Cardea – The New Listener

Whittlesey – the forgotten town of the Fens

Supermarket saga ends in calamity..

10:40 Tuesday 12th January 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: Many of you getting in touch this morning with regard to Whittlesey. David earlier saying, “Whittlesey has become the forgotten Fenland town.” Stewart Hill says, “Hi Paul. As I’ve been living in Whittlesey for 37 years it’s true. We’re bottom of the pecking order when it comes to having anybody thinking about our small town. Fenland District Council, shame on you.” says Stewart Hill this morning. The reason we’re talking about Whittlesey of course is because first there were two. Then there was only one. Now, there are no new supermarkets coming to Whittlesey. Sainsbury’s have announced they’re not building one there despite promising to do so, despite promising that beautiful country park. And apparently the sign is still up saying Country Park Coming Soon. About time you took it down I think. The people of Whittlesey, how do they feel this morning? Hard done by? Forgotten in Fenland? Is there a Cambridgeshire pecking order? Are you bottom of the list? Brian has called in, Brian Parker. Morning Brian.
PAUL STAINTON: What’s going on in Fenland?
BRIAN PARKER: Let me just go