On Friday night at St. Mary's, with all due ceremony, the Rev. Stephen Ingham was licensed as Team Vicar (he will have special responsibility for Iden and Playden, and he and his wife are living in Fair Meadow). Bishop Peter, fighting off flu, was perhaps marginally less effervescent than usual, though he still had the con-gregation laughing at the sermon; but his supporting team included about thirty of the local clergy, the whole St. Mary's choir (which seems to have a quite remarkable range of height among its members nowadays!) and of course twelve churchwardens, six from each of the parishes in the Team Ministry. This parti-cular service is thoughtfully arranged so that the incoming priest has to process the whole length of the church and back, complete with Bishop, Archdeacon, Rural Dean and all twelve churchwardens; it must be a rather unnerving experience in a church the size of St. Mary's, but it does mean that all the congregation can see him, perhaps for the first time.
Because this was a licensing (for a five-year term, though renewable) and not an installation and induction (which is for life), there was none of the symbolism which goes with a freehold benefice - no locking and unlocking the church, no tolling the bell, and not even an oath of allegiance to the Sovereign, since the oath of allegiance to the Bishop covers this for team vicars and curates. But the church was very comfortably full to hear Mr. Ingham make his promises and to make those required from the parishioners; and the bells rang very cheerfully before and after the service. Bishop Peter addressed his sermon particularly to the clergy present. He spoke about the parish priest's role as the servant of his flock, and deplored the increasing modern tendency for professional expertise in this and that - "Leave room for grace", he said.
(See last week's GAZETTE for the first instalment.) Andy Thomson took the Longs petition over to Rother Planning Department on Monday, to make sure it got there by the deadline date for objections - 6 November. Including the sub-petitions in half-a-dozen other local shops, it bore 1522 signatures, collected in just seven days' trading. But letters of objection can still go either to Rother (see las week) or - perhaps even more effectively - to Anglia (see below).
Radio Sussex came over to Rye, and on Thursday we heard Andy Thomson telling Jim Beaman that until now Longs had enjoyed a very good landlord/tenant relationship with Anglia and it had not occurred to the family that their lease would not be renewed. Several customers had their say, and then Jim Beaman spoke to Peter Salt, Anglia's Chief Estates Manager at the Northampton head office. Could the office not be expanded internally, he asked? No, said Mr. Salt. Was it not possible, asked Mr. Beaman, that some of the 1300 people who had by then signed the shop's petition might also be Anglia shareholders, who could well withdraw their money? Mr. Salt hoped that people would understand Anglia's position: "we are a caring Society" he said. Hmmm...
The Anglia application, it seems only fair to point out, does not stem from the local branch staff; these things are decided at a much higher level. All the cashiers want is to be allowed to get on with their normal job in their normal pleasant and efficient way; please don't be horrid to them, it's not their fault! Letters addressed to Peter Salt at the Northampton head office will be forwarded from the Rye branch. We do wonder whether Anglia quite realised the implications when they decided on sideways expansion for the Rye branch; it would of course be excellent public relations for the Society, and a course we would all like to see them take, if they were to bow to public opinion and renew Longs' lease.
Mr. "Hobby" Clark of Military Road died in hospital in Ashford on Friday (2nd) after a brief illness; he was 64, and worked at Pontins. He was one of the few remaining Charter (founder) members of Rye and District Lion, and had been both President of the local branch and also the 1983/4 Zone Chairman of the organisation which has done so much for charity. Mr. Clark was also one of the unfailing supports of Rye Players; a first-rate actor, he specialised in cameo parts, and will be greatly missed by the company. He leaves a widow, Kay, and a daughter living in Australia. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
People going to London last Tuesday by the 8.45 were dismayed to find that it didn't arrive in Rye until 9.30! Passengers got to London at 11.30, and we were told about the problem by a cross lady who had missed an appointment at an office the other side of London which shut at noon. Other passengers included a party of third-years from Freda Gardham, who had had an unfortunate experience with British Rail on an earlier trip and had therefore (they thought) reserved a carriage from Ashford this time. They were due to lose the best part of an hour at the Museum of Mankind, where they went to see the Red Indian exhibition; but by eating their sandwiches in instalments, half on the way to town and half on the way back, they were able to make up the time in London.
