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BBQ!
Fundraising Night for Village Hall
The Save Our Pub Committee celebrated the council’s refusal to grant planning permission to close down the pub with a party and barbecue at the Nag’s Head last month (below). As Cllr Ralph Butcher told the press, the pub can stay open only if it makes a profit. The Committee have been encouraging people to use the pub and have even distributed their own leaflets promoting the Beer Festival. Takings at the pub have reportedly improved. Eastrea Village Hall Trust organised a ‘race night’ at the village pub to raise funds. Over £1,000 was taken that evening, though most of the money was returned to the punters as winnings. The Trust benefitted with a net total of £410. Currently the funds amassed by the village for the village hall stand at over £45,000. In spite of
No 22: August 2010
Eastrea Village News MEET MAXIMUS THE ROMAN OUR earliest resident was discovered during the archaeological excavations on the site of the proposed village hall development. The skeleton of a mature Roman was unearthed by Archaeological Project Services (APS) of Heckington, Lincolnshire. APS were instructed by Fenland District Council to examine the site prior to any building work. The village hall team have to comply with whatever the experts decide. The name Maximus was chosen, not because of the Gladiator movie, but to commemorate the size of the bill that this survey has cost. The total is £25,000 — fortunately, paid for us by our developers.
the costs of running the project, this is more than we had in the bank in 2002. The pub was crowded with enthusiastic supporters — special thanks go to the ladies who ran the Tote desk, and also to Tina Arnold for her work behind the scenes. The Nag’s Head laid on a ploughman’s supper to sustain the participants.
WINNING THE BATTLE FOR THE NAG’S HEAD the purchasers opened the pub again in October 2007 after extensive refurbishment. When the owners sought planning permission for a housing development, new campaigners formed a Save Our Pub Committee and they are now working with owners David Lepla and John Harris to boost business.
THE battle to open the pub was won in 2007 (above). After standing empty, cold and deserted for over a year, it was bought by Total Investments. Everyone was told that it was
Contact by telephone: 350888
purchased for redevelopment into housing. But Eastrea residents came to the rescue, mounting a campaign to have the pub reopened. Against the odds (in spite of objections)
Popular tenants Richard and Charlotte Hargrave (above) have had their contract renewed for the next year. Eastrea needs its pub: let’s all work for it to stay open and thrive.
Published by Rothay House, Eastrea, Cambridgeshire
Email: mail@eastrea.net
Jubilee Party 1977
BACK ROW:
Bill & Audrey Lindsay, Vanda Munns, Ruby McCarthy, Pam Bradshaw, Ada Knight, Mrs Fulcher, Mrs Trundle, Carol Tanner.
FRONT:
Colin Istead, Dawn Lindsey, Gary and Samantha Munns, Mark Rush and John Setchfield (plus several ‘unknowns’).
Memories of when a village hall committee were active one-third of a century ago. Here is their report of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee party. Look how many still live in Eastrea. But whose names are missing?