THE Cross Keys in Rowde has had several changes of publicans in the last few years and, having heard good reports about the couple who took over in September, we decided to try it. New landlady Sarah Luckett has spent the last 15 years working abroad
CHAMBER NEWS: Thirteen students from St Joseph's School in Swindon attended at workshop at EXEL/DHL as part of a project to introduce students to the world of work. Wootton Bassett School is also taking part in the project co-ordinated by David Baker
CHAMBER NEWS: West Wiltshire District Council's leisure contractor has become the first to implement a national accreditation scheme across all of its sites. DC Leisure Management piloted the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management Active programme
CHAMBER NEWS: Another major hurdle in bringing a cinema to Trowbridge has been passed, with outline planning permission given for redeveloping the Water-side site. West Wiltshire District Council's planning committee approved the outline scheme to
I WOULD like to say thank you to the person who handed in my wallet to customer services at Asda on Friday night. I'd dropped it in the car park and didn't expect to get it back. They didn't leave their name and address so I don't know who they are, but
RE: COUNCIL budget. Why is it that Kevin Small thinks it is OK to put up council tax by 42 per cent in three years but the Conservatives are demons for putting a 4.8 per cent rise on the tax this year? Is it that he just does not understand what a decimal
ANDY Newman claims that British subjects can be extradited to the US at the whim of any US prosecutor. Well, not if your name is Abu Hamza. When the Americans sought to extradite him, he was promptly arrested by Britain, although he had been abusing
NO-ONE wants them, they were proved no help in Spain and elsewhere, the cost is beyond extortion, they are un-British, an insult to our civil liberties and have been defeated in the House of Lords yet still the Government insist on us having ID cards.
RE: YOUNG people skateboarding in the town centre. Leave the kids alone as long as they are careful. The cyclists are more of a danger, one was weaving in and out of pedestrians on a busy day in town. One false move and we would have had it. They are
I WOULD assure your correspondent G Howell (SA February 25) that Swindon is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. As part of the celebrations, the Janice Thompson Performance Trust has commissioned a special musical
THE Swindon Sanctuary based at Taw Hill Medical Practice is to close because the Home Office will not fund the £70,000 a year grant. The answer is to call the sanctuary a consultancy. The Home Office likes consultants. They hired 143 costing £74m in
WITH many others I have travelled into Swindon through Pinehurst Road. First the chicanes arrived to combine with bus stops which meant that when a bus stopped everything stopped and drivers with commitments started racing to reach the next chicane before
ARE you a solicitor, accountant, printer, designer, marketing person, HR specialist, secretarial, surveyor, estate agent, travel agent, therapist, handyman or bank representative? These are just some of the openings available in the new BRE South Cotswolds
HONDA cars have hit the top of the residual value charts in the latest figures from Eurotax Glass's guide. The residual values of the Jazz (44 per cent), Civic (43 per cent), FR-V (40 per cent) and Accord (40 per cent) dominate their segments, with CR-V
WHITMARSH Lockhart have appointed Jonathan Shortt as an associate surveyor specialising in landlord and tenant and valuation work. Jonathan will take the position as head of the department and will be responsible for developing the services offered.
