Residents in Cowbit are making an eleventh hour bid to save their only pub – Ye Olde Dun Cow – from becoming a housing development.

The Save Our Pub campaign was launched in earnest after the man who offered to restore the fire-wrecked Dun Cow and run it as a pub – Peter Mandell – posted letters around the village at 5am on Tuesday.

Chairman of Cowbit Playing Field Commitee Jonathan Matthews said until laminated letters appeared on lampposts, most villagers believed no such offers had been made and the only option was a planning application for nine homes there.

Mr Matthews said: “We thought it was all done and dusted. We have been making people aware of this as soon as we heard from Mr Mandell.”

Cowbit Parish Council recommended approval of the plans from Market Homes Ltd and South Holland District Council will deliver its verdict on July 29 after extending the consultation period.

Mr Matthews describes the pub as “the heart of our community” and says it could be saved under the Localism Act and listed as a village asset.

Cowbit Parish Council chairman Trevor Tyrrell said the parish council was aware of Mr Mandell’s offers to buy the pub through his company Peter Lind and a partner, but it was not theirs to develop as the site was sold by the vendor to a company paying a higher price.

Coun Tyrrell agreed the pub was an important asset, but said it closed before the fire through lack of trade and it may have carried on trading if more villagers had supported it then.

Mr Mandell, from Moulton Seas End, is operations director for Peter Lind, a building and civil engineering company.

He said: “I believe that it is fair to say that the appropriate offer value for the burnt out pub was the price it would be worth in complete and working condition minus rebuilding costs. I contend that the offer finally accepted by the vendor was based on the site’s enhanced value as a housing development plot.”

One villager commenting on the district council website described it as “such a shame” the village was not told of offers on the site to keep it as a pub.

Firemen have dealt with a potential risk from hazardous materials escaping from batteries at a site in Spalding.

Crews from Holbeach and Spalding were called to Pool Close at about 3.25pm on Monday were the batteries were made safe and taken out into the open air to cool down.

The batteries were then placed in a secure area until engineers arrived to take them away and no one was hurt in the incident.

Long established Boston Mazda dealer Marriotts Mazda has experienced significant year-on-year growth in new car sales since Mazda Financial Services introduced a range of interest-free finance offers on new Mazdas earlier this year.

This growth has prompted Marriotts to make a similar interest free offer on its extensive selection of pre-owned Mazdas for a limited period.

Until the end of August 0%APR representative finance packages are available on all of Marriotts used Mazda selection that currently ranges in price from £2,995 to £16,350.

General manager Richard Marriott said: “Strong new car sales means an excellent selection of used cars.

“We currently have an extensive range of Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6 and the iconic MX-5 that are now even more affordable with our interest free offer up until the end of August.

l To find out more about the new and used Mazda range and interest free offers, call the Marriotts team on 01205 310044, go to www.marriotts-mazda.co.uk or visit the showroom in Liquorpond Street, Boston at any time.

UPDATE WEDNESDAY 9.30AM: A fire near Bourne which caused damage to a workshop and 1,200 bales of hay was probably caused by lightning, it has emerged today.

Eight fire crews were called to a one-storey workshop in Elsthorpe Road, Stainfield, at about 4.15am on Tuesday when the building and a hay barn were alight.

The workshop, its contents and about 400 hay bales were damaged by the fire while smoke caused damage to another 800 bales.

A number of acetylene and propane gas cyclinders were also in the workshop but fire officers believe the blaze was caused by a lightning strike.

TUESDAY 1PM: Firemen from seven stations are tackling a blaze at a building in Stainfield, near Bourne, which broke out this morning.

Crews from Donington, Holbeach, Spalding and Market Deeping were called out to Elsthorpe Road at about 4.15am where a building with acetylene and propane gas cyclinders was alight.

The fire spread to hay bales and firemen from Bourne, Billingborough and Stamford are also at the scene.

There are no details of any injuries at the moment.

Five pupils from Tydd St Mary School enjoyed their last Friday in primary education by working at the Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian offices.

The five 11-year-olds, who all leave for secondary school on Tuesday, visited as part of a newspaper project they have been working on.

