OP CONCRETE - Murder of Christian BAGLEY on 21/06/2015

West Mercia Police are appealing for information on the tenth anniversary of the murder of Chrisitan Bagley which occurred On Sunday 21st June 2015. Christian had been visiting his daughter on Father’s Day in the Hunderton area of Hereford.

At approximately 10:30pm, Christian left an address on Cagebrook Avenue and began walking towards his home address (please see CCTV still). He was subsequently attacked and stabbed in the vicinity of an area known locally as “The Lines”.

Despite suffering a fatal stab wound, Christian managed to make his way, firstly to Charles Witts Avenue and then Rogers Avenue to raise the alarm. Christian collapsed in Rogers Avenue and subsequently died of his injuries. To date, no persons have been charged with Christian’s murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Lougher who is leading the murder investigation has said,

“Ten years have now passed since Christian was murdered. He was a much loved son, brother and father. His daughter who was 19 months old when he died has grown up without her dad and Christian will miss out on those life events as she continues through life. I am appealing directly to anyone who has information about what happened to Christian that night to come forward.

The person or persons responsible may have discussed their involvement with family, friends and associates. I appeal to those with information, to do the right thing and try to bring closure to Christian’s family.

CrimeStoppers have issued a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction for Christian’s murder”.

Get in touch here https://orlo.uk/lzeA5

Or, alternatively, speak to Crimestoppers anonymously

0800 555 111 or https://orlo.uk/Du8ol

“I was never given the chance to get to know him or for him to watch me grow up,” – these are the poignant words of Christian Bagley’s daughter as we approach the tenth anniversary of his murder in Hereford.

The 12-year-old has penned a heartfelt letter about her dad who was so cruelly taken away from her on Father’s Day 2015 when she was only 19 months old.

A decade on and with the case still unsolved, West Mercia Police continues with its investigation and is using the milestone to appeal to the public for their help too.

Crimestoppers, the independent charity, is supporting the appeal by offering a reward of up to £20,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Christian’s murder.

On the night of Sunday 21 June 2015, Christian, aged 30, had been to see his 19-month-old daughter at his ex-partner’s house for Father’s Day.

As he walked home towards Hunderton Bridge, along Villa Street adjacent to the River Wye and underneath the Great Western Way footpath, known locally as ‘The Lines’, Christian was stabbed by an unknown person.

After being attacked near the concrete steps linking the street to ‘The Lines’, Christian managed to stagger to Charles Witts Avenue to seek help. However, despite the best efforts of emergency services at the time, he sadly died from his injuries.

The weapon used, believed to be a kitchen knife, remained embedded in his left arm, while the handle that snapped off during the attack has never been found.

No-one has ever been charged with Christian’s murder. Although several suspects were arrested around the time, they were later released without charge and the case remains unsolved.

Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Lougher, of West Mercia Police’s Major Investigation Unit, said: “While we have continued to investigate this case, a decade on it seems timelier than ever to appeal again to the public to help us get justice for Christian’s daughter, mother and all his family and friends.

“We hope this heartfelt message from a daughter who has grown up never knowing her father will prick the conscience of someone carrying a burden of knowledge about his murder to step forward and help us bring those responsible before the courts.

“After ten years, loyalties and allegiances may have changed, and we hope anyone who knows something will do the right thing and speak to us.

“We would urge anyone with information to scan the QR code which takes you directly to the Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) or visit this link Public Portal. Alternatively, if you don’t want to speak to police, get in touch with Crimestoppers.”

Alan Edwards, Regional Manager at Crimestoppers, said: “If you know anything about what happened to Christian but feel unable to speak directly to the police, please remember that Crimestoppers is an independent charity and guarantees 100% anonymity.

“We do not ask for your personal details and will never trace your call or online contact. You can tell us what you know, and you will remain completely anonymous.”

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿.

𝗔 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝟭𝟮-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟮, 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟵-𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗺: -

“Somebody taking my dad away from me when I was little is something that can never be replaced. I have no memories of my dad or his presence in my life - only what other people have told me.

“I was never given the chance to get to know him or for him to watch me grow up. I’ll never be able to spend Father’s Day, Christmas Day or a birthday with my dad.

