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Goring News July-August 2002

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Archive of previous News Items

22 Aug 02

South Downs National Park in 2006
We do not always agree with WSCC, but they have valid concerns about the proposed changes to the published SDNP management structure. The 46 members would be reduced to 25, and locally elected members reduced from 35 to 15. Worse - the membership may be nominated by the Secretary of State. The park represents 36% of the land in West Sussex.
(West Sussex Gazette 22 Aug 02)

Boy breaks back from Ferring jetty
Chris Siddall from Crawley has been praised by paramedics after he saved 21-year-old Toby Woolgar's life on the beach at near the Bluebird at Ferring. Toby apparently dived off the outfall jetty into three feet of water. Two guys on the jetty jumped in and dragged out the lifeless body. Chris gave him mouth-to-mouth while some other guys were giving him heart massage. After about two minutes he started breathing.
Chris trained with St John Ambulance, Sussex, about 15 years ago and he recently requalified for first-aid at work.
Toby was taken to Worthing Hospital where he was found to have broken his back in three places. His situation is serious.
(Argus 19/22 Aug 02)

Mayor bowls in the new nets
On Sunday the Mayor bowled the first cricket ball in the new cricket nets at Goring Street Rec. The nets were paid for partly from Sport England Lottery Fund, and by a number of other kind organisations.

Barbee Success
The Barbecue in the beautiful garden of Joyce Cooper in Ferring, jointly organised by the Ilex Conservation Group and the Ferring Conservation Group attracted over 50 residents of both parishes. It was beautiful weather, and besides excellent food there was a raffle and a name your price auction. An excellent evening.

Your Post Office may close
Seven out of the 22 post offices in West Worthing may close as part of the Consignia efforts to save money. Which ones we do not yet know.
(Argus 16 Aug 02)

Shoreham Airport as a proper airport?
Shoreham Airport has been highlighted as a possible gateway for about half a million passengers per year. Last year, Shoreham handled just 924 commercial passengers so the increase would be dramatic. This plan would help aleviate the problems of the increased numbers of passengers since any expansion at Gatwick has been ruled out as another runway cannot be built there until 2019.
On Saturday August 31 and Sunday, September 1 Shoreham's Royal Jubilee Battle of Britain air show will feature five hours of flying displays and an array of static aeroplanes. Gates open at 10am each day
(Argus 15 Aug 02)

15 Aug 02

Travellers at the Plantation
On the evening of Monday 12 August, 29 traveller's caravans drove onto the greensward just west of the Goring Plantation. They broke three locks to get in. WBC Legal department were still dealing with the travellers at Durrington Recreation Ground, and some of them came from there leaving quite a lot of mess. But normally the legal injunction forbids them going anywhere within the area for three months.
The travellers moved on at 4pm Thursday. Ironically the area in the Goring Gap was left much cleaner than the area east of the Plantation which had a number of rather messy barbecues that day.
They went from Goring to Littlehampton but were blocked by the Arun chief executive and council employees. Now they are back here at Palatine Park, stopping games, and causing nuisance.
Residents are warned never to buy anything at the door from these people. It always will end in tears.
(Worthing Herald 15/22 Aug 02)

Worthing on TV Coastal Ways
Friday 9 August on Meridian TV, featured Worthing, with good pictures of Goring beach and the Sea Lane Cafe. Nicely done in the laid back style Jin Flegg does so well. Unfortunately it was a very calm day, so we saw none of the active sports which make the sea front exciting: no kite flying, surfing, sailing, wind-surfing, paracarting.

