£250k bus service to Lidl to be scrapped By Nicci Brown A half-hourly bus service around Blandford which was paid for by Lidl when the company was given planning permission for its out-oftown supermarket three years ago is due to be withdrawn. The service averaged only 48 single journeys a day, and half that number since the covid pandemic restricted usage and is set to end on Saturday, February 13. The ‘Lidl bus’ was provided with a subsidy of more than £250,000 as a condition of approval for the building of the supermarket in Shaftesbury Lane. The contract for the service with Morebus expired on December 31, and Morebus have advised that they are
unable to continue running it without funding. It has run half-hourly on the same route around the town but in the opposite direction to the hour X8 return service to Poole, frequently within minutes of each other. Town clerk Linda Scott Giles told town councillors at their meeting in December that she had asked for more information on costs and numbers using the service. Members agreed that the £91k pa provided by Lidl was beyond their means. Councillor Steve Hitchings said engaging with a different supplier might have reduced costs, but the service level agreement was drawn up with Morebus. Councillor Byron Quayle
said: “The service could have been so much better. “It was always going to struggle for the numbers and obvious that it wouldn’t be viable just going round the town. “It is very frustrating that we are now exactly where we thought we would be.” Both he and his fellow county councillor Nocturin Lacey Clarke and the Blandford Town Team challenged the wisdom of the service when it was introduced, and Town Team chairman Nic Nicol said: “The expiry of the X8A sees the end of an inflexible Service Level Agreement, and an invariably empty bus service. “The aspiration for less
traffic in the town centre was a top priority in the responses to the recent Town Centre Recovery Survey, and the overriding priority for Blandford and the long held view of town councillors and Town Team members alike is for a traffic plan that removes the requirement for vehicles to pass through the town centre to get to the north of the town, and key locations like the Community Hospital and the Blandford Group Practice. “Bus services are important as an essential part of transport policy, to reduce town centre traffic congestion and motor vehicle pollution which is hugely detrimental to the health of young people in particular.”
Food & Drink
Get a Wriggle on with our special ales By Karen Bate A hobby born of necessity was why Matthew Glide began brewing. A decade on, this music graduate from Mere is now the master of his own brewery in Stalbridge. Creating ‘home-brew’ at university in 2011 as a costcutting experiment soon turned into a passion and one Matthew was unable to resist. “After graduating in music, I went into accounting,” said Matthew. “But my heart was in brewing. Brewing has always fascinated me.” After a stint at Flack Manor Brewery in Romsey Matthew became assistant brewer to Chris Clark, who launched Wriggle Valley Brewery in 2014. And when Chris retired, Matthew took over Wriggle Valley on November 1st, 2020. “The timing really was terrible, taking over in the middle of a pandemic, but I absolutely love it. Chris taught me so much and I enjoy every single unpredictable day.”
Wriggle Valley Brewery boasts five core beers: Dorset Nomad, Dorset Pilgrim, Valley Gold, Golden Bear and Copper Hopper. He also brews seasonal beers, including the summer Liberty Pale and winter porter Night Owl. Matthew said: “People just keep asking me for Liberty Pale, which is one of my summer varieties, but I think this year spring will come early and I will get it ready for the end of February.” Matthew brews in 500-700 litre batches from the brewery at The Sidings on Station Road. Each brew is created using the finest ingredients creating some of the richest flavours offering everything from mild tastes, pale ale, American style, bitter
and fruity flavours. And of course, like most alchemists, Matthew possesses his own magic formula. “I use malt from Warminster Maltings, which is just one of a handful of places which make traditional floor malt and Maris Otter barley, which is the backbone of our beer, an autumn sown superior product which gives Wriggle Valley beer exceptional taste. “Real ale is what we do and I want to be able to offer people something inspired and more exciting. Wriggle Valley keeps the beer familiar but gives people something to talk about. I want to inspire people to try something a little bit different.” It is said that every town needs a good brewery and Stalbridge is home to this brewery which in brighter climes, opens its very own taproom, which is like a bar, where customers flock to taste Matt’s beer fresh from the cask. “Lockdown means our taproom is closed, but when it is open, we are very popular and have a
HOP TO IT: Matthew Glide
loyal following. It is from here where we sell our beer directly and there really is nothing fresher as it is brewed just ten yards away.” As well as supplying pubs, when they are open, farm shops and off licences, Wriggle Valley Brewery sells direct to the public from its premises, and can deliver within a 20-mile radius of the brewery, or further by arrangement. If you would like a taste of what Wriggle Valley Brewery can offer, ring Matthew on 07599 677139 wrigglevalleybrewery.co.uk wrigglebrewery@gmail.com 25
