NETWORK Rail has released an artist’s impression of its latest design for the town’s new railway station which has recently been approved by Mid Sussex District Council.
The design comes at the end of a two year discussion with town councillors who called an earlier proposal ‘drab and unprepossessing’.
Work on the new station, which will include ticketing facilities for the Bluebell Railway when its northern extension into East Grinstead is complete, is scheduled to start later this year.
EAST Court is now home to a new art school run by the South East School of Art which offers a wide range of classes for students of all ages and abilities.
Professional artists and experienced teachers help small groups of pupils develop their skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, lettering, calligraphy and sculpture.
There are also classes for A level students, workshops for 11 to 14-year-olds and an after-school drawing class for 7 to 11-year-olds.
To find out more visit the school’s website at www.sesart.co.uk, phone 01342 316315 or email info@sesart.co.uk
ACOUSTIC Sussex will present AHAB on 7 February, an exceptional group featuring four-piece harmonies and an impressive repertoire of self-penned songs.
They stole the show at last year’s Cropredy festival in front of a crowd of 15,000 and are predicted to be the “next big thing” in 2011. All tickets £10.
Bullfrog Productions present RENT on 11/12 February, the rock opera which tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive in New York City under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Tickets £11/concessions £9/family £35.
Bullfrog Productions presents Annie Junior on 12/13 February at 3pm. The timeless tale of Little Orphan Annie, and boasting one of Broadway’s most memorable scores, Annie is a delightful theatrical experience for the entire family. Tickets £11/concessions £9/ family £35.
Imberhorne School presents An Evening of Dance on 16/17 February. Celebrating talented dancers throughout the school, the evening will include a collection of choreographies produced by GCSE dance students as well as dances performed by Lower and Upper School dance clubs. Tickets £7/concessions £5.
Guilty Pleasurez with music from the Jackie generation will be appearing at Chequer Mead on 18 February with a live performance of the biggest hits from the 70s, when pop was at its peak. Tickets £12/concessions £10.
Acoustic Sussex presents Cara Dillon on 19 February. Winner of Best Album for Hill of Thieves in the 2010 BBC Folk Awards, Irish songstress Cara Dillon is an unmissably rare talent. Tickets £17.50.
The popular Chequer Mead Lunchtime Concert returns on 22 February from 1.30pm to 2.15pm with Choirpower. With more than 80 concerts behind them, Choirpower perform the music their audiences love to hear with a repertoire including songs from the shows, jazz, pop, folk and modern. Tickets £4/concessions £3.50 or £3 when buying three concerts in the series.
Wednesday 23rd February from 7.00pm sees Jazz Cafe in the Cuisine Studio. For details and to prebook tickets or a meal call 01342 324860.
THE High Jynx Magic Roadshow brings half-term fun to town at lunchtime on 24 February. As featured on Tricky TV, this amazing magical circus show is packed with awesome illusions, dangerous escapes, interactive panto-style comedy and pop. Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year Michael Jordan guarantees a thrilling half term treat for the whole family. Tickets £7.50.
Roger Hind’s Charity Jazz Concert in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice is on 25 February. Following his sell-out concert last year, Roger presents over 20 marvellous arrangements of Gershwin favourites with guest vocalists Ruth Fahie and Gary Wright. Tickets £17/ concessions £15 (including programme).
Chris Black presents C’mon Everybody on 26 February. The greatest stars of the 50’s and 60’s come alive in this spectacular, vibrant, action packed, nonstop, live, rockin’ show. Tickets £15/concessions £13.
THE town’s tourism team has produced a new leaflet promoting many of East Grinstead’s attractions including places of historic interest, restaurants and Chequer Mead theatre, as well as attractions further afield such as Heaven Farm at Danehill, Tulleys Farm at Turner’s Hill and Drusilla’s Park near Alfriston.
“East Grinstead is not only a very pleasant town to visit in its own right,” said tourism officer Simon Kerr, “it is also an ideal jumping-off point for a great many other places within very easy reach.”
Simon’s comprehensive list of what-to-do and where-to-go, is available from the library’s tourist information desk, the museum and at tourist information points across the south east.
He will also be handing it out at the Group Visits Fair which will be held in the town on 18 February, which is an annual event for organisers of group visits and the owners of B&Bs across the county.
COUNCILLORS have rejected a report by the Mid Sussex Independent Committee which looked at the expenses paid to county, district and town councillors, and have agreed to accept a lower rate than that recommended.
In 2010/11 town councillors received a sum of £1085 pounds to cover out-of-pocket expenses including travel, telephone costs and postage.
But they have agreed to take a 5% reduction in the coming financial year, bringing the sum payable to £1030, slightly below that recommended by the committee.
Next year’s mayor will also receive £1,270 to off-set some of the expenses attached to being the town’s first citizen.
THE Council-owned Small and Upstairs Parish Halls opposite Chequer Mead theatre are to be restored thanks to the intervention of a local church group.
Jesus Living Water Christian Church, which already hires the Parish Halls on a regular basis, has agreed to lease the building in De la Warr Road for the coming 28 years.
The rent paid for the rear portion of the building, which will include the use of the upstairs hall, meeting room, kitchen and toilets, will finance the renovation of the Large Parish Hall in the front.
Council leader James Baldwin said he was delighted that the matter had finally been resolved after previous schemes to make it a centre for Age Concern, and to pull it down and build new flats, had both come to nothing.
“This proposal will result in an improved facility for the whole town to enjoy,” he said.
