Archive

  • Angry commuters urge ‘Bring back British Rail’

    DISGRUNTLED train users took part in a Bring Back British Rail protest yesterday. The action, which included members of Swindon People’s Assembly and Swindon Area Green Party, took place outside the train station, joining a national protest which

  • PUB CRAWL: The New Inn

    The New Inn Swindon Road Stratton St Margaret SN3 4PN Tel: 01793 822081 Who goes there? The New Inn is one of the more unassuming members of the Arkell’s family; popular with locals who appreciate its down-to-earth modesty. Now

  • SOMETHING FISHY: Sri Lankan fish curry

    With Simon Rhodes, of the Lobster Pot Fishmongers in Wood Street Food Hall This weekend I took the family to Croyde Bay in north Devon. The idea was to have a short break at the coast with plenty of rest and relaxation. Ha, how stupid was

  • Davis is not fooled by Town’s blip

    CREWE Alexandra manager Steve Davis is not expecting an easy game with Swindon despite the visitors’ recent dip in form. Town have failed to win in their last three games away from the County Ground but the Gresty Road boss has been impressed by

  • MENU: That’s a mighty fine burger

    Having been salivating for months at the thought of the new array of restaurants opening at Regent Circus, MIKE BENKE finally gets to satisfy his tastebuds Gourmet Burger Kitchen Regent Circus, Swindon SN1 1FA 01793 423063 and gbk.co.uk/location

  • Survey says we could be eating our way to sadness in Swindon

    HEALTHY eating outlets want the public to shed sugary snacks in favour of healthier options, as a study revealed Swindon people are turning to junk food for comfort. A new study by rice brand Tilda reveals that 59 per cent of people in Swindon

  • Wembley in the line of sight for Highworth

    WHEN a father agrees to miss two of his beloved Swindon Town matches for the first time in six years to watch his son play, you know it’s a big deal. Courier driver TJ Bohane happens to be Highworth Town’s star striker and not-so-secret weapon

  • MENU: How to... make buttermilk scones

    Russell Hunt, head chef at The Glasshouse at the Marsh Farm Hotel, Royal Wootton Bassett, tell us how Afternoon tea is a fundamental tradition in this country and is becoming more and more fashionable every day, whether you go to your local tea

  • FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Cooking is my passion

    Jan Wojtowicz, 51, Thai masseur and owner Wood Street Wellbeing in Old Town Do you cook a lot yourself? What is your failsafe dish? Yes, I love cooking, it’s a huge passion. Everyone loves my peppered beef in red wine (thanks, Delia Smith

  • MENU: All about the beef at Swindon's markets

    Market manager Kardien Gerbrands talks about Swindon’s farmers’ markets It’ll be a good day for meat lovers this Sunday as we introduce a new stall onto the market at the Designer Outlet. If you enjoy a savoury meat snack you’d better hunt

  • MENU: Sweets for my sweet - smash on Mother's Day

    Whipping up treats for Mother’s Day? Look no further than the latest batch of mouth-watering Hummingbird Bakery recipes. Kate Whiting chats to founder Tarek Malouf If Mary Berry is the reigning queen of baking, then Tarek Malouf is surely next

  • Sport is vital for our community and life skills

    One of my biggest passions is sport. I absolutely love going to watch Swindon Town or Swindon Supermarine on a Saturday afternoon, and I often play five-a-side when I get the chance. I’ve also been lucky to play at Stamford Bridge for the Parliamentary

  • HELLENIC LEAGUE: Purton seek reserve boss

    PURTON are on the lookout for a new management team to take charge of their soon-to-be-reformed reserve side. The Red House club plan to reinstate their second string in either the Hellenic League Division Two West or Wiltshire League Premier Division

  • Air ambulance receives £240k for more medics

    WILTSHIRE Air Ambulance has received a £240,000 cash boost to fund additional paramedics. The money is from the Libor fund, made up of cash paid in fines by banks that had rigged interest rates, and was agreed on Tuesday after a meeting between

  • OPPOSITION REPORT: Crewe Alexandra v Swindon Town

    ADVER SPORT'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO TOWN'S NEXT OPPONENT: CREWE ALEXANDRA The Chalkboard Crewe have a lot of similarities to Mark Cooper’s side when it comes to the way they play. Like Swindon they set up in a 3-5-2 formation with two wing-backs

  • Unlucky 13 for Howell in South Africa

    DAVID Howell will be ruing a missed opportunity after a nightmare on the 13th cost him a shot of the lead at the Joburg Open. The Broome Manor pro made the perfect start to his second round after picking up from yesterday’s five under par round

  • MENU: Beefing up The Bull from cows next door

    Marion Sauvebois chats to a team who are bringing a whole new meaning to the word ‘local’ when it comes to  giving guests a great dining experience ... after all, the  cows are only over the road... and the butcher’s not far either MOST chefs make

  • Exiles confirm Storey loan extension

    TOWN striker Miles Storey has extended his loan stay at Newport County until the end of the season. Storey, who also had a loan spell at Portsmouth earlier this month, joined the Exiles on loan last month and has made five appearances so far.