Earlier that morning, Davina Artis tells us, there had also been a certain amount of confusion; a train was said to have been "lost" somewhere outside Appledore, and when she arrived for the 6.55 to London they were first told that there would be a bus - then a train came into the up platform which was said to be returning to Hastings, so the Hastings passengers got in - then it was said to be going to Ashford after all, so the Hastings passengers got out (she doesn't know how they fared in the end) and the Ashford passengers got in and did in fact get their usual London connection without the usual wait. Appledore and Ham Street commuters reported a bus lurking about outside their stations, obviously bidden to transport passengers who were in fact happily installed in the train. (We don't know what happened to the 8.01?)
We rang the Passenger Manager at Ashford to ask what the trouble had been, and were mystified to be referred to the Press Office at Waterloo "who will give you all the technical details". We didn't bother; the phone bill is bad enough as it is. Passengers for the aborted 8.45 were told that welders working on the line overnight hadn't finished on time; but if this was true, how did the 6.55 get through?
The present timetable already means that it is difficult to keep an 11 o'clock appointment in London on an Awayday ticket (the first Awayday train, the 8.45, is due up at 10.37); but if 12 o'clock appointments are also at risk...!
It was a pity that the Victorian Evening in aid of Cancer Relief was held on the Saturday normally celebrated as Guy Fawkes Day, since bonfire celebrations undoub¬tedly took away some of its potential audience. But both Rye Players and Madrigalia gave of their best, and a good time was had by all. Ubiquitous is really the only word to describe David Cade; acting as MC and a member of both choir and players, he was rarely off the stage! Madrigalia conductor Lesley Brownbill, Marion Lovell and Anne Whiteman played recorders - a revelation to those used to primary-school performances. Performing as an ensemble, Madrigalia made an excellent first impression on a Rye audience, and Tony Thomson and Pam Peters sang old favourites. On the dramatic side, the pathos of "Little Nellie's Bloomers" was greatly appreciated. Pam Peters gave a spirited account of a private view of etchings, and Jenny Hadfield and David Cade read again the much-enjoyed proposal scene from The Young Visitors. At the piano, Barbara Dickinson accompanied throughout with complete aplomb. The evening raised over £100 for Cancer Relief.
- 3 - THE RYE GAZETTE, 7.11.1984
• Congratulations to Claire Piper, of St. John Nursing Cadets, who came second in the Eastern Area Final last Friday of the Mastermind competition (GAZETTE no. 101). Claire's special subject was "Road-building in the turnpike era", and she also answered questions on first aid, home nursing and the history of the Order of St. John; she scored 32 points and brought home the Marshall Cup, and was beaten for top place by only two points by a boy from Hastings.
• The local branch of the RAF Association are very pleased to report that they have sent £850 to HQ this year - this is about £300 more than in 1983. The house-to-house collection brought in Z446, and the total also includes the proceeds of the Biggi#les Night at the Bell Inn, Iden (GAZETTE no. 99). We reported last week that the RAFA jumble sale sent its left-over good clothing to a Poland relief organisa¬tion; for those wishing to do the same, the phone number is Hawkhurst 3861.
• Two evening classes, from Rye and Hawkhurst, combined to hire a coach on Sunday to the Open Air Museum at Singleton, three hours' drive across Sussex. The groups, led by Sue McGrath, are studying mediaeval life in England - which, to judge from the fascinating rebuilt houses at Singleton, was lived with permanently watering eyes in a howling draught! The Rye class has been so successful that it has plans for continuing beyond its original single term, with a course of lectures in February and visits to local houses of the period during the summer; those who would like to join should ring Mrs. McGrath.
• New members elected to the Thomas Peacocke School PTA Committee at the AGM last Wednesday were Mrs. Talbot of Brede, Mrs. Collins of Northiam, Mrs. La Roux of Pett Level and Mrs. Barnes of Rye. Mrs. Colegrave of Northiam was co-opted on to the Committee.
• Town Sergeant Gus Gale has recently been repainting the Town Hall railings, and when he came to do the gates he realised that they needed more than just paint. They are now with Ian Wood of Playden, who is building up the badly-worn areas before they are repainted and rehung, and rumours that someone has nicked them are entirely without foundation:
• Last week's Hastings Observer carries a story about a confidence trickster who cons his way into homes with a false story and then steals cash; he has, say Hastings police, noticeably bright blue eyes. We pass this on in case he comes over to Rye.
• Rye Police Station received nearly a dozen complaints last week about children in the tcwn employing American "trick or treat" tactics on Hallowe'en. If they --sre refused money, they became downright abusive, and caused great offence. _oe police suspect that their parents may not have realised that the children were engaged in this imported - and possibly frightening, since they were dressed in Hallowe'en costumes - form of begging, and hope that perhaps next year a more careful eye will be kept on the young on 31 October.
