Cirencester Guide - Cirencester accommodation, attractions, events and news

Post Office Consultation Was Utter Travesty, Says Leader

7th May 2008

The decision to press ahead with cuts to Cotswold post offices proves the Government’s consultation was a pre-determined sham, the leader of Cotswold District Council said today.

The axe will fall on 12 branches, with four closing completely and eight closing in their present form to be served by significantly-reduced outreach services.

Cllr Lynden Stowe said: “We know now what we had suspected all along - that Post Office Limited’s consultation process was a complete and utter travesty. The Post Office should apologise for wasting everybody’s time over the past three months.

“In our heart of hearts, we realised they had no intention of listening to the widespread protests of the people of Gloucestershire. But even we are surprised that they didn’t sit up and take notice of the strong business case to save the Beeches and Stratton branches in Cirencester.
“We know the Government is hell-bent on destroying services in rural areas, and now our market towns are under attack.

“Every post office is important to its community but in areas such as the Cotswolds they are a lifeline to many residents. In Longborough, for example, the community showed fantastic spirit in the battle to save their branch – and it’s a crying shame that they will now be left with some kind of third-class ‘outreach’ service.

“This decision is just another nail in the coffin of rural life in the 21st Century.”

The four post offices to be completely closed in the Cotswold District are Stratton and Beeches in Cirencester, Meysey Hampton and Weston-sub-Edge. Eight others – Colesbourne, Rendcomb, Aldsworth, Guiting Power, Longborough, Blockley, Temple Guiting and Sherborne – will be served by an outreach, hosted or partner service.

Fun Events At Corinium Museum Over Half-Term Holidays

30th April 2008

A trio of family fun activities will have children buzzing with excitement at the Corinium Museum during May half term.

The Park Street venue starts the series of sessions with an fun ‘Graffiti Workshop’ on Wednesday May 28th, aimed at the 9 to12 year old age group. In this workshop, children will learn about graffiti through the ages and they will create their own artwork to take home with them.

This workshop will run from 10am-11.30am and booking is essential for the event.

Another workshop will allow children to ‘Make a crown for a pound’, also on Wednesday May 28th (1pm-3pm). Using gold or silver-coloured card and sparkles, children can make a fabulous headdress fit for a king or queen, and even the smallest visitors can have a go.

Booking is not essential for this event – simply turn up and pay a pound to take part.

Finally, families should prepare to be puzzled on Thursday May 29th as the Museum runs an ‘Anglo-Saxon riddles workshop’. In this, parents and children from six and up get the chance to solve ancient riddles and create their own. Booking is essential and the workshop runs from 2pm-3.30pm.

For more information and to book a place on any of the events, please contact the Corinium Museum on 01285 655611.

Floor Fair To Come To Cirencester Later This Month

14th March 2008

Following flooding in parts of the Cotswolds last July – and earlier this year – the Environment Agency, the National Flood Forum and Cotswold District Council have organised a Flood Protection Products Fair in Cirencester.

The event will bring together a variety of flood protection ideas, products and services as well as help and information for those people who have been affected by, or who are at risk of flooding.

The flood fair is being held at The Bingham Hall, Cirencester on Friday 28th March 2008 between 2:30pm and 7pm.

At the Flood Fair visitors will be able to:
Check if their home or business is in a flood risk area
Find out about flood warning services and how they can sign up
Get advice on practical steps to protect homes from flooding
Pick up a range of information and check out useful websites
Examine the range of flood defence devices you can buy
Develop their own home or business flood plan

Mary Dhonau of the National Flood Forum said: “This fair will offer local residents who have suffered from the heartbreak of flooding the chance to talk about their experience with people who know just what it’s like.
“At the same time, we will have a number of manufacturers and suppliers with flood protection products at the event who will exhibit their ideas, and be on hand to discuss the ways in which those affected by the recent floods could reduce the impact if they are flooded in the future.”

Councillor Clive Bennett from Cotswold District Council, said:
“We recognise the need to build resilience within communities and are pleased that in partnership with the Environment Agency and National Flood Forum, we are able to offer this opportunity for local residents to come and find out more about flood protection and the products available. A second Fair is currently being organised for April or May to offer the same opportunity to residents in the North of our District”.