  • Festival finale unlikely for McCoy

    TONY McCoy has revealed it is extremely doubtful he will hang up his saddle at the Cheltenham Festival. The 19-times champion, who is based in Baydon near Marlborough, wants the chance to win a second Grand National, in which he is set to partner

  • PREDICTIONS LEAGUE: Crewe Alexandra v Swindon Town

    Swindon are back on the road again, where, until recently, they have fared rather well this season. It has been the Robin’s away performances that have helped them reach their current league position. Yet three away defeats on the spin, oh and

  • MARTIN JONES: A Massimo investment

    MARK Cooper may well have been feeling like the subject of the song “No-ones love you when you are down and out” after another defeat on Saturday. The song tells of the fleeting nature of friendship and how when you lose your wealth your friends

  • Enraged dad burns teenage girlfriend with a lighter

    A TEENAGE mum has told how the father of her children launched a savage attack during which he punched, kicked, burned and whipped her in a jealous rage. Kane Jones blistered his 17-year-old girlfriend's skin with a heated-up lighter and used an

  • Rosco selects two Robins in GB line-up

    GREAT Britain boss Alun Rossiter has confirmed five riders to compete for a Select national side at Peterborough on March 15. Rossiter is putting together a team to take on the Panthers, who themselves include six British riders, in the season-opener

  • DAN THE FAN: Grumbles betraying nerves

    AFTER a total no show at the weekend, Swindon Town got back to winnings ways with a 2-1 win over Bradford City at the County Ground on Tuesday evening. One of the key reasons for the upturn in form was the return of Australian midfielder Massimo

  • All’s fair for afternoon tea

    FAIRLY-traded goods were on the menu at a meeting to herald ethical products. The Community Afternoon Tea group, which gathers at the Savernake Street Social Hall every second Friday between 2pm and 4pm, was given a tasty insight into the work

  • Guthrie's one of the Crewe

    JON Guthrie says there will be no question of split loyalties when his Crewe Alexandra side host Swindon Town. The 22-year-old Alex full-back grew up as a Town fan in Wiltshire and his family are still keen followers of the Robins. Guthrie

  • Bashley the sole focus for Marine

    DAVE Webb insists Swindon Supermarine will not lose focus ahead of the visit of bottom side Bashley. Southern League Division One South & West leaders Merthyr Town also visit the Webb’s Wood Stadium on Tuesday night but Webb says that game

  • Worthians face nervy Vase tie

    HIGHWORTH Town boss John Fisher says that they are now at ‘twitchy bum time’ as he prepares his side for their big FA Vase quarter-final clash with Tadcaster Albion tomorrow. With many calling Saturday’s match the biggest in the club’s history,

  • Metal to pupils who showed their mettle

    YOUNGSTERS who have spent the year on a popular self-improvement programme celebrated their achievements at a ceremony this week. The Royal Wootton Bassett Academy pupils, who completed their bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards, were

  • Rail work sparks interest

    ELECTRIFICATION of the Great Western line is progressing, with rail users now seeing signs of the work taking shape. Electrical equipment has gone up on the line near TK Maxx, in Great Western Way. And a Network Rail spokesman said the work

  • Drugs swoop severs major supply chain

    POLICE claim the supply of hard drugs into Swindon from Birmingham and the West Midlands has been severed after an operation saw officers seize £10,000 in cash, drugs, and three expensive cars. Specialist officers have been working behind the scenes

  • Low not getting carried away by brilliant Bassett

    ROYAL Wootton Bassett will be keeping their eye on the ball this weekend as they travel to Wallingford this weekend. Alan Low’s side are enjoying a real purple patch as they go on the search for an 11th Southern Counties North win on the bounce

  • ‘Black alert’ as ops cancelled at GWH

    SOME operations scheduled at the Great Western Hospital have been cancelled because it cannot cope with the current level of demand. The hospital is currently operating under ‘black alert’, which occurs when more patients are being admitted than

