A barrister from Thame who dodged rail fares from Haddenham Station into London for two years, avoided being sent to prison today.
Peter Burnett who dodged paying rail fares for two year (Image courtesy of central news
But 43 year-old Peter Barnett, a father of three, was given a 16 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay back nearly £6,000 to Chiltern Railways.
He dodged the full fare by getting off at Wembly Station and using his Oyster Card to travel on into London. He eventually gave himself up to Railway staff after first running off when challenged about his story at Marylebone station. The City of London Magistrates Court, where that Barnett was sentenced today, heard that he had previously received a conditional caution in 2010 for a similar offence.
Deputy District Judge, Olalekan Omotosho, told Barnett that his serial fare-skipping was a serious offence and that there was a need, not only for him to be punished for the offences, but that others needed to be deterred from committing similar offences. She told him: “It is a shame, really, because you had it all. It remains unclear why you acted so badly. You let yourself down and your family down, particularly in light of your profession as a lawyer.”
Peter Barnett is now unemployed as a lawyer and according to his lawyer, hopes to do charity work in the future.
Chinnor RFC’s poor start to the season continued as Bishops Stortford scored six tries in a convincing 36-20 win at Kingsey Road.
Apart from Hopkins’ third minute penalty for Chinnor, after the visitors were penalised for driving up at the scrum, the first half was all one way traffic for Stortford’s dominant pack. A rolling maul from a penalty for a Chinnor player in front of the kick lead to the first Stortford try from Steve Ball, Gallagher converting for a 7-3 lead after seven minutes. The dose was repeated five minutes later from Gill. A long kick downfield was fumbled in goal by the Chinnor defence allowing Stortford’s Hankin to dive over the defender to ground the ball for a 17-3 lead.
Another rolling maul was pulled down by Chinnor resulting in a yellow card for Darlington and a penalty try for the bonus point. The conversion from Gallagher put the visitors ahead 24-3 at half time.
Shortly after the break, Stortford went further ahead with a try from Neville, converted by Gallagher for a 31-3 lead on 47 minutes. Chinnor came back with tries from Burns and Owen, both from driving mauls after penalty line out drives. Stortford increased their lead when replacement Baxter Wilson easily crashed through the home defence for an easy run to the line in the 77th minute and a 36-13 lead. With the last play of the day, Chinnor’s Goodfellow nipped around the blind side of a scrum for a try. Hopkin’s conversion closed the match out for a 36-20 win to Bishops Stortford.
Chinnor
Marcus Beer, Robbie Martey, George Blewitt Jack Adams, Ricky Hopwood, Bertie Hopkin, Frank Jones, Jamie Townsend, Mark Darlington, Andy Berry, Sam Blewitt Tom Burns, James Tyas (c), Ryan Long, Joe Vandermolen
Interchanges: Loma Kivalu, Michael Owen, Ben Manning, Greg Goodfellow, Junior Fatialofa
Bishops Stortford
Nick Hankin, Mike Gallagher, Sam Winter, Johnny Neville, Jimmy Rea, Tom Coleman, Tom Banks, Rory Young, Declan Caulfield, Sean Edwards, Matt Tomlinson, Hamish Irving, Steve Ball, Richard Gill, Mark McCraith
Interchanges: Tom McCrone, Dave Aldam, Baxter Wilson, Arran Mahoney, Pierfrancesco Dotta
PURPLE Dreams Productions will be returning to The Players Theatre on October 16, kicking off their ‘Next Stage’ tour with Love Games, written and directed by critically acclaimed Tobias Nicholls.
“When Isaac Williams set off to catch his usual bus, little did he realise that he’d meet the most important people of his life ….. quickly falling for kind-hearted Sophie, he finds himself fighting for her affection with rival suitor Chris. It’s not until Sophie’s feisty friend Zoe shows up though that it becomes apparent that everyone is playing ‘Love Games’.
This saucy comedy offers plenty of love, lust with laughter, and lies.”
Buy tickets online HERE and from Spear Travels, in Greyhound Walk, Thame 01844 217228
Tickets £10 Concessions £9
Tobias Nicholls
“Tobias Nicholls is 35 and has lived in Norfolk for most of his life and has spent all his working life in the theatre, either off stage, covering everything from steward through technical and to general manager, or on stage as an actor –writer which is his first love. As well as his work he had also formed Purple-Dreams as an ‘am-dram’ group and through the quality of his writing and acting won many awards both as an actor and for his original scripts.
“In 2011 he left his day job at the theatre, turned Purple-Dreams into a professional touring theatre company and has taken his writing talent to entertain a much wider audience by touring theatres. Now into the third year of his self-funded tours, the journey has taken them from Essex to Bridlington across country to Cumbria and back with many places in between, and as well as being critically acclaimed as a ‘rising talent’ he is gaining the reputation of delivering high quality audience entertainment.
