Hereford Voice

Some residents will see changes to their waste collection day from 18 March

There will be changes to the waste collection day or week for many Herefordshire residents from Monday 18 March.

Collection times across the county could be affected, so everyone’s bins should be put outside by 6.30am on collection day, or the evening before.

Herefordshire Council will write directly to residents who will see a change to their collection day, the majority of which are around the Ross and Ledbury areas.

Herefordshire Council has been working with FCC Environment to make collection routes more efficient, and to prevent missed collections. Very few changes to collection routes have been made since 2014 but many new properties have been built across the county since then so changes are needed. Collection areas have been grouped together to ensure that all the waste in that area is collected on one day, rather than over several days.

In the long term, this will mean that we reduce vehicle emissions and save fuel. The time saving also means there will be more flexibility to cope with seasonal changes in the amount of waste and recycling being collected, and create more capacity to allow for future housing developments.

Residents can check their bin collection days, download a collection calendar and find answers to further questions online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/bincollection

On 09/03/2019 at 08:01, megilleland said:

Another empty shop/premises?

Yes the post office will close, let's hope that it is not empty for long.

Please keep on topic guys, this topic refers to the scaffolding at the Town Hall. 

It is still up, we took this photograph only yesterday.

A Hereford woman has won £125,000 on TV's 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'

Katy Chambers, a human resources officer, won £125,000 this week on the show hosted by Jeremy Clarkson.

Hereford's main Post Office in High Town will be operating from inside WHSmith from next month from April 11th.

The existing Post Office on St Peter's Street, will close.

Plans have already been submitted for new signage here

Travelling around Hereford by bicycle will soon become easier, thanks to the introduction of a bike share scheme in the city

Herefordshire Council has partnered with scheme operator Beryl, for a two year contract to provide bike share across Hereford.

The scheme will be launched in Summer 2019, with bikes distributed at key destinations across the city.

The bikes will be available for hire via the Beryl App, which lets users find a bike and then easily unlock it, simply using their smartphone. The App will be available for download on the Apple app store for iPhone, and the Google Play Store for Android users.

Users will be informed of the location of ‘Beryl Bays’, the preferred parking locations to leave the bikes. However, the scheme is designed with flexibility in mind and will allow users to park the bikes elsewhere for an extra charge, provided they are safely within the scheme area.

There is no initial or ongoing cost to the council and Beryl will be responsible for supplying the bikes as well as management and maintenance of the service.

Beryl is a partner to the London bike share scheme and has experience operating two corporate dockless bike share schemes in London and recently announced a scheme in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Beryl is accredited with CoMoUK, which is the agreed standard of best practice for the industry.

Marc Willimont, Acting Assistant Director for Regulatory Environment and Waste Herefordshire Council, said:

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“The bike share scheme is a welcome addition to the other active travel options offered through our Choose How you Move project. Bike share will give more people the opportunity to make short journeys in and across the city by bike, helping to reduce congestion and support increased activity levels.”

Philip Ellis, chief operating officer at Beryl, added:

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“We are looking forward to bringing out expertise in bike share to Hereford and opening up cycling to more people. We believe in the power of bringing private and public sector together to collaborate on common goals such as getting more people to choose active transport.”

Pepe's Piri Piri to open in former Matabeau Café in Commercial Street Hereford following a new letting agreement.

A planning application to extend opening hours to 11pm at the vacant unit.

The company's application said: "The proposed extension of hours will allow the business to open until 11pm serving customers with healthy grilled food, coffees and teas."

If this planning application is approved, the restaurant will be open from 11am to 11pm seven days a week and will create 8 jobs.

The consultation period will end on April 4.

Pepe Piri Piri currently has 88 restaurants nationally with a menu offering Burritos, Wraps, Burgers and the famous Piri Piri Chicken plus many other items.

Two new businesses will be opening soon in the building formerly occupied by Chadds.

Coco Nail Bar is due to open this Friday and a new Barber Shop will also open soon just next door in Commercial Street.

Hereford's largest independent department store Chadds closed in June 2008 after trading in Hereford for almost 80 years.

Planning permission has been granted for a new student accommodation block at Station Approach.

The application was submitted by the council’s development partners, energy and regeneration specialist ENGIE and Cityheart Partnerships, for purpose-built student accommodation at Station Approach. 

Hereford College of Arts (HCA), which has a proven need for good quality student housing to support its growth plans, will be the main customer of the Station Approach project. There will also be rooms allocated for students of NMiTE, supporting its development.

Station Approach is part of Herefordshire Council’s Development and Regeneration Programme (DRP) in partnership with ENGIE which will deliver the programme over the next 10 to 20 years. The programme will support the council’s economic vision for the county which includes support for the delivery of the new university and Hereford’s existing colleges.