Earlier in the year Free Press and Guardian editor Jeremy Ransome visited the school to talk about journalism.

In the weeks since the pupils had been writing reports about their school year for a special front page.

They wrote about their stay at the Kingswood Activity Centre in Norfolk, their trip to Duxford War Museum, the extension work carried out at their school and the animation and short film-making projects some of them had been working on.

On Friday Maisie Pratt, Erika Webb, Patrick Walsh, Joshua Ripley and Alfie Ransome designed their commemorative leavers’ front page, helped by Jeremy.

The five – who are off to Spalding Grammar School (boys) and Spalding High School (girls) in September, took colour copies of the special page home as a memory of their last year at Tydd St Mary Primary School.

To celebrate the birth of the royal baby the Spalding Guardian is giving all readers a free eight-page supplement when they buy this Thursday’s paper.

The souvenir will contain the latest news, views and baby pictures (finger’s crossed!!) Miss it and you’ll miss out.

Period properties have enduring appeal and one of the main reasons is their original features, which add value and look lovely.

However, they weren’t always so prized – many period houses and flats have had their original features removed or covered up. The good news is, you can restore them to their former glory with some time, money and effort. Similarly, if you have a modern home that lacks personality, there are plenty of ways to make it into more than a bland box.

Fireplaces add character, give a room a focal point and, if they’re functional, are a practical addition to reception rooms. eBay is a great place to find fireplaces of all styles, including period and reproduction ones. While some are expensive, many can be picked up for very little money.

Period flooring, whether stone or wood, can be expensive if you’re buying reclaimed originals, but there are alternatives.

Modern wooden flooring comes in many different forms, including engineered wood and bare tongue-and-groove floorboards, although it will never have the charm and character of original wooden flooring.

Stone is easier to replicate – modern encaustic tiles are very similar to Victorian ones, for example, and some companies specialise in laying them in intricate designs that match original ones. This is a fantastic way to create a stunning feature that will never go out of fashion.

No-fear teenagers have been risking their lives by swimming in the Coronation Channel to cool off as Spalding bakes in temperatures up to 30C.

They have also been seen jumping into the River Glen at Surfleet from the bridge crossing the A16, in spite of there already being 12 deaths in waterways across the country.

The closest tragedy was the death of a 16-year-old boy in King’s Lynn, who drowned after being held under the water by reeds.

Temperatures are due to remain high this week and South Holland has been put on a Met Office Level 2 heat health watch.

With schools due to break up for the summer today, the Environment Agency is urging residents not to swim in rivers and waterways.

A spokesman said: “Swimming in rivers may seem like an attractive proposition during the summer, but fast currents, river weed, unstable riverbanks and underwater objects can pose a serious health and safety risk – or even result in tragedy.”

Lincolnshire Police has tweeted graphic images related to diseases caught in waterways – swimmers’ itch caused by snails and Weil’s Disease from rat urine.

Sgt Stuart Hurst said: “We are working with the Environment Agency to ensure residents are aware of the risks.”

As harvest gets nearer, the crops are generally looking better than we could have wished for earlier in the year.

We are busy preparing ourselves, our machinery and equipment for the approaching harvest.

The crops are about two to three weeks later than average due to the cold spring weather.

This will mean we will have very little time post-harvest before we will need to be establishing our next run of crops.

We have to be very well planned and organised at this busy time of year to get jobs done on time and give crops the best start for next
year.

Hopefully, if the weather is with us, this should all work out to plan.

However, we don’t need much bad weather to upset our well-laid plans and disrupt the nomal flow of work on the farm.

Our chicken sheds are due to be cleaned out during August this year, and that means extra work at an already very busy time.

The chickens have not liked the recent hot weather and egg production has fallen as the older chickens have struggled in the heat.

As with many of us, extremes of weather – whether it is hot or cold, wet or dry – affects all living things, and that means farmed or wild animals in the countryside.

It certainly has been an extremely hard time for all.

Scorching Spalding is seeing an upsurge in visitors, with shops bustling, pubs buzzing and tourists enjoying a trip on the water taxi.