Kate Vincent, flood incident management team leader, said: “We are really pleased to be able to support this event.
“Working with the National Flood Forum to run fairs like these gives residents an idea of some of the products available out there which may protect their homes during events such as those we experienced during the summer.”

Cotswold Leisure Centre Back Open For Business

4th March 2008

Cotswold Leisure Cirencester opened its doors over the weekend as people of all ages flocked back.

Closed since July last year after the floods, the centre opened with a fun filled weekend of activities that included go karts, bouncy castles, roller skating and multi-sports coaching for the children, to a rowing challenge in the gym, and several fitness classes - including a new Body Training System class - for the adults.

Over 1,000 people took a swim, dozens of faces were painted and close to 200 new members signed up for the Gym, Swim and Fitness class package.

Demonstrations in Tai Kwon Do, judo and figure skating on roller skates took place with a chance for newcomers to have a go.
Leisure Centre Manager Andrea North said: “It’s great to be open again. So many people have worked so many hours to get the centre open again as quickly as possible so it was great to mark the end of that work with a celebration. The weekend was a great success. Saturday was our busiest day since the new centre opened in 2006.

Andrea and her team have used this new start to breathe new life into the centres programme of activities. The most dramatic change is the introduction of the new Body Training Systems fitness classes. The Body Pump class claims to be the most successful group fitness programme in history!

In addition to the classes, new equipment has been added to the already impressive Fitness Suite. The latest technology in the form of “Power Plates” offers members a new way of working out.

The swimming lesson programme has also changed with instructors now following the ASA’s National Swimming Teaching Plan. New disciplines such as diving and synchronised swimming are also available and the pool will be open earlier from 6.30am for earlier starters.

For the less active, the centre now also features a free wireless internet link in the Real:Life café area. A range of new treatments are also available through the Holmes Beauty treatment rooms.

Business Development Manager for Leisure, Simon Dicker said: “We’ve kept a lot of what we did well but we’ve worked hard to improve our service offer in many areas.

“The new equipment in the gym, along with the new fitness class programme, we feel makes our membership the best value for money in the area. With no contracts to tie you in for a long period, we’re offering people the chance to try us out. We’re confident they’ll want to stay!”

Leisure Centre To Re-Open With Weekend Of Fun

Cotswold Leisure, Cirencester is ready to re-open its doors with an open weekend of fun activities for all the family on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd March.

The Centre was forced to close when its plant room was extensively damaged by 70,000 gallons of flood water after the unprecedented rainfall which hit Gloucestershire in July last year.

A complex seven-month schedule of repairs by Cotswold District Council followed a major clean-up operation
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Now after 15,000 work hours, more than 100 miles of new wiring, replacement of pumps, boilers, pipes, valves, circuit boards and 200,000 gallons of swimming pool water, the centre is all set to welcome customers old and new.

Opening hours for March 1st and 2nd are between 8am and 6pm - with a programme of activities planned between 10am and 4pm.

Activities will range from go karts, bouncy castles, roller skating and multi-sports coaching for the children, to a rowing challenge in the gym, and several fitness classes - including a new Body Training System class - for the adults.

There will also be a magician and face painter along with demonstrations in Tai Kwon Do, judo and figure skating on roller skates, with a chance to have a go yourself! Activities will be £1 each with squash, swimming and the relax zone available for £1 also.

The Real Life coffee shop will be launching its new menu and Holmes Beauty is offering fantastic deals on treatments.

The fitness suite will be open to members all weekend, with extra staff on hand to help people back in to routines.

With the best deals on offer during the weekend, Customer Advisers will be on hand to welcome new gym users and members. With no joining fee or contract required, there is no better time to try the latest equipment and a new fitness class programme.

Cllr David Fowles, Portfolio holder for Sport, Culture & Enterprise, said: “The closure following the floods has been frustrating for customers and staff alike, so it is great to be able to plan a spectacular open weekend.

