Hereford Voice

A fantastic photograph of the Left Bank and De Koffie Pot taken at 0130 hrs this morning. All of the lights were left on at the Left Bank in order that this photograph could be taken showing a superb glimmer and reflection across the very high river Wye. Thank you to our friend David Barrett for this wonderful shot.

A full size raft was stuck under the old bridge this morning but the fast current soon dislodged it and it now heading further down river.

The river Wye in Hereford is very high and fast flowing this morning. If this rainfall continues for a few more days we may see the river burst its banks. I spoke with my daughter this morning and she tells me the both river bridges in Brecon are closed.

All good mate

Fantastic to see, I will salute him when I am next there.

Let us hope that they deal with these people more appropriate by issuing bigger fines or prison sentences.

Hi guys, Rest assured, we are not going anywhere. The script and database that we use for the forum was well out of date so we had little choice other than to upgrade. There are a couple of coloured themes you can use (you will find the theme tab at the bottom of the forum). There are actually a lot of new features including social media, we have to keep up with the latest updates and security to keep the site running efficiently. We are have a large audience on both Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This is your platform, please use it and encourage others to join us. Cheers Colin

Herefordshire Now is the new quarterly residents’ magazine from Herefordshire Council Front cover of Herefordshire Now magazine Herefordshire Council has launched a new publication to share news and information about council services with residents. Produced four times a year, Herefordshire Now will be available on the council website, with a small number of paper copies available through community outlets such as libraries and council buildings. The magazine follows on from the positive response to the ‘How your council tax is spent’ publication, which was delivered to every household in March with council tax letters. Residents told us they welcomed finding out more about the council’s priorities and how their council tax is being spent. Inside Herefordshire Now magazine Each issue of Herefordshire Now will include news about a range of council services, and information such as details of council-run courses and events. With a large number of people now accessing information on their digital devices, being online means that readers can easily link through to further information and see video content. For people who would still prefer to read from a paper version, copies of Herefordshire Now will be free to pick up from community outlets such as libraries and council buildings. The cost of printing the magazine (£499) has been met by the council for the first issue, however it is planned to cover this cost in future through advertising. Herefordshire Now is available to download HERE

Zabka in Eign Gate and and International in Commercial Road were raided again today!

Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards carried out a joint raid as part of a Multi Agency Targeted Enforcement Strategy operation A Hereford City shopkeeper has been fined for selling illegal tobacco in a case taken to court by Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards service. Adam Ibrahim, 26, of Bank Street Dudley, pleaded guilty yesterday (Monday 1 October 2018) at Hereford Magistrates’ Court to six offences of possession and sale of illegal tobacco, all of which was non UK duty-paid. The former owner of the Zabka shop at Eign Gate, Hereford, was fined and required to pay costs totalling £2472. Mr Ibrahim is the fourth consecutive owner of the Zabka shop in four years to be convicted of selling illegal tobacco. In January 2018, Herefordshire Council's Trading Standards, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and West Mercia Police undertook a joint raid as part of a Multi Agency Targeted Enforcement Strategy (MATES) operation. 1580 packets of illegal cigarettes and 132 pouches of illegal hand rolling tobacco were seized; products were found in sophisticated concealments hidden in the floor and in false backs to large fridges. Marc Willimont, Herefordshire Council’s Head of Regulatory & Development Management Services, said: Sergeant Duncan Reynolds from West Mercia Police said: There is further information about Herefordshire Trading Standards on the Herefordshire Council website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/trading-standards

Plans for 75 dwellings on the land adjacent to the Volunteer in Marden have been refused. Full details here The original application dates back to October 2016

Union Passage & St Peters Square Improvements Work has been taking place over the past week by Hereford Business Improvement District to make Union Passage (The gateway to Union Street) much more attractive to shoppers. Walls have been repainted to help make the passageway appear lighter. Union Street has so many great local businesses including Music Plus, Papaya and The Kup-cake Kitchen. Work has also taken place to paint the railings at the War Memorial in St Peters Square ahead of this year Remembrance Parade.