"We don’t want to waste any more time in terms of restoring the building to a state that the public rightly expect, so we are pleased that we can now go ahead as quickly as possible.
"This solution is a win three times over: a win for local residents, a win for better community facilities and a win for the local taxpayer."
I hope you have all had a pleasant Christmastime with friends and family despite the travel chaos in the lead-up to Christmas.
But with the celebrations now almost over it is time to reflect on last year and look forward to 2011.
For all the difficulties we no doubt face with cutbacks I believe we are better placed than many, largely because of the community in which we live – although the needs of those who live alone or are otherwise more vulnerable always need extra consideration.
With all the snow, both at the start and end of the year, we have had to adapt to weather conditions not seen to this extent for a long time. But the efforts of the Town Council staff and community-minded volunteers have kept the town open for business, although I appreciate that for those with any form of disability icy conditions pose extra risks.
A small expenditure by the Town Council on new snow-clearing equipment has proved its worth. We are now much better placed to respond than at the start of last winter, and I hope the pavement clearance is now less patchy to make you feel safer getting about, once you reach the town centre.
The past year has seen the end of one of the town’s business institutions with the closure of Wickenden’s. I am sure many, if not all, of you will at one time have been customers, and will join me in wishing the family well in their retirement. But the number of empty shops gradually fell throughout the year as new businesses opened, many of them locally-owned independents, maintaining the character of East Grinstead.
As ever our voluntary organisations have done a wonderful job not only in providing a service to residents but also in the way their presence adds to the spirit which is such an important part of making this town our communal home. Of all the things I have seen in a busy 2010 it is the role of volunteers, both organised and those acting individually to help others, which I think has been most important.
Chequer Mead has again hosted a wonderfully varied year of live entertainment as well as many other exhibitions and displays. November also saw the culmination of the community play project with ‘Matters of Chance’ playing for two weeks in the icy weather at Sackville school.
As a representation of our community’s ability to treat people fairly and rise to challenges it is probably without equal and has left its own mark for the future. I hope and trust that we would always treat with respect and support those who come to us needing help. I have seen plenty of individual examples of that since becoming Mayor in May.
No-one, especially in times of financial cutbacks, can expect everything to be provided by the state or by councils, nor should they anyway. Also we have, perhaps sadly, passed the time when all our extended families lived close by; mine for instance is over 200 miles away which is not uncommon these days.
And that is why it is so important that we live in an area where people do care about their community, and whether their neighbours are okay and have all they need.
Over the past year our community has shown just what it is capable of and it has mostly been a positive year.
Our Town Council is confident about its ability to deal with the inevitable challenges of the year ahead as cutbacks elsewhere pose problems for us locally. But I believe we can continue to support local voluntary organisations who in turn help support others as a visible part of our community spirit.
I wish you and all your families all the very best for 2011 and hope that you are able to make the most of opportunities as they arise.
Cllr Stephen Barnett
A BUSY year on the town’s tourist desk has thrown up some odd requests over the past 12 months, but tourism officer Simon Kerr prides himself on being able to deal with whatever visitors throw at him – however unusual.
Neither is he a man afraid to go the extra mile when it comes to customer service, as one couple in Berlin found out.
"Our most intriguing questions this year both revolve around Sackville House, the property in the High Street which belongs to the Landmark Trust.
"Our first request was from a family who were coming to stay and wanted us to find them a chef to come in and cook them their final meal on their last evening, so that they could enjoy eating in the house without all the hassle of preparation and washing up.
"We did indeed find them a suitable chef and received a lovely letter from the family full of praise for their stay.
"The second memorable tourist question came in an email from Berlin also wanting information about Sackville House.
"A brother and sister were bringing the rest of their family including their father who couldnt walk very far, so we arranged with the EG Access Group the free loan of a fold-up wheel chair for the duration of their stay.
"There was also a large pack of information that I was due to post them, but it just so happened that I was going on a city break to Berlin, a place I visit quite frequently, so I took the envelope and popped it in the letter box of the address they had given me, which was just around the corner from my hotel.
"This so impressed them that when they arrived here they came in with a huge box of marzipan chocolates and a bottle of Cherry Brandy."
The family also wrote Simon an appreciative note thanking him for going beyond the call of duty.
"When I sent my first email to you I was hoping for some help but did not expect in any way so much support and dedication. We all look very much forward to meeting you in October and to expressing our thanks personally.
With very best wishes from Berlin
Claudia Fritze
THE Town Council’s outdoor team faced almost insuperable odds when exceptionally bad winter weather at the beginning of December left East Grinstead snowbound.
The team shoveled paths and walkways, kept the East Court estate free for emergency vehicles at the police and fire stations, ensured all the local surgeries were accessible, and spread five tons of grit on pavements in the town centre.
Their efforts ensured the success of the French Christmas market on 5 December, which was particularly well attended as families left their homes for the first time in several days to grab some festive fun.
But the non-delivery of the town’s Christmas tree meant the annual lighting up ceremony had to be postponed for a week: and the Community Play lost three of its first week’s performances as neither players nor audiences could access a snowbound Sackville school.
TOWN Mayor Stephen Barnett joined the guests at a party for pensioners put on by the pupils of St Mary’s primary school in their church hall last month.
Deputy Mayor Cllr Bob Mainstone and his wife Cllr Christine Mainstone also attended the event, at which Jim Harling, chairman of the Pensioners Association, congratulated the children’s choir on their fine performance.