The plays range from comedy’s through to much darker dramas but in all of them there are twists and turns in the plot which keep you guessing right to the very end. Tobias is the creative director and writes all the plays as well as directing and acting in them. When he is not in theatres he and Purple-Dreams do T.i.E. and pantomimes in schools, and away from the group he has also been doing film and TV work.
Writing about Love Games, one critic wrote: “The gags just keep coming” and another described it as “..a treat for those who love theatre.”
FOLLOWING the success of last year’s joint quiz hosted by the Thame and District Twinning Association and Thame United FC, the event is to be repeated on Friday, October 23.
The Quizmaster will be Brian West, whose last high level appearance was at the Mega Thame Quiz in aid of the Thame to Thame Nepal earthquake appeal.
Start time if 7pm for a 7.30pm at Thame United Football Club, Meadow View Park, Thame OX9 3RN. Teams of six, £5 per person. Proceeds to be split between Thame Twinning and Thame United FC. Bring your own nibbles and buy drinks from the bar, and there will be a raffle.
Contact Linda: 07805 229556 / lindaemery@btinternet.com to book a table.
Natalie Coleman with the four proud Thame school pupils
CHILDREN from the three Thame primary schools opened last weekend’s Thame Food Festival with BBC One’s MasterChef winner 2013, Natalie Coleman, in a bid to inspire other young foodies to cook.
Lyla Davies, aged 10 from John Hampden County Primary School, Emily Tattersfield, aged 10 from Barley Hill Primary School and Orlagh Roberts and Daniela Gonzalez both aged 10, both from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, took to the stage with Natalie when she gave the festival’s first ever cookery demo devised especially for children.
Natalie, who has recently taken up the role of Ambassador of Central Street Cookery School at St Luke’s Community Centre in London, was first up on the demo stage this year with a 45 minute session just for children. With the help of the four girls, she used her demonstration to encouraged children to learn about food and pick up new skills and ideas that they could try when they cook at home.
As well as joining Natalie on stage, the four children took home a signed copy of her cookery book1, after convincing her and festival patron Lotte Duncan to pick them to take part.
“We challenged the children to tell us why they wanted to cook with Natalie and get a place in the spotlight at this year’s Thame Food Festival,” said Lotte. “We know that children love to cook and that being able to cook is a great thing to be able to do. It’s fun and brings the family together, plus it’s a good way to give children valuable skills for life.
“Helping children gain these skills is also a passion of Natalie’s which is why she chose to cook especially for and with them at the festival,” she said. “Now, more than ever it’s important for children to learn about food and get into cooking right from the beginning.
“We had a fantastic reaction to the competition with all the children and their teachers getting behind it, and had some brilliant reasons making it very hard to pick a winner! In the end we picked four. I have to say that it was truly fantastic to see them rise to the challenge on the day – all of them did a wonderful job and were so excited to be on stage helping Natalie!” she added.
AT Last! After chasing the band for over three years, Thame’s First Thursday Music Club (FTMC) is proud to announce that the Old Country Union will be the feature act at The First Thursday Music Club at The Stables (behind The James Figg pub) in Thame, next Thursday, October 1.
Old Country Union are made up of hugely experienced and talented musicians with long track records in the business. Based in Tring, they produce a sweet, hummin’, strummin’, good-time sound with a set made up of their own compositions from their CD “Home Brew” – together with a selection of classic acoustic rock covers.
The band comprises Simon Blanchford (bass and vocals), Tim Sweet (lead guitar, vocals and harmonica), John Greville (drums) with their charismatic front man, Frank Walsh providing the lead vocals (and rhythm guitar). Together, they produce a very tight sound of made up of sweet guitars and vocal harmonies that will be appreciated and loved by all.
In addition, at least 15 other artists and bands will be appearing in the Open Mic section in front of a crowd of around 200. Entrance, as always is completely FREE! First time amateurs through to full time professionals, and any genre of music, are welcome. The club has a full house PA system with keyboard, bass amp, guitar amp, cocktail drum kit all set up. Just turn up and plug in! Player sign up is between 7.30 pm and 7.45pm.
HAPPY faces, satisfied stallholders, visitors going home with bags of foodie goodies, queues at the cash machines (one running out of money), quality live music all day, VIP chefs demonstrating, home bakers of Thame excelling and glorious sunshine all day – the perfect ingredients for the best Thame Food Festival ever – and that’s official.