The Law on Travellers

Bird Man of Bognor result
The winner of the coveted Bognor Birdman title in fine weather on Sunday was Ron Freeman, from Northumberland, who also won last year. He travelled 37.7 metres from the pier into a 17 knot headwind and was airborne for 9.8 seconds. The record so far is 89 metres. The first person who flies 100 metres gets £25,000.
(Spirit FM 11 Aug 02)

Keep glass off the beach
Argus are running a campaign to keep glass off the beach after the Fat Boy Slim litter problem at Brighton. Please, if you see a glass bottle on the beach or the greensward, pick it up and bin it. If you feel very eco-conscious you might like to pick up plastic bottles and other litter too. Keep Goring Beautiful.
(Argus 12 Aug 02)

Two inches of rain in 20 minutes
Walkers and picnickers on Goring seafront got soaked to the skin as monsoon weather hit the town at 2.23pm on Saturday. Central Worthing was flooded, in some places up to two feet deep. The Fire Brigade had 50 calls for help in 20 minutes.
(Argus 12 Aug 02)

8 Aug 02

Flare off the beach
A flare was seen off the beach at Goring at 9pm on Wednesday. It was fired to show where a man in the sea 500 yards out was in difficulty. He was rescued by a boat.

Beach huts at Ferring torched
The police helicopter, three fire engines, two police cars, and ambulance. Two boys had torched two beach huts and damaged two others in Ferring on Wednesday evening. The 16-year-old youths were not difficult to catch.

Warm Evening + holidays = hooliganism
Teenagers fired an air rifle at a moving train at Goring. There was a spate of minor damage and a rash of hoax 999 calls. When do they go back to school please?
(Argus 9 Aug 02)

Dogs welcome on the Beach
Dogs are welcome on Goring beach, except in the area where the yachts and jetskis launch. But in Italy they are going even better. A number of resorts now have bau (woof) beaches where they can not only swim and frolic but have their own umbrellas, showers and meals in restaurants. At Maccarese near Rome 80 dogs are seen regularly, and even have a resident pet psychiatrist to calm dogs unable to relax and fit in.
(an unknown Sunday paper 4 Aug 02

The Zapcats are coming
Zapcats, the new type of jetskis, were at Littlehampton last week and will be increasingly seen at Goring jetski ramp. With inflatable twin hulls and 50hp engine they are easier to transport, more manoeuvrable, and very fast. Good fun. But still very noisy, dammit.

Report on the Worthing Cordylines
The browning of some leaves is caused by dessication due to their exposed location and is nothing more or less than one would have expected, i.e. transplanting from a nursery in Italy to the seafront on the English Channel in what has been an unseasonably cold and windy spring. There is good new growth on the stems, new leaves at the top and more importantly, root growth, which is what these plants need. They are being regularly watered.
(Report from the WBC Tree Officer)

Goring does well in bloom
Aldsworth Court won the best residential road in the Worthing in Bloom contest. Other Goring winners were: Best small front garden: Mrs E Cole, Best Conservation Garden: Mr Crispin.
In the South East in Bloom competition Worthing was placed third this year in the City Category. We moved up to the City category from Large Town due to the increase in our population size. (Worthing Herald 9 Aug 02)

Worthing still not on Blue Flag List
Worthing will not get a Blue Flag for sea water and beach quality for 2003 and may not even get the second level Seaside award. This despite the money that Southern Water have spent on the East Worthing treatment plant. Not good.
(Argus 2 Aug 02)

Seaside Awards

Beach House Doctors say all is well
The Heene and Goring doctor's practice were reported in BBC2-TV on Sunday as losing three of their doctors. There has been a lot of jumping up and down about this. Now the surgery says, please do not panic. Nothing is going to happen at least til the end of the year, and at that time they a confident that there will be a smoothe hand over to new practice members. The loss was said to have been caused by the ever growing pressure on doctors to meet rising expectations of their patients, and ever increasing paperwork.

1 Aug 02

Foxes in the News
Some people actually read this stuff. Our fox story last week promoted all sorts of reaction. The Herald had a long letter from a reader. Other people who saw this newsletter sent me Emails. Some love foxes, some hate them. We apologise if we have hurt the feelings of some of our readers.

