Author: Andrew Taylor

JENNY Watson and the outside team from the Town Council faced a tricky task when they tried to weed the flower beds in the High Street. But a little ingenuity went a long way and they succeeded without having to tread on any of the flowers.

AS the final preparations go into making sure the town is looking its pristine best in time for the Bloom judging on 10 July, the thoughtfully-planted High Street flower beds are filling out beautifully.

Planted as part of the town’s tributes to commemorate WWI, the beds feature the VC won by Private Sidney Godley, the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior juxtaposed with half the Union Jack, and wooden barricades and barbed wire from the trenches.

Two shots taken from upstairs in a shop opposite the beds show them in all their floral glory under a lowering sky.

Designed and planted by a team from the Town Council the display has already attracted a great deal of comment and admiration.

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* Thanks to Emma Louise at her gift shop opposite the beds for letting Brian Hamill pop upstairs and take these pictures.

COME in costume if you want to and help to recreate the last Golden Summer before war broke out. For details see the poster below. Edwardian picnic with East Grinstead Concert Band.

For more information on shows, or to buy tickets, contact the theatre on 01342 302000 or see www.chequermead.org.uk

Redehall Prep School presents its School Prize Giving –  Wednesday 2 July at 1.30pm

BPM Dance Academy presents Cinematic on Saturday 5 July at 2pm and 7pm

This is a youth production.

Performances

Saturday 5 July at 2pm (Sold Out)
Saturday 5 July at 7pm (Sold Out)

Frank Williams presents More Tea Vicar? – Sunday 6 July at 2.30pm

ENJOY an hilarious afternoon with Dad`s Army vicar Frank Williams! Everybody loves Dad’s Army – even after 40 years the programme continues to pull huge viewing figures and is one of one of the all-time classic `greats`.

Join Frank in an entertaining trip down memory lane, as he offers a unique glimpse behind the scenes and stories of the celebrated cast of Dad`s Army and a host of other stars. It’s a wonderful afternoon of television nostalgia and Frank will personally sign copies of his best-selling autobiography, Vicar to Dad`s Army.

Why not enjoy this fantastic show by combining your More Tea Vicar? ticket with a cream tea for an additional £5.

Performances

Sunday 6 July at 2:30pm

Tickets £12/concessions £11

Kicks Dance Show – Tuesday 8 July to Wednesday 9 July

Performances

Tuesday 8 July at 7pm (Sold Out)

Wednesday 9 July at 7pm (Sold Out)

Bullfrog Performance presents Be Our Guest – Saturday 12 July at 6.30pm

TAKE your seat for Bullfrog Productions Musical Theatre spectacular Be Our Guest and celebrate five years of extracts from our past productions. A show that embraces a glorious selection of songs from the most successful West End shows.

This is a youth production.

Performances

Saturday 12th July at 6.30pm

Tickets: £12/concessions £10

Family Ticket: £38 (two adults, two children)

Dormansland Primary School presents Robin Hood – Thursday 17 July at 7.30pm

DORMANSLAND primary school presents the summer show Robin Hood.

This is a youth production.

Performances

Thursday 17 July at 7.30pm (limited)

Tickets £8.

The Meads Primary School presents Wind in the Willows – Friday 18 July at 2pm and 7pm

THE Meads Primary School presents their summer production of Wind in the Willows.

This is a youth production.

Company of Friends presents Oh! What A Lovely War –Wednesday 23 July to Friday 25 July

OVER 90 years on from the Armistice, Oh What A Lovely War remains a classic of the modern theatre and a powerful reminder of the atrocities of a war that cost twenty million lives. Told through the songs and documents of the period, it’s a satirical attack on the military incompetence and inconceivable disregard for human life the First World.

Performances

Wednesday 23 July at 7.30pm

Thursday 24 July at 7.30pm

Friday 25 July at 7.30pm

Tickets £12/ concessions £10

Chequer Mead Silver Screen presents Steven Spielberg’s War Horse – Saturday 26 July at 8pm

Chequer Mead presents the Oscar-nominated film, directed by Steve Spielberg and adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s novel. Set before and after World War I, it tells the story of young Albert enlisted to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry.

Performances

Saturday 26 July at 8pm.

Tickets £5/ concessions £4

Family Ticket £15 (two adults, two children)

The Lost Generation Monday 28 July at 8pm

THE First World War had a massive impact on British society. One million men were killed, two million were wounded and countless thousands returned to their families and communities with hideous memories and deeply traumatised by their time in the trenches.

They returned to find their women folk had changed, the class system crumbling and organised religion facing its greatest challenge since the reformation.

This illustrated lecture examines these issues through the eyes of the men, women and children who began, slowly, to pick up the pieces left by the war to end all wars. No matter who we are today, our lives were shaped by the events of 1914 – 18 and understanding more about the impact of the conflict helps us appreciate more about ourselves.

Performances

Monday 28 July at 8pm

Tickets £5.

Land of Hope and Glory – Centenary Tribute: Wednesday 30 July at 7.30pm

CHEQUER Mead Theatre proudly presents for one night only, the ultimate tribute to the 1914 centenary commemorations of The Great War.

The show, starring the very popular and wonderfully entertaining Stephen Dunnett and Diane Moore, brings to the stage the most famous, well-loved tunes of the music hall days.