  • Aldridge is wary of wounded Bees

    SWINDON Wildcats boss Ryan Aldridge is on guard for a sting in the tail when his troops host Bracknell Bees on Saturday. Cats showed their teeth when the two teams met at the start of the month, handing out an emphatic 10-1 thrashing at the Link

  • Town boss more than happy to be tinkerman

    MARK Cooper has admitted that he won’t be afraid to tinker with his side again ahead of tomorrow’s game at Crewe Alexandra. The Town boss made three changes to the side ahead of Tuesday night’s win over Bradford, with Louis Thompson, Massimo Luongo

  • 'We'll be ready for Nicky'

    MARK Cooper will be hoping it won’t be a case of the ex when his side comes up against former striker Nicky Ajose tomorrow. The Town boss clearly had a place in his heart for the 23-year-old, who was on loan from Peterborough for six months during

  • ‘Albion may come unstuck on Elms pitch’

    HIGHWORTH Town keeper Gary Stevens believes that Tadcaster Albion will not enjoying playing at the Elms tomorrow. The Worthians entertain the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division leaders with a place in the FA Vase semi-finals

  • Telly ad team to box clever thanks to gift

    AN OVER-50s walking football club which starred in a Barclays Bank TV ad has been helped to the premier league by a leading packaging manufacturer’s generous gift. The club, which hails from Hampshire, was donated the specialist Zarges case by

  • Dale all set to pack a punch

    AS a councillor with 10 years’ experience, Dale Heenan is used to the rough and tumble of the political arena. However, the Covingham and Dorcan representative will be taking on a fight of a different kind in May when he steps into the boxing ring

  • Book is a nostalgic trip back to Works

    A BOOK packed with previously unseen images of the Railway Works will be launched at the Central Library tomorrow. Swindon Works Through Time is a joint project by local historians Andy Binks and Peter Timms. Peter, 60, is the author of three

  • Students play it for real at fictional car crash

    CSI came to Swindon College yesterday as forensic science students investigated a simulated car crash mystery – complete with cars, witnesses and two ‘dead’ bodies. Twenty first-year students on the BTEC Applied Science (Forensic Science) course

  • Group tackles surge in self-harm

    A SWINDON support group is calling on the public to get behind a Self-Injury Awareness Day and promote the help they provide. The annual international event is taking place on Sunday and aims to prevent self-harm and end the stigma associated with

  • Charity pamper day proves a big hit

    A FUNDRAISING day of rest and relaxation took place on Saturday in aid of Swindon Multiple Sclerosis Society. The pamper day was held at The Lawn Community Centre with 15 stalls offering a range of treats to the hundreds of visitors who attended

  • Town sees decrease in teenage pregnancies

    THE number of teenage pregnancies in Swindon continue to tumble, according to new figures released this week, with a near identical rate to the national average. The town picked up a reputation as the teenage pregnancy capital of the UK at the

  • Crumpled Horn pub reopens to punters

    A PUB labelled a ‘community hub’ has reopened its doors, just two weeks after it mysteriously shut down amid rumours of falling trade. The Crumpled Horn, at the Eldene centre, reopened yesterday, much to the delight of residents who say the pub

  • The Rain author drops in to inspire young writers

    AUTHOR Virginia Bergin was at Kingsdown School yesterday to inspire the next generation of writers. The event saw her give a talk to Year 9 pupils from the school as well as ones from Nova Herod, Dorcan Academy, The Commonweal School, The Ridgeway

  • Police raids hit back at new drug dealers

    FRESH leads led police to raid eight addresses around Swindon yesterday in an effort to disrupt the town’s drug supply. About 60 officers from policing teams across the county executed warrants at 9am after intelligence from neighbourhood officers

  • Old Boys looking to sink league leaders

    SWINDON College Old Boys face the toughest game of their league campaign when they face top of the league Reading Abbey. The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier pacesetters, who are unbeaten this season, are the only side to inflict a defeat on Mark

  • Unholy row over a plan to split school

    AN unholy row has broken out at Holy Cross Primary School, with governors, teaching staff and some parents angry at plans to split the school over two sites. The school, run by Clifton Diocese, is building a new school on Queen’s Drive, which will

  • Montague wins the Ultra award

    NATHAN Montague has won a prestigious national award in recognition of his success as one of Britain’s leading ultra distance runners, writes Kevin Fahey. In the annual UK Ultra Runner Awards, which are voted for by the ultra distance running community

  • Swindon Skips' clear-up bill ‘under £2m’

    COUNCIL chiefs say they are confident the former Swindon Skips site can be cleared for less than £2m – but admit it will cost tax payers money. Yesterday it was revealed the company, owned by Lee Averies, is in liquidation, meaning as landowner