CHRISTMAS is coming early in Swindon. Next Monday and Tuesday Planet Pursuits event management has taken the initiative to exhibit its event solutions at what is possibly Swindon's first event showcase. Founder and events director Simon Maddison said
A WHAT Car? investigation into car servicing costs at 200 UK dealers shows it can be cheaper to employ a barrister or a doctor than a mechanic. The survey reveals that consumers often pay more than £100 per hour for labour at franchised dealers. Hourly
So high is the demand to work in the licensing trade that Arkell's Brewery, which has more than 100 pubs, has decided to run its own careers fair. It will take place next Thursday at the Tawny Owl, Thamesdown Drive, Priory Vale, Swindon, from 4.30pm
SWINDON'S former railway museum in Faringdon Road is set to come under the spotlight again next week. Last November, Martha Parry of the New Mechanics' Preservation Trust had complained that Swindon Council had snubbed her group and didn't give it enough
PUPILS of all ages from across Swindon have been learning about the importance of speaking and listening. The BT Education programme has been visiting schools, including one at Commonweal School. Commonweal Year 10 student Jordon Ware said: "It was
SWINDON Council's pledge to achieve 50 promises by 2010 is on target according to councillors. The 50 pledges which were launched by the council last June were said to represent its aims and priorities to be carried out by 2010. Councillors consider
PEOPLE across Wiltshire are being invited to take part in a county-wide consultation on a revised Strategy for Wiltshire. The Wiltshire Strategic Board, the umbrella body for voluntary, private and public sector organisations in the county, is carrying
"THEY are taking over our streets and someone has to make a stand." This is the message from Mike Townsend of Upham Road who says vandals are running riot on Old Walcot streets. The 66-year-old is now hoping to set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in
OUT-OF-TOWN thieves are targeting Swindon and using the motorway for a quick getaway, police have warned. Crooks from London are travelling to Swindon on the M4, parking up and then walking to areas such as Covingham and Nythe. Once in these residential
PHILEAS Fogg circumnavigated the globe and today, World Book Day, readers across Swindon are still eager to read about his adventures. People across the region are being encouraged to take part in the Great Reading Adventure and read Around the World
The Adver's project to produce the first comprehensive chronicle of Swindon's history is gathering pace but we still need your help. We now have two start dates the point from which our study begins and the date when we will start publishing the chronicle
AMATEUR poets have the chance to see their work published all over Swindon. Anyone who fancies themselves as a wordsmith can enter the Spirit of Swindon competition, which will see poems put up around town on posters and advertising display boards.
CABINET minister Patricia Hewitt has issued a fresh order to health managers in Swindon not to withhold the cancer drug Herceptin on the grounds of cost or principle. But the Health Secretary's statement in the House of Commons yesterday will not help
GAYLE Fletcher wants children in Swindon to have the chance to learn yoga. The Swindon-based holistic therapist already teaches YogaBugs to children aged three to 12 in schools across Wiltshire. She says it's a great way to help children relax after
THE REACH of Swindon's railway works has extended far beyond the British Isles. This little brown plaque marked BR Swindon was spotted by holidaymakers Ann Horsey and John Turner at a little railway station at the southern-most tip of South America
A GIG to raise money for a Swindon charity will be held on Friday, March 10. Local singer songwriter Billyjon will top the bill and all proceeds will go to Swindon Gateway Club. The club organises social and leisure activities for people with learning
TORIES have attacked the Government's new NHS dental contract which will see Swindon lose five NHS dentists. As revealed in the Adver yesterday, from April 1 a new contract will mean no more Government funding for five dentists in the town. The Government
CRICKLADE, first town on the Thames, could be a town under the Thames if plans for canal restoration go through. That is the view of Seymour Aitken, local resident and chairman of the Upper Thames Protection Society, which has organised a public meeting
THEY may not be chopping their ears off like Van Gogh, but pupils at The Ridgeway School have plans to take the art world by storm. The Wroughton school is hosting its two-yearly art exhibition this week. And head of art Brian Britton was thrilled to
