Monday 31 October 2011

Extended Licence for off licence in Bolton Road

Last Friday I attended the licencing meeting at Wigan Town Hall to support local residents in their objections to an application for an off licence on Bolton Road - formerly Hughes the Booze - to extend the opening hours from 6am to 2am from Monday to Friday and 7am to 2am at the weekend. From 11pm the store will serve customers through a hatch for security measures.

I was amazed that that the committee gave the go ahead for this application and not at all surprised that local residents are furious with this decision and intend to fight to overturn it.The police also are very much against this application.

Of course I will continue to support the residents in their campaign to overturn this surprising decision.

Monday 17 October 2011

Community/Medical Centre for Ashton

Readers will no doubt be aware that there are plans to build a community / medical centre in Ashton. I must emphasise that this centre will not just be a medical centre - it must have other facilities that will serve the community of Ashton.

The scheme is now at Stage 1 which means putting the business case together for the Board of the PCT. This will be a detailed document identifying the site, the size and cost of the scheme backed by detailed analysis of the health needs of the residents of Ashton and other services that the could be provided from this new facility.


I am a member of the patient/public community group which is looking to reach as many people in Ashton as possible in order to ask them what they would like to see in this centre. As part of this process representatives of local groups have already been made aware of the plans for this centre. The aim of the consultation process which will begin in earnest at the beginning of November will be to inform local residents of the plans for the centre by contacting them directly,by holding exhibitions and open days throughout the area. Details of the consultation process will be given as soon as they are finalised by the committee.The results of the consultation will then be taken to the board of the PCT.

The preferred site at the moment for the new building is Ashton town hall.Other sites have been looked at - one reason for the delay in beginning the scheme - but have been rejected for reasons such as land costs, access to the sites and land conditions.In the current climate the Government has made it clear that it expects public bodies to work closely together to ensure the best value for money. This has been happening in Wigan under the Capital Asset Pathfinder programme. Using a site owned by the Council which could be soon surplus to the Council's requirements will ensure that a public sector owned asset is used appropriately to support a new public sector scheme. It will also help towards regenerating Ashton town centre.

I will give details of the consultation process in this blog. I would be very interested in any ideas readers have for services that could be included in this centre - remember it will be a community centre as well as a medical facility.

Please contact me if you require any further information.

Monday 10 October 2011

Friday 7 October 2011

The Bay Horse - part 2

On arriving home I found a letter waiting for me from Spirit Pub Company making the following points:

1. An apology from the company if local residents and myself were unhappy with the colour. The orange colour is a part of the distinctive decoration associated with the 'Flaming Grill' brand.

2. In light of my comments a review of the paintwork has been carried out and as a result of comments made the firm will be painting the front bay windows in cream but the gable end will remain orange to stay in line with the brand specification.

3. The works will be completed before the opening date of 15th October

4. Spirit Pub Company will welcome any further comments I may receive into the improvements they have made.

All comments welcome.

Bay Horse Orange - update

Following residents' complaints made to me about the new colour of the Bay Horse pub I contacted the Flaming Grill company last Tuesday to ask if they would change the lurid orange to a more neutral colour. I also pointed out that having looked on their web page I noticed that not all of the pubs in their chain were painted in this shade of orange.

I am delighted to announce that I have just contacted the Flaming Grills press office today and have been advised that as I write this blog they are toning down the lurid orange colour - I will publish a photo of the new scheme on my blog soon.