Thame.net

Author: Sonja Francis

  • Thame To Debate Future Of The Fair

    THE people of Thame are to be given the opportunity to decide the future of the town’s annual fair.
    A draft document setting out changes that the town council wants to see under a current agreeement with the Showmen’s Guild to 2009, is expected to be ratified by full council soon, but what happens after that will largely depend on public consultation about a subject that divides the town more than almost anything else.
    Residents will be asked their opinion in the Town Council’s newsletter due to go out in February 2008.
    Some feel that the fair should remain in its tradional location in the town centre, while others feel it has grown too large and noisy and would prefer to see it moved to an edge of town site, possible Thame Show ground.
    The proposed amendments to the current agreement include a limit on the number of decibels allowed for music and announcements and a cut off time of 11pm.

  • News In Brief

    * THE roundabout that was vandalised at Elms Park in Thame, is to be replaced with a vandal-proof one with a metal floor, that is level with the ground to make it useable by disabled people.
    * Thame Town Council is to increase hiring charges for the changing rooms at Southern Road Recreation, by 10%. The council says that the charges have not been reviewed for four years.
    * A section of the ramp at the skate park which has rotted, is to be repaired by the facility’s installer, ‘Fearless Ramps’ and screws that keep popping out are to be replaced with something more substantial. The facility will be painted twice a year and a concrete path between the two ramps is to be provided before the winter.
    A recent inspection by ROSPA stated that the facility was safe to use.
    * Thame Town Council is to spend

  • Phoenix Trail Gap To Be Filled At Last

    HACKETS LANE, a section of Thame’s Phoenix Trail, is to be surfaced – but cyclists will have to get off and walk!
    Whether the lane is a Public Right Of Way, a Bridle Way or a footpath, and who owns it, has been the subject of much debate eversince the Trail was first muted.
    Now the County Council has said that it is a footpath and Sustrans, the Sustainable Transport Engineering Charity that provided much of the know-how and funding for the path, intends to provide a firm surface to what is often, a muddy lane and impassable.
    But officially, cycling will not be permitted along that stretch of the Phoenix Trail.
    It was also announced at a meeting of Thame Town Council’s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee, that a route through to the Leisure Centre and Lord Williams’s school has been agreed, which will mean an uninterrupted, traffic-free route from Princes Risborough right through to the TLC and the school, a distance of around seven miles.

  • Thame Charity Shop Worker Stole For Drug Addict Son

    A THAME woman has failed to have her sentence reduced after being caught stealing thousands of pounds from a charity shop in Thame.
    Patricia Mary Wagerfield, from Thame Road, stole more than

  • Elderly Man Robbed At Thame ATM

    A elderly man was pushed and robbed at a Thame ATM machine on Thursday (26/07).
    The robbery took place at Barclays bank, in Thame, at around 1.30pm, when A 74-year-old man was at the ATM and was approached by two women. They distracted him and pushed him away from the machine while a man took

  • Comfortable Win For Thame United

    THAME United continued their preparations for the new season with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Buckingham Town last Saturday.
    Thame dominated the match from start to finish taking the lead through Simon Rodgers. Rodgers, making his first appearance for Thame since breaking his leg last Autumn, scored with a well taken goal from 20 yards.
    The second goal for Thame was a tap-in scored by Matt Leach following an impressive run from Stuart Braun. Apart from one shot in the first half, which was well saved by keeper Paul Searl, Buckingham rarely threatened the solid Thame United defence.
    Thame continue their preparations this weekend (4th and 5th August) with a four-team tournament at Witney United. Thame will face their higher league hosts on Saturday afternoon (4pm kick off), with the winners facing either Abingdon United or Tadley Calleva on Sunday.

    Thame United hold their AGM at 7pm on Thursday, August, 9, at The Oxfordshire Golf Club. The meeting is open to all members of the public and amongst other items, will include an update on the progress being made in returning Thame United to Thame through the work of the Thame Football Partnership.