“There’s an emptiness that should not be inside me because somebody murdered my dad.

“That void within myself will always be there.

“Everything he did that day – 21.06.15 – was a ‘last time’ experience.

“They still haven’t found who killed my dad or any answers to why somebody cruelly took him away. I love you dad!”

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 ‘𝗝𝗮𝗻’ 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗻.

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲, 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘀 ‘𝗝𝗮𝗻’, 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗻: -

“Christian was the kindest person you would ever meet.

“If I was across the water, he’d have walked across it just to help us.

“Christian was the ‘clasp’ to the ‘link’. When they took the clasp, they broke it, whoever done it, they broke it, and the link fell one by one. They took it away, took the family away.

“He loved his daughter; his daughter was his life. When his daughter was born, he was the most elated person you’ll ever know.

“All I want to know is why? Why have you done this to my boy? – He’s stabbed for no reason whatsoever. He didn’t deserve it, he’s walking along, going home after seeing his baby daughter on Father’s Day.

“Please, somebody somewhere knows something, and I want to know why? Just why? Tell me why you did this to my boy.

“Ring up, or send a message, or whatever. Please come forward if you know anything.”

Local people are being urged to ensure they dispose of vapes responsibly, after two waste fires in the last week were found to be caused by vapes in household recycling bins.

It is now easier than ever to safely dispose of small electrical items – including vapes – thanks to the council’s new waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) service, which forms a part of standard waste collections.

However, it is vitally important that any small electrical items, such as vapes, batteries, hairdryers etc. are placed in a plastic bag on top of your bin, and never inside it. The bin collection crew will then put them in a separate cage on the collection vehicle and take them for recycling.

According to the National Fire Chiefs Council, battery fires in bins and at waste sites is at an all-time high and a survey of councils across the UK has found that 94% said that fires caused by batteries in domestic waste were an increasing challenge.

Electrical items and batteries should never be put into household rubbish or recycling bins as they can cause contamination and fires.

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, Cabinet Member for Environment said: “We as a county are leading the way when it comes to collecting vapes and other small electrical items as part of our waste collections, but it is incredibly important that people follow the correct procedure and place their small electrical items on top of their bins, and not inside. Two fires caused by vapes have needed to be tackled this week alone, which not only disrupts waste collection and recycling, but also uses up valuable time for the fire service.

“I would encourage anybody who is unsure to visit our website to find out more about our small electricals collection, and please make sure never to dispose of vapes within their household waste or regular recycling.”

A Chinese restaurant in Hereford has had its licence to serve alcohol and late-night food revoked after immigration-related arrests earlier this year.

Herefordshire Council moved to withdraw the licence following a police-led operation at Planet Buffet on Commercial Road in February, during which two Chinese nationals were detained.

Planet Buffet, which offered both dine-in and takeaway options, had been licensed to sell alcohol until 11pm and serve hot food until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The council's only available penalty in this case was to revoke the premises licence.

The council’s licensing subcommittee initially postponed its decision to allow time for the business owner, Yu Fei Huang, to attend the hearing and for documents to be translated. The meeting eventually took place in private on May 30.

At the hearing, licensing officer Harry Spriggs reported that during the February inspection, officers discovered there was no designated premises supervisor — a legal requirement for selling alcohol.

Mr Huang appealed to keep the licence, stating that one of the individuals arrested had since returned to Malaysia, and that going forward, he would ensure no illegal workers were employed. He also pledged to review and comply with the licence conditions.

It was also revealed that the restaurant had a history of unpaid licensing fees dating back to 2016. Mr Huang claimed correspondence regarding the payments had either gone missing or never been received, and said the non-payment had not been intentional.

Despite these assurances, the committee opted to revoke the licence. It cited the seriousness of the immigration offences, previous breaches of licensing regulations, and past suspensions as reasons for their decision. The panel also expressed concern over whether the owner would comply with licence conditions in future.

Read our original article - https://hfd.news/ZAZ0r

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has announced the sale of The Bateman Arms, a traditional pub in Shobdon, Herefordshire, which has been sold to local residents in the village.

