Village Voice - October 3
News from Sedlescombe
THE sun always shines on the righteous so there must have been some very good people involved in the Fayre on the Green on Saturday because the weather was perfect, warm, sunny and still. This contributed greatly to the success of the event but without the organisers' hard work it would not have been anywhere near so good. There were plenty of stalls and the pub garden was packed. How nice it would be if it were more often like this! The Band of Two provided toe-tapping music and the barbecue did a roaring trade. I don't know what the financial outcome was but as a social success there is no doubt.
THE new pavilion is looking good and fundraising goes on with a used-book sale on Saturday, October 11, at the Queen's Head, 11.30am-3pm, hopefully in the garden.
QUIZ sheets in aid of the pavilion are available at the shop - all answers garden or wild flowers!
RAPLH, a member of the pavilion fund raising group, wants to thank his colleagues for all the hard work since they began with the Autumn Fayre in September of 2007. He thanks Judy Torrance for chairing the committee so skilfully and for all her input at every event; David Torrance for looking after the money side of things; indefatigable Bob Harris and his band of volunteers; and Grant Burberry, landlord of the Queen's Head who has been so generous in so many ways. There would not have been a golf tournament had Paul White and Ashley Davy not put in the anxiety and the work.
I am sure Ralph's colleagues thank him for all he does, despite health setbacks this year. But all would agree a great deal of the success is due to the good people of Sedlescombe who give their time and money so freely.
THIS generosity was again demonstrated on Friday at Judy and David's coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, 324.70 being raised. I am always amazed such sums are raised in relatively short periods of time. Well done everyone, the hosts well supported by the Sedlescombe Green WI, and the guests who gave so unstintingly.
THE village hall management committee quarterly meeting last week amiably resolved a difficult issue. The full committee voted unanimously to allow the K9 Dog Group to continue to use the car park and hall once a week. I'm sad to say as a result of this our cleaners have handed in their notice. Both Brenda and Jenny have given tremendous service since the hall was opened and not only does the committee thank them but we do too, for their commitment and help. Because the hall use has grown so much (barely a free slot to be had) the committee is seeking quotes for contract cleaners to take over the job.
One group which increasingly uses the hall are the Sedlescombe Players and with the management committee's agreement plan certain additions to stage and sound facilities which will benefit us all. Many will be glad to hear the sound system is to be simplified. Thanks to our resident sound engineer Dave Brabants' input the equipment will be adapted to make it easier to use. The Players also want lighter weight steps for the stage, another development that will bring a sigh of relief all round.
Rehearsals for the January pantomime are held every Monday in the main hall. All the principle roles have been cast and we have an adorable Cinders and suitably awful Ugly Sisters but it's not too late if you would like to join the chorus.
TOMORROW (Saturday) is the Sedlescombe and District Garden Society's Autumn Show in the village hall. Secretary Barry Bradbury says: "Entries for all classes are welcome from members and non-members and should be brought to the hall between 11.30am and 1pm. Also, don't forget to bring some apples from your garden in the morning (named varieties please) for apple tasting in the afternoon. Flower arrangements, handicrafts and apples will be judged by popular vote." The show opens to the public at 2pm, with awards presented at about 3.15pm, followed by the raffle draw . Admission is 30p for adults, children free.
AT THE end of October the Friends of the Parish Church hold a jumble sale in the hall. Ideally they would like people to take jumble along but if you are in difficulties and need it to be collected ring 870 722.
THE Battle and Villages Lions Club has a buffet dinner dance in the hall on November 1. Tickets, 15, can be bought at the shop, from Caroline's Country Cuisine or on 870 433.
GRANT, our genial landlord and good friend to the village, has written the following piece about pubs.
'Ah, the village pub, a hub for the local community, retreat, place to meet, place to eat. Whether it's in the garden on a sunny day or sitting by an open fire during winter, supping ale and full of cheer - forever England!
The origins of the pub date back to Roman times. They were known as 'tabernae' (taverns). To advertise, bunches of vine leaves were placed outside to indicate their stock in trade - forerunner of the pub sign (now sadly in danger, too, according to The Telegraph).
The Romans left and, despair, the tabernae fell into disuse. Home brewing, alas, became the norm. A batch might be sold in the village and people began to invite others into their home to buy their brew. The first public house was born.
By the 13th century ale houses had become a feature of rural life with festivals, known as 'church ales', lasting some three days. These were pagan drinking rituals transformed into Christian church fundraisers.
Next on the scene came the 'inn', a place to rest, eat and drink for distance travellers. To this day a pub named as an 'inn' is still, by "Order of the Crown" required to offer a horseman a drink and water and hay for the horse, at no cost.
For centuries little changed until the 1830s when a decline took place under the influence of the Temperance Movement, a religious campaign to shame the working classes into a life of sobriety. Abstaining was for the good of their souls and their families, a somewhat different view from that held in the 13th century.
Into the 20th century, and legislation was introduced to restrict opening hours. The intention was to increase productivity of our factories during the First World War, legislation which has only recently been changed. Today, the traditional pub is once more in retreat. With pubs closing at an alarming rate we are witnessing the demise of a once strong and proud trade. The humble licensee has seen costs soar; pub companies bleed him dry; legislation restrict his business; supermarkets sell alcohol as loss leaders; the credit crunch and a dwindling trade - all taking their toll.
Perhaps it is progress, negligence or even apathy which is causing the pub to disappear. If it goes it will be lost forever and a unique part of community life for nearly 2000 years will be gone. When Post Offices are threatened with closure petitions are rightly signed. We now have our doctors' surgery to fight for and fight we will. Too often pubs close with not so much as a whimper but are we not as vital a part of village life? If, shops, post offices, doctors and pubs disappear from the village what remains?
For more than 500 years the Queen's Head has been the alehouse of Sedlescombe. We have lost one pub and now this one is threatened. As previous licensees have said 'Use it or lose it'.
Many folk have remarked that since my arrival the pub has been given back to the community, with the events we hold and the support we give to community-based schemes. I ask, will the community come back to the pub? Please do not hesitate to contact me, all suggestions are welcome.
Keep the English pub experience, the unique conviviality which we were asked to protect by one naturalised British writer, Hilaire Belloc, in his preface to The Four Men (1911): "When you have lost your inns, drown your empty selves, for you will have lost the last of England".'
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Weather for St Leonards-on-Sea
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -7 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