A Cow on the Roundabout
Commuters could not believe their eyes when they saw a cow in the middle of the Salting roundabout on the A259 just after 7am. A police spokesman said: "It makes a change from a zebra crossing. It must have just been having a wander." When police arrived to rescue the cow before the rush hour began, it was nowhere to be seen. They suspect it wandered back to nearby fields.
(Argus 1 Aug 02)

Titnore Lane for National Park
At Thursday's WBC executive meeting, councillors agreed to recommend land north of Titnore Lane for inclusion in the coming national park areas within a national park boundary enjoy a higher rate of protection from developers. Executive member for planning Chris Sargent said: "We do not have the final say on whether it will go into the national park, but the Countryside Agency will seriously listen to the representations from the borough council."
(Argus 1 Aug 02)

Worthing Hospital rated one-star
Worthing and Southlands Hospitals Trust's performance ratings have dropped from two stars to one, out of a possible three. Trust chief executive Roger Greene maintained the hospitals' standards of patient care were, in fact, improving. There have been a whole host of improvements in patient care that hospital staff have worked hard to secure over the course of the last 12 months.
(Argus 1 Aug 02)

Wedding on the beach
Teachers Laure and Paul Jackson loved being by the sea so much they got married on the beach as scores of sun seekers looked on. Guests in the congregation sat in deckchairs, which were lined up like a row of church pews. The wedding took place on the beach at Worthing Yacht Club on Saturday.
(Argus 1 Aug 02)

Bed Blocking record for Sussex
About ten per cent of all hospital beds in both East and West Sussex are being taken up by people who are well enough to be moved elsewhere, the highest percentage of all 28 SHAs in England and Wales. Staff shortages, a high elderly population and a lack of suitable care homes have been blamed. Unexpectedly high numbers of emergency cases coming in to casualty are adding to the pressure. Delayed discharges have a knock-on effect leading to cancelled operations and long waits for patients in casualty.
(Argus 1 Aug 02)

Traders snub Christmas lights appeal
Traders have failed to contribute a single penny towards an Ł18,000 appeal set up to raise funds for Christmas lights. For the past three months, members of Worthing Town Centre Initiative have urged traders to donate the minimum of Ł18,000 needed to turn the town into a winter wonderland. Without any noticable result.
(Argus 1 Aug 02)

22 July 2002

West Durrington sleeping timebomb
The recently published modifications to the Local Structure Plan did not include any comment on the housing at West Durrington, even though the Inspector made some very strong statements:
- that the batch of houses was not big enough to constitute a separate community
- that access from Titnore Lane was not a good idea
- that access from Durrington using existing roads was a better idea and that the existing services at Durrington should form the community centre.
Titnore Lane is under another threat because WSCC Highways have reclassified it A2700 and will want to widen it with the loss of at least 150 valuable trees.
There will be more protest marches, we promise.

South Downs National Park
WBC have agreed that Titnore Woods, north of Titnore Lane should be in the National Park. They did not go as far as to say all of the area fronting Goring Castle should be included, but we have hopes when a field-by-field analysis is carried out later this year. There is still lots of room for housing to the East of the open space.

Foxes becoming a major pest
There are at least 40 foxes in the Goring area. A small family of four walk along our wall and spread out over the garden. This happens nearly every evening at about dusk. There is also a lair of seven in a nearby local garden. They seem to be breeding profusely. Ever since the youngster was attacked in his home, elderly people are particularly worried about leaving external doors open. The foxes appear to be very tame and inquisitive.
You either love them or hate them, the vast majority seeming to be the latter. You can try to send them to someone elses garden using chemicals, see The Fox Project, but there does not seem to be any way the urban foxes can be discouraged permanently and sooner or later they might start spreading diseases; they often tear black refuse sacks apart and spread the contents. Has anyone any suggestions as to how they might be controlled? Import some wolves? Invite the local hunt? Trap them and dump them in Hampshire? (Whisper it softly, perhaps a cull?)

18 July 2002

Ilex trees in new Windsor Jubilee Gardens
Six fully grown Holm Oaks trees imported from Holland are a feature of the new Jubilee garden at Windsor Castle. There are some splendid and very old English Oaks in Windsor Great Park, but we have the best collection of Holm Oaks here in the Goring Ilex Avenue.
(BBC TV 13 July 02)

Car climbs hedge in Strand
An elderly driver and passenger had a lucky escape when their car hurtled into a 6ft-high hedge after a collision in The Strand. Their car, a Ford KA, narrowly missed a lamp post before ending up stuck at a 45 degree angle.
(Argus 16 July 02)

