News in Axminster

Light Up Axminster, the organisation that organises the town's Christmas illuminations, has announced details of its Christmas window competitions.

The organising committee, led by Cindy Furse, has already confirmed that Axminster town centre will be lit up this year but there will be no official switching on ceremony or Christmas market because of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Axminster photographer Ben Kapur has won first prize in the inaugural competition for Scotland's Photo of the Year.

More than 1,200 entrants took part in the not-for-profit photography competition, with Ben coming out on top with his snowy scene named 'The Storm of Storr'.

Community is one of the core values of Nub News - it's at the heart of everything we do. That's why we're supporting local businesses and promoting the 'shop local' message in the run up to Christmas.

Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement in the House of Commons this afternoon (Monday), non-essential shops, restaurants and pubs in Axminster are expected to reopen at the beginning of December, and will be keen to encourage customers back to the high street during what is normally one of the busiest periods of the year.

Planning permission has been granted for a terrace of three houses at the rear of the former NatWest bank in Axminster.

The development will include the demolition of an "ugly", single-storey extension at the rear of the former bank, which closed down in 2017, and the development of three three-bedroom houses on an un-used and overgrown area of land.

Devon and Cornwall saw its highest number of weekly coronavirus cases recorded in figures released last Friday, but most areas are now seeing cases fall.

More than 2,000 new coronavirus cases were confirmed across the two counties between November 13 and 19, taking the total since the beginning of the pandemic to 15,982.

I concluded my memories of the characters of Axminster (Part Two) with Mister Axminster – Frank Rowe. I will now start Part Three by considering some of Frank Rowe's contemporaries (partners in crime!).

JACK NEWBERY

Bus operator First Wessex has introduced a revised winter timetable for the X51 and X53 services which aligns better with the train timetable at Axminster station.

The revision comes following a retiming of an early morning journey of the X53 service in September, to benefit customers needing to catch the connecting train at Axminster.

The popular Axminster Gymnastics Club is hoping to expand if it receives permission to move to a new headquarters.

The club hopes to move to an industrial building on the Axminster Carpets site in Woodmead Road, which will provide much more space for its growing membership. A planning application is expected to be submitted to East Devon District Council shortly.

Interesting historical documents have been unearthed referring to the establishment of a market in Axminster in 1824 and the opening of a town hall.

They were uncovered by Lord of Manor Jim Rowe, who owns the street market rights, when clearing out his office. He had seen neither of them before. They used to be stored in the office of auctioneers R & C Snell in Axminster before they were taken over by Symonds & Sampson of Bridport.

Measures to boost recycling rates, help reduce waste collected, and make life easier for people to recycle have been agreed by Devon County Council.

Six new recycling centres will replace those now considered 'not fit-for-purpose' across the county, making them a lot easier, safer and more convenient for the public.