CHILDREN and staff at Coleview Pre-school will be celebrating tomorrow when they are presented with a prestigious award. They will be given the Pre-school Learning Alliance's national accreditation certificate in recognition of an excellent quality
MOTOR SPORT: Great Western Racing Team had a good result at Thruxton with Dan Smith finishing second in the five-man sprint. The distance for both the supporting race and the elite race was 55Km. Smith forced an early break on lap six of the 14-
A PUBLIC meeting will be held to discuss housing and social care issues tonight. The council's cabinet member for community and partnerships, Coun Andrew Bennett (Con, Ridgeway), will be on hand to answer questions. Coun Michael Barnes, chairman of
RUNNING: PEWSEY Vale's Terminator multi-terrain race is turning out to be bigger and better than last year with over 700 competitors taking part. The overall winner and first male runner past the post was Vito Graffagnino in an impressive time of 1hr
SWINDON Junior Ice Hockey Club are running rookie sessions for Saturday mornings. The sessions will run from 7.30am every Saturday at the Link Centre, and will allow anyone who can skate to a reasonable level borrow and helmet and stick to try out
WAREHOUSE manager Kevin Matthews has been chosen by the staff at supermarket chain Morrisons in Swindon to represent the store in a company-wide mass donation. The supermarket chain is hoping to raise £1m for its charity of the year, the Breast Cancer
BOXING: WALCOT Boxing Club came back triumphant from Bristol on Monday night with two wins out of two. Brothers John and Owen McDonagh did the club proud as they won their respective fights at the Dinner Show. Light-middleweight Owen showed real
ATHLETICS: DAVE Mitchinson believes his ninth place in the English Cross Country Championships is the perfect springboard for the rest of the season, writes KEV FAHEY. The Lyneham-born athlete admitted it was probably the toughest race of the season
SWIMMING: Swindon Dolphin A guaranteed their place in the Moonraker Winter League final with a comfortable win at Salisbury last weekend. Dolphin were matched by Trowbridge in the opening half but pulled clear in the latter stages as their strength
ANDY CRYER meets Elliott Read, the Commonweal School pupil with a bright rugby union future. LIFE can't get much better for teenage rugby ace Elliott Read after an already whirlwind last 12 months entered the realms of dreamworld. The 16-year-old
A SWINDON man believes a massive increase in the cost of his medication is a Government stealth tax. John Needle, 56, has worked out that changes in the way his prescription is handled means he will have to pay an extra 77 per cent for his pills. Swindon
Our promotions team and Alfie the Swindon Advertiser alligator will be at Town's home game against Tranmere Rovers on Saturday and you could be lucky enough to win a signed Swindon Town football shirt when you buy a paper from them. The shirt has been
A DISCOUNT for empty properties and second homes is being reduced from 50 per cent to 10 per cent from April 1 making owners responsible for paying 90 per cent of their full council tax bill. Swindon Council has agreed to reduce council tax discount
NORTH Wiltshire District Council has agreed a council tax rise of 3.4 per cent the smallest rise of any authority in Wiltshire. Despite the low rise, it has also been agreed to invest £1.4m into core services and key areas, including customer services
JEREL Ifil is at the lowest ebb of his professional career but The Beast' of the County Ground believes the collective feeling of hurt can only help Town beat the drop. The tough-tackling defender received his fifth red card of his Town career, his
THE Swindon Forest Protection Group is helping the Great Western Community Forest with a tree plant at Shaw Forest on Sunday, March 19. And the group is inviting members of the public to go along. The meeting is at Peatmoor School hall between 10am
IFFY Onuora hopes Trinidad and Tobago international Ricky Shakes returns to the County Ground buzzing and that his winning start to life with the Soca Warriors can provide a big shot in the arm to Town's fight for survival. The noise and carnival atmosphere
THIEVES have put the St John Ambulance group's only off-road vehicle out of action. The volunteer organisation's Land Rover has had its electronic winch stolen and the 4x4 is now off the road. The association says that the winch and the bumper, used
DOZENS of Adver readers have signed our petition backing a British Lung Foundation charter calling for better treatment and care of deadly disease mesothelioma. The asbestos-related lung illness has been dubbed Swindon Disease after bringing pain and
BRITISH troops should be withdrawn from Iraq if civil war breaks out, former shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram has said. Mr Ancram, Tory MP for Devizes, said in a statement: "Of course British forces in normal circumstances must stay in Iraq
