From The Files

WARMINSTER: Already the second biggest Austin Seven rally in the world, the third annual Bristol Austin Seven Club's rally at Longleat on Sunday had a record 180 entries - 40 up on last year's - and may beat Beaulieu next year to become the world's biggest. The rally was open to owners of pre-war Austin Sevens and awards were given for the best exhibits in various years and models of vehicles. As well as the entries there were about 40 non-competing Austin Sevens making a total of about 220. Most awards were for cars in daily use, but an exception was the Ian Ford-Young trophy for cars in showroom condition. The weekend was showery and windy. This was hard on scores of competitors who camped from Friday to Sunday night. It also cut the number of spectators from previous years.

TROWBRIDGE: The Central Liberal Club, Trowbridge, closed on Sunday evening and the ultra modern "showplace" building is now up for sale. The club wants at least £40,000 for it. Unless sold beforehand, it will be offered at auction in October. The decision to sell the building was made at a 75-minute extraordinary general meeting of members on Friday evening. Only 70 of the 800 members attended. And afterwards Mr Bert Annal, one of the trustees, told the Wiltshire Times: "One of our main troubles has been apathy. We have appealed to our members time and time again to support the club. But they have never responded. We told members a year ago that we needed at least £400 over the bar each week, but the most we have had is £240." The apathy has meant that since it opened three years ago, the club has accumulated £27,000 of debts. Hampered by high loan charges and mounting overheads, the club has found that takings over the bar have never been sufficient to ease the load. Now a "watch" committee of ten has been elected to see the club through the sale of the building and to clear the debts.

August 24, 1990

WILTSHIRE: A new MORI research poll, commissioned by Access for the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) reveals that a surprisingly high proportion of people - 69 per cent - know of a public footpath within a mile of their home. Yet despite this interest, and the fact that walking remains the nation's number one pastime, far too many paths are still seldom walked, says BTCV after the successful launch of its Access Footpath Fortnight. The majority of paths are neglected and overgrown, while in contrast a few well-known paths act like honeypots, attracting the crowds and becoming overused and therefore worn. Both these problems call for practical involvement and BTCV stresses that urgent action is needed to maintain this important recreational resource. "Walking along a footpath fits the bill entirely when it comes to "keeping fit," says the development director for BTCV. "It doesn't cost anything and most people know of a footpath right on their doorstep. It is very important that footpaths are kept open. The response to Access Footpath Fortnight has been tremendous and volunteers have stepped in up and down the country to work on more than 20 special projects on local paths.

August 19, 2005

WESTBURY: Organisers of the Westbury Bypass Now campaign have urged the community to get behind them in the final push to get the new road built. Up to 150 people turned up to a public meeting on Wednesday to hear talks from members of the district and county councils and campaigners. Westbury Bypass Now organiser Dorian Jones said: "We've never been so close in getting a bypass. Purely and simply, an eastern bypass is the only one on the table for funding. There's been a groundswell in public support but I ask you to keep shouting to your MP." Wiltshire County Council is awaiting a funding decision from the government after putting forward the eastern bypass as the preferred route. The decision will be made in December. Tim Jones, highway network improvement manager for Wiltshire Council, told the audience if funding was not granted then there was unlikely to be another chance for the bypass in the foreseeable future.