LOWICK.LIVE.LETTER
VILLAGE STORE SURVEY RESULTS
If you answered the call in the survey – thankyou. The results are below.
103 people completed the survey, which is an amazing response, as LL goes out to 150+ addresses. This alone tells how important our shop is. The numbers are numbers of “votes”, except when people visit the shop – that’s a percentage.
The most popular reasons for using the shop are:
Fresh bread or rolls 79
Dairy 79
Newspapers and Magazines 74
Eggs 59
Collect Prescriptions 52
Everyday Groceries 51
Sandwiches, pies 51
People visit the shop:
Every day 32%
Frequently 30%
Once a week 22%
Opening Hours Preferred
I need the shop to be open
In the Morning 66
Saturday 64
In the Afternoon 43
Sunday 38
First thing in the morning 25
After work 16
When school starts or finishes 14
Late opening 7
What would you like the re-open shop to sell?
When the shop returns, what would you like it to have?
Local Produce 58
Groceries 53
Household Goods 27
Prescriptions 27
Other Option 27 11%
A Cafe 22
Stationery 22
Gifts 17
The Future?
There is no definite news on the fate of the shop, which was to go on the open market on 18th October. It is hoped that a buyer will be successful in taking the shop over, and it will reopen in the not too distant future, answering the wishes of the many people who completed our survey.
Should the shop not be bought, the Parish Council will lead a community bid to take over the shop, and has already looked into the many ways this can happen, and some of the ways it an be funded. This is not the preferred option, but we are ready to start, if it should be necessary – thanks in no small part to the interest shown at our recent meeting, and in the questionnaire.
LOWICK PLATINUM JUBILEE PLANS
In line with national bank holidays to mark the Queen’s 70 years as monarch, Lowick’s long weekend of celebrations will be from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June.Jubilee Timetable
Thursday 2nd
- Film night showing films from the fifties. Films from 53 include: From Here To Eternity, Shane, The Robe, Gentlemen Prefer Blonds, Roman Holiday, Calamity Jane, War of the Worlds, The Wild One, The Cruel Sea, The Big Heat, Peter Pan.
Friday 3rd
- Hold a Ceilidh in the hall, with live music and food ( Geoff Allan’s chip van? – and Alan and Hughie Malone’s ice cream van?) and a bar selling wine and local beer (Cheviot Brewery?).
Saturday 4th
- Close the streets around the Common and hold a street party with a fair on the common with attractions, games and competitions: Tug o War, wellie throwing, races , dog show, pram & wheelbarrow races etc.
- Common street party evening with a live music event – or possibly on the Thursday as part of a launch?
- Invite local village groups to design and decorate a float/ pram/ wheelbarrow.
Sunday 5th
- Church service followed by a picnic. Further discussions to be had with the church council and Charlotte.
General Ideas
- Put photographs from the period on display in the village hall. Kevin Archer co-ordinates an accompanying ‘soundscape’ of people’s memories, akin to the running presentation at Lindisfarne Castle and elsewhere where local voices add colour to the exhibition.
- Films of previous jubilees collated with the photo display.
- Design a mug to commemorate the jubilee and present one to each resident born in 1953.
- Involve the school, Leek Club, Football Club, Quilters, Heritage Group, Radio Lowick, The Village Hall, etc
Permanent Celebration ideas:
- Create a circular path/ Platinum Way.
- Repair the church bell.
SPEED NEWS – 2: TRAFFIC CALMING AND 20MPH
Northumberland County Council is pursuing a new traffic calming and speed reduction scheme for Lowick.
20 MPH
The first is a 20mph zone to protect the school during the time when children are going and coming to and from school.
CHICANES
A scheme to slow traffic down by a chicane each end of the village is being actively pursued, with a £1000 contribution from our County Councillor. The documents are available on the Parish Council website. The WEST CHICANE, will be between the Vicarage and Western House, just before Eelwell Road. The EAST CHICANE would be outside the Village Hall.
The Chicane forces traffic entering the village to slow down as it approaches the village, and gives priority to those leaving. It is a common feature of many villages in Northumberland today.
