Bid to preserve North Walsham shop history destroyed in car smash

A North Walsham local historian is battling to preserve a well-known feature of the town’s history, accidentally destroyed by a car smash.

The Edwardian fanlight bearing the name ‘RM Ling’ above the door of Boots the chemist, on Market Place, had been a familiar sight for over 100 years – until a month ago.

But on the afternoon of July 9 the shop front, including the fanlight, was badly damaged after a car crashed into the store. No-one was hurt in the accident.

Now RM – Ralph Michael – Ling’s grandson, Mike Ling, is trying to make sure Boots reinstates a replica of the sign.

Retired optician Mr Ling, chairman of the North Walsham and District Community Archive Group and a keen collector of local memorabilia, said he believed the fanlight formed a part of the property’s status as a Grade 2-listed building.

Repair work underway at Boots. The fanlight has been replaced with plain glass.

“I was horrified and very saddened by its loss,” he said. “I thought it was untouchable, like the Rock of Gibraltar.

“I would like to see a panel of as near similar description as possible put back. I know it isn’t the original, but I want to maintain the history of the building.”

The building had been a chemist’s for over 200 years, and was bought in 1906 by RM Ling who had his name picked out in gold leaf above the door, according to Mike Ling.

The business was taken over by Mike Ling’s father who sold it to another pharmacist, Neville Wharton, when he retired in 1974.

An early 20th-century photo of Ling's chemist in North Walsham

A spokesman for North Norfolk District Council confirmed that the fanlight was mentioned in the list description, and said that unless the shop front was restored as it had been, it would need listed-building consent and possibly planning permission.

A Boots UK spokesman said: “Our properties team will be working closely with North Norfolk District Council on this matter, and will ensure we comply with listed-building regulations wherever necessary.”

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Tiny strip of land stalls progress on North Walsham key eyesore

A tiny strip of scrub land is stalling the redevelopment of what has been dubbed North Walsham’s worst eyesore.

Developers have been itching to sort out derelict 4 Market Street for well over a year-and-a-half.

But plans passed in November 2009 cannot go ahead because of a dispute over a patch of weed-ridden, unused, fenced ground estimated to cover an area smaller than a professional snooker table.

The impasse has frustrated and angered Walsham North Norfolk District Councillors Eric Seward and Virgina Gay who say they are “hammering away” at the problem and have pledged not to give up.

The demolished Grade 2-listed building, in the heart of Walsham’s Conservation Area, stares out at motorists entering along the key Cromer Road gateway to the town.

Boarded up and derelict: 4 Market Street

After years of neglect, dating back to about 2006, the former printer’s works, later a shop, was bought by businessman Mark Tentori.

He struck a deal with the district council to redevelop it together with the nearby council-owned public toilets which have been earmarked for modernisation.

The approved scheme would see a redevelopment consisting of new state-of-the-art public toilets, and three ground-floor shops with six flats above.

But Mr Tentori has been unable to proceed because the Land Registry has queried his ownership of a piece of land, needed for the redevelopment, which leads from beside the public toilets towards 4 Market Street. Mr Seward estimates that it measures approximately three feet by 18 feet.

4 Market Street, North Walsham. Date unknown. Picture: NORTH WALSHAM AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

An earlier hold-up, involving a query between the Land Registry and district council over another area of land the council claimed to own, was finally resolved, after six months, in the council’s favour.

Mr Tentori, who does not live in Norfolk and could not be contacted for comment, has now registered an appeal with the Land Registry and Mr Seward and Mrs Gay fear that could involve many more months’ delay.

“We’re tearing our hair out over this, like the rest of North Walsham,” said Mr Seward. “We thought we had got it cracked. This latest delay beggars belief and puts the whole project in jeopardy.”

Mrs Gay added: “The immediate, passionate, anger about the state of this building has died down but it’s something people strongly mention if they talk about the town being unattractive.

“It was such a characterful building and so important to the nearby churchyard enclosure, which is one of the best in north Norfolk.”

Mr Seward said the position of 4 Market Street, its past glory and the length of time it had lain derelict probably made it the most notorious of a number of well-documented North Walsham eyesore sites.

“If people talk about the town going downhill, this is always at the back of their minds,” he said.

The council has set aside £70,000 for the redevelopment of the toilets which Mr Seward said were “not nice” for residents or visitors to use.

“If the Land Registry end up saying that land can’t be part of the development then we’re back to square one - it’s an integral part of the plans,” he added.

The council would be making strong representations to the Land Registry to resolve the matter quickly because the last thing anyone wanted was a permanently derelict building on the approach to the town centre.

Mr Seward said: “As far as we are concerned it’s an urgent priority that this site is sorted out.”

North Walsham may stage Market Place street party to celebrate Queen’s jubilee

Tentative plans have been launched for next year’s diamond jubilee celebrations which could see North Walsham resurrecting a one-time tradition of royal-occasion street parties in the town.

Town mayor Vivienne Uprichard wants Walsham residents to throng Market Place and enjoy a day of food, drink and entertainment to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne next June.

The event would in many ways mimic a public dinner held in Market Place to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, in 1887.

Mrs Uprichard told fellow town councillors that she hoped a street party would boost the town’s image.

“A major thing we can do as a town council is promote events and encourage an atmosphere of a busy town with lots going on,” she said.

If it goes ahead, the party is likely to take place on Sunday June 3, during four days of national jubilee celebrations which will see an extra bank holiday on Tuesday June 5, tagged on to the late May bank holiday which is being moved to Monday June 4.

Initial ideas are that revellers would bring their own chairs, tables, food and drink, and organisers would provide entertainment.

Mike Ling, chairman of the North Walsham and District Community Archive Group, said the town had a long tradition of holding Market Place parties to celebrate royal occasions, including two in the 19th-century and two in the 20th-century. At all of them, plum pudding had been served using a recipe which was still in existence.

The 1887 event was laid on for “all the poor of the parish” and saw over 2,000 people seated at trestle tables in Market Place where they were treated to cold beef, bread, pickles and beer, finished off with the town’s own-recipe plum pudding. They then headed off to the recreation ground for an afternoon of sports, amusements and fireworks.

Mr Ling said he hoped if next year’s party went ahead, the plum pudding could be made available, “in the interests of continuity.”

North Walsham By Pass Closed 4th Aug

Motorcyclist airlifted to hospital after collision with a bus in North Walsham

A man was airlifted to hospital this evening after a collision between a motorcycle and a bus in North Walsham.

The accident happened at about 5.30pm on Folgate Road, which was closed for about another hour.

The motorcyclist, believed to be in his 50s, is understood to have leg injuries.

Two ambulances attended but the man was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital aboard the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Land ambulance crews stayed to check over bus passengers. Fire crews from North Walsham and Aylsham also helped at the scene.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to contact Sergeant Price on 0845 456 4567.

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Why should you trust your website to Beauchamp Partnbership?

15 years ago we started making websites in North Walsham, 10 years ago we
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North Walsham Community Centre - www.nw-cc.co.uk
North Walsham Guide - www.northwalshamguide.co.uk
North
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North
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Griffon
Area Partnership - www.griffon.org.uk
North Walsham Area
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Pigney's Wood - www.pigneyswood.co.uk
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Parish Church - www.saint-nicholas.org.uk

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