WBC discussions with ASDA cancelled
Asda said it was disappointed that discussions with Worthing College would cease. The decision to halt informal discussions was taken by Worthing Borough Council's executive committee as controversial plans to build a supermarket on the college site in Bolsover Road took shape. ASDA say they will pay a Ł1million towards Worthing's leisure facilities if they are allowed to go ahead.
(Argus 15 July 02)

Goring First School Reunion
Former members of Goring First School celebrated the forty years the school has been open on Saturday 13th July. It was attended by some 450 former pupils and current parents, including 100 from the late 1960's and early 1970's. Barbecue, Beer tent. Live entertainment with a disco. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Christians together in Goring
Over 150 people attended an Open Air Service on the Greensward at the end of Alinora Avenue on Sunday 14 July. Eight Goring Churches joined in the Service including St Mary's, St Laurence's and St Richard's, The United Reform Church, The Church of the English Martyrs, Bury Drive Methodist Church, Goring New Life Church, and Maybridge Christian Fellowship. Prayers were led by members of each denomination and the Service was led by the Reverend Stephen Gurr of St Laurence's. The Reverend Joseph Steinberg an Evangelist from London gave the address in the form of short thoughts for the congregation to consider. Music was provided by Lisa Jackson who led a short part of the Service for children.

Choose your new car numberplate
We saw DE51RED (registered in D for Deeside) last year. Yesterday we saw OO02EVE (registered in Oxford) on a Mini Cooper by Eve herself. On September 1st they suggest IM02MAD as a good choice.

LIST OF NUMBERPLATE CODES

Its a fine day, again
Shall we cut the grass, or go down to the front for a barbee? The contractor who cuts the grass on the greensward found picnickers already in place and had to cut neatly round the deckchairs, children, dogs, and sandwiches. The uncut patches remain!

Would you like a Hedgehog?
Thousands of hedgehogs on death row in the Outer Hebrides could be deported to Sussex - where gardeners need them to feast on slugs and snails. 5,000 of the creatures face the threat of a mass cull in the Scottish islands following an explosion in their population, there is a shortage here. They are in such demand wildlife sanctuaries have a growing waiting list of people offering their gardens as a home to a hedgehog - a true friend to the gardener for its appetite for flower-munching molluscs. East Sussex Wildlife Rescue would be a good place to contact 0781-507-8234
Local animal experts are not so keen. They are not pets, and often have nutrition problems during hibernation.
(Argus 12 July 02)

Crime down in West Sussex
Probably because of differing statistics, West Sussex shows a 1% fall in reported crime, when the rest of the nation shows a substantial increase. Burglery and vehicle crime are down over 10%, but violence and robberies are up.
You will recall that Tony Blair promised on 24 April that street crime will be under control by Monday 30 September.
(Argus 11 July 02)

Council Tax likely to rise substantially
Less Government money for the South, more diverted to the North is the message. Which means that our council tax will rise from April 2003 by as much as 30%. On top of the 10% rise in the current year.

Land at Cuckmere abandoned to the sea
We have been threatened that some stretches of coastline are not worth the expense of defending against the sea. Cuckmere Haven is one of the first to be let go. The sea defences were past their useful life and will be removed. The plan is to turn the area back to nature, the way it was before man intervened. Although existing paths would be lost, the Environment Agency is planning to install a series of new footpaths. Land at Selsey and Pagham have been looked at for the same treatment.

Goring Library Clock
The clock stopped. It was not difficult to restart, and it will be fine until the next power-cut. Over the last several years it has been carefully maintained by Norman Sherrington from High Salvington but he regretfully passed away just recently. He also organised the smart all-weather cover over the clockface. Our thanks to him, and our condolencies to his widow.
The clock was donated in 1972 by the Goring Residents' Association in memory of their late Chairman Cecil Cossor.

