13 Oct

Prince Buster Tribute

Prince Buster
Prince Buster

Tribute to the Toughest

Dave Chapple, Bridgwater postman and Jamaican music DJ, pays respects to ska/rock steady king Prince Buster, who died on September 8th

Cecil Bustamante Campbell, aka Prince Buster, was born on May 24th 1938 in Kingston Jamaica, British West Indies. Buster’s father was a rail worker, and, one suspects, a trades unionist: on that auspicious birthday, Alexander Bustamante, the leader of the historic workers uprising that had begun on the Frome Sugar Estate a month before, had been jailed. Bustamante became Cecil’s second name! Continue reading “Prince Buster Tribute”

30 Sep

Internationalism in Action

From Somerset to Slovenia...
From Somerset to Slovenia…

Every year we take Bridgwater people to our European partner towns and bring back over here folk from many nations, celebrating our internationalism, contributing not just to peace and understanding around the world but also to our mutual local economies. This week it’s Slovenians.

One of our most successful projects involves music. And in particular choirs. Everywhere seems to have a choir these days. A prime example is the Voice of the People choir run by natural voice practitioner Yvette Staelens. Every year we take them to a different country to sing and often they make friends and then their friends come back here. Continue reading “Internationalism in Action”

17 Sep

Town Council urges ‘Site 4’ Solution for Tidal Barrier

Westover Councillor Kathy Pearce urges 'Site 4' option for the Parrett Barrier
Westover Councillor Kathy Pearce urges ‘Site 4’ option for the Parrett Barrier

On Wednesday this week the Environment Agency held it’s public consultation meeting on the future of a Tidal Barrier for the River Parrett  at the Bridgwater Arts Centre and urged people to choose from 5 site options  and 2 barrier models (Thames or Hull). Town Council leader Brian Smedley and Deputy Leader Kathy Pearce (both Westover) attended and wasted no time in recommending to Full Council on Thursday 15 Sept that Site 4 and Thames model should be the options that would allow the Town Councils stated aims of future proofing for navigation, development and water penning.

Bridgwater Town Council approved the Site 4 and Thames Barrier models at it’s meeting, These options had also been urged by the Inland Waterways Association. There will now be an extended period of consultation where the public and key partners are asked to state their preferences before a final decision is made in the autumn. The Environment Agency  had in fact whittled down the 5 sites to 2 priority ones 4 and 5. Continue reading “Town Council urges ‘Site 4’ Solution for Tidal Barrier”

30 Jul

On This Day In History: Monday July 6th 1685 -The Battle of Sedgemoor

Red Flags fly in Bridgwater once more
Red Flags fly in Bridgwater once more

Today there were red coated soldiers marching around Bridgwater firing guns, wielding pikes and talking rebellion. As it happens it was the Sealed Knot society here to recreate the last battle (so far) on English Soil. The Battle of Sedgemoor is a tale of rebellion, defeat and the bloody justice handed out by a tyrannical monarch, but it’s legacy lingers to this day in our town.

In 1680 James Scott, the Duke of Monmouth, toured the West Country. A bit of a 17th century glamour pin up, his procession through the rebel lands of Somerset appeared to be in open defiance of the actual King-his father Charles II.  And then ,suddenly, but not surprisingly,  in 1683 Monmouth was banished to Holland. Continue reading “On This Day In History: Monday July 6th 1685 -The Battle of Sedgemoor”

19 Jul

Northgate School Proposal Passed Amidst Criticism of Design

The new Northgate School-but have they got the design right?
The new Northgate School-but have they got the design right?

At today’s Sedgemoor District Council Development Control Committee the long awaited proposals for a new school on the Northgate site were passed but with a condition that officers re-look at the design to break up the facade. The committee voted 11 in favour 1 against and 1 abstention.

Cllr Brian Smedley, Leader of Bridgwater Town Council, said “The main thrust of the proposal today was to get the much needed school up and running whilst committing the council to a process which would eventually see a leisure complex on site, an enhanced public open space and either a foodstore or a hotel. People were naturally concerned at the massive loss of trees on site but were reassured by the officers that replacements would be forthcoming and they were also disappointed that proposed junction works to provide access to the site were not going to be completed at the same time as the school. It was also widely felt that yet another foodstore was not needed and there was much criticism of the unimaginative design of the school.” Continue reading “Northgate School Proposal Passed Amidst Criticism of Design”