Vibeke Jepsen, Thame’s Top Baker, with her KitchenAid prize
The numbers are in, and final figures show that 25,000 visitors thronged to Thame’s High Street on Saturday (26/09), from all over the local area and as far afield as Oxford, London, Holland, Belgium, France, Australia – and Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
Comments on social media from some of the 200 plus food producers that took part confirm that it was “A Fantastic day” – “A resounding success” – “Well done to all the team involved in making @thamefoodfest happen, thank you for a great day” – “Really nice food n drinks fantastic atmosphere!” – “Thank you @thamefoodfest Alison and the entire set up/clean up crew! What a cracking day-cheers people of Thame! You rock!” – And from festival Patron, Raymond Blanc himself: “What a wonderful day & great @thamefoodfest, quality local produce, great ambiance & what a joy to be part of this British food revolution.”
The yumminess on offer included teas, artisan cheeses, oils, beers, specialist breads, curries from India, Tibet; a smoothie bike to power your own choice of ingredients, coffees; BBQ, meats, cakes, sweets and heaps more. Many stallholders actually sold out, including Croome Quisine, Just Rachel Icecream and Zanni’s Bakery and Woodredding Cider. Workshops were available for cooks of all ages wanting to learn some tricks of the trade at cake decorating, and four separate wine talks by The Wine Tipster himself, Neil Phillips, at the Thame Players Theatre. Neil’s tips included pairing wines with cheese and how to learn to taste wine correctly and how to store and serve wines properly.
Ready to serve cake and tea at the Town Hall Cafe
Local providers from Thame High Street itself included Newitts, What’s Cooking; a Pop up bar run by The James Figg; Pop up cafe in the town hall, run by Thame Belles WI, selling the wonderful entries in the Big Thame Bake competition, and Belazu’s Popup restaurant at Christchurch in Upper High Street.
An army of volunteers or ‘Thame Foodie Friends’ were on site from 6am in the morning marshalling stallholders to their spots for the day, and generally offering help and information throughout the event to help things run smoothly. The Community groups area included Community stalls promoting the work of Florence Nightingale Hospice, Thame Twinning Association, Great British High Street, Thame Remembers, Thame Lions and Thame Roundtable.
The first ever Big Thame Bake was a triumph and after the judging, all the entries were sliced up available to buy with a cup of tea at the Town Hall Tea Room, once all the winners had been presented with certificates by a procession of celebrity chefs such Adam Johnson – Executive Pastry Chef at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Miranda Gore Browne and more finalists from the Great British Bake Off than you can shake a wooden spoon at, including Frances Quinn, plus Natalie Coleman who won BBC One’s MasterChef 2013 – all overseen by Thame’s own food writter, Jane Hornby (above left with Lotte Duncan) on the interview stage.
Clegg’s winning cake
The winner of the Business category was John Clegg and Co, Forestry Agents, from Princes Risborough, with Petals of Thame, taking the Runner Up’s certificate, but the overall, Best Baker award went to Vibeke Jepsen, with her amazing strawberry tarts.
Festival patron Lotte Duncan, who like the chefs taking part in the event, and the band of directors and volunteers supporting it, give their time for nothing to put on the free festival, said that this year’s had surpassed everyone’s expectations.
“The atmosphere this year was simply stunning,” said Lotte. “We were completely bowled over by how many people came to Thame and the appreciation they showed for what they found. Everyone who came loved the good food and drink that was on offer, the fabulous producers, the chefs and experts they listened and talked to, and really got into the festival spirit. Everyone was smiling, laughing and having a brilliant time,” she said.
This, the eighth Thame Food Festival, was the culmination of collaboration between community groups, the Thame business community, local organising expertise, busy professionals from the hospitality industry and willing volunteers, that is so typical of the way Thame pulls together and draws in the co-operation of everyone approached, to promote the town for the benefit of everyone who visit, lives and works in the town.
The final word must go to Rob Leonard, who tweets as @Rob_Leonard: “The Thame Food Festival. I think this is where I want to go when I die.”
The bar was set high this year but the ‘can do’ spirit of Thame will no doubt rise to the challenge and make 2016 even more spectacular.
Tasting frenzy at last year’s Thame Food Festival – Copyright Simon Earle
YES, the event that really has put Thame on the map, will start at 6am this morning when the first of the 200 plus stall holders will drive, bleary-eyed into the centre of the town, ready to set out their stalls in time for the great foodie public from 9am.
This is the seventh Thame Food Festival and it really does promise to be the best yet, with so much more to keep the taste buds excited and the eyes and ears twitching for new ideas and inspiration to take away and enjoy at home.
This year is especially important for Thame, which is a strong contender for the Great British High Street awards, and the team behind Thame’s application will be on The Great British High Street stand (zone D, community stall area) and will be holding a ‘win the cake’ competition. The cake has been specially made by the ladies at A Piece of Cake shop in Upper High Street, Thame, complete with the ‘Great British High Street’ logo and message, ‘We’re supporting Thame’ on it, and the winner gets the cake!