Dating back to 1750, the Grade II listed pub was originally built by Sir James Bateman, former Lord Mayor of London. Steeped in rich history and charming character, the pub has long been a cherished part of the local community, offering a welcoming space for food, drink and socialising.

Situated in a prominent position on the B4362 main road through Shobdon, the pub also houses six ensuite letting bedrooms for overnight guests, and has a large beer garden.

The Bateman Arms has been sold by Coach House Inns, in order to focus their investment and attention on their other local site, The Riverside.

The Bateman Arms has been sold to Vannessa Lewis and Simon Jones, who grew up in the village and have a deep personal connection to the pub. Passionate about restoring it to its former glory, they plan to reopen with a refreshed offering and make The Bateman Arms the hub of village life, where locals and visitors can come together and enjoy great food and drink.

They commented, “We are excited to bring our vision of a traditional British pub to life and create a warm and welcoming space where the community can come together to enjoy hearty, quality food in a lively and friendly atmosphere. Our goal is to create a place that feels like home, where great conversation, classic pub fare, and genuine hospitality are always on tap.”

Harry Coughlin, Business Agent at Christie & Co, managed the sale and said, “The Bateman Arms is a beautiful historic building, and it is fantastic to see local residents Vannessa and Simon take the reins to continue running it as a community pub. Food-led pubs in this area perform very well, but it’s important to remember to look after your wet trade too, and create an environment where people can relax with a drink or meal. We look forward to seeing The Bateman Arms flourish under Vannessa and Simon’s ownership and wish them well.”

The Bateman Arms was sold off an asking price of £420,000.

As part of its social value commitment within the recycling and waste collection contract with Herefordshire Council, FCC Environment has donated a number of apple trees to schools in the county.

The trees were delivered during April by FCC Environments’ Contract Manager Paul Deamer to:

• Withington School
• Sutton Primary School
• St Francis Xavier’s school
• Marden Primary School
• Madley School

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, Cabinet Member Environment, said: “I’d like to offer a big thank you to FCC for committing to our social values and they are beginning to deliver on this commitment by donating these to schools who were able to request them. It is so important to plant new trees; the blossom will be appreciated by pollinators and I’m sure the fruit will be enjoyed by the pupils of these schools.

“It’s an incredibly positive experience for local young people to see food being grown, especially given Herefordshire is a farming county that is famous for its wonderful orchards.”

FCC Environments’ Contract Manager Paul Deamer said: “our crews work hard day in day out to collect recycling, small items of waste electricals and electronic, batteries and even the waste that cannot be recycled from peoples home but we wanted to plant lasting roots in Herefordshire so it gives us great joy to be donating these trees to local schools where they can bear fruit for years to come.”

FCC Environment were appointed in March of last year by Herefordshire Council to deliver Recyclables and Waste Collections services from September 2024.

The company will also be donating a tree to each school with a winning pupil entry into the ‘name our recycling and waste collection lorry’ competition.

Oh yes! Following our news about the Hereford Edition of Monopoly, below is an earlier game with a similar theme with names and places such as Chadds, Browns BMW, BAM Services, Gilbies, Jessons, Heggies Butchers to name just a few, check it out below

Hooked On Hereford

Made in 1991 it is one of a series of Monopoly style board games developed by local YMCA's in the UK to generate funds for their activities.

📸 Herefordshire Museum Service

See our original topic here https://hfd.news/d29

#HerefordNews | #Hereford | #HerefordVoice

Crews from Hereford Fire Station are currently dealing with a RTC on the B4224 between Holme Lacey Bridge and Mordiford.

Photo credit HWFRS

The road is currently closed whilst they work alongside Hereford Police and the vehicle recovery service to clear the road.

Please use an alternative route.

Plans to host late-night events at Hereford Rugby Club have sparked criticism from local residents, with some claiming that the current noise levels are already distressing—one neighbour reportedly being reduced to tears.

The club has submitted an application to extend its licence to serve food and alcohol and play music until 2:00am on weekends. In response, 36 valid objections have been lodged.

Currently, the club’s licence allows such activities until 11:00pm on weekdays and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, a limit that has been in place for the past four years.