“The centre will be even better than before. We have invested in new equipment in the gym, including power plates and plasma screens. There will be a free wireless broadband connection available in the coffee shop area.

“We will also have new opening hours Monday to Friday with the centre opening from 6.30am. You’ll be able to come in for your morning swim or workout and then sit and have a coffee and check your emails before work.”

The leisure centre was just one of more than 1,150 properties across the District affected by last year’s floods.

Cotswold District Council, its insurers Royal and Sun Alliance and contractors EIC Ltd have worked exceptionally hard to get the building open again with an £800,000 schedule of work and repairs.

The building and its contents are fully insured and Cotswold District Council is also insured for loss of revenue at the Centre.

The Council has also set aside £100,000 for mitigation works to protect the building against possible future flooding and Royal and Sun Alliance have engaged an expert hydrologist to report on water run-off and drainage surrounding the leisure centre complex.

Shaping The Future Of Cirencester Town Centre

14th February 2008

A major project aimed at transforming Cirencester during the 21st Century has reached an important stage with the publication by Cotswold District Council of a draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the town centre.

The draft SPD, which embraces many aspects of the Vision for Cirencester, focuses on traffic and environment issues and will be fundamental in helping to shape the longer-term future of the town centre. Its proposals include:

• A review of parking, to provide more spaces in fewer car parks, with the redevelopment of some existing parking for other uses
• Prioritising pedestrians over traffic in the main shopping streets
• Transferring unnecessary through traffic onto the ring road
• Improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and to public transport, including better links within and to the town centre
• Improvements to road safety and the possible transfer of buses from the Market Place to improved facilities at South Way/The Forum
• Improving the appearance of the public realm, particularly Market Place, Cricklade Street, Black Jack Street and Dyer Street
• Rationalisation and improvement of signage, street furniture and paving.

Forward Planning Manager Chris Vickery said: “Cirencester is a great town, but it’s easy to become complacent when you are surrounded by attractive buildings and a retail sector that is performing well.

“It is important to have proposals in place that will help take the town forward and address issues of concern, such as traffic management and parking, while enhancing the town’s competitive edge and maintaining its unique attractions.”

“The SPD will be an important tool in helping to deliver physical improvements. However, it must be appreciated that some of its proposals are long-term and dependent on other works being completed first, while others will be dependent on securing external funding.”

The Cirencester Town Centre SPD will be available on 22nd February for public comment until 4th April
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Details of how and when you can comment, along with copies of the documents, can viewed at Cotswold District Council and Cirencester Town Council offices, County libraries in Cotswold District, or by visiting our website at www.cotswold.gov.uk

Visitor Information To Join Forces With Museum

4th January 2008

Cirencester’s Visitor Information Centre (VIC) will receive a new lease of life in 2008 when it moves from the Market Place to the Corinium Museum in Park Street.

Plans for the move were approved by Cotswold District Council in December and, under the new proposals, the VIC will move into the Museum's shop, offering a combined service.

The VIC currently operates from the Corn Hall, which was sold by the District Council to Wildmoor Properties in Summer 2007.

The move will see a range of benefits for both services, including new Sunday opening for visitor information to tie in with current Museum hours, lower running costs for VIC services, and multi-skilled staff, who will be able to cater for both museum and tourist enquiries.

Customers will be able to enter the shop at the front of the building for visitor information without having to pay to visit the Museum itself.

There will be no change to the service offered by the VIC, which includes travel information, information on local attractions, souvenirs and books .

Cllr David Fowles, Cotswold District Council Portfolio holder for Sport, Culture and Enterprise, said: “This move is really exciting and will offer CDC the opportunity of continuing to provide visitor information services in the recently-refurbished Corinium Museum. It will hopefully encourage more visitors to visit the Museum’s fantastic collections at the same time.

“The changes will offer a new perspective to an already efficient service, and it's a very positive and encouraging move for the VIC to be making.

“Exciting developments are on the way in the streets around the Museum and the VIC’s new location will help to attract visitors to this changing part of Cirencester.

The move is expected to take place during the first six months of the year.