• Condolences to 15-year-old Adam Barnes, of Fishmarket Road, who collided with a motor-bike near his home last week and was taken to hospital with head injuries. We are glad to report that he came home next day with three stitches and a head¬ache, but is otherwise none the worse.
• The press book shows thefts of C7C0-worth of property, including a Johnson out¬board motor, stolen last month from a cabin cruiser moored near Iden Lock; four bags of coal stolen from Corralls last week; and two silver-plated peacocks, valued at £50, taken from the Peacock Wine Bar early in September (and only missed now?).
• We hope the police caught up with the two boys riding their bikes on the narrow pavement outside Stocks last Tuesday evening, who nearly ran the Editor downs They were quite big boys, 13 or 14, and really should by now have gained enough confidence to ride in the road.—
• Just room to congratulate Peasmarsh School, which came second in an ESCC primary-school gardening competition and won The Silver Trowel.
4.
To begin with, it's not as big as some people thought: one floor only, with a total area of around 12,000 sq.ft. and a selling area of some 8,000 sq.ft. (jempsons at Peasmarsh is 7,000 sq.ft.) The plans include two separate small shops with an upper floor for office space, built in as part of the main building but facing towards the Station Approach; the supermarket entrance faces the railway line. Very little is actually being shifted. The bus garage moves from the station yard to a site behind the fire station; Ellis Bros's yard will be at the side of the firm's offices instead of behind them. The Post Office and its yard and garage remain, of course, as does the Cinque Ports Hotel. The bus stops will still be in the Station Approach.
Looked at from the town generally, the most noticeable difference will be that the present approach to the Market becomes a second access road to the site, looping outside the station round a tongue of land on which will stand a block of public loos (eight cubicles for ladies, an equivalent space for gents and a wheel¬chair cubicle) with a canopy outside which will doubtless double as a bus shelter, thank goodness! Turning off to the right past BR's collection of huts is the access to a coach and car park running between the railway and the market, on land at present unused; this will be administered by BR. The Market and Agricultural Halls stay put.
At the bottom of Station Approach, there remain 7 parking spaces alongside the down platform, plus the present taxi and car arrangements immediately outside the station. Further along, fitted into the main development site, are 84 more car park spaces at ground level. The Ferry Road access remains, although apparently wider than it is now. The complex therefore provides a clear loop road from Cinque Ports Street to Ferry Road which avoids Banisters Corner, and might well be preferred by through traffic; indeed, the developers had suggested that this could become part of a one-way system for this part of the town, which would have helped with the permanent problem of Cinque Ports Street between Stocks and >Banisters Corner - but this apparently turned out to be unworkable. A pity.
The supermarket's own covered service yard lies between the new bus garage and the shopping area, and there is a covered arcade along the front of the main shop. Seen from Station Approach, therefore, the first impact is that of the two small shops, with the side wall and roof of the main building behind. Seen from the railway (L to R) is the side wall of the shops, the twin-roofed selling area, the service yard and the bus garage. Ferry Road sees the new entrance, the side of the bus garage, and then open space through Crown Fields to Ellis Bros's building. From the back of the Cinque Ports Street houses, all that is visible is a long windowless wall. Building materials specified include clay tiles for the very large roof, and a combination of brick and dark boarding for the walls; the finished product will, we are told, be very similar in appearance to the International Stores development at Hythe.
There may well, we feel, be some alterations to the various access arrangements. At present, people walking along the Post Office side Of Cinque Ports Street have to look out for station traffic, and for market traffic on Wednesdays; but it's not a great risk. Particularly if the new access does become a through route between Cinque Ports Street and Ferry Road, there will be two serious roads to cross between the Post Office and the Cinque Ports Hotel, and of course access to the station, the bus stops and the new loos will be that much more hazardous. There will also be a complication at the Ferry Road end; at present, of course, the road has priority over the car park, but ought it to be the other way round if traffic chooses the new loop? But this is something which will have to be considered by the planners; we wait to see what Rather does, either on 22 Novem-ber or, more probably, on 13 December.
And the big question must remain unanswered a little longer: WHO? The developers have two firms anxious to have the supermarket; until an agreement is signed, they cannot of course name the successful applicant. Once it is, we will tell you; and in the meantime we are most grateful to Andrew Beggs and Peter Dennett of Butler & Hatch a.terman for their help over this report.
(We do apologise for the emphasis on planning matters in this issue as well as last week's; it is the way things have happened recently and certainly not any deliberate GAZETTE policy.)