Police Chopper over Aldsworth
A burglar disturbed in mid rob by a neighbour fled from the Hairdressers on Aldsworth Parade without his boots. About midnight on Monday morning 17 June the helicopter took up the search using thermal imaging. But in the end it was a police dog that sniffed him out in one of the gardens.
(Highdown NHW Newsletter July 2002)

Cyclists unhappy about new cycle lanes
We reported that motorists were unhappy with the new cycle lanes at the Mulberry, leaving them with very little space past the parked cars. Now it seems the cyclists view with deep suspicion the way the cycle track leads them up onto the pavement. Young cyclists will get into bad habits. Experienced cyclists will want to flow with the traffic. And we understand that the elected counsellors did not get much of a say in the plans.
Local shop-owners tell us that they have never seen anyone using the new cycle paths, mostly they ride on the footpath.
(Worthing Herald 4 July)

Prescott wants centralised Planning Applications
John Prescott seems to be in charge of 'The Regions' again and is plotting to have all planning policy based on the Regions rather than at local councils. He says it will avoid delays. Our regional government is at Guildford and is not an elected body. We are not due to have an elected body there until after a local referendum. So decisions about things like Titnore Lane, as well as Mrs Jones garden wall will be imposed on us by central government. Not a good idea.

Protest grows against ASDA at Durrington
More than 50 members of Field Place Area Residents' Association waved placards reading "Say No to Asda" on the steps of Worthing Town Hall. They turned out to present a 1,300-signature petition against a controversial superstore to the leader of Worthing Council. Councillor Sheila Player was there to hear their concerns and accept the petition.

The Project Genie Wipeout Day
Saturday 6 July in Goring, Maybridge and Durrington was suppoosed to see illegal graffiti replaced with clean walls. The day was to be centred in Palatine Park, off Terringes avenue. Project Genie and was supported by Sussex Police, Worthing Borough Council and West Sussex Youth Service. Please come and help. Part of Worthing Arts Week. But we gather it has been postponed til the end of August. Pity.

WSCC Housing Debate planned
26th November sees the start in Chichester of a major debate about new housing in West Sussex. Here in Goring we look closer to home, but will also peep over the fence to see what horrors are going to be imposed on us. Worthing Council have been told to build hundreds of houses. WSCC has been told to build thousands of houses. The developers want to build high-profit, expensive houses. And at the bottom line, very few houses are actually being built, and practically none for people who earn just an average wage. We hope someone knows the answer because we don't. More small flats in existing communities perhaps?

Palatine School wins garden award
The large garden pond at Palatine School was officially opened by Worthing mayor Eric Mardell watched by crowds of pupils, volunteer helpers and staff. The ceremony was followed by speeches and a special jubilee picnic and cake. The school, in Palatine Road, Goring, was also presented with its National Grid Certificate, for its green initiatives, by Paul Willis, of Worthing council.

WBC keeps back news of Durrington
A vital recommendation by the Planning Inspector on the housing project at West Durrington was not mentioned by WBC in their revisions to the Local Structure Plan. As it stands WBC still plan access from a new roundabout in Titnore Lane behind Keepers Cottage, and still refuse to have access from the existing roads from Durrington. The recent protests about preserving the existing trees and character of Titnore Lane are apparently to be ignored. Apparently a new development brief is being prepared. Why did they not mention this in their documents?

Singleton Museum new building New building at Singleton
A spectacular new Museum building, designed with the aid of computer technology, is at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, in Singleton, near Chichester. Singleton is well worth a visit.
http://www.wealddown.co.uk/

The broad white stripe on the left or flagstaff side should uppermost The up-side-down flags
With the rash of flags displayed for the Jubilee and for the Worldcup, it was interesting to see that many of the Union Jack flags were upside down, which means that SOS help is required. Even the flag at the Yacht Club was the wrong way up. Are they trying to tell us something?

Duke of Norfolk dies aged 86
The Duke of Norfolk, owner of Arundel Castle, and onetime Earl Marshall of England died on Tuesday 25 June. The funeral is in the Cathedral on July 5. http://www.arundelcastle.org/

Jubilee Baton relay visited Worthing
The Jubilee Baton Relay passed through Worthing on Saturday 22 June at a brisk trot, changing runners every 500 yards.
http://www.commonwealthgames.com

Learn Internet, and bring a friend free
Worthing College at Bolsover Road offers five Thursday evenings course 6.30-8.30pm on surfing and Email £25 and bring a friend free. 01903-243389

Archive of previous News Items

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