I had a little chat yesterday with affable Joe Mews, the butcher now running Allendale Butchers, in Kirton House next to the Allendale Co-op. Joe kicked off the New Year in fine fettle by keeping Allendale Butchers open, and he’s…
Month: January 2019
Bin Day
Maybe this diary entry should be filed under the category, ‘Rural Life is Not Really That Easy’. The bin men (and they are, always, men) drive over the Sparty Lea bridge, and collect the garbage from the bins that local…
Allendale area notices
I’m impressed! With over 1000 members, this friendly Facebook group under the unprepossessing name of Allendale area notices, features a running set of updates, queries, answers and information on things going on in Allendale and environs. I didn’t know about…
Behold: beauty and loveliness, naturally
Anna Stonehouse’s lovely establishment, the salon called Natural Beauty, faces into Allendale’s Market Square. I’ve heard that men are welcome within, but those of my generation are possibly not completely persuaded, though they might, just, indulge in a little skin…
The bus service . . . on strike or not?
In deeply rural areas like Allendale and the East Allen Valley, the only transport that links isolated hamlets with the town (Hexham and then Newcastle upon Tyne) is the bus. We’re fortunate to have a regular and useful service, though…
If a well-established rookery brings good fortune . . .
. . . then Jennifer Makepeace’s Gift Shop has been truly blessed. But on the whole, I’d say that The Gift Shop, a renowned institution in Allendale, has thrived because of its proprietor’s dedication and acumen, even though, as she…
By 12th Night, tree away…
Pete Aldcroft writes for the Allendale Lions Club: “After sparkling for over four weeks at the heart of the village, the Allendale Lions’ 25 [foot tall] Christmas tree was skilfully removed today by Nigel Baynes, Margaret Stonehouse, Stephanie Atkinson, Doug…
A paler shade of green
I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess as to how many people, gazing at the front of the village’s beloved institution, the Allendale Co-op, would be able to say just what’s different this year. Of course, it’s the shade of…
“Winter’s not over ’till the snow’s gone from the dykes”
Ancient words of wisdom from the north country, for sure, but just for now, we’ve not really started winter, let alone looking to the end. So it’s still a good time to be building those stone walls, and today neighbour…
Back to Work . . .
With a hymn of praise in my heart for the local mechanics and engineers who keep us on the road, I ambled carefully on into Allendale, nursing the baby wheel (80km/hr maximum, or 50mph to you and me) which I’d…