We referred last week to work starting on one of the Rye Harbour development sites - in fact the area has been levelled, and this week's list includes an application for the site (about half the area between Weslakes and Atlas Stone) from Hatleys of Peacehaven, who wish to erect 25 industrial units with parking for 74 vehicles, skip enclosures and a pumping station to the main sewage works across the road.
The plan shows a 6' bank along the road frontage and tree planting round the other three sides. The units, in four blocks, are roofed in dark green plastic-covered steel, the walls aggregate-faced in brown stone colour; maximum height is about 24'. Each unit has a floor area of 1250 sq.ft.
Seawitch Marine of Rock Channel are applying for 7 pontoon moorings and 3 floating pier spaces, a 6m x km storage building, and 8 parking spaces, on the bank of the river just upstream of the Jehovah's Witnesses premises in Rye Harbour Road.
A Surrey firm is applying for change of use from shop and flat to offices for the Swiss Patisserie building, 6 Cinque Ports Street.
And finally, Rother are proposing to provide parking for 50 cars on the land (now neglected, though once allotments) between Mill Lane and the railway line. All access would be from Mill Lane, with an entrance/exit just round the corner from Ferry Road and an exit (only) opposite the phone exchange; the footpath to the river becomes a pedestrian entrance from the Strand Quay area. Rother's last car-park proposal, for the land between the railway and Lower School, was foiled by BR's reluctance to part with the land; we must hope for better things this time. Rother's Chief Technical Services Officer tells us that this car park will be in addition to what is proposed in the supermarket plans (see opposite page). (Certainly there will be no parking problems for GAZETTE visitors if they all materialise: Cyprus Place will have car parks within two minutes' walk on three sides!)
At the planning committee meeting last week, Rother decided to take enforcement action in the case of two houses, both Grade II listed, in the Conservation Area where replacement windows in UPVC or white anodised aluminium have recently been stalled in place of wooden sash windows: 31 High Street and Cannon House.
The Planning Officer's report particularly asks that publicity should be given to the need to obtain listed building consent for replacement windows of this type, and expresses concern lest such replacements should adversely affect the character of listed buildings and the Conservation Area generally. The Town Council also raised very strong objections to these unauthorised windows.
It might be of interest to quote what the Planning Officer says about this type of window. "The essential problem with fitting replacement windows, both UPVC >and white anodised aluminium, in listed buildings is their mechanical perfection. Thwlack the variety of surface texture and shape present in a traditional timber sash or casement window and provide generally a dull, flat appearance. The traditional vertical sliding sash window, because of the requirement for the top sash to slide over the lower, will reflect light on a number of different planes. Replacement windows, which are in effect single sheets of glass, do not do this. In addition each small pane of glass in the traditional window is glazed separately into its individual frame of glazing bars, again emphasising the reflective texture of the windows. The replacement window places its glazing bars as a purely decorative device between the two sheets of glass making up the usual double glazed unit, robbing the window of what little character it could possess."
Conservation Area readers, please note.
6.
The results of the sticker competition organised by Doodle (GAZETTE no.100) were announced last week, and the winning and highly commended entries were displayed in the High Street shop window over the weekend. Under-8 winner was Tracy Cronshaw from the Fish Shop in the Mint; Tracy is 6, and had concocted a charming balloon girl in a field of flowers. The other two winners produced hospital scenes: Mark Thomas (12) lives in New Winchelsea Road, and although Julia Girling (14) comes from Crowborough we gather that she has local connections. By the time you read this the three winning cards (each of which has earned a £10 prize) will have been sent to London to join all the other finalists in the national judging, before being sent to children in Great Ormond Street Hospital; if a Rye entry wins a national prize, Mrs. Wills promises to let us know.
It is not often that press and public are entirely excluded from a Rye Town Council meeting, but this happened on Monday when the whole Council met for a preliminary discussion of the issues involved in the matter of the Lion Street parking (see GAZETTE no. 102). The question comes up again, as we said, at the normal Council meeting next Monday, 12th, and the Town Clerk assures us that anyone who goes then expecting to hear the matter discussed will indeed hear just that, and not simply watch a previously-agreed resolution being rubber-stamped.
It is not only shoppers' cars which clog up Lion Street traffic; on Thursday morning the road was blocked at its narrowest point by a large lorry delivering clothes to The Golden Fleece. Traffic warden Lena Baldock asked the Tibbett & Britten driver to move along so that the cars behind could get clear, but he refused saying that he couldn't possibly carry up the armsful of garments from the High Street (where there was a perfectly good parking place just round the corner). He compounded his offence by having two wheels on the pavement; no wonder the town has so many broken paving stones!
