Category: News

THE town’s hanging baskets should go up at the beginning of June.

Poor spring weather has delayed growth this year, but Kent contracters Amethyst Horticulture are hoping the 215 baskets of brightly-coloured summer bedding plants they have prepared will be ready for the Town Council’s outdoor staff to hang during the first week of next month.

Planters by the Fire Station have been replaced by new self-watering containers this year as part of a rolling programme which will eventually see all the town’s large planters replaced with more eco-friendly ones requiring less water.

THE latest exhibition at the town museum in Cantelupe Road is Clockmakers of East Grinstead, and features and time-telling through the ages.

The museum is open from 10am to 4pm Wednesday to Saturday, and from 2-4pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Entry is free.

Journeys – Friday 10 May to Wednesday 15 May

AN exciting exhibition by Stitched Up Textiles – each member of the group has interpreted the theme in a different manner, making an interesting exhibition of high-quality textile work.

Diverse Visions – Thursday 23 May to Wednesday 5 June

A GROUP of artists from East Grinstead and beyond have come together to present their work.  Subjects are many and a variety of media has been used, including oils, tempera, line-drawing, collage and mixed media.
Curated by Harriet Brigdale.

For more details contact the box office on 01342 302000 or see the website at www.chequermead.org.uk

15 May: Vienna Festival Ballet with Sleeping Beauty at 5pm and 8pm

THE Vienna Festival Ballet returns to town with a traditional and enchanting production of The Sleeping Beauty on 25 May. A classic fairy tale set to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score, stunning choreography and beautiful costumes combine to portray the struggle between good and evil. Performances at 5pm and 8pm. Tickets: £18.50 Students and Senior Citizens £16.50 Children £12.50

 16 – 18 May: Copthorne Players with Dad’s Army at 7.30pm, plus Saturday matinee at 2.30pm

COPTHORNE Players present Dad’s Army by Jimmy Perry and David Croft from Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 May at 7.30pm. There is also a matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm. It’s 1940, the Battle of Britain rages overhead and our brave lads prepare for Adolf’s invasion – so come and join the boys of the Home Guard as they do their bit for King and country. Three episodes have been adapted for the stage by the original writers in this wonderfully funny production featuring some of TV’s most enduring characters, and classic catchphrases – ‘Don’t panic!’, ‘They don’t like it up ’em!’, ‘Stupid boy!’ and ‘Doomed. We’re all doomed.’ Tickets: Evenings £13, matinee £10.

25 May: No Jacket Required at 7.30pm

No Jacket Required return at 7.30pm on 25 May with a show representing their own highlights, as they celebrate 10 years as the UK’s leading Phil Collins tribute. Expect plenty of surprises in a two-hour show of hits from Phil Collins and Genesis, including an intimate and moving ‘Unplugged’ section. Tickets: £15/ concessions £13.

THE East Grinstead and District Lions will be holding their May Fair on 6 May, Bank Holiday Monday.

The High Street will close to traffic for the fun family event with stalls and entertainments throughout the day.

The Town Mayor will open the Fair at 10am and will be followed by a performance from the East Grinstead Concert Band, then a varied programme including a Zumba class, Dad’s Army, saxophonists and drummers.

The competition for a Lion’s May Queen is also being re-introduced this year.

The winner will be asked to attend Lions events throughout the year, presenting prizes at the Donkey Derby in August, helping Father Christmas during the shopping events in December and greeting Senior Citizens at their party in February.

Entry is invited from girls aged eight and over, in advance by contacting Trevor Stokes on 01342 321401, or
on the day at the stage area.

There will be a magician/children’s entertainer performing on the green by Sackville College throughout the day.

The Fair will close at 4pm

EAST Grinstead Town Council will be holding public exhibitions for some of the main areas of the emerging Neighbourhood Plan. The exhibition will include ideas around the town centre, transport and housing. As part of the exhibition a questionnaire will be available for completion.

Following this final round of pre plan consultation, the Neighbourhood Plan will be finalized in draft form and presented to the Town Council. If it passes this stage it will go out to formal public consultation and then a final plan will be presented in the Autumn. Once the final plan is agreed it will be submitted for examination and compliance with national and local strategies and then will be put to public referendum.