  • Planning Appications, Thame

    PLANNING Applications to be considered by Thame Town Council?s Planning Committee on Tuesday, August 07.
    8290
    P07/E0717 13 PRIEST END
    Demolition of annex wing and outbuildings. Erection of two terraced cottages, conversion of barn to dwelling. Ground floor extension to existing dwelling, skylights in loft conversion to first
    floor apartment. Erect new garden wall.
    Amendment No. 2 shows reduction in height of new unit by

  • New Thame Cattle Market Plans Face Defeat

    PROPOSALS to move Thame’s Cattle market to an out-of-town site, face a rocky road next Wednesday, when district planners will decide to accept or reject Planning Officers’ recommendations to reject the plan.
    The plans, to build a new Cattle market adjacent to the Thame Show Ground, will go before South Oxfordshire District Council’s Planning Committee on August 8.
    Thame Town Council, however, have recommended Approval of the plans subject to “substantial improved access and egress arrangements for site and the Lea Park Estate” and “Restriction on hours of Cattle Market traffic.”

    SODC Planning Officers are recommending that planning permission should be refused for the following reasons:
    Quote:
    “1. That, having regard to its location, in an attractive area of countryside, beyond the existing built development at Thame, the proposed buildings, and hardstandings and access way, would detract from the rural landscape character and visual amenity of the locality, and the setting of Thame, contrary to Policies G2, G4 and C1 of the adopted South Oxfordshire Local Plan. Insufficient justification exists to justify overriding the policies.

    2. That insufficient information accompanies the application to demonstrate that the foul drainage can be adequately dealt with. In the absence of such information, the development would be contrary to Policy EP7 of the adopted South Oxfordshire Local Plan. “

    To read more information about the plans and the relevant planning policies relating to the application, visit: Link

  • Thame Tennis Club Latest Results

    TEAMS from Thame Tennis Club are currently playing their final summer league fixtures.
    In the Aylesbury League, the ladies first team, in Division 2, lost 3 sets to 5 at home to Tring, but finished their season with a resounding win of 7 sets to 1 against Chesham Bois II.
    Team: F Pidgeon (c), J Kelly, A Gornall, M Howkins, and R Suter.

    Meanwhile, the ladies second team had a close match at home to Aston Park, losing by a single set. However, in their final match of the season, the team, including new member Ann Terry, overwhelmed Naphill with an 8 sets to 0 victory.
    Team: R Knight (c), A Green, L Broadway, P Barfield.

    The Mixed team, in Division 4, edged a win at home to Oving by 4.5 ? 3.5 sets.
    Team: F Pidgeon, M Wilkins, R Wilkins, A Green.

    Finally, the Men?s C 2 pair concluded their season with a defeat to overall league winners David Lloyd Leisure B.
    First pair, Mark Horrocks and Kevin Bowers, lost 6-1, 6-1 to the visitors first pair, and 6-2, 6-3 to the second pair.

    Father and son team John and Mark Ansell were also beaten 6-1, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-2.

    Meanwhile, in the Oxford League, the Mixed 3 pair had an excellent win against Abingdon by 7.5 sets to 1.5 sets Team: F Pidgeon, R Bradley, T Merry, I Catchpole, M Wilkins, and J McLeod.

    Finally the Ladies 2 pair secured a draw away to Faringdon B.

  • Community Wardens On The Way For Thame

    COMMUNITY Wardens are expected to be on the streets of Thame by next year, according the the Chief Executive of South Oxfordshire District Council.
    Speaking to Thame Council recently, David Buckle said that the wardens, who will compliment the work of police officers and PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers), should be in position by April, 2008.

    Mr Buckle was speaking about the dealy in the introduction of the Decriminalisation of Parking, which was due to come into effect next year, but has been delayed for a further year.

    Once this happens, Parking will no longer be the responsibility of the police and Traffic Wardens, but will be administerd by the the County Council who will delegate the job to the district council.

    Currently, the main car parks in Thame town centre are looked after by the town council and Mr Buckle assured councillors: “I do not want to tread on the toes of this town council. If it wants to continue in its role, I would rather that carry on.”

    Mr Buckle added that the district council does not intend to make the introduction of Street Wardens dependent on the introduction of Decriminalisation of Parking.

    Photo: Community street wardens in Oxford. (Picture courtesy of BBC.Co.uk