Welcome to Indigo Whisky 031 for the 22 May 2008 I am your host mikethebee

 

The cold blustery Spring has lead to a great delay in plants starting the get-go in the growing dept, not that the birds have minded, although with bare trees their nest prep has been more visible.

 

I have continued with the travelling about which a great chance for comparing and contrasting Wokingham to other places. Now, getting a chance to walk about Wokingham again, I see that the changes are continuing apace. A small group of several residential homes near Wokingham town have now been demolished and work has started on a what the developers describe as disconnected apartments. I wonder how that works, and imagined a futuristic cartoon design from the fifties with pods floating in the air and jetcars pulling up outside. Anyway the building boom seems to be containing in spite of the reports in the media that tell a different tale.

 

And obviously others are following the reports the of Wokingham of having the Highest Quality Of Life Is Near London as the large pub restaurant in London road called The Plough for all the years I've been in Wokingham, is closed and undergoing conversion to a Loch Fyne [Website: Loch Fyne Oysters and Restaurants - Home] outlet, a specialist seafood eatery. Their Tagline from the website reads:

“ From a small, roadside stall on the banks of Loch Fyne, a group of businesses have developed based on the principles of good food, sustainably sourced and simply presented by people who care”

They are recruiting for the new Wokingham outlet which opens Monday 30th June 2008 and for Bracknell/Ascot/Windsor at the former Crispin pub.

 

They actively support raising funds for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)

 

 

In other conversion work, that that was on going at Montague House in Broad street is now mostly complete, accommodating The IMMO restaurant and with apartments above. Access to the Waitrose car- park has now been reopened. The whole building looks good and is such an improvement as it had become so tatty looking after Wokingham and Bracknell College moved out, with weeds and decay taking over more everyday. And then I hear the the planning people are giving IMMO grief over their entrance design. What gives with that!

 

I said last time that I find it surprising that they seemed to be taking an understated approach to marketing this new branch in Wokingham. But news reaches me that there have been changes at the place and front of house staff now co-ordinate a more local welcome, it is good to hear that such comments elicit a positive response.

 

The while new IMMO restaurant is proving popular and I am told that it has had no adverse impact on business at the many other Italian places in the town such as Rossini, who are having to implement two sittings on Saturday nights due to demand, another sign of the prosperity in the area.

 

Though I must say, having not been shopping for food in the usual way recently, now I have been back to routine, I really notice the increases in regular item prices, inflation in our budget is no way at 3% as we are told, ours must be closer to 10% and that is without the Fuel., or Gas as our US listeners will know it. We're now paying £1.14 ($2.10) per Litre and Irelland are rapidly catching up even without the EURO Sterling exchange getting closer and closer to par.

 

 

House prices 90k too high for many

 

 

Residents reminded to find about the M4 Jct 11 project at exhibitions Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Last time I mentioned planned junction improvements close to the Majestki Football Stadium, home of Reading Soccer Football Club. Work on the £65m scheme to improve the notorious Junction 11 bottleneck began last month with the project expected to be completed in the Summer of 2010. Of course the stadium is not just used for Soccer, rugby, and even American football have been played, but there may be smaller crowds for Readings games this year after the team were relegated from the Premiership League giving great disappointment to their fans, though probably not a lot of surprise. They were calls for the Manager Steve Coppell to resign and more calls for him to stay, which he has now agreed to do.

And I found an Irish connection with Yahoo! Pointing to a www. guardian.co.uk article from 2007 [ Big interview: Steve Coppell | Football | The Observer]

Where “Softly spoken Steve Coppell tells Amy Lawrence of the hunger that drives his Reading team and how five pints of Guinness helped him to sign Kevin Doyle. “

 

Interesting considering the closeness of the Courage brewery to Reading and the recent news of the closure of Guinness's 60 acre central Dublin brewery site.

