Chatsworth Country Fair from September 2 to 4 – if you can afford it!

It was always a weekend to look forward to in early September – Chatsworth Country Fair and this year it is 30 years old.

On September 5 1981 the event launched and it has showcased the best of the countryside to thousands ever since. Now firmly on Derbyshire’s social calendar, the fixture has prospered through decades of massive change.

However, this year I flatly refuse to go. In times of financial hardship and austerity measures Chatsworth Country Fair organsisers are clearly taking the piss. look at these prices:- tickets cost £15 on Friday, £17 on both Saturday and Sunday with under-14s admitted free.

Unbelievable and an absolute disgrace to be charging so much. Can fair president, former Yorkshire and England cricketer Michael Vaughan, of Baslow, justify this exorbitant entrance fee?

Trust to run Bakewell Town Hall

A decision on Bakewell Town Hall's future has finally been made after councillors voted to hand over the running to a community trust.

The crumbling hall faces a huge bill of upto £400,000 to modernise and repair and this monumental task is finally being passed onto volunteer group Bakewell Town and Community Trust .

The trust was set up in 2005 to take control of the hall and work towards raising money for desperately needed repairs and improvements.

There have been several delays in the handover of the hall but following the meeting on Friday the ball can start rolling.

On Friday members of Bakewell Town Council voted to approve an agreement allowing the Trust to take over the running of the town hall.

Councillor Bill Kirkland said: "There has been a long debate on the future of the Town hall and we wanted to make sure that whatever happened would be in the best interests of the town.

"We want to get a vibrant and viable community centre.

"There are still some details and conditions to be ironed out but we hope to have the agreement formally signed in about a weeks time.

"Then the Trust can start to look at ways of developing the hall, providing facilities and getting funding in place."

Bakewell Town Council will financially support the trust for the first five years of the agreement on a decreasing scale and will also help towards the cost of installing a lift in the building to make the first floor accessible.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-04-04 13:11:26

Edale MRT 'rescue' Sheffield Mayor

Sheffield Lord Mayor Jackie Drayton has taken part in a simulated accident to help promote the work of Edale Mountain Rescue Team.

The Mayor feigned an injury and was hoisted to safety in the training exercise for the emergency team.

Edale Mountain Rescue Team leader Ian Bunting said: “Training exercises like this are vital in maintaining our high standards of first aid, navigation and rope work.”

The stunt, at Burbage Edge, was to raise awareness of the team, which is staffed entirely by volunteers who are on call 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year.

The team rescue walkers and rock climbers and also help search for missing people and last year the team dealt with 95 incidents.

The team is currently trying to raise £150,000 to pay for a new base and equipment.

To contribute visit www.justgiving.com/edalemrt/donate or send cheques made payable to Edale Mountain Rescue Team, to PO Box 6490, Bakewell, DE45 1XR.

Next time it will be Roy Hattersley's turn and Edale MRT will accept cheques to leave him up there.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-27 10:54:41

Grant keeps charity mobile

Bakewell and Eyam Community Transport’s car scheme has been boosted by a £200,000 funding injection from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities Programme, allowing it to continue for another five years.

The service, run by volunteers, offers one-to-one transport for people living in Bakewell and the surrounding area who struggle to get from A to B.

The scheme has been running for ten years and organisors will now look to expand the scheme.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-15 08:43:45

Peak District National Park has grit between its teeth

Peak National Park chiefs have instructed planning officers to halt work at a second quarry on Longstone Edge, near Bakewell, after further allegations over unauthorised limestone removal.

The Peak District National Park Authority has agreed to allow its officers to serve stop notices on the operator of a quarry at Wager's Flat following a meeting on Friday.

The authority's move follows a public inquiry into activities at neighbouring Backdale quarry after a stop notice was served on landowner Bleaklow Industries and operator MMC Mineral Processing.

Those companies, which also operate the quarry at Wager's Flat, appealed to the planning inspectorate after the notice had been served and rejected community concerns that too much limestone was being taken out, creating irreparable scars on the landscape.

Results from the Backdale public inquiry, held at Calver village hall last month, are expected by mid-May. But National Park Authority chairman Tony Hams said that until they were known a tough line would be taken on other operations.

He said: "This is a crucial period in terms of the activities on Longstone Edge. We fully understand and share the community's concern and we believe that enforcement action is warranted."

Mr Hams said the authority was seeking urgent talks with the two companies but immediate enforcement action would be taken by officers if a negotiated solution proved impossible.

"Negotiations with the companies are a necessary stage in the process," Mr Hams said. "There is a known mineral vein at Wager's Flat that can be lawfully worked and we and the companies have differing views on what that means. We also want the talks to include Beacon Rod, another part of Longstone Edge which is covered by the same permission."

Well done to the Peak District National Park Authority. After being accused of doing very little or perhaps not enough the 'get tough pills' seem to be working.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-13 03:02:07

Learn First Aid for Free

A Sheffield doctor is leading a first aid course for parents and child carers, which has been organised by a children's charity.

Just A Few Minutes Emergency Support, based in Bakewell, is holding the event at Cavendish Hall, Edensor, near Chatsworth, on Saturday March 17 from 9am to 4.30pm.

It aims to provide parents, grandparents - and anyone looking after children - with the skills to save lives in the vital first few minutes after an accident More information from Lindsey Horsnall on 07973 537231.

Chris Sabian, Peak District View - 2007-03-10 04:15:42