Our little shopping mall has a vacancy. It's good to see the veg shop next door holding its own against the supermarkets.

Megasave has closed after several months of clearance. I guess it lost custom to the Pound Shop on the opposite side of the road.

A long time a-dying, this former shoe shop. I wonder who will be able to make a business thrive here. It will need to be something that is not found in the central section of the High Street.

The gas pipeline continues on its way, down Vestry Road. The evening sunlight and the dark sky together bring out the friendly colours of the houses. And this on a day when it snowed twice, morning and evening. Nothing serious, only a few flakes.

More destruction in Merriman Road.

Yet another wall in Merriman Road bites the dust. Members of the Street Society in a private capacity have been monitoring this process, and have raised the matter of lowered kerbs with the authorities. These members object to the width of lowered kerb outside some houses. The lowered section sometimes even encroaches on the neighbouring property's frontage. I find it difficult to visualise what Merriman Road will look like when there are few or none of the original walls left, just tarmac and parked cars. Residents have said that they are partly motivated by the desire to prevent visiting motorists taken all the parking space and leaving them nowhere to park. It is now too late for my favoured solution, a ban on parking on one side of the road, and residents' permits for spaces on the other side. Ah well!

The Street Society has been involved for some time with the consultations about the giant new housing development at Houndwood. So it was interesting to read the following in the FosseWay Magazine:

Street residents will have an opportunity to find out more about plans to build around 400 homes in the town at a meeting next week.

Shoe giant Clarks has outline permission for a huge development scheme on the 12-hectare site of their former distribution centre at Houndwood, and Mendip District Council's planning board approved a draft design brief for the scheme at their meeting last week.

Design consultants RPS Planning Transport and Environment will give a presentation on the brief at the district council's Glastonbury and Street area board meeting next week.

The event marks the beginning of a public consultation period before the document goes back to the planning board for adoption in June.

Residents with questions or comments about the scheme are invited to register to speak at the meeting.

Area board chairman Les Bennett said:

"This is an enormous issue in Street, and I want members of the public to ask the developers questions rather than just sitting and listening to us debating it"

The meeting will be taking place in Crispin School Hall at 6.30pm on Wednesday night (23rd February).

Other agenda items include a presentation by Mendip YMCA, anti-social behaviour in Glastonbury, street trading, Glastonbury market, skateboarding at Moorlands and regional crime statistics.

Anyone wishing to speak on any of the agenda items should contact Claire Dicken at Mendip District Council on 01749 343399.

As a footnote to all the posts about 'Bethlehem', here is a scan of the Gazette picture of Rutland Boughton's plaque on the Assembly Rooms. It had just been unveiled by Rutland Boughton's grandson Ian, and the Mayor of Glastonbury Nick Cottle is in the picture too.

And what, you may ask, has this ceremony across the Brue got to do with Street? Rutland Boughton himself did not recognise the Great Divide, and the first performance of Bethlehem took place in Street, in the Crispin Hall, with singers about equally from Street and Glastonbury.

Blossom now holds promise of cherry plums later.

The new building by Strode car park.

Towering over the tower - the giant crane over the new Strode building.

This week's Central Somerset Gazette carries one letter about last Sunday's concert at the Parish Church, and another about the exhibition of paintings by Norman Parker.

They echo my feelings exactly.

Exceptional night out

I would like to congratulate all those involved with the very excellent musical evening at Street Trinity Parish Church this Sunday evening (February 6). It was one of the most delightful musical evenings I have ever enjoyed in Somerset. The parish church was warm and welcoming with truly spectacular acoustics. It was a tranquil joy that I did not expect to find so close to home.

The Kokoro (Japanese for heart) contemporary music ensemble of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with COSMiC (the Strode theatre-based Centre Of Somerset Music Club) provided a musical night to remember for us all. Local parents and young people were learning and playing music with one of the best in the country.

We all enjoyed and will remember the surreal experience of the soprano, Bernadette Lord, singing with three ringing glasses of water. The Street Trinity Parish church was described tonight as the "Fastest growing music venue in the South West".

I cannot do it justice in words and would strongly recommend you visit for yourself. Put Saturday, April 23, in your diary for the St George's Day musical event. You will not be disappointed. You will very likely be enchanted.

