Best lights

winners

THE Town Forum says the judges of this year's Christmas illuminations competition reported a very difficult task because so many businesses and individuals had made some superb efforts, especially in the private residence category. They awarded a special commendation for ingenuity to the Job Centre for their depiction of 'The Twelve Jobs of Christmas'.

Class winners were: Public houses - Tom Sawyers (Hannafore), Highly Commended The Ship, Harbour Moon; restaurants - Cellar and Loft, Highly Commended Golden Guinea, Trawlers; shops - Pendragon Crafts, Highly Commended Dowling and Bray, Mariannes Fashions; houses - Mrs and Mrs D Bull (Liebestraum, Downs View), Highly Commended Mr and Mrs Terry Wright (Bryhill, The Downs), Cmdr and Mrs S Garbutt (Riverside Court).

Julie to host

fashion show

WESTCOUNTRY'S Julie Skentelbery has agreed to host the forthcoming Looe Youth Action Group's fashion show, which takes place at Looe Bay Holiday Park on March 2 and 3.

The show is to raise funds towards the provision of a permanent youth centre and hardcourt area for use by the town's youngsters and those from the surrounding area.

The fashion parade will commence at 7pm each evening, finishing at 9pm, and the tickets, at £4, includes a glass of wine and a programme.

They are available from Marianne Fashions, Terry's Fashions, Taylor's Trading and Gibsons Opticians.

Lottery money

for town mural

THE lottery funded Awards for All Scheme has awarded the sum of £3,000 for the production of a mural depicting "1,000 Years of Looe".

It is hoped to include as many sections of the community as possible in the planning and production of the mural which, when finished, will be mounted on a harbourside building, facing the river.

The mural will be made from a number of separate shapes which when viewed from a distance will be seen as ships, but close up they will appear as a collage depicting important events in Looe's history.

Save the flowers

The mayor, Ron Overd, wishes to remind the community of the meeting he has arranged to save 'Looe's blooms', which takes place in the Guildhall (downstairs), at 7pm on Wednesday next, January 10.

More than 2,000 flyers have been distributed to business premises in the town asking for helpers for Looe in Bloom, and posters have been put up appealing to everyone to lend a hand to help preserve Looe's prizewinning floral tradition.

Anyone attending the meeting is under no obligation but it is hoped some will come forward to offer support, especially since early planting must soon be undertaken.

Second bid for

heritage cash

CARADON Council is waiting to hear from the Heritage Lottery Fund over what additional detail will be needed before submitting another bid for Looe's Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme.

The project is for the restoration and repair of older properties in the town centre, but the bid for money in September 2000 failed.

However, the historic merit of Looe was recognised and a grant of £15,000 was offered to carry out some survey work in preparation for a second bid.

If successful, a scheme would commence in April 2002 and would run for three years, the scale of work carried out amounting to £156,000 for each year.

Grants for individual properties would range from 40 per cent for general repairs to 60 per cent for the more expensive work such as re-roofing, using traditional methods and materials.

Mayor praises town's

fantastic year

IN a letter to residents through the Town Forum's Community Newsletter, the mayor, Ron Overd, has taken the opportunity to wish everyone a happy and peaceful New Year.

He says the Year 2000 had been fantastic with so much going on, from the wonderful Festival of the Sea and its myriad of activities including the Great Cornish Raft Race and the Sea Bucca, to the Lions carnival week, the Trawler Race, Duck Race, meeting Santa, the Torchlight Procession, and the usual but as ever, memorable, New Year celebrations.

The mayor also speaks of some great performances from the Looe Valley Singers, Polperro Fishermen's Choir, Sheila Brock's School of Dancing, the Community School and Looe Entertainers.

'There have been many events that I have not mentioned,' says the mayor, 'but my thanks go out to all those who have gone to make this, my year as mayor, so wonderful. It has been a great year!'.

Stormy seas

keep fleet in

STORMY weather has continued to keep the fleet in port for much of the time, the largest market since the Christmas break being on Tuesday, when among the landings was 750 kilos of bass.

Fish markets from Thursday, December 28 - Thursday, January 4 (main weights in kilos): Thurs - bass 750, squid 120, whiting 4000, cod 200, herring 150, pollack 150, lemons 200; first market after the Christmas break, Tues - lemons 500, squid 240, bass 250, cod 300, mackerel 2000, whiting 3000, conger 680, pollack 800, ling 100; Wednesday no market; Thurs - (small market due to poor weather) whiting 700, conger 430, pouting 230, bass 25, lemons 25, codling 35.