The proposal is set to be reviewed by a council committee on Friday.

Among those opposing the changes is Sally Budd, a resident whose home overlooks the club.

"The noise can already be relentless from late morning onwards," she said.

"You can't escape it inside the house – you can't even hear the television. It's brought one of my neighbours to tears."

In response, the club said the extended licence would primarily be used during the summer months, outside of rugby season, and that events would not be held every weekend. They anticipate hosting "probably around eight to ten events a year."

“We’re not looking to upset our neighbours,” a club spokesperson said.

The club noted that it has increasingly hosted free charity events, but the recent failure of the Hereford Round Table’s Rock The Wye event to gain temporary permission underscored the need for a more flexible premises licence.

Former Hereford Mayor, Cllr Kevin Tillett for Hinton & Hunderton has said he will object to the recent application.

Herefordshire Council is looking for a contractor who will work between January 2026 and December 2028.

The Council plans to launch the tender in September for the 3-year works contract covering construction of the link between the A49 and A465.

The revived scheme, previously paused in 2019, has now been rebranded as Phase 1 of the 8km Western Bypass and is being pushed ahead by the council’s cabinet.

Consultant AECOM has been appointed to lead design development and procurement preparation.

The contract is expected to include some contractor-led design elements, alongside civil construction.

Work is scheduled to start in January 2026 and run through to the end of 2028.

The council has earmarked £30m towards construction and already approved a £10.3m spend for development work, including £1.79m in consultant fees.

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust has raised concerns about environmental impacts on the River Wye and surrounding habitats, warning that the route cuts through sensitive grassland and woodland areas.

Despite previous opposition, the council is pushing ahead with a full business case and intends to seek government support to help fund the full bypass in future phases.

A message was shared on the Hereford Round Table Facebook page this morning.

Hereford Police are asking for the help of local residents to identify a man who it is believed knocked on several doors in the Ballhurst area of Bromyard on Saturday night (10 May) and asked to be let in.

At this stage Hereford Police don’t have any images of the man, but hope that someone whose door he knocked on may have recognised him or have video doorbell footage which shows him.

Hereford Police are keen to speak to him as he may be able to help them their enquiries into a robbery which took place in the area at around 10pm the same night.

The victim of the robbery was approached by a group of around 10 people who assaulted him and stole his guitar, bank cards and mobile phone.

Anyone with information about either the assault or the man knocking on doors is asked to contact PC Cathcart on 07970544723 or megan.cathcart@westmercia.police.uk.

Today the mantle of the Mayoral post was handed from Cllr Kevin Tillett to Cllr Dan Powell.

Born and raised in Herefordshire, Daniel was elected to represent Redhill ward on the City Council in 2019. Since 2023, he has also represented the same ward on Herefordshire Council.

He lives in the South of the City with his fiancée Lucy and their Sprocker Spaniel Coco-Bella.

Professionally, Daniel works in the family trade, selling flooring. As Mayor, he hopes to help shine a light on the hard work of volunteers and community groups across Hereford.

Daniel also wants to promote the voice of young people within our City.

His Mayoral Charities are Phoenix Bereavement Support Services and Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

📣 Hereford Voice with Cllr Dan Powell good luck in his war a Hereford Mayor and we would also like to thank Cllr Kevin Tillett for Hinton & Hunderton for his service to Hereford as Mayor.

Planning permission is being sought for a new scheme to address flooding in the Merton Meadow area of Hereford, as a first step towards the area’s future regeneration.

The planning application submitted by Herefordshire Council outlines how a £2 million grant from central government will be used to implement a flood alleviation scheme to make the land around Merton Meadow suitable for future development.

A design team, led by Buttress Architects Limited are delivering the design and consultancy services for the flood alleviation scheme. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) letter has also been submitted.

The proposed scheme will include nature-based solutions to address flooding using a series of ponds and wetlands connected by water channels to mitigate high rainfall events. Ayles Brook will be reprofiled to create new wetland habitats for wildlife, with boardwalks, hides, public spaces and opportunities for school visits. If planning is approved the work is scheduled to start in September and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Addressing the flooding issues around Merton Meadow will unlock the area for future development, and drainage capacity for this has been factored into plans. There will be extensive public consultation over the summer to seek the views of residents and key stakeholders to inform future development proposals. This will include consideration of parking requirements, low cost and affordable housing, key worker accommodation and public open spaces.