The site is located at the heart of Hereford’s transport system, to the north east of the new Hereford City Link Road and provides easy access to Hereford College of Arts (HCA), Hereford station and the city centre.

Along with accompanying hard and soft landscaping, cycle parking, and accessible parking with fast charging points for electric cars, there will be public art designed and made by the students. 

Cllr Harry Bramer, cabinet member contracts and assets, said:

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“After the incredible hard work that has gone into the application and designs for Station Approach, it is fantastic news for Herefordshire that Station Approach has been granted planning permission. This is a wonderful example of a collaborative development, with the council, ENGIE, Cityheart, Hereford College of Arts and NMiTE all working together to progress this exciting project.

“We are delighted to see momentum building behind the DRP, which is a key part of our commitment to supporting the growth of our local economy and championing Herefordshire as a great place to live, work, study and visit.”

On working with Hereford College of Arts and NMiTE, Cllr Bramer concluded: “I would like to thank the staff and students of HCA and NMiTE for their feedback on the initial designs, which will help us to deliver one of the most vibrant and well-designed student accommodation projects in the country, and contribute to moving Hereford forward as a great place for higher education.” 

Jake Fellows, Major Projects Director for ENGIE’s Places & Communities division, said:

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“We’re delighted that these exciting proposals have been approved. This new development will help to cement Herefordshire’s place as a top destination for students over the coming years, and we’re looking forward to starting work on the site later in the year

“With plans for Station Approach progressing well and work about to begin on Ross Enterprise Park, the Development and Regeneration Programme is now really starting to gather pace, and this is thanks to the vision and commitment of Herefordshire Council and its partners.”

Abigail Appleton, Hereford College of Arts, said:

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“This opportunity plays an important role in our plans to attract more students than ever before to Hereford for creative degree courses at Hereford College of Arts.  We are also excited about the way that student and staff  artwork will help make this building an inspirational gateway to the city and represent our city’s great creative heritage and future.  

“We believe that collaboration between HCA, NMiTE and Herefordshire Council will help promote Hereford across the UK and beyond as a centre for exceptional specialist education.”

Elena Rodriguez-Falcon, CEO of NMiTE, added:

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“We are fully supportive of these exciting proposals and delighted to be partnering with HCA as customers for this purpose-built accommodation which will, we hope, make an important contribution to our requirements for our September 2020 intake of learner engineers”.

On 11/12/2016 at 14:23, Alex said:

This list is getting longer and longer, well done.

 

Colin, is is possible to have this list displayed in a boxes on the side of the forums?

I will add this to the side panel on the Portal page as a one click link. 

Got my good lady to sign this today, please continue to share guys.

Please Support Sofia! 

Lee Michael Richards has set up this fundraising page in order to support the family of a young man who died in an incident at a Hereford factory over the weekend.

Sofia's father Jamie Allen died while working at Hereford Galvanizers on Saturday morning.

A joint investigation is now underway between West Mercia Police and the Health and Safety Executive.

All money raised will go towards supporting his young daughter Sofia. 

Our thoughts go out to Jamie's family at this very difficult time.

Herefordshire Council has announced a countywide free parking pilot event.

The pilot will enable residents and visitors to enjoy free parking for up to 4 hours after 10am on all council car parks in Herefordshire (except Friar Street, Hereford) on Saturday 9 February 2019.

Monitoring and information-gathering will determine the wider impact of parking concessions on businesses, traffic flow and car park usage. Parking Enforcement Officers will observe traffic and parking patterns, but customers will not be required to purchase tickets. The event does not apply to on-street paid for parking.

Cllr Barry Durkin, Cabinet member transport and regulatory services, said:

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“It is reported that town centres are struggling right across the nation, and we are working with local stakeholder groups including residents and businesses, to consider ways that we can encourage people to come into our town centres.”  “We have carefully considered the impact on parking income in approving this which enables us to undertake this free parking day.”

“There is a strong need to understand the benefits of free parking to help inform a review on future concessions. I encourage local residents and visitors to make full use of the free parking by enjoying a day out and about in our city and town centres, visiting local shops and businesses, enjoying the county’s leisure facilities and our vibrant public spaces.”

Mamma Jammas Closing Down!
Sad news to learn that Mamma Jamma's nightclub in West Street Hereford will close their doors for the lats time on Saturday February 9th 2019.

The club made this announced on their Facebook Page:

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Eight and half years. They bet we wouldn't last 2 weeks. However it is with great sadness we announce that Mamma Jammas last night will be Saturday 9th February. Through many ups, and the odd down, we've all persevered, however everything must eventually give way to time and the changing of tastes. We thank you all for your custom, your loyalty and most of all your company. Thank you to every member of staff we've ever had, for your endeavours and your hard work. Our main aim has always been, and will continue to be, a good night out. So looking forward to the next phase we wish you all well and hopefully you'll join us at some point on the next part of our journey. 

