Town centre works will miss summer season

Liskeard councillors and Chamber of Commerce representatives have held urgent talks with South West Water, urging them not to carry out extensive works to the town's water mains during the summer season.

As a result the works are to cease at the height of the season, and SWW contractors, T J Brent Ltd, will down tools in Liskeard after mid summer, and return in November.

In the wake of the negotiations mayor, Roger Holmes, said he was pleased with the outcome. Traders had feared that if roads were closed, and temporary traffic lights installed in the heart of the town throughout July and August their takings during the height of the tourist season would plummet.

Jane Pascoe, of the Chamber, stressed the company said they would try to make the least disruption possible. She urged shoppers: 'Unfortunately these works have to be done. Please support, and bear with the traders. The works do not mean that the whole of the town will be constantly affected.'

Rehabilitation engineer west for SWW, Alun Thomas, has said that whenever possible work on replacing pipes laid in the Victorian era, will be carried out with the latest 'no dig' technology. Nevertheless, the method of replacing sections of road will be by open trench which means the water supply will occasionally have to be shut down for up to 12 hours. Mobile water tanks will be provided in these periods.

Work will begin in Greenbank Road on April 3, this to last until April 31, and there will be traffic lights in Barras Street from April 3-10. There will be a road closure and traffic lights in Castle Street from April 10-13, and Bodgara Way will have traffic lights from April 6-10, with Killigrew Road affected from April 3-6. There will be access only to Liskeard school and community college from April 24-May l, and Church Street North will be closed from April 17-24.

Roads affected in May will be Dean Street, Fairpark Road, Pound Street, Greenbank Lane, Luxstowe Gardens and Doctors Lane.

Film features

Charlestown

SCENES from the port of Charlestown can be spied in the newly-released film 'Mansfield Park', based on the Jane Austen novel.

The film, starring Frances O'Connor as Fanny Brice, and playwright Harold Pinter as Sir Thomas Bertram, also features three of the ships based at the port - the sailing ships Phoenix, Kaskelot and the Earl of Pembroke. The film was shot in October l998.

Kath returns as portreeve

Kath Pascoe is to be Callington's portreeve for the third time in seven years.

Kath, a pensioner from Kelly Bray, was voted in on Tuesday. She is currently deputy to the current Portreeve, Peter Hambly. Her deputy from May will be Jane Black. Kath, who was portreeve from l993-94 and l996-97, has been a member of the town council for 12 years and Caradon district council for ten.