Councillor Graham Biggs, Cabinet Member Economy and Growth explains: “The scheme outlined in the planning application works with nature to address flooding problems in the Merton Meadow area of the city which in turn would allow this land to be unlocked for regeneration.

“There is still a long way to go before any firm ideas for the regeneration of the area are developed and we will be asking residents to get involved in shaping these over the summer.”

HEREFORD LAUNCHES UK’S FIRST MILITARY HISTORY FESTIVAL WITH HEADLINE SPONSOR AND WORLD-CLASS HEADLINERS ANNOUNCED

Landing in the heart of one of Britain’s most historic garrison cities, the UK’s first dedicated military history festival, supported by headline sponsor allpay, has launched tickets for the first five events in a stellar autumn lineup, including Antony Beevor, Ben Macintyre, Daniel Finkelstein and Nicholas Soames

HEREFORD, 8 May 2025 — An ambitious new addition to the UK’s cultural calendar, the Hereford Military History Festival will debut this autumn from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 September 2025, with a rich and varied programme of talks, panel discussions, school events, history trails, music and performance. 

Set across historic venues including Hereford Cathedral, The Green Dragon Hotel, and the newly refurbished Castle Green Pavilion, tickets have gone on sale for the first five headline events, giving a glimpse of the impressive line-up of internationally renowned writers and thinkers secured for 2025:

• Sir Antony Beevor and Major General Denaro will discuss warfare’s evolution, from conventional battles to drone strikes and anti-terror operations
• Ben Macintyre will explore the 1980s Iranian Embassy siege brought to life in his latest book through unpublished sources, SAS interviews, and testimonies from hostages, negotiators, and psychiatrists
• Daniel Finkelstein will talk about Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad, a deeply moving and harrowing memoir about the experiences of Finkelstein’s parents at the hands of the two genocidal dictators of the twentieth century
• British politician and former MP, Nicholas Soames, will be in conversation about leadership, legacy, war and his grandfather, Winston Churchill
• Hamblett Productions presents Dear Loll, an intimate insight into the love and longing through the wartime letters of journalist Gerard Fay and his wife Alice during WW2, brought to life for the stage. 

Providing a thorough exploration of global military history through a variety of themes, the festival will become a place for intelligent conversations about conflict, and the lessons the past holds for current moment of geopolitical instability. 

The festival will also feature talks and discussions with Kate Adie, Philippe Sands, Claire Mulley and Conn Iggulden, with the full programme due to be announced later in the summer. The inaugural programme will touch upon important milestones including the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII and, in future years, will cover the 90th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War, and 250th anniversary of the American War of Independence.

Steeped in history, Hereford is the perfect setting for the new festival, having been a military stronghold for over two millennia — from Roman legions to the SAS. Founder and CEO, Christian Dangerfield, has been an active part of projects to strengthen the city’s visitor economy – including the renovation of the eleventh century Green Dragon Hotel and the successful bid for the Government’s Stronger Towns Fund programme. He said:

“We started thinking about the festival in 2020, a long time before defence and geopolitics came back into focus in such a big way. The SAS garrison on the edge of the city, with helicopters going to and for, are a constant reminder of what’s going on in the world. Lyndy Cooke and Jo James of Handheld Events have put together a terrific speaker programme and I think the range and diversity of the talks will be very thought-provoking and stimulating. I would like to think that we will make a positive contribution to the current debate and that the festival will frame the re-evaluation of Britain’s role in the emerging landscape in an intelligent and multi-dimensional context.”

Festival organisers have partnered with Rossiter Books to run the on-site bookshop, and 10% of all ticket sales will be donated to the Herefordshire Veterans Support Centre.

Alongside public events, the festival will host a schools programme aimed at helping young people better understand the role of military history in shaping the modern world — particularly important in a county where over 25% of the population has connections to the armed forces.

