Western Daily Press (Bristol UK) back issues from March 2008:
Life in the fast lane ; With a glittering career as a racing driver and a sideline in Hollywood movies, Ben Collins is living life in top gear. But some say there's more to the Clifton racer than meets the eye. David Clensy catches up with him to find out more
Mar 01, 2008 ... With a glittering career as a racing driver and a sideline inHollywood movies, Ben Collins is living life in top gear. But somesay there's more to the Clifton racer than meets the eye. DavidClensy catches up with him to find out more Some say he is made around a cast iron ...
Straight from the hip with jeannie Johnson
Mar 01, 2008 ... Old sayings are heard in our youth and remembered instantly; alittle bit like the two-times tables and Hickory Dickory Dock. They trickled into our ears like melting honey - stored but notforgotten. These gems of soundbite wisdom were meant to bememorised, though most got written ...
The great barrier grief ; A solution to the UK's need for green energy or an environmental disaster waiting to happen? John Hudson wades into the Severn Barrage debate
Mar 01, 2008 ... A solution to the UK's need for green energy or an environmentaldisaster waiting to happen? John Hudson wades into the SevernBarrage debate For something so big and moody, it is remarkable just how theSevern River has managed to convince onegeneration after anotherthat it ...
In the hot seat: Susan Osman ; Tim Davey puts TV news presenter and now Reverend, Susan Osman, in the spotlight
Mar 01, 2008 ... Tim Davey puts TV news presenter and now Reverend, Susan Osman,in the spotlight Television newscaster Susan Osman, the popular co-presenter ofBBC Points West for 14 years, decided on a dramatic change of careerin 2007. Following a career in television that has taken her all ...
Tired and tacky? Think again ; Millions of pounds are being spent to giveWeston-super-Mare an impressive facelift. Maurice Fells went to the seaside resort to find out how it is changing. Pictures: Bob Bowen
Mar 01, 2008 ... Millions of pounds are being spent to giveWeston-super-Marean impressive facelift. Maurice Fells went to the seaside resort tofind out how it is changing. Pictures: Bob Bowen If you think Weston-super- Mare is all about kiss-me- quick hats,candy floss and amusement arcades, ...
In the running for top dog ; A hopeful hound can't rely on looks alone to win at Crufts, it must also have the elusive X-factor to impress the watching judges.Mary Tapping investigates Pictures: Clint Randall
Mar 01, 2008 ... A hopeful hound can't rely on looks alone to win at Crufts, itmust also have the elusive X-factor to impress the watchingjudges.Mary Tapping investigates Pictures: Clint Randall Two hours in the bath before a beauty contest may seem a tadexcessive to some, but the stunningly ...
Pier pressure ; After years as a derelict structure, the results of a competition to revive Birnbeck Pier will be announced in March. Suzanne Savill finds out more by the seafront. Pictures: Fran Stothard
Mar 01, 2008 ... After years as a derelict structure, the results of a competitionto revive Birnbeck Pier will be announced in March. Suzanne Savill finds out more by the seafront. Pictures: Fran Stothard Even on a bitterly cold winter's day with a raw wind rattlingthe fairy lights on the deserted ...
How birnbeck might look - the shortlist
Mar 01, 2008 ... Clockwise from top left: A "mountain hotel" in two rockformations by AOC Architecture; a futuristic scheme with an"ecotel hotel", flats, tea rooms and boutiques by FLACQ Architects; a mix of cafes and beach bars and a casino by MOH Architects; ...
Lighten up ; Susie Weldon checks out the best new designs and deals for your home
Mar 01, 2008 ... Susie Weldon checks out the best new designs and deals for yourhome Pssst. If you're thinking of buying a new sofa, mattress, bed orother big investment for the home, it's well worth popping intoMaskreys in Bristol. Its winter sale has just ended ... but itsspring promotion ...
Dear deer ; One man's passion for this majestic and beautiful animal has led to a lifetime of study and observation. Brian Phipps meets dedicated deer expert Richard Prior
Mar 01, 2008 ... One man's passion for this majestic and beautiful animal has ledto a lifetime of study and observation. Brian Phipps meetsdedicated deer expert Richard Prior Many of you will have gone out on a warm summer's evening toenjoy a peaceful stroll in the great outdoors. The track ...
