Weekly News News
Looking back: Ten, 20 and 30 years ago
4:00pm Friday 3rd February 2012
Photo courtesy of the Highbridge History Project.
THIS photo shows an aerial view of the Town Hall and Square in 1930.
The square was once the focal point of the town's activities, a gathering place and a central area where the community would come together to celebrate special occasions, or meet to take part n a social function.
There is no longer see any sign of the large open space that was once looked upon with pride by the local populace.
Ten years ago
January 29, 2002
POLICE stepped up the search for armed raiders who held up a Burnham postmaster at knifepoint.
Officers had released a clue which they hoped would lead them to the robbers who stole cash from Burnham’s post office in Abingdon.
They issued a photo of a scrap of wrapping paper which was left at the scene, and were appealing for local shopkeepers who may stocked or sold this kind of paper to anyone in recent days.
A NEW scheme to reduce crime in Brean and Berrow was set to be introduced.
Residents in the two villages were set to take advantage of monthly crime surgeries to get advice from their local police officer or to report crimes.
It was hoped the scheme would prove a hit as residents would no longer have to travel into Burnham to report crime.
20 years ago
February 4, 1992
COUNCILLORS on Sedgemoor District Council discussed the possibility of naming and shaming people who did not pay the Poll Tax this week in 1992.
Conservative group leader Bob Hudson said: “It is a serious problem. We have to collect all of it because it will affect our budget next year.
“We are looking at the policy of publishing the names of people who have not paid last year’s Poll Tax.”
PEOPLE in Sedgemoor were being asked to donate books to the newly-formed Russian republics this week in 1992.
Rotarians in the district said reading material in the new eastern European countries was “in desperately short supply”.
30 years ago
February 2, 1982
A SPATE of vandalism at Wembdon Road cemetery in Bridgwater prompted guardians of the site to move to close it to the public.
Cllr Margaret Rees labelled attacks on two chapels as ‘obscene’ and pledged to write to the then-Environment Secretary Michael Heseltine.
A TALKING newspaper detailing the day the sea invaded Burnham and surrounding areas was delivered to 50 homes in Sedgemoor this week 30 years ago.
The newsletter was produced by Paul Hawkins, of Woolavington, who edited together different newspaper reports of the December disaster and produced cassettes to keep blind and partially-sighted people up to date with the news.