 

And hearing that the BBC enunciation dept have been briefing presenters and interviewers on the correct pronunciation of Barrack Obama's first name. Not 'Barak' but 'Barrark' apparently, I read at the localberkshire news site that a local lad [Bebo site Daniel Priddy] [ Blog]

 

Local Berkshire | News | Help Daniel witness US swearing-in

 

Teen hopes to make it to the White House - News - getwokingham - The Wokingham Times

 

Last summer he was nominated to attend a two week Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC. The event was attended by 250 young potential leaders from every corner of the world although Daniel was one of just two students from Britain

 

Due to the skills that he demonstrated at the Global Young Leaders conference, Daniel was selected by the University Presidential Inaugural Conference to attend a week-long course which includes seeing the inauguration of the President and the Vice President of The USA

 

The 18 year old is currently raising funds to pay for a trip to the White House “Hopefully people will be willing to sponsor me, and I have a few fund-raising ideas, such as scaling Britain’s Three peaks this summer.” Daniel needs around £1,300 excluding flights, but only has £350 so far.

 

Again, another encouraging story of GenX youth. I hope he gets the sponsorship quickly, and wish him all the best for the future.

 

 

Hot News

 

TRL mini-town set for refusal – GetBracknell – Meeting 22May08

 

Pupils march for crossing Walking Bus promotion highlights safety issues with walking. No crossing, high speed limits and more. Its amazing how driving blinkers so many people, the motorvarty, Big Wheels Little wheels unpowered wheels and feet.. And I do notice on this story that a commenter complains about comments being deleted by the newspaper site. I guess this is an distinguishing element of old media adopting new media technology and pure new media ones.

 

Tea rooms and cricket make city No1 in North York is the ninth most British place in the country, according to local information website locallife.co.uk. The Yorkshire city has more attractions and businesses deemed to be "truly British" per capita than almost anywhere else - with one tea room, cricket club, pub, fish and chip shop, holiday camp, stately home, pet shop, distillery, curry house and theatre for every 628 residents. But Wokingham in Berkshire is the worst place to go if you're looking for "a brew and a queue". The town finished bottom of the Britishness league table, in 324th position, with each pub, cricket club or other British attraction serving 5,429 people. Lol at the comments on this one, good northern grit :-) This site includes the comments in the article page, but has a similar look and feel to the 'Get' sites.

 

Council looking for more foster carers

 

Bracknell and Wokingham ’s best-kept secret Bracknell & Wokingham Swimming Club's great successes.

 

Cllr David Lee, newly-elected leader of Wokingham Borough Council

 

DAVID Lee saw off Earley councillor Matt Deegan to become the new leader of Wokingham Borough Council in an election last night.

Cllr Lee, who represents Norreys ward, replaces Frank Browne who stepped down as Tory leader and as a councillor on after the local elections on May 1.

Town centre bank raid - News - getwokingham - The Wokingham Times

 

 

Wokingham Local government News

 

Game, set and match for Wokingham Borough Council Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Borough's bus service on the right route! Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Wokingham Borough Council teamed up with Thames Travel in January to provide an enhanced bus service for residents and commuters and over the past six months it has proved so popular that the service is now being enhanced to provide an even better service.

 

 

 

 

Live music event at Wokingham Youth Centre Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

MySpace.com - Sister Gracie (Now booking for 2008!) - Windsor Reading, UK - Indie Punk Pop Punk - www.myspace.com/sistergracieband

 

MySpace.com - FreeStone - UK - Rock Blues Classic Rock - www.myspace.com/freestoneband

 

MySpace.com - Streetfight Silence - Berkshire, UK - Pop Rock Progressive - www.myspace.com/streetfightsilence

 

 

Initial design for multi-million pound building project at Waingels College Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

 

Online booking service to launch Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

 

 

Green Watch Spot

Disposable nappies get a bum deal at real nappy coffee morning Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

 

Arts and crafts market launched Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

There will be even more reason than normal to visit Wokingham town centre on the first Sundays of each month soon, when an art and craft market is launched on June 1.

 

Green workshop Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

 

TVP News

 

Two drug factories closed and four arrested – Milton Keynes

National Tackling Drugs Week, which started yesterday (19/5) Current press releases

Residents to remain vigilant after a property caught fire as a result of a cannabis factory

 

 

Four arrested in connection with robbery of Porsche - Slough

Waingels College Brochure

 

 

Prometheus Music - To Touch the Stars

"... I am thrilled by this new collection of original songs celebrating the beginnings of our great endeavor to reach for the stars."

— Buzz Aldrin
(Apollo 11 Astronaut)

 

To Touch the Stars includes a stunning 32-page photobooklet with song lyrics and essays by award-winning space science author Marianne Dyson and Mars Society President Robert Zubrin .