Lighten up your life ; There's plenty to be grateful for with the arrival of spring - flowers in bloom, sunny days and a reason to buy a new, lighter jacket, writes Susie Weldon
Mar 01, 2008 ... There's plenty to be grateful for with the arrival of spring -flowers in bloom, sunny days and a reason to buy a new, lighterjacket, writes Susie Weldon The days are getting longer and the sun warmer, buds are emergingin our gardens and, despite the occasional burst of bitterly ...
A wry look at the countryside with Roger Evans
Mar 01, 2008 ... It's a quarter to four on Sunday morning. We always start just abit earlier at weekends so we can get the work finished up. I don'twant to be working all day at weekends. The weather forecaster predicted minus five this morning, "couldbe colder out in the countryside", which I ...
Women and wassailing ; Two National Trust homes reopen to the public this month with exciting new exhibitions. Mervyn Hancock reports
Mar 01, 2008 ... Two National Trust homes reopen to the public this month withexciting new exhibitions. Mervyn Hancock reports For almost 500 years, visitors have been left spellbound by themag- nificence of Montacute House and its simply wonderful gardens. Built by Sir Edward Phelips in 1601, ...
Roes reap the fruits of our labours
Mar 01, 2008 ... It was yet another of the beautiful, but freezing, mornings wehave had recently. The sun was rapidly warming the grass and, as Iset off up the hill, the first few paces were really quite slipperywhere the covering was damp but the underlying soil still frozen. Soon, I was ...
Focus on: A deep sea killer
Mar 01, 2008 ... This lethal weapon, just three centimetres short of a metre long,tells you everything about why swimming with narwhals is not a goodalternative if, by chance, the dolphins refuse to come out to play. Not that you'd want to share their chilly Arctic waters, anyway. That said, ...
Bath decorative and antiques fair
Mar 01, 2008 ... The Bath Decorative and Antiques Fair is back with us again,still with Robin Coleman at the helm but now supporting the West ofEngland Antique Dealers' Association, which represents more than 70 traders. It will also host the launch of the new 2008/9 edition of theGuide to Buying ...
Wander amid wild daffodils ; Sue Gearing takes a walk in northern Gloucestershire to see a stunning spring display
Mar 01, 2008 ... Sue Gearing takes a walk in northern Gloucestershire to see astunning spring display The wild pale daffodils of south Herefordshire and northernGloucestershire, which usually bloom in March, are justly famous,and this circle takes you to some of the best of them - growing in ...
Family: Cheddar gorge ; Climbing, exploring or simply chilling out. Mervyn Hancock says Cheddar is the ideal spot for a family day out
Mar 01, 2008 ... Climbing, exploring or simply chilling out. Mervyn Hancock saysCheddar is the ideal spot for a family day out Say cheese and you think of Cheddar, and for a perfect family dayout this Mendip village and the spectacular gorge takes somebeating. I will be looking at the famous caves ...
Active: Fencing ; It might seem the stuff of swashbuckling pirates, but Mervyn Hancock discovers that the Bristol Fencing Club is the place to learn some real skills
Mar 01, 2008 ... It might seem the stuff of swashbuckling pirates, but MervynHancock discovers that the Bristol Fencing Club is the place tolearn some real skills There is something rather romantic about sword-play. But forgetthe stuff you see on the television, if you really want to learn ...
Death of the dining table with Thomas jenner-fust
Mar 01, 2008 ... Recent reports have suggested that the dining room is anendangered species, having been sidelined by modern lifestyles. Anybody in the antiques trade will certainly tell you that thisprocess has been going on for quite some time. For many years, the way we eat has changed out of ...
West weekend: Exeter ; Get away from it all without going too far with a weekend in the West
Mar 01, 2008 ... Get away from it all without going too far with a weekend in theWest Michael Caines is a TV favourite (seen this week critiquing theMaster Chef finalists) and his two Michelin stars are the reason tohead for his signature restaurant in Exeter, at ABode at the RoyalClarence ...
This week's big earner
Mar 01, 2008 ... Aroyal Doulton stoneware vase by much sought-after designer MarkV Marshall was the star of Duke's sale at the Grove in Dorchester onMonday, attracting several telephone bidders before being sold formore than pounds3,250. The vase, 12in high, was decorated with a scrolling ...
