Newbury Weekly News

2 / 96

Thursday, May 11, 2017
Newbury News Limited publications are regulated by IPSO
– the Independent Press Standards Organisation. If you
have an editorial complaint about a Newbury News Limited
publication, you should, in the first instance, contact the
publication concerned. If it is not resolved
to your satisfaction, you should contact
IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or
visit its website:
News, entertainment, advertising
News...........................................................1-15
Fuel.................................................................14
Schools....................................................16-17
Mental HealthWeek..............................18-19
Letters......................................................20-21
Hungerford & Lambourn
Valley news..............................................2 4-26
Thatcham news...............................27, 30, 31
Announcements.....................................28-29
North Hantsnews..................................32-33
Local History.................................................34
N2 arts & entertainment stars................35
What’s On......................................................40
Competition & puzzles................................4 1
Film review...................................................42
Classifed starts...........................................43
Motors starts................................................50
Jobs starts.....................................................5 4
Sport starts...................................................5 7
n Daily news updates online at:
The NewburyWeeklyNews isproud tobethe
independent, locally-owned newspaper attheheart
ofWestBerkshire andNorthHampshire. Wealways
welcome your feedback onhowwecan improve
ourservicetothecommunity.
EDITOR
Andy Murrill
andy.murrill@newbur
@andymurrill
(01635)564525
NEWSDESK
(01635) 564527
SPORT
(01635) 886629
Sportseditor MalcolmHowe
malcolm.howe@newburnews.co.uk
HEAD OF SALES
Andrew Harding
(01635) 886643
ADVERTISING
DISPLAY (01635) 564572
RECRUITMENT (01635) 564546
recruitment@newburnews.co.uk
CLASSIFIED (01635) 564572
advert@newburnews.co.uk
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
JamesGurney
james.gurney@newburnews.co.uk
(01635)564502
LEAFLETS (01635) 564513
lesley.marriott@newburnews.co.uk
CIRCULATION
(01635) 564513
NEWBURYWEEKLYNEWS,NewspaperHouse,
FaradayRoad,Newbury, RG142DW
(01635)524111
Trust in talks to take
over Corn Exchange
WEST Berkshire Council and The
Corn Exchange Trust have started
talks which could lead to ownership
of the landmark Newbury building
being transferred to the trust.
The discussions come just weeks
after the cash-strapped local authority
said it would be reducing its funding
to the Corn Exchange by £78,000 over
the next two years.
Co-director at the Corn Exchange,
Grant Brisland, said the trust had
asked West Berkshire Council to
consider transferring the ownership
of the building to it, in an attempt to
safeguard its future in a climate of
continued funding reductions.
Mr Brisland added: “We understand
that ongoing annual funding is going
to be a huge challenge for West Berk-
shire Council and our proposal offers
a solution that reduces their liability,
while ensuring that the Corn
Exchange’s creative offering in the
district will continue to thrive.”
Fellow co-director Katy Griffiths
said: “We do understand that West
Berkshire Council has to make diffi-
cult choices, but it remains very hard
for a small charitable arts organisa-
tion like the Corn Exchange to manage
a cut at this level at short notice.
“We will be renewing our fundrais-
ing efforts and remain focused on our
long-term plans and future sustain-
ability.”
The performing arts venue is owned
by West Berkshire Council, but has
been run by the trust since 2000.
The council will continue to provide
annual funding of £174,000 until
2018/19.
A decision on the future of the build-
ing will be made by the end of 2017 and
will include a period of public consul-
tation to give local people a chance to
have their say.
Speaking on behalf of West Berk-
shire Council, culture and libraries
manager Paul James said: “The Corn
Exchange is a local organisation with
a national reputation.
“We are proud to have them in the
district and want to support them
where we can.
“Over the past two years it has been
increasingly hard for us to provide
financial support because of an
increasing demand for our services
and, particularly, social care for our
most vulnerable residents.
“We have to balance competing
needs for our resources and we believe
transferring the ownership of the
Corn Exchange will help the trust in
the long term.
“We’re grateful to the Corn
Exchange for understanding the diffi-
cult position we find ourselves in and
look forward to continue working with
them in the coming years.”
The Corn Exchange recently
announced a partnership with Green-
ham Common Trust to develop a new
visual arts and crafts facility at Green-
ham Business Park, and the launch of
a new learning centre in Market
Place.
n Love Your Corn Exchange appeal
launched, see page 35.
WestBerkshire Council could hand overbuilding tosafeguard itsfuture
TheCornExchange inMarket Place
Report by CHRISORD
email chris.ord@newbur
twitter @chriso_nwn
Motorists
warned of
M4 closure
DRIVERS are being warned to
expect delays as a stretch of the
M4 through West Berkshire will
be closed for the weekend.
The busy motorway will be closed
in both directions between junction
12 (Theale) and junction 13 (Chieve-
ley) as part of a Highways England
scheme to maintain two bridges.
The closure will come into force
from 9pm tomorrow (Friday) until
6am on Monday, and is to allow new
beams to be lifted into position on
two bridges that carry the M4 over
Dark Lane and Ashampstead Road.
Highways England said that
clearly-signed diversions will be in
place to take traffic along the A4 to
rejoin the motorway at Chieveley or
Theale.
It is also advising drivers to plan
their journeys in advance, and to
leave extra time or take an alterna-
tive route as delays are expected.
A spokesman said: “Replacing
parts of the bridge that span both
carriageways is a large and complex
task, so it is essential the M4 is
closed to ensure maximum safety for
road users and our road workers.
“Highways England has worked
closely with the local councils, the
police and other stakeholders to
ensure disruption is kept to a mini-
mum during the work.”
Dark Lane and Ashampstead
Road are due to be reopened on
Tuesday, June 6, weather permit-
ting.
This the second time this stretch
of the M4 has been closed this year.
The motorway was expected to
have closed from March 31 to April
3, however, Highways England
finished the work ahead of schedule
and the road reopened at 3am on
April 2.
Some motorists reported taking
two hours to travel from Theale to
Newbury, while others said they
avoided local roads altogether.
WI TH
SATURDAY 19 AUGUST 2017
LADIES DAY
NEWBURY RACECOURSE PRESENTS
01635 40015 BOOK
NOW
L I VE
01635 40015 BOOK
NOW
NEWBURY RACECOURSE PRESENTS
A SUMMER OF
RACING & ENTERTA INMENT
#ThursdayNightsLive
29 JUNE
IRISH
NIGHT
PUMP TECHNOLOGY FULLER’S
MOTOWN
& SOUL
NIGHT
6 JULY 13 JULY
NEWBURY
NIGHT
27 JULY
#THROWBACK
THURSDAY
DISCO
Newbury Weekly News