Hereford Military History Festival website: https://militaryhistoryfestival.co.uk/

Tickets are on sale from: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/military-history-festival

Headline sponsor allpay said: “Supporting the Hereford Military History Festival as headline sponsor is a natural fit for allpay. As a business rooted in Herefordshire, we’re proud to back an event that honours service, sacrifice, and community. It’s a privilege to stand behind those who have given so much.” 

A £200,000 award from the Clore Duffield Foundation boosts Hereford Museum and Art Gallery’s commitment to children, families and community learning.

Photo courtesy Jon Simpson 

Plans for a dedicated learning space at Hereford’s redeveloped museum and art gallery have received a major endorsement from one of the UK’s leading cultural funders. The Clore Duffield Foundation has awarded a £200,000 grant from its Learning Spaces programme, helping ensure the museum’s new Clore Studio will offer an outstanding environment for creative learning, exploration and play.

The learning space has always been a central part of the redevelopment’s vision, but thanks to this grant, its design and delivery can now meet the highest standards in cultural learning. It will support schools, families and community groups with a welcoming, flexible space designed for inclusive, hands-on activity rooted in Herefordshire’s rich heritage and vibrant creativity.

Councillor Harry Bramer, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Assets, said: 

We’re delighted that the Clore Duffield Foundation has recognised the strength of our vision for the new museum and the role learning plays within it. This funding will enhance our offer for schools and communities, supporting more people to engage with arts, culture and heritage in meaningful and inspiring ways. This aligns directly with one of the council's strategic priorities: to increase opportunities for cultural engagement, diversity, and lifelong learning.

We’ve always believed that learning should sit at the heart of the new museum – not on the sidelines. This grant from the Clore Duffield Foundation allows us to raise our ambitions even further. It means we can design a space that’s not just functional but truly inspiring – a place where children, families and communities feel a sense of welcome, creativity and possibility.

The Clore Learning Space will serve as a hub for creativity and curiosity; from curriculum linked workshops for schools to informal holiday activities for families and inclusive programming for groups across the county. It will support Herefordshire Council’s wider priorities around access to culture, learning, wellbeing and community resilience.

The grant will be awarded in two parts. The first half will come to the museum in 2025, with the remainder being received in 2027.
 

Commercial Street was engulfed in thick black smoke as flames billowed from the stall this morning.

A spokesperson for Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said:

“Four Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews – two from Hereford and one each from Leominster and Fownhope Fire Stations – plus the incident command unit from Malvern were called at 10:58 on 7 May to a fire with persons reported in Commercial Street, Hereford.

Hereford Voice can today reveal that the construction works for the new Lidl Store on the A465 Belmont Road in Hereford will begin Monday 12th May 2025.

The Principal Contractor for the project will be Swindon based Porcek Contracts Limited and the store is scheduled to be complete by late February 2026.

• Porcek Contracts Ltd

'At Porcek Contracts Ltd, we bring your construction visions to life with precision and dedication. Based in Swindon, but covering all areas of England and Wales, we specialise in exceptional building solutions, tailored to meet your unique needs. Discover the seamless blend of quality and innovation in each project we undertake'

9 Months of additional misery for road users...

Hereford Voice has actively campaigned for over 14 years to trial turning off the traffic lights—particularly along the heavily congested A465 Belmont Road in South Wye.

Our long-standing position and motto has been that “the traffic just flows” when the lights are out of operation near Asda and also the other side of the Greyfriars Bridge, a sentiment consistently echoed by local residents during such occasions.

We also believe that this new development of yet another supermarket on the former Three Counties Hotel site is poorly located. Our concerns remain that traffic conditions in the area are set to worsen significantly. The project will introduce up to nine months of construction-related disruption, including increased construction traffic and no doubt the use of temporary traffic lights. When added to the existing congestion on the A465—and frequent queuing issues at the nearby McDonald's, in which vehicles often block the highway—the impact is likely to be substantial. Notably, a speed camera is already installed opposite the site entrance, underlining longstanding safety concerns.

In our view, a new Lidl store would have been more appropriately situated in the Rotherwas area. Time will ultimately reveal the consequences of this decision.