After a recent GAZETTE report on Rye as it was, we were quite surprised to hear from Bill Webb of Ashenden Avenue that he had found Needles Passage closed to the public as late as 1978. We asked Steve Denny whether he used to close it during Penny Royal's time in the Mint, since the passage used to belong to Penny Royal's predecessor several times removed, Clarks the bakers. He did indeed, he told us, every Christmas Day (which was more convenient for customers at the Standard Inn than the Boxing Day alternative); the first two years, his barrier had been demolished, so after that he settled for a purely formal closure with a rope across each end. Although the Mint end of the passage belongs to no. 40, the owner's rights cease at the top of the steps; thereafter the passage counts as a pavement and belongs to ESCC's Highways Department.
The AGM of Rye Boys' Club was held at the Mermaid Street club-room on Friday. Chairman Mrs. Frances Tolhurst was able to report on another successful year with a wide range of activities. President Ray Fooks thanked Mrs. Tolhurst and Jim Cavill, who acts as both secretary and treasurer, and of course the rest of the hardworking committee for all their efforts. Stuart Doyle, who recently resigned as Club Leader, was also thanked for all the work he had put in over the past years. The Committee is now looking for a new Club Leader; the job has been advertised, but an appointment has not yet been made and there is still time for new applicants to be considered - contact Mr. Cavil.
The new Gas Board main winds its slow way up Udimore Road, and we heard a plaintive tale from Linda King at Paygate Cottage. Her electricity died; she went out to remonstrate with the workmen. "So sorry" they said, looking down at the wires in the hole, "we thought that one was you". Linda said no, hers was the one they had cut, the other carried her neighbour's supply. Two hours later they cut his, too!
7.
• Doubtless local readers will by now have noticed the eye-catching posters all over the town for the Rye Famine Appeal's charity benefit night on Thursday at the George Hotel, organised by Martyn and Fiona Gasson (GAZETTE no. 105). Fiona did the poster's layout, but the striking drawing was contributed by top cartoonist Honeysett, who lives at Wittersham. Musicians featured include Eric Money, Roger Hubbard, Louis Turpin and Jonathan Cleary; tickets £1.50 from the George Hotel, other donations to The Old Vicarage in Church Square. Nothing else is happening on Thursday evening as far as the Town Diary knows, so the organisers are hoping for a really enthusiastic turnout.
(Preaching at St. Mary's Harvest Thanksgiving service at the end of September, the Rev. Brian Soper referred to the famine in Ethiopia - which had not then hit the headlines. A visitor was moved to give the church a cheque for £100 for relief work, and before sending it off the PCC decided to add a further £1,000 from church funds, so £1,100 was forwarded to the SCF's Ethiopia Appeal from St. Mary's.)
• On Tuesday, 13th, the local Arthritis and Rheumatism Council branch holds its Ploughman's Lunch at the Community Centre from noon to 2. Admission price of £1.30 will include, along with the main course, home-made soup and cider or coffee. There will be a cake stall and a raffle, for which contributions will be gratefully welcomed. ARC hon. sec. Francis Barrett adds that the Branch was able to contribute, during the year ended 30 September, the sum of £1,330 to the Research Fund - "thanks again to the unfailing generosity of this community".
• The Labour Party's local branch is arranging a public meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday, 14th, at 8, when the speaker will be Tam Dalyell, MP; branch chairman Bob Beckwith will preside. Much impressed, we asked Mr. Beckwith how they had managed to lure down here a speaker of such eminence? It seems that back in January, when Mr. Dalyell was at the heart of the Belgrano controversy, the branch wrote to congratulate him on his stand; he replied thanking them for their support and saying that if they ever wanted a speaker... so they have taken him up on it. He will be discussing current topics, doubtless including the matter of the Belgrano, and members of all political parties - or none - are most welcome to attend the meeting; this is rather later than most local evening events since Mr. Dalyell is being driven down from London by one of the branch members after his day in the House.
• Rye Bonfire Night (Saturday, 17th) programmes are now available in the town, and if all the societies, etc., who are invited do indeed appear it should be a very handsome procession. This year the route goes from the Estate along Cinque Ports reet, under the Landgate arch, and then via High Street and the Mint back into Cinque Ports Street and left down the Landgate to the Salts for the bonfire and fireworks. The procession leaves Mason Road at 7.15, and since all the prizes will have been presented immediately after the judging at 6.30, there will be no stopping-place this year - for the first time that we can remember. Jimper Sutton was relieved to find that plenty of helpers for torches, etc., offered their services in the course of the past few weeks, but they are very short of people to carry collecting-tims and would be glad of volunteers. Ring Jimper >or Bob Booth.