Simon Clarke, operations manager of the Water Taxi, said: “It’s been what we’ve been waiting for for the past three years.

“We are very weather dependent, but all of our four boats are very busy, with coaches coming into town and then taking a trip to Springfields.

“Take-up of evening private hire and self-drive hire is also very good.”

A greater footfall is being enjoyed by businesses in town that are still enjoying the success of the Independents’ Day event.

Nikki Austin, representing The Crescent Traders who organised the event, said the sun had centainly helped keep the feel-good factor going.

She said: “Business is booming. We are doing everything we can to keep the vibe going.”

Rumblings to Go has been doing a roaring trade in the sale of salad boxes.

Tracey Graves said: “We just can’t keep up with demand. People are really enjoying picking up a salad or sandwich and sitting in Ayscoughfee Gardens and soaking up the sun.”

Ice-cream sales are also up, with Laddies of Holbeach reporting a bumper year.

Owner Richard Ladbrooke said: “It’s the longest stretch of good weather since 2006 so naturally our sales reflect that. We’ve been very busy.”

The good weather has also seen revellers flocking to use beer gardens.

Pete Williams, of the Punchbowl, said: “People are loving our beach-themed beer garden and are really enjoying relaxing in the deckchairs.”

But as everyone basks in the good weather, there is concern for the most vulnerable residents – the elderly and pets.

Barbara O’Neill, of Boston and South Holland Age UK, said it was important residents made sure elderly relatives were taking enough fluids and also closed windows when they went out to prevent thefts.

Vet Savers in Spalding reported seeing a number of pets with heatstroke.

Veterinary nurse Suzhy Winfield said: “People are dousing them with water but it shocks the system.

“Placing disposable gloves filled with coolish water around them is best.”

The final few entries have been trickling in for the Best Front Garden Competition.

The Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian have been running the competition in conjunction with the Spalding in Bloom committee.

It has been sponsored by Birchgrove Garden Centre, which has put up prizes of £50, £25 and £10 for the winning three entries.

The closing date was on Saturday, and now the judges are planning visits to all of the front gardens that were entered to make their decision.

Judging will take place between July 29 and August 12 and the winners will be announced on Thursday, August 22.

The owner of the winning garden will receive the Spalding in Bloom Best Front Garden Trophy and entered into the East Midlands in Bloom Front Garden Competition in 2014.

While most of us make the most of the dry, sunny weather, farmers are closely watching its effect on different crops.

Lutton farmer David Hoyles is no exception, with mustard, beetroot, potatoes and cereal crops to monitor.

The beetroot harvest has begun, with about 1,500 tonnes of beetroot grown in 120 acres.

The mustard has just about finished flowering at Monmouth House Farm, and David says: “That’s about on time and the bees have been working hard and it’s got good potential. It looks one of the better crops we have had in the last five years. I think it enjoyed, when it was in its early growing stage, that it wasn’t too cold or too warm. It grew nice and steadily and didn’t have a lot of pests and disease at that critical time because it was cool and cloudy. Then the sunshine came out, which attracts all the bees and pollinating insects, and they have done a good job and it’s looking quite good.”

The potatoes are also growing well, although David says they “need a bit of a drink”, particularly as little or no rain was forecast at a time when the potatoes would be going through their bulking up stage in order to grow bigger.

A feasibility study has been started to investigate irrigation options on the farm, but David says: “Irrigation is something we need to look at investing in but it’s a long process getting abstraction licenses and it’s a big investment.”

The NFU has repeated its call for tax incentives to encourage farmers to introduce reservoirs to their land.

The farming organisation was prompted to repeat its call for tax breaks because of a report by the Committee on Climate Change.

That report warned that, without action, there could be a significant shortfall of water for farming by the 2020s. The report said: “Having a price for water that better reflects scarcity will provide a stronger incentive for action.”

The report added that higher water prices would make reservoirs more economically viable. However, a NFU water resources specialist said he doubted higher water charges would encourage farmers to build more reservoirs. Some farmers might be prepared to pay more for a guaranteed supply of water, but he was unconvinced that high water prices would drive reservoir construction and that it would be better to incentivise farmers to invest through tax measures such as capital allowances.

