Denise Lloyd

remember this topic now it has cropped up again - CRT sold it for development modernisation updating or whatever but not everybody is happy  taken from a report Sunshine Radio today -

Outcry over historic garage conversion plan

Monday, 8 January 2024 15:04

By Gavin McEwan - Local Democracy Reporter

A former BBC Top Gear presenter is among motoring heritage enthusiasts objecting to England’s oldest filling station in Herefordshire being turned into a house.

The proposal to convert the grade II-listed Glendore in the Golden Valley village of Turnastone was submitted for planning permission in November by its owners, a Dr and Mrs Clark.

It was first used as a filling station in 1919 and its period pumps still stand in the front garden. The house itself, now unused for over a decade, is thought to be around 100 years older.

Among objections so far published on Herefordshire Council’s planning webpage, Tiff Needell, who signs himself off as “racing driver and TV presenter”, wrote: “England’s oldest surviving petrol station should be preserved as just that.

“It should be a museum! Where’s the imagination? Not a home please! Madness!”

He claimed the building’s historic features would “become just a token rather than living history” if the change of use were approved.

Now aged 72, Mr Needell presented Top Gear between 1987 and 2001, and later also Fifth Gear on Channel 5. Earlier he briefly raced in Formula 1, and also competed in rally cross and the Le Mans 24-hour race.

Motoring journalist, author and publisher Philip Porter meanwhile claimed that not to preserve “this unique motoring monument” would be “sacrilege”.

“If it is a matter of money, I am confident that the funds can me raised and I would be prepared to lead such a crusade among our well-healed (sic) worldwide clients to preserve such a motoring shrine,” he added.

Peter Ashley, author of English Heritage’s The English Buildings Book, said the garage “has been a vital part of our unsung heritage and should be preserved at all costs”.

Golden Valley resident Tom Harris said the Clarks’ bid did not commit them to preserving the features of what the building’s official heritage listing describes as “an early and increasingly rare example of an early 20th-century rural petrol station”.

And fellow resident David Jackson said: “I don’t think the new owners have paid any attention whatsoever to its special historic status, which will be lost forever.”

Consultation on the proposal has closed, and the council gives its target determination date as December 15, 2023.

Thank you jbfc

Yes the results were shocking still gutted about it all 

I saw that Bramer had reappeared which Ward did he get elected for please?  I had a quick look but could not see his name then I forgot about him - best thing really I suppose

Well here you are all those familiar with these famous pumps - a little doer upper 

https://bengoughproperty.com/property/glendore/

I have now posted them onto the Facebook page

Admin can the links Meggilleland put on be posted onto the Facebook page please

A wonderful tribute to her - she did work so hard for the community a total one off 

Megilleland what an absolute star to find this - thank you 

No hope there - I did contact the Countryside Restoration Trust as in Robin Page who own it to ask their intentions but had a mumbled phone message left. Have heard nothing since. You could contact the Parish Council and ask them if you need their contact details I can supply. It looks so delapidated and sad there.  

There are also some interesting slow signs painted onto the road - I wonder if this is proven to slow the traffic down

Some photos of these would be good on here

In all honesty how many people are familiar with the word PEDAGOGY or PEDAGOGIES?

This word has been used extensively in NMITE's literature.

I was asked if I knew the word and had to admit I had never heard of it.

Just wonder how many of our Councillors who are signing off on all the planning and financial bumph etc for NMITE are familiar with this word.

Just curious

Could not agree with you more Harry - it is in danger of becoming a terrible eyesore without any real use!!  

All a bit of mess isn't it?  I wonder how the country will look in 12 months' time

Thank you K Butt sometimes I get it right and sometimes I do not - it is often trial and error. At the moment my tv is behaving better than it was last week.  

Following on from the television saga some time ago I spoke to my internet provider Plusnet and after much discussion the very pleasant man said I needed  an ethernet cable because I was reaching the speed I was paying for which is top wack.

Anyway bought cable and fixed said same and streaming was ok for about 75% of the time until of course last Monday which apart from Amazon was a total no no.

After much checking on the internet it was suggested that a USB Powered Compact Signal Booster 4G might do the trick. I bought a SLX from Amazon for just over £13.00 and I am very pleased to say that it seems to do the trick.

Hope this bit of info assists somebody else in a similar predicament.   Wised up guys and gals might know all about these little devices but I did not so can only assume not everybody does.

I was going to say we never had this problem with our black and white tv but we did because on very windy blustery days somebody would have to go out and fiddle around with the aerial and keep coming back in to see if it was better!

Well I am not can only watch Amazon at the moment and that even gets a bit dodgy sometimes! I think it could be a BT problem on the west of Hereford so many of my neighbours have sky so they do not have the same problem - oh well there are worse things happening in the world that's for sure!!

I saw this going up when I went on my one trip of the week!

Somebody please tell me it is sheer coincidence that since then I have had terrible trouble with my television signals - the only thing I can watch is Amazon and even that gets some interference.  I know that 4G does cause signal problems but I am Kingstone and that is Belmont

Sad old git that I am but I love my television!!!!!!!!!!

Ah the Buchanan Trust I cannot remember but were they not involved in the sale of Council Farms debacle - I know Tony Johnson was Trustee of the charity - there has been a lot of writing on this Trust - not because they sinned but because they have repeatedly been let down by their Trustees

Beautiful property far too much of this demolishing existing properties to make way for box like new houses - characterless and lifeless

Yes shut up shop. The pumps are still there but there is no one home.  The property belongs to the Countryside Restoration Trust who also own Turnastone Court which is just around the corner. I am hoping that the Trust will raise enough money to bring some life back into it - it certainly  looks very sad as it is and many people do travel quite some distance to see the pumps and the cycle.  Should I see my brother tomorrow who still lives in Turnastone I will ask him for an update.

All a bit of a mess really - with new developments now the Council will not adopt the green areas so the new residents have to be a fairly hefty service charge which is proving to some of the owners to be quite a rip off!!!!!!!!!!!!  Mind you it is for these residents to round up on the developer in the first place and demand value for money.

Once upon a time there was green in colour local newspaper it came out on a Wednesday and once Dad had finished doing his bidding (and selling) in the cattle/sheep market he come home with this paper. A bit of a highlight in those days and it really isn't long ago - honest!  My experience of Parish magazine is that on the whole they are informative sometimes amusing and sometimes useful but it might well be different for us village dwellers!! 

Yes even if you have Ad block on most newspapers now you have to pause the ad block to be able to read it. Oh well perhaps they will read these comments (well we know they do) and attempt to improve our reading experience!

On the good news side my sub to HT is now cancelled - the cancellation went very smoothly - so will now buy a hard copy to flick through and recycle!

Scary stuff I am trying to cancel my sub which I took out on Sat