Looe bid
for new
lifeboat
station
THE RNLI have this week confirmed that they are looking at a site in East Looe on which to build a new lifeboat station for the town. This would replace the small lifeboat house and headquarters at Middleton House, on the quayside, which opened in 1997.
They are beginning negotiations with East Looe Town Trust, who own the area, for the purchase of the Albatross site on the seafront, which is presently the obstacle golf course. With its adjacent slipway straight into the river this would be an ideal site.
Divisional Inspector, George Rawlinson, said the RNLI had a definite interest in the site, as they are keen to enhance the lifeboat cover in the area.
'We have a wish list' he said, 'which will include a second, and larger Atlantic B Class lifeboat for Looe. This means we shall need a bigger lifeboat station'.
He said there was no timescale as there were other factors to consider, but he said the lifeboat and equipment were already available.
'The new lifeboat costs in the region of £70,000, which will be more than doubled by the tractor and trailer' he added.
Mr Rawlinson also confirmed that the sea trials carried out in Looe last Friday, at all states of the tide by an Atlantic 75 lifeboat had been most successful.
The Atlantic is a 24ft twin engined inshore lifeboat, with an enhanced night capability. Carrying a crew of three it has a top speed of 32 knots and can be used in all but the most extreme weather conditions. The lifeboat will be able to go further off shore to help larger vessels.
The present D class inshore lifeboat, Spirit of the RAOC is 16ft and was welcomed to Looe in 1992, after a lapse of the town being without a station for over 60 years. Town mayor and vice chair of East Looe Town Trust, Wally Scarah, said the new lifeboat station would fit in well with the Trust's new seafront enhancement scheme and welcomed the initiative. 'It will be in a prominent position and will be a draw to the town as well' he said. Chairman of the Trust, Mrs Glynis Gibson, is also delighted with the RNLI's new plans for Looe. 'It will be good for the RNLI and the work they do' she said.
Looe lifeboat
open day
THE LOOE Lifeboat Station will be open this Sunday, July 1, as part of National Lifeboat Day. Situated on East Looe Quay at Middleton's Corner, the public will be able to see the port's inshore lifeboat, Spirit of the RAOC, between 10am-4pm and meet and chat with the crew.
Local artist Mervyn Beaver will be giving an exhibition of airbrush painting throughout the day, outside the station.
Foot and mouth
restrictions lifted
The good news, which provides an economic chink of light for hard-pressed farmers, was relayed by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or DEFRA (which has replaced MAFF) earlier this week.
It means Liskeard and its surrounding villages are 'clean', and farmers will be able to take animals to any slaughterhouse willing to accept them, as long as it can be reached in an uninterrupted journey of less than four and a half hours.
The decision was made after blood testing for foot and mouth in Cornwall had proved negative. The new boundary places Jasper's sheep plant at South Petherwin, near Launceston, just out of the infected area.
Yesterday government and trading standards representatives inspected Liskeard market to consider whether it can be used as a cattle collection centre, where farmers would be able to bring fat cattle and sheep for onward transport to slaughterhouses of choice.
This means they would able to select the abattoir most economically beneficial to them.
The market will need further inspection on Monday by representatives of the Meat Livestock Commission - and a green light from both inspections - before finally opening again for business, although in a different form than previously.
Chris Clapham, market manager at Kivells, the market auctioneers, said the market would not be able to trade as an actual market until the foot and mouth crisis is over nationally, and a specified 'all clear' period has passed.
Doubts over the future of the market, due to Caradon looking at its viability due to 'best practice' legislation, have also started to lift slightly. Caradon councillors have been told good progress seems to have been made in negotiations with the auctioneers over a new lease, and two possible schemes are being prepared for its future, together with the forthcoming Action For Market Towns conference in Liskeard.
Much of Devon, including Tavistock, remains within an infected zone. In Devon, up to this week, 74,825 cattle, 282,485 sheep and 33,339 pigs had been slaughtered, a total of 390,649 animals.
Looe lifeboat
open day
THE LOOE Lifeboat Station will be open this Sunday, July 1, as part of National Lifeboat Day. Situated on East Looe Quay at Middleton's Corner, the public will be able to see the port's inshore lifeboat, Spirit of the RAOC, between 10am-4pm and meet and chat with the crew.
Local artist Mervyn Beaver will be giving an exhibition of airbrush painting throughout the day, outside the station.