunate not to be charged the demolition fees ! So forgive me if I feel that my family may have some 'aboriginal rights' over the Combermere cark park ! This information is largely taken from notes from conversations with (the late) Jean Minshall a few years ago – I would be really interested if any of the present village elders could collaborate, and /or expand on these details. I'm especially interested to know who owned the garage (not to be confused with Moseley's which was further do the street) ?

Hi Sue I remember Charlie and Francis well . Dare I ask are your mum and dad still around ? I'm sure you often visited the pub as a little girl

Thank you for your offer of help Steve. I've had a number of responses messaged privately and I hope I'm now organised to go through them. It's great that the village reads these messages, especially in sentimental circumstances such as this.

Hi Nicola, Joe Bell is a local mechanic and should be able to look into this for you. His number is 07578285937 to get in touch.

Louise,

There are two ways to get safely from Audlem to Hankelow via the A529. Turn off the footpath and enter into Corbrook Nursing Home. Go through onto the driveway, past the automatic entrance gates and turn first right down past the gardener's tool shed on the right and come to iron railings leaving the nursing home. There is a gate entrance into the field. Continue down the field passing a septic tank on your right and you will arrive via wooden gate and side gate to the A529. The side gate is the only access to the A529 to Hankelow.
The other way is to continue to the entrance of the nursing home past a wooden bench and go down stone steps which leads to a pathway in a wooded area next to the A529. You will gain access then to the A529.
However when I walk the dog I have found the best way is via the field as it is only a short walk to join the footpath to Hankelow thus safer to negotiate.
Please be aware this is not a right of way and all gates must be shut properly to ensure farm livestock in this case sheep and lambs are unable to gain access to the A529 and the nursing home. Dogs must be on leads when entering and leaving the Nursing Home.
Walkers/dogs are allowed to use these pathways thanks to the generosity of the owners of the Nursing Home as they are not rights of way.
Bikes are not permitted unless visiting residents