The traffic lights at the Asda junction are out of order and have been all weekend and guess what? 'The Traffic Just Flows' Yesterday evening, (August bank holiday) we took a video which you can find here, which shows the traffic moving freely, there were no problems at all however, we were asked to film another video on a normal day during the rush hour, well here it is, this was filmed just before 0900 this morning and again you can see that the 'Traffic Just Flows' when these traffic lights are off.

Every-time the lights are out, guess what happens, yes! 'The Traffic Flows' and that has been our motto since we started these traffic light campaigns years ago.

We have just received this absolutely wonderful creative short film, looking at different parts of Hereford over the last few years and centuries. Thank you, James Fox for sending us your work, we love it!

This is very good news for Hereford and Broad Street.

Outline planning has been approved with conditions for the demolition of all existing buildings and hard standings, remediation of the site, including reinstatement or landscaping of the former canal and development of up to 120 homes, landscaping, public open space, new vehicle and pedestrian access and associated works.

The end of an era for RBS Bank as they will be closing their doors to customers tomorrow (Wednesday 8th) for the last time in Hereford. We would like to wish all of the staff good luck for the future.

Shell store development to create a business incubation and innovation centre. Former munitions site to be transformed into a flagship business incubation and innovation centre Work is to begin on a £7.3m redevelopment of Hereford’s Shell Store in January, transforming the historic building into a flagship business incubation and innovation centre. The redevelopment of the derelict building on Skylon Park, at Rotherwas, will create more than 2,000 sq metres of employment space, with room for new and growing businesses to set up and expand alongside facilities for development and innovation, presently earmarked for the new NMiTE University. This week saw the final funding agreements put into place to support the project at the former munitions site on the Hereford Enterprise Zone. The project is being funded via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Herefordshire Council and a loan from the Marches LEP’s Marches Investment Fund. The Shell Store, which is not a listed building, was built in the First World War and used again as an ordnance site during the Second World War. The project will see commercial space created within the existing building footprint, retaining much of the original factory including its steel roof structure. The incubation centre will provide high quality accommodation and support services to new or young enterprises as well as an application and development centre for the new Herefordshires university, NMiTE. This will create an interface between the new university and businesses as well as providing space for students to develop their practical projects. Chairman of the Hereford Enterprise Zone, Andrew Manning Cox, said the redevelopment is a major milestone for Skylon Park. The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership is providing a £2.498m interest free loan for the work with £2m being contributed by the ERDF and Herefordshire Council is investing the balance. Graham Wynn, chairman of the Marches LEP, said the project demonstrated the LEP’s commitment to delivering modern, sustainable jobs to the region and helping build a thriving economy. Councillor Harry Bramer, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Contracts and Assets, said: The centre is due to be completed in early 2020 and initial preparatory work has already begun and will continue over the coming weeks.

Life in prison for the murder of Robert Eacock. Anthony Boyd, 23, of Circuit Close, Willenhall and Artaf Hussain, 33, of Slater Street, Tipton both received sentences of life imprisonment, with a minimum of 25 years, today. Mr Eacock was murdered on January 29 in Hereford city centre. Both Boyd and Hussain were found guilty of murder by the jury at Worcester Crown Court on August 3.

HEREFORDSHIRE’S MPs and county councillors are among the lucky few who do not have to pay to park at county council car parks, a freedom of information request has revealed according to this article in the Hereford Times Access to information officers also revealed that Herefordshire Council has allocated a total of 547 staff business passes for the last financial year. County MPs Bill Wiggin and Jesse Norman have been given permits for use while on business along with the Countess of Darnley, Susan Bligh, who is the Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire. All 53 county councillors are issued with free parking permits which the council says can only be used while on council business but one member admitted it could be open to abuse.A councillor, who did not wish to be named, said: An information access officer said the 547 staff business passes had been allocated can only use them when on council business. She said: The officer explained that the parking permits were issued to remove the necessity of claiming back car parking charges while on business.She added:

AN elderly woman was in a collision with a cyclist in Hereford High Town yesterday. Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident. If you saw what happened or helped the woman call police on 101 with reference 583s 020818.