The Big Thame Bake will be happening most of the day in the Upper Chamber of the town hall, which has been transformed into a pop up Tea Room, where Thame Belles WI will be serving up delicious cakes and teas. Or, if cake isn’t your thing (yes, there are those sad souls), grab yourself something to eat from the dozens of fresh food stalls and pop along to the Vintage and Modern Guitars Shop, in the Buttermarket from Midday, and listen to some great live music from the likes of The Phil Astles Band, Hiway51, Sir Walter J Wallis and Matt Edwards.
Full details of demonstration times, talks and workshops, on the Thame Food Festival Website and in the official programme available from the information point. Best way to travel in, is to leave the car at the Park and Ride at Chinnor Rugby ground, and catch the red, Routemaster bus into the town.
OXFORD Downs vs Thame – Thame’s 1st XI completed the double on Sunday, 13, by winning the Wilf Bennett T20 final, making 2015 a champagne season to remember. Thame fielded a young side, with the oldest player being 25, against an in-form Oxford Downs in this match at Abingdon.
Oxford Downs won the toss and elected to field and Thame used the power play to score at a rate of 10 an over. However, the spinners bowled well and Thame found themselves struggling for runs at the 14-over stage. Hassam Mushtaq scored 40 and a match-winning innings from 17 year-old Oli Sutcliffe of 42 not out off 25 balls saw Thame to a par score of 150 for 6.
In reply, Oxford Downs started slowly but Watts (40) and Sandbach (51) put them in the driving seat with 4 overs to go and the score on 123 for 2. Some great fielding, however, took the game down to 10 needed off the final over. Chris Jeffcock, who ended up with excellent figures of 3-20 from his 4 overs, only conceded 1 run off the final over to clinch the win. A very promising performance from such a young side, in the club’s final game of the season.
Oli Sutcliffe
Man-of-the-match was Oli Sutcliffe.
Oxford and Bletchingdon Nondescripts IIIs vs Thame IIIs
Thame IIIs travelled to Bletchington on the Saturday, September 12, with high hopes for the Division 9 cup final. The home side batted first and faced tidy seam bowling, led by captain Peter Tervet, who took 2 wickets. The young Thame spinners then pegged back OBN, Luke McStay taking 3 for 8 off 4 overs and Ben Buckland taking 2 wickets. Supported by keeper Paddy Harris (2 stumpings and a catch) they dismissed the home side for 141. In reply, Thame started well with Liam Earwicker 38 and Paddy Harris 26. A collapse then followed, from 80 for 4 to 116 all out. A disappointing end for Thame IIIs but plenty to build on for next season.
Thame vs Hetairoi
The third game of the weekend was a friendly fixture at home to touring side Hetairoi. The visitors batted well to make 203 before tea, with good spells from James McStay, Ally Illsley, Danny Thompson and veteran Angus Lachlan. The home side responded well after tea, with Dave Saunders holding the innings together with an excellent 70, supported by newcomer Shakeel Khan (30) , but finally they succumbed to good spin bowling and ended on 170 all out, in the failing light.
THAME Tennis Club members will now be able to play safely throughout the year, after Rob Dearing, the LTA’s Head of Participation, travelled up from the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton to officially open Thame Tennis Club’s new courts on Thursday (17/09).
After spending £90,000 on red clay courts that are more Southern Spain than South Oxfordshire, the club now has an all-weather surface that can be played on even when it is icy elsewhere.
South Oxfordshire District Council and the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) both contributed to the project, but the lion’s share of the budget was raised by the club itself.
Neil Morgan, the tennis club’s Chairman, said: “We emptied the coffers in the interests of having the best tennis facilities we could afford. We now have four excellent clay courts and top-of-the-range floodlights to go with them. We are proud of the fact that we never lock our courts. Although we are a members club, we encourage non-members to come down and try out tennis and we offer plenty of coaching and tennis-related fitness sessions for the general public.”
The club is offering a full adult membership that lasts until the end of April 2016, for only £100 as a way to introduce new players to the club. To find out more, and watch the video made of the occassion by Thame TV, visit Thame Tennis Club’s website
Deputy District Judge, Olalekan Omotosho, told Barnett that his serial fare-skipping was a serious offence and that there was a need, not only for him to be punished for the offences, but that others needed to be deterred from committing similar offences. She told him: “It is a shame, really, because you had it all. It remains unclear why you acted so badly. You let yourself down and your family down, particularly in light of your profession as a lawyer.”
Peter Barnett is now unemployed as a lawyer and according to his lawyer, hopes to do charity work in the future.