We would like to point out that Leicester Longwool breeder Barry Enderby, of Whaplode, won the Malton Agricultural Society trophy at the Great Yorkshire Show, and not the The Malton Show as reported.

Barry won the ewe class, reserve male champion, first with the ewe and then first and second with the Longwool females as well as the ultimate award, female champion, with Soprano.

DEFRA has launched a fresh drive to cut red tape in farming and plans to seek views on how best to implement CAP reform so it is simple for farmers.

DEFRA secretary Owen Paterson wants to know how regulation could be less burdensome.

Police want to trace a group of youths seen playing football outside a church hall in Spalding where three windows were smashed.

It happened at the Vista community hall off Church Gate where a ball is thought to have caused damage to the windows at about 8.20pm on Monday.

Members of St Mary and St Nicolas Church were meeting at the Vista when the incident happened and anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident number 508 of July 22.

By Spalding and District Chamber of Commerce president Phil Scarlett

Our well attended AGM was on July 2 and we had a most interesting speaker who captivated the audience with his account of the Market Rasen BIG project which became one of the first Portas Pilot towns.

Richard Hallsworth is a founding member and he described the challenges they faced from being one of the twelve selected towns through to the achievements of the last two years of re-energising the town centre and particularly their market.

In addition to the £98k they were initially awarded, they received a further £101k earlier this year to continue their work.

He listed their achievements, amongst which were the appointment of a town centre manager, halving the number of empty shops, two community shops, 12 BIG markets with a waiting list to attend and the encouragement of higher standards and innovative thinking.

He left us with a vision of what can be achieved and a reminder of how town centres must change in the future to be successful with Mary Portas’ philosophy – “town centres are a multi functional social space”.

Richard encouraged us in our quest for a town centre manager to co-ordinate retailers activities, improve standards and market the town.

Christmas lights switch-on, Sunday, November 17

Bet you’re not thinking about Christmas at all. We are planning right now this year’s lights switch on. It will be earlier than previous years as traders are proud of our Christmas lights and wish to have them creating a festive feel for longer.

Again this year the day will be co-ordinated by Jan Whitbourn of Tulip Radio. She is interested in hearing from school choirs who would like to sing in the town centre at the lights switch-on. She would like all schools to come and sing one song, dress up, acting throughout the song and enjoy themselves.

If you know anyone who may be interested in getting involved in any way, would like a stall to raise funds for their charity, have a dance team and would like to showcase what they do, individuals who can sing and would like to show us their talent or would just like to help out, please do contact Jan as soon as you can, the sun may be shining but the snow will soon be here!That’s cheered us all up! Contact Jan at admin@tulip-radio.co.uk

Chamber Membership

We have been tidying up our website and invite businesses to take a look at our aims and activities by visiting www.spaldingareachamber.co.uk Please consider joining us and participating in business events and sharing your views on how South Holland can be a great place to do business.

Work is under way at St Mary and St Nicolas Church, Spalding, to make it more inviting for visitors.

Tombstones damaged by frost and other bad weather are being repaired in the churchyard and there are also plans to create a new entrance, refreshment area and improved heating at the back of the 13th century church.

Rev John Bennett, church vicar, said: “The churchyard is a public open space and the work there is the result of some damage to table top tombs which we have asked a locally-based builder to cement back in place.”

People in the Gedney and Sutton St Edmund areas with an interest in policing are being invited to join the Suttons neighbourhood beat panel.

Meetings are held every three months and last for about two hours each when policing issues in Gedney Drove End, Gedney Dyke and Throckenholt, as well as Gedney and Sutton St Edmund, are discussed.
For more details, email thesuttons.npt@lincs.pnn.police.uk or call 101 and ask for Holbeach Police Station.

FAMOUS DATE: As Catherine Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the future King , a Wyberton mother was doing the same.

Jyothy Thomas (33), of London Road, gave birth to her 7lb 1oz daughter Liana at 5.04pm.

Dad George (35) said the pair felt something “really special”.

The couple have two other children Abel (6) and Fiona (2).