Performances

Wednesday 30 July at 7:30pm

Tickets £12/ concessions £10

Andy Thompson presents The Unknown Warrior – Thursday 31 July at 8pm

THE First World War ended on November 11th 1918 leaving a stunned nation to come to terms with the death and destruction that had resulted from the world’s first industrial war. The period 1918-20 became known as the Great Silence as the grief and impact of the war settled on families.The army had insisted that no man would be returned from the battlefield and thus mothers, widows, fathers, brothers, sisters and lovers could not close the life of their loved one in a traditional sense. Understanding that this was the cause of great grief the idea was mooted that a symbolic ‘Tommy’ be brought home and laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. On 11 November 1920 the body, returned with great ceremony, was laid to rest and the nation gathered to pay its respect. This illustrated lecture reflects on the raw emotion of a nation coming to terms with its grief and loss.

Performances

Thursday 31 July at 8pm.

Tickets £5.

TOWN Mayor Nick Hodges and MP Sir Nicholas Soames were among those who paid tribute to Britain’s servicemen and women on Armed Forces Day at East Court’s War Memorial Gardens on Saturday.

A good crowd turned out to hear a Service of Thanksgiving given by Canon Clive Everett-Allen of St Swithun’s, and despite the heavy showers Sir Nicholas said he would not miss the occasion ‘for the world’.

The chairman of the East Grinstead branches of the Royal British Legion and the RAFA also laid wreaths, as did the Deputy Lord lieutenant of Sussex, Margaret Collins.

After the service the 1343 Sqn EG Air Training Corps gave a display in front of East Court.
The children from Halsford Park and Baldwins Hill school choirs sang, and the East Grinstead Concert Band played for an hour with a programme which included a singalong.

Later the Felbridge Army Cadet Corps were involved in a Military Display Exercise before the Standards were ceremonially Marched Off.

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Photos © East Grinstead Online

East Court Live the first of the East Grinstead Town Council Concerts for 2014 kicked off 29th June with InChoir up first singing a great range from Tragedy to The Rhythm of Life. Everyone was toe-tapping and singing along

Stephen Dunnett was up next, swingtime with some of the greats of yesteryear. The sun shone as he sang Sinatra and Dean Martin, they danced and conga’d and called for more after his sensational Mack the Knife.

Finally Headliner Fisher Stevens as Elvis; his perfect vocal had everyone swinging along with the GI Blues and suspicious minds. Everyone was dancing to Viva Las Vegas through to are you lonesome tonight. A great set, a little rain in the mid section but the sun came out to finish the event.

The bar flowed, the VIP tent sang happy birthday and the EGTC volunteers fetched drinks and saw everyone off safely at the end.

Join us for the Edwardian Garden Party on 3 August and Pop Party featuring KayT Perry and JessyJ on 17 August. Events brought to you by East Grinstead Town Council; come along and enjoy.

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All photos courtesy of Colin and Julie Holden & Simon Kerr

East Court will once again open its terraces for a series of three free outdoor picnic music events. The summer kicks off on 29 June with a ‘Tribute to the Greats’ with the return of Fisher Stevens as Elvis. He will be supported on the day by Stephen Dunnett who will be performing the hits from the ‘Rat Pack’ Song book’ and ‘as seen on TV’, the BBC’s  One Show no less, our local community Choir INCHOIR. The day which starts at 1pm and finishes at 5pm will be compered by Meridian FMs Natalie Orchard.

You are welcome to bring a picnic although refreshments and a pay bar will be available on the day. Anyone wanting a more VIP experience can pay a small fee to enter our covered seated area where there will be a bar service available.  This will be a fantastic afternoon of entertainment and you are urged to bring the whole family.

THE Town Council is to discuss the future of St Margaret’s Loop at a meeting of the Amenities and Tourism committee tonight.

The loop is a piece of former railway line which was left redundant when the present commuter line to London replaced the former High and Low lines in the sixties.

St Margaret’s Loop goes off to the right in this picture

Reaching in a loop from behind the station up as far as Martell’s Charlwoods Road site it is badly overgrown, and lined with unsafe trees.

The area has become home to many bird, mammal and plant species – as well as a dumping ground for unwanted rubbish.

The land is jointly owned by Sustrans, the Town Council and Martells.

Its future is on tonight’s agenda because Sustrans have told the Council that if they can’t come up with a joint plan to upgrade and restore the loop Sustrans will look at developing their section alone.

“There has been some misconception in the Neighbourhood Plan consultation that ‘resolving the issue of St Margaret’s Loop’ meant selling it for housing. This has not been suggested by the Town Council which has always wanted to retain the Loop for public use as an area of recreation,” said Town Clerk Julie Holden.

“Other options include filling it in, and selling or leasing it to the gardens that back on to the cutting.

“A bike or walkway would retain the green avenue, but it may still be raised and some of the trees and vegetation removed.

“We would not like to see it developed for housing – but that begs the question ‘what could it be used for?’

“It is very, very early days. The Town Council very much wants to have a say in what happens to the loop, but we own only a small part of the land and if we fail to come to a mutual agreement, the other landowners could just do their own thing.

“But nothing is going to happen soon, and tonight’s meeting will simply open the discussion.

“Environmental and planning issues would take an enormous amount of work and effort to resolve, so we need at least to start thinking.”

One dilemma faced by the Town Council is that while there is no public access to their land, members of the public injured in the cutting could hold the Council liable, even though they were trespassing.

Another option the Council could consider would be to partially infill the area to create a gradual slope suitable for walkers and cyclists between Green Hedges and the station – if Sustrans or Martells would give permission for public access.

The cost would be ‘significant’ but could be offset by the revenue attracted by offering the site for hard core.