Jim Mochnacz
Park Road
Street

Don't miss this show

Re: 43 Views of the Tor � Exhibition of paintings by Norman Parker.

Norman Parker's work has my greatest admiration.

Having painted the Tor myself for a number of years, I have never seen anything to equal his paintings for artistry, imagination and often humour.

My advice to all readers of this newspaper is to go along to the Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury, well before the exhibition ends on March 5.

Even if art exhibitions aren't your normal thing, you will enjoy the experience immensely.

The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am until 5pm, and admission is free.

John Morland
Dod Lane
Glastonbury.

This willow is under threat. Here is the application:

Application No: 111137/008PG29
Received: 26 Jan 2005
Development Type: Trees - PG29
Full Grid Reference: ST48259,36360
Registered: 28 Jan 2005
Ward: Street South
Application Type: TPO Felling
Case Officer: Yvonne Jarrold
Valid: 26 Jan 2005
Parish: Street
Applicant: Mr P J Barker,
6 Merriman Road,
Street,
Somerset, BA16 0JA
Location: 6 Merriman Road
Street
Somerset BA16 0JA
Proposal: Felling of Willow tree covered by TPO M1107 (DEL)

I thought that the leaflet about Combe Hill Wood ought to be widely available, so here it is:

Combe Hill Wood

is owned by The Ninesquare Trust and is managed by fountains plc U.K. forestry services. Tel: 01295 750000.

NOW FULLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Combe Hill Wood is situated about 3 miles south-east of Street, Somerset, above and between the nearby villages of Gompton Dundon & Butteigh. It is easily accessible via the ridge road known as Reynold's Way which links the B3151 and the B3153, and it has a spacious car park. Its map grid reference is ST 503 331.

The woodland extends to 25 hectares (62 acres) with a diverse range of habitats. Research has indicated that Combe Hill has been a mixed site of woodland, wood pasture, grazed calcareous grassland and scrub for several hundred years. It has trees of all ages and very many species. One area of semi-natural oak woodland has been there since 1822 and has developed a rich variety of lichen, ferns and invertebrates in the deadwood. Extensive planting of conifers and broadleaves took place in the 1960s with Pine, Spruce, Western Red Cedar and Larch being inter-planted with Elm, Beech and Alder, among which there is much Ash regeneration of all ages. The remaining veteran Oak, Beech, Sycamore and Field Maple are often found with an under-storey of Hazel and Hawthorn. The woodland is silviculturaily managed to retain and favour veteran trees, coppicing Hazel in a regular rotation. Remaining areas are thinned to encourage the development of native broadleaves of all ages, and to allow the good quality conifers to mature. The paths and newly created open spaces are managed to encourage a diversity of flora and fauna: wild flowers and invertebrates in particular should increase in these areas.

There is an extensive path system throughout the wood for all abilities, including disabled and wheelchair users, leading to viewpoints with stunning scenery below: views over this lovely part of Somerset and the levels or "moors" as they are known locally. These viewpoints are pleasant places for gazing in quiet contemplation, or for a picnic, or scanning around with binoculars, maybe watching the wildlife. Many interesting song-birds, woodland birds and birds of prey may be seen: among them goldcrests, bullfinches, jays, pheasants, woodcock, buzzards, kestrels and sparrow hawks. Roe deer, foxes, badgers, hares or rabbits may be seen if it is fairly quiet, especially early in the morning or towards evening.

The wood also contains a section of the "New Ditch" which is an enigmatic 3000-year-old Iron Age earthwork.

The Ninesquare Trust was established in 1995. Its aims are to benefit the people of Street, in Somerset, and the surrounding area, with a commitment to supporting projects with a particular focus on. education and the environment. The Trustees have welcomed this rare opportunity to combine managing this wood to a high standard whilst retaining its diversity and encouraging the fullest possible public access. Following wide consultation and substantial financial support and advice from the Forestry Commission in support of these objectives, Fountain Forestry have been responsible for the major programme of work undertaken at Combe Hill Wood. This has involved thinning and clearing as well as the construction of paths, fencing, signage and other improvements for good public access.

* Please enjoy and respect the wood *

'Joined-up government' is a vogue phrase at the moment, and you can see what people mean by it. When the gas people dig up your road one week and carefully make good (we hope), and the water people come a couple of weeks later and dig it all up again, you yearn for some co-ordination.