The manned exhibition will be at the following venues:

• East Court Mansion Main Hall: 16 and 17 May between 9am and 5pm (4pm on the Friday)
• High Street Surgery: 18 May between 10am and 12noon (moved from 4 May due to the marathon)
• Chequer Mead Foyer: 22–24 May between 9am and 5pm (and 6.30pm-8.30pm on 22 and 23 May)
• South of England Show Ground – East Grinstead Town Council stand: 6-8 June between 9am and 6pm

FAMILIES enjoyed a rare glimpse of Spring sunshine for Vintage Bus Day in East Grinstead last weekend.

Shopkeepers who opened for the event reported brisk business as did the many stalls, which included a very popular hog roast, as trippers took free rides to neighbouring villages.

Bill Rolfe (pictured below) who owns the Market Square used the occasion to launch his new Bluebell Steam Beer, Matt Cole oversaw the children’s quiz and Sackville College reported a steady stream of visitors for its first opening of the year.

While Broadley’s, in the High Street, organised a resident pianist who tickled the ivories in a tuxedo while visitors toured the historic building in aid of Bluebell Railway funds.

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WEST Sussex County Council elections and four local by-elections will take place on Thursday 2 May and Mid Sussex residents are being asked to double-check which polling station they will be attending before setting off to vote.

To accommodate an increasing number of voters and to ease congestion at the busiest polling stations, some venues have changed since the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections were held in November 2012.

Poll cards containing details of which polling station voters should visit on Election Day have been sent out to everybody who is registered to vote. The majority of polling stations remain the same but some have changed to make sure polling places are accessible to all voters.

“When you vote at the same polling station for many years it becomes almost routine and it may not occur to you to check your polling card to see where to vote,” said Tom Clark, Deputy County Returning Officer. “We don’t want anybody to have a wasted journey so please make 100% sure your polling station has not changed before leaving the house.”

Polling stations will be open in East Grinstead on Thursday 2 May from 7am to 10pm for residents to cast their votes in the West Sussex County Council Election, and the Town  Council by-election in East Grinstead Town South.

List of East Grinstead Polling Stations in the Mid Sussex District Election  2 May 2013 – West Sussex County Council

County Council Division	Polling District	Polling Station Address
East Grinstead South & Ashurst Wood	AA	Ashurst Wood Village Centre, Maypole Road, Ashurst Wood, RH19 3QN
East Grinstead South & Ashurst Wood	BAC	Chequer Mead Arts Centre, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead, RH19 3BS
East Grinstead South & Ashurst Wood	BCE	St Barnabus Church, Dunnings Road, East Grinstead
East Grinstead South & Ashurst Wood	BCF	Chequer Mead Arts Centre, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead, RH19 3BS
East Grinstead South & Ashurst Wood	BED	Chequer Mead Arts Centre, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead, RH19 3BS
East Grinstead Meridian	BBA	St Luke’s Church Hall, Holtye Avenue, East Grinstead
East Grinstead Meridian	BBB	Blackwell Primary School, Blackwell Farm Road, East Grinstead, RH19 3JL
East Grinstead Meridian	BBC	East Court, College Lane, East Grinstead, RH19 3LT
East Grinstead Meridian	BD	St Marys Church Hall, Windmill Lane, East Grinstead, RH19 2DS
East Grinstead Meridian	BEC	East Court, College Lane, East Grinstead, RH19 3LT
Imberdown	BFA	Halsford Park CP School, Manor Road, East Grinstead, RH19 1LR
Imberdown	BFD	St Peters Primary School. Crossways Avenue, East Grinstead, RH19 1JB
Imberdown	BGA	St Peters Primary School. Crossways Avenue, East Grinstead, RH19 1JB
Imberdown	BGB	Halsford Park CP School, Manor Road, East Grinstead, RH19 1LR
Imberdown	DA	The Haven Centre, Hophurst Lane, Crawley Down, RH10 4LJ

East Grinstead Library and Help Point has a new telephone number – 01342 332900

THE recent Big Clean Up at Ashplatts Wood saw volunteers fill a record 44 bags with assorted rubbish which included discarded office furniture, some pieces of metal fencing and part of an old garden pond.

The 40 or so people who arrived for the event included children and staff from the HSBC bank.