Focus on: Poets and fat ladies
Mar 01, 2008 ... An exhibition of Beryl Cook prints ends at the Alexander Galleryin Bristol today, but this signed limited edition, published by thegallery as long ago as 1980, has to wait until Friday before itcomes under the hammer on the second day of ...
A world to read
Mar 01, 2008 ... World Book Day, next Thursday, moves into its second decade inthe UK and Ireland this year. Over this relatively short period, it has become firmlyestablished as the biggest annual event promoting the enjoyment ofbooks and reading. The tradition began in Catalonia, Spain, ...
The head gardener with Simon woollen
Mar 01, 2008 ... By now, all of the ballota cuttings should have fresh new growthon their tips, which is a sure sign they have produced roots. Butthat was the easy bit - the hard part is weaning them off thegreenhouse heat while maintaining growth. Rooting directly into sand and grit is quick and ...
Today's tipple with ned halley
Mar 01, 2008 ... The Fairtrade campaign is doing very nicely, thank you. Accordingto the figures released to coincide with the current annualFairtrade Fortnight, sales of products under the movement's bannerhave now exceeded pounds500 million in the last year - up animpressive 80 per cent on the year ...
Plot lines with David clensy
Mar 01, 2008 ... At last - we've reached March. That month of great optimism whenour part of the world starts to shrug off its great winter coat andenjoy the first rays of spring sunshine. What better time to start planning the coming season on theallotment? It seemed so mild last weekend, I ...
Wine of the week
Mar 01, 2008 ... La Cuvee Mythique 2003, reduced from pounds6.99 to pounds4.99 atthe Co-op, is a well-established brand from the Languedoc in south-west France that also happens to be a consistently delicious red. The 2003 vintage, a very ripe one thanks to the ...
A fresh approach
Mar 01, 2008 ... Bath's Marlborough Tavern was kindly recommended to me by areader who lives within walking dist- ance, but had never set footin it until last year. The pub had always been a "spit and sawdust" sort of place, shereckoned, but then had changed hands. It was radically ...
The quick drink: Central wine bar, Bath
Mar 01, 2008 ... Contacts: Central Wine Bar, 10 Upper Borough Walls, Bath. Tel:01225 333939. Hours: Mon-Thur 10am-11pm; (until 2pm Fri and Sat); Sun 10am-6pm. Wine list: Plenty to choose from, including various Champagnes. Import lagers: Hoegaarden and Becks, to name but ...
In the kitchen with Chris rundle
Mar 01, 2008 ... Amedieval chronicler wrote of wild garlix "maye very well beeaten in April and Maie with butter, of such as are of a strongconstitution, and labouring men". So if I tell you that I found thefirst wild garlic of the year shooting out of a roadside bank lastweek that may indicate precisely ...
Recipes: Cooking with wild garlic
Mar 01, 2008 ... Ingredients for four 1lb (400g) Arborio rice 3 tblspns finely chopped shallot 3 tblspns olive oil 1 glass of dry white wine 12 leaves of wild garlic, washed, dried and chopped 2ozs (50g) butter 2ozs (50g) freshly grated Parmesan sea ...
Say cheese, meat, chocolate or bread ; The Spring Festival of Food and Drink will show what Somerset is made of
Mar 01, 2008 ... The Spring Festival of Food and Drink will show what Somerset ismade of When it comes to promoting its local foods, Somerset has alwayslagged well behind Devon. Even though, as a county, it's almost aswell endowed with producers as its westerly neighbour. But neither Somerset ...
Show some fat-free love
Mar 01, 2008 ... Tomorrow is a chance to say a special thanks to mums. We shoulddo it more often, of course, but perhaps all too many of us takemums for granted. So, what do we give her? Well, chocolates is an easy option but with Easter only threeweeks away and chocolate eggs beside almost every ...
Tips for the weekend
Mar 01, 2008 ... N Cut dogwoods (Cornus alba types) and willows (salix) grown forbrightly coloured winter stems down to almost ground level now. Thisencourages young new shoots that always have the best colour. n Protect newly emerging clematis shoots from attack from snails,especially those ...
Winter colour
Mar 01, 2008 ... Well, at least we will be spared the spectacle of Welsh fansclutching giant plastic daffs this St David's Day, as their nextmatch in the Six Nations is next weekend. But there are alreadymasses of real daffodils well in flower everywhere you look. Are they earlier this year? Well ...
Dear Alan...