Good luck to them with the next phase of their journey!

A new beginning awaits..

Interesting article in the Hereford Times

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POLICE in Hereford have advised people against giving money to rough sleepers.

Officers claim that a study this winter showed that all of those sleeping out in the city had been offered accommodation – and turned it down.

Sergeant Duncan Reynolds, from Hereford City Northside Team, last month spoke to every person he could find who was living on the streets and also spoke to housing teams at Herefordshire Council.

He said that “every single person saying they were homeless” had a house or flat being offered to them but turned it down.

“Sixteen people I know were sleeping on the streets and not one of them was genuinely homeless,” he added.

Sgt Reynolds said a homeless person in Hereford can earn £70 begging over six or seven hours.

Police want members of the public to resist giving cash directly to people begging and to text a donation line instead, as they are concerned the cash is spent directly on drugs and alcohol.

Vennture, a Christian cross-church initiative which has volunteers who aim to offer practical, direct support, has a text donation line that is supported by West Mercia Police.

Officers believe these donations will go to a better cause – as opposed to the cash donations made to beggars which often, the police claim, soon find their way into the hands of drug dealers.

He said: “Out of that group, a small number of them engage in antisocial behaviour.

“From the police’s point of view, we are taking a robust view and have imposed criminal behaviour orders (CBO).”

A CBO focuses on more serious offenders, who engage in criminal activity as well as antisocial behaviour. It often bans people from certain areas.

The police say the high profile areas where antisocial behaviour occurs include the plinth near All Saints Church, Eign Gate and the Castle Pool Duck Pond.

The areas outside St James’ Church, St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Square and the Old Burial Ground in Commercial Road were also listed.

The CBOs aim to protect the public, in particular businesses, which have to deal with antisocial behaviour.

He said: “Every morning the businesses clear up urine, excrement, food, bedding, needles left behind. It’s one of the most complaints we get.”

Sgt Reynolds acknowledges it is a difficult situation as the police are seen to be targeting vulnerable people, but he said there is help available at every turn, including help for drug addictions and alcohol dependency.

He said: “They are where they are but won’t take the help, so we are left in the situation where enforcement is the only option left.”

He added: “We have got shelters open. Everyone is welcome in there. The churches, between them, offer hot food every day. There is no need to be homeless or hungry.

“The one gap we do have is a day centre for homeless to go to to relax and stay warm.

“But no person should be sleeping rough in the city centre at any time. If you want to help the homeless then give responsibly.”

To donate to Vennture, text HERE03 £1, £3, £5 or £10 to 70070.

 

A 82 year old gentleman has lost control of his vehicle and crashed the car he was driving into The Range store along Three Elms Road. 

Emergency were called to the scene and thankfully nobody was hurt.

Hereford is twinned with Polish City Jaworzno, so are there plans in place to update our Welcome to Hereford signs etc? 

Britain's WORST drink-drive towns revealed: Cities in North West and Wales have most drunk drivers while Londoners are better behaved

Hereford, Crewe, Blackpool and Sunderland are top four towns for worst drink and drug driving convictions

London dominates the list of postcodes with the lowest conviction rates for the third year in a row

Analysis looked at over six million car insurance quotes run on MoneySuperMarket over 12-month period

Plumbers, scaffolders and builders revealed to be among most likely to be caught drink or drug driving.

Hereford emerged with the greatest number of drink and drug driving convictions at 2.30 for every 1,000 drivers - with Crewe coming in a close second with 1.86.

Article source

Planning submitted for Commercial Street HERE 

I would like to wish all of our members at Hereford Voice a very Happy New Year! 

Just spotted this lot again over the past few days

You cannot miss this lot it is on the main Belmont Road

This has been sprayed on the back of someones garage in Belmont.

Another great turnout in support at the Broadleys Pub last night.

This is the leaflet dropped today

Plans to demolish the Broadleys Pub!  - ( 3 years on from the original proposal here ) 

Co-Op proposal dampens the Christmas Spirit.

Residents are up in arms that the Co-Op have drop leaflets to their houses this evening with proposals to demolish their local The Broadleys Pub and replace it with a Co-op store! 

Tonight is the annual community carol service which is always well attended by the community and disappointment in the Co-Op is palpable.

Mark Haslam from Herefordshire CAMRA said:

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“This is a very disappointing development. There is no need for another convenience store, but there certainly is the need for a pub to serve the local community. What is more, to leaflet local residents on the day of their annual carol service is nothing short of contemptible. We will be helping the local community fight these proposals.”