PATIENTS at the Great Western Hospital will soon be enjoying a door-to-door service. Managers have come up with a novel transport solution to be rolled out in the next few weeks a golf buggy. The hospital has bought a battery-powered buggy to help
FORMER diabetes group chairman Kevin Hayes will be giving a presentation on his recent Everest Base camp trek, during which he raised money for the charity. He will give his talk at next meeting of the Swindon Diabetes UK group on Tuesday. The meeting
SWINDON'S parks, public gardens and other green spaces are among the best in England according to the town's own residents. A survey published today by the Government's spending watchdog discovered that 83 per cent of people in Swindon are "satisfied
A PARK South mum is putting her fear of heights to one side in a bid to send her daughter to a world-renowned autism treatment centre. Julie Rose, 26, of Oldlands Walk, is planning to take to the skies for a sponsored tandem skydive so she can send seven-year-old
A SPECIAL awards ceremony is to be held to recognise efforts in Swindon to improve the environment. Swindon Council's Local Agenda 21 team is hosting the event to praise the individuals, community or voluntary groups, schools and businesses, whose projects
DISGRACED MP Neil Hamilton and his wife Christine are presenting their own show on BBC Radio Swindon this month. The couple, who live near Malmesbury, will be presenting The Hamiltons Hot Air Challenge, on BBC Radio Swindon and Radio Wiltshire throughout
THE next meeting of Swindon Town Supporters' Trust will take place in the Winners Bar at the County Ground on Monday. This meeting, which starts at 7.30pm, will include an auction to raise funds for the Red Army Fund. Among the lots is a day's training
AN ALTERNATIVE guide to Britain's top attraction has put Avebury's world famous stone circle as one of the region's best attractions. B******* to Alton Towers, written by Robin Halstead, Jason Hazeley, Alex Morris and Joel Morris, urges people to ignore
SUPERSTAR Bryan Adams is to appear at the County Ground this summer. The Canadian rocker has been in the premier league of musicians for more than 25 years, and still holds the record for the longest length of time spent at number one in the British
A TENANT has told a jury how his landlord Neil Alderhindon drove at him as he went to confront him about conditions in the house he was renting. Kuda Kujeke said he was carried on the front of the 38-year-old's van before his foot was run over and his
A WEBSITE is being launched to teach children about road safety. The site, created by tyre firm Goodyear is aimed at educating children of the potential dangers on the road to prevent future accidents. The site can be found by visiting www.drivehomesafely.com
A WILTSHIRE church has rung in the good news that it will be able to replace its stone roof thanks to funding. St Michael and All Angels in Brinkworth was the launch site for a £1.6m scheme that saw English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund announce
A HEROIN addict who stole from his father to fund his habit has been given a four-month suspended prison sentence. Jamie Tobin, 29, pleaded guilty to two charges of theft at Swindon Magistrates' Court yesterday. The court heard how Tobin, of Culvery
A SOLDIER and his ex girlfriend have denied viciously attacking a man in a Swindon park. Richard Lawanson and Phillipa Burchell are accused of carrying out a serious assault on Nicholas Whitfield, in Lydiard Park on November 30 last year. They both
BROADBAND, the microwave and the teabag were the favourite speedy inventions', according to a report. The electric toothbrush and ready meals were also named in a survey of 1,000 adults to find out which inventions were most valued by a speed-obsessed
BORDERS bookshop will be staging its first ever off-site book store at Braydon Forest School today. The book store is being held to celebrate World Book Day and is the latest in a series of literature events to be held at the Purton secondary school.
NORTH Wiltshire's Conservative MP James Gray, has asked the government how many troops are currently in Afghanistan and how long they will be there. Defence Secretary John Reid replied that the current force of 1,600 is likely to peak at 5,700 this year
CRACK cocaine can be bought in Swindon for less than a packet of cigarettes, according to a drugs worker. Dave Cork from Druglink says that it is so easily available that it can cost a quarter of the usual price. A rock of crack can cost up to £20 nationally
A LORRY driver failed to stop after an accident on the M4 which left a man in a critical condition. The eastbound carriageway between West Swindon and Chippenham was closed after the collision this morning. A man driving a Vauxhall Cavalier in the outside