Mar 01, 2008 ... Q. We have a pieris which is a number of years old in a 13.5inpot which has got a little woody and is about 30in tall. Can I pruneit and if so, by how much? from C Bowden A. Pieris can be pruned remarkably hard and generally producesgood new vigorous shoots as a result ....
Ready to start cheating again
Mar 01, 2008 ... She is probably the most reliable cook in the nation, guiding usfor more than 35 years in all things culinary, taking us throughevery stage in sensible, steady, measured tones. At dinner parties around the country, guests have inquired "is itDelia?" when served some delicious ...
Take a gander at the goose ; One of the West's most successful restaurants, The Moody Goose moved out of central Bath after a successful decade, reopening a few miles down the road in Midsomer Norton three years ago. Marc Cooper went along to see how it had settled into its new home
Mar 01, 2008 ... One of the West's most successful restaurants, The Moody Goose moved out of central Bath after a successful decade, reopening afew miles down the road in Midsomer Norton three years ago. MarcCooper went along to see how it had settled into its new home The first thing you will l ...
Bomber broom's war
Mar 01, 2008 ... For those of us who were lucky enough to inherit a peacefulEurope, it's difficult to imagine the kinds of experiences ourelders endured during World War II. Publisher Pen & Sword seems to find new tales of derring-do topublish new first-hand accounts of Forties heroism every other ...
Who's got green fingers?
Mar 01, 2008 ... You'll have to dig deep to find the answers to this week's quiz!Good luck. 1. You'll find Bristol's ancient High Cross among the manyfollies, grottoes and temples of this magnificent Wiltshire garden.Do you know where? 2. The gardens at East Lambrook Manor, near South ...
Focus on: Springtime in Clevedon
Mar 01, 2008 ... There's a specialist auction for every season at ClevedonSalerooms, and Thursday's get- together at Kenn Road includes somesuitably uplifting scenes for spring. The duck seen here is not any old quacker but a Khaki Campbell,we'll have you know, and by the time it's been painted by ...
Antiques world's picks for the weeks ahead
Mar 01, 2008 ... Lovers of Tunbridgeware will find two lots of interest atTamlyn's sale in Bridgwater on March 18 - this intricate stringholder and an equally attractive book stand, each of which isestimated atpounds100 to pounds130. Leading the clock section at Dreweatts 1759's sale at ...
Focus on: A grand old brewery
Mar 01, 2008 ... The brewers W J Rogers Ltd survived in Bristol until 1963, butthey're just a memory now. That's why, when Dreweatts 1759 sold the first part of a ...
Stride ahead near Clifton
Mar 01, 2008 ... Sneyd Park is one of Bristol's up-market suburbs that has longbeen a popular area in which to set up home. It is well away from the hustle and bustle and the noisynightlife that can be experienced in the throbbing heart of thecity. It is on the western fringe of Durdham Down ...
A big name in the area
Mar 01, 2008 ... The family name of Venn is well known in the West Country andthere are a number of villages in Devon and Cornwall that arecalled it. It is a surname that has been documented since the 12th century. One branch of the Venns, born in Somerset, ended up in Galveston,Texas, in the ...
Fine living in palatial style
Mar 01, 2008 ... Picturesque Sand Bay, near to Weston- super-Mare, is the MarineConservation Society's adopted beach in England. It is also a wildlife haven and the society says it is lucky toconduct its Adopt-a-Beach surveys in an area known for its uniquecharacter and is a designated Special ...
Touch of Italy at home
Mar 01, 2008 ... In the mid 1860s it was customary for the large houses springingup all over Torquay to be let to London's high society as winterresidences. No doubt this exquisite Italianate villa, with its breathtakingsea views, could have been one of them. When the first family moved in, ...
Charmed by countryside appeal close to the City
Mar 01, 2008 ... Once in a while I come across a house that has been bothdesigned and built by the owner. The latest to come to my attentionis this lovely house in Clevedon Road, on the outskirts of FlaxBourton. Built only three years ago with a timber engineered framesurrounded by walls of ...
Tucked away in the woods
Mar 01, 2008 ... For years, holidaymakers have enjoyed relaxing breaks inluxurious Scandinavian-style lodges set in a beautiful forest atHaulfryn Finlake in Devon. Now, for the first time, members of the public can have a chanceto own these lodges that were previously only available for ...