• "A Tomb with a View" is this year's staff play at Thomas Peacocke School - another of their popular comedy-thrillers. A somewhat hasty conversation at Rye Station with director Gil Wright reveals that Ray Fooks appears as a deranged butler, Gil's wife Fay as an elderly poisoner, Frances Paintin models herself on Barbara Cartland and Brian Creese thinks he is Julius Caesar! Mike White also appears (his head, apparently, more often than the rest of him); and John Stewart, Susan Briggs and Martin Estall make their debut. Tickets are obtainable from Upper School in the lunch hour; the show goes on on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 15 to 17 November, and they know that the Saturday is Bonfire Night but they find it does mean a fuller house on the Thursday and Friday, which is a great advantage.
Thursday, 8th Red Cross AGM, FEC, afternoon
Charity Benefit Night concert (SCF Ethiopia Appeal), George Hotel, 7.30 (see below)
Friday, 9th Civil Service Retirement Fellowship coffee morning, FEC, 11 WI Market with special stall taking Christmas orders, CC, 10 Vidler & Co's special evening sale of fine antiques and works of art, etc., 6 (viewing from 2)
Saturday, 10th Poppy Appeal collection
RNLI coffee morning, FEC, 10.30
SDP coffee morning, The Forecastle, Hucksteps Row, 10
Sunday, 11th Service of Remembrance, St. Mary's, 11
Monday, 12th Rye Town Council meeting, TH, 6 (see page 6)
Royal British Legion AGM, British Legion Club, 8
Tuesday, 13th Arthritis and Rheumatism Council ploughman's lunch, CC, 12 (p. 7) St. Mary's Tuesday Club, Rachel Sarrieddine on decorating pottery, 2 East Street, 7.30 - all welcome
National Trust talk, "Temples and Holy Places" (W.E. Ames Lewis), CC 7.30
Wednesday, 14th Mencap Autumn Fair, FEC, 10 (see below)
Over-60s Club, Red Cross, 1.45
Rye WI: The County Craft Collection, FEC, 7
Labour Party public meeting with Tam Dalyell, MP - TH, 8 (see p.7)
• Congratulations to Bill and Evelyn Simpson, now both of Cadborough Cliff, who were married in Hastings on 27 October. Bill Simpson is of course Rye's Deputy Mayor, so we are welcoming to Rye a Deputy Mayoress and hope that Mrs. Simpson will be very happy in our community.
• Local supporters of the Church of England Children's Society met over wine and cheese at the Town Hall last Wednesday, when well over £200 was raised for the Rye Deanery Committee of the Society.
• The 1st Rye Brownies presented a cheque for £45 to FE Centre funds at their meeting there on Thursday. This was the result of their sponsored shoe-shine outside the Centre back in the summer.
• Vickie Piper tells us that although the Mencap Branch committee felt it was too early to hold a Christmas Fair next week, their Autumn Fair at the FE Centre ow-¬Wednesday will have for sale lots of beautiful hand-made presents as well as cards and wrapping paper, all suitable for early Christmas shopping.
• British Rail announce maintenance work on Monday night on the lime between Rye and Appledore, and apologise for the inevitable noise.
• Rother Council warns of two types of container, both "dangerous, which may find their way to local beaches: a 50-litre blue plastic oblong container with red cap and marked with a yellow triangle, and a similar one with a white indented top. If you come across either, leave it alone and tell police or coastguards.
• Mr. Taylor, who has the fabric stall at Rye Market, is looking for four old oak beams as replacements in his home - 11'6" x 8" x 8". If you have one or more around this size which you don't need, he would be very glad to meet you on a Thursday!
THE RYE GAZETTE is registered as a newspaper with the Post Office, and published by Mrs. Mary Owen, 2 Cyprus Place, Rye (Rye 222303). News items for inclusion are always welcome - deadline Monday afternoon, Tuesday 9 am for emergencies. The GAZETTE costs 25p weekly, and is delivered to subscribers and pick-up points or Wednesday; some spare copies of the current issue are available at Squirrels, 9-13 Cinque Ports Street, and back numbers can be obtained from Cyprus Place. (Copyright Mary Owen 1984)