We came across an example regarding Overleigh, when we were negotiating with Mendip about conservation issues, and then, without warning or by-your-leave, Somerset Country Council sent someone to decide whether to knock down a venerable and attractive wall and widen the country lane so that cars sould rush by, knocking the children, other pedestrians and motorised wheelchair users flying.

Thank God they didn't go forward with the hare-brained scheme. All they did was leave a stud hammered into the tarmac and a number of worried residents. But apparently the Highways Department, belonging to Somerset CC, can do what it likes, without consulting Mendip. Or that's what I gather. I may be wrong.

And then the police seem to have a hand in things to do with parking, too. And the really local people, Street Parish Council, who know what's what in the immediate area, seem to have no effective say at all.

Parking. That's the issue worrying some of us. Pavements in Merriman Road are being lowered and white lines are appearing in the road. Who lowered the pavement? Who painted the white lines? Whose responsibility is it to give permission? And who has an overall view of the needs of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in Street? If there is anyone with such an overview, do they have the authority to get things done?

There was a time when our town signs - sorry, village signs - proudly announced Free Parking. Then some authority stepped in and compelled us to make the car parks pay. Parked cars appeared overnight along all the roads near the High Street, and my barber lost a lot of customers who could no longer park outside his shop. Now the car parks are filled again and still the roads are clogged with parked cars.

My son in London has over the years done a lot of unpaid work gathering information about traffic flow, bicycle use and safety, effect on local residents and so on, in his part of North London, and his local council has taken notice and changed some one-way systems back into two-way, to general satisfaction, and even bankrolled schemes for cycle storage to encourage fewer car journeys and more healthy cycling.

Perhaps it takes private initiative to get the facts, present them to all the local authorities, and then knock the heads of officials together until they come up with some joined-up government regarding cars in Street and what to do with them.

Meanwhile, Merriman Road is continuing its chaotic changes.

Hywel helps another young violinist with tuning. 

A young violinist asks Hywel Jenkins for help in tuning. 

The first violins from the Cosmic/Kokoro string ensemble. 

Yet more string players from Cosmic. They made a splendid sound. 

More string players playing Peter Maxwell Davies. 

Part of the string group playing Maxwell Davies. 

More Cosmic singers and recorder players. 

Cosmic singers and recorder players. 

The Cosmic choir in performance. 

Mark Forkgen, conductor of Kokoro. 

Alistair Marshallsay, percussionist of Kokoro. 

The Cosmic choir practises, led by Mark Forkgen. 

Members of Cosmic in rehearsal. 

Bernadette Lord, soprano, thinking about things. 

Judith Brice, viola, and Roberto Sorrentino, cello. 

Kokoro musicians catch up with their reading while others rehearse. 

Mark Forkgen rehearses Cosmic 

Paul Searle-Barnes (harpsichord) of Kokoro. 

Maxine Willis of Kokoro, who is really a flautist but here plays the musical glass. 

Alistair Marshallsay and Alan Andrews of Kokoro 

Alan Andrews, Kokoro clarinettist. 

Kokoro - discussing tempo.

Kokoro - a moment of relaxation during rehearsal.

Kokoro rehearsing in Street Parish Church. They are playing songs by local composer Hywel Davies. The concert is Sunday 6th February 2005, with CoSMIC young musicians.

Conductor and soprano.

Kokovo rehearsing in Street Parish Church - they are musicians from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

On behalf of the Street Society Nina Fry contacted Stephen Clark at Mendip about the trees in Merriman Park. This is the relevant part of the reply:

Merriman Park has a good selection of trees, I�m not sure they would be considered rare but there are some species that you don�t often see in this area. Most of the trees are in reasonable condition as we have carried out remedial work around the park over the last few years. Unfortunately this has also meant the removal of a few trees, one of which you may be interested in, an Indian Bean Tree (Catalpa bignoniodes). There is a Ginkgo biloba on site, that is doing well. Although these days it may not be considered rare.

Some members of the Street Society had found that the park was originally planted with rare species. Evidently these species have now become more common. I repeat my feeling that the whole park now needs to be redesigned for present-day use.