Partnership to deliverUK's first zero carbon community
Mar 01, 2008 ... National house builder Barratt and E.ON, one of the UK's leadingpower and gas companies, have teamed up to deliver low cost andreliable solutions to meet the Government's zero carbon homesagenda. Among the first housing developments in the country to benefitfrom this pooling of ...
Worker's home to family pad
Mar 01, 2008 ... It may have been built as a worker's home in the 19th century, but I doubt whether anyone earning a minimum wage today could affordto buy 25 Querns Lane in the heart of Cirencester. However, it is a deceptive property, for its traditional exteriorbelies a stylish modern interior ....
Time to make a brake for a bungalow?
Mar 01, 2008 ... Four-bedroom bungalows do not come on to the market very often.And to find one that is not only set in about two thirds of an acreat the top of a private drive but which is also in the catchmentarea of the popular Marlwood School in Alveston, SouthGloucestershire, is very rare ...
Answer to developer's prayers
Mar 01, 2008 ... Abuyer is being sought to transform a former Clevedon convent into apartments, subject to planning approval. Overlooking the seaside town's Victorian pier, it is beingoffered in two lots, with the total guide price set at aboutpounds1.9 million. In August 2007 it was ...
Secluded, stylish location
Mar 01, 2008 ... Location has always been regarded as the most important aspectfor the majority of house hunters. And for those looking for a new home in Bath that not onlyprovides an excellent setting on the outskirts of the famous city,but properties that replicate the very best of the Regency, ...
Jackson-stops at nothing to help
Mar 01, 2008 ... Ever since 1910, Jackson-Stops and Staff has been selling alltypes of property nationwide. The London-based firm opened its first West Country office in1938 and is the only national firm with offices in the county townsof Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Hampshire. It also ...
Impressive house on edge of the village
Mar 01, 2008 ... John Billingsley may have been the grandson of a Presbyteriandissenter who cared for his flock in the Somerset village ofAshwick in the 17th and 18th centuries. But he is best remembered for being the owner of the nearbyformer Oakhill Brewery he founded in 1761, 32 years after ...
Looking for good weather at sunnyside
Mar 01, 2008 ... Whether you are on the look-out for a home big enough to house agrowing family and guests, or one to satisfy your equestrianinclinations, with somewhere to keep the horses, or both, BesleyHill's Whitchurch and Country Properties has the ideal solution. "It's easy enough for an ...
Charmed by old Cheddar
Mar 01, 2008 ... It is surprising just how much living space is packed into thisthree-bedroom Victorian terraced house on the outskirts of Cheddar. It is for sale with a guide price of pounds235,000 and even theattic, with its Velux windows, sloping ceilings and coal-effect gasstove, has been ...
Chance to look around the zone
Mar 01, 2008 ... Barratt will be holding an investor day at The Zone, its flagshipBristol development today (Saturday, March 1) between 12 noon and4pm, providing a one-stop shop for buying and letting a brand newhome. On hand will be the full team of professional experts fromfinancial and sales ...
BBC has news priority wrong
Mar 01, 2008 ... What strange and shameful priorities the BBC has in its choice ofitems for its news. On BBC Radio 4 News, January 14, it reportedthat Switzerland could no longer make a speciality sausage, becauseit could no longer import cows' intestines from Brazil due to BSE. Is it really ...
Boycott Japan call
Mar 01, 2008 ... Many of your readers will be appalled about the ongoingcommercial killing of whales by Japan under the thinly disguisedlabel of "scientific research". Japan is completely intent on continuing to ignore inter-national condemnation. Cetacea Defence is asking people to ...
Treat countryside with respect
Mar 01, 2008 ... I Read with interest the Comment page about walking in thecountryside "Walk your way to top-to-toe fitness" (Western DailyPress, February 23). We live the countryside and I am becoming depressed by itscondition and treatment. The hedgerows were a real picture in the spring ...
Wrong to shoot the wild boar
Mar 01, 2008 ... I Think there has been a great deal of panic over the wild boar.Many say it is, in fact, a cross Tamworth. You have to wonder why, if these animals are so dangerous, peoplewere allowed to rear them. You should treat ...
Fun to see the 'bigheads' lose
Mar 01, 2008 ... Regarding the recent letter from Mrs Clark ("Eggheads areEntertaining", Your Say, February 22), I agree with an earlierletter on the subject ("Bigheads are a big turn-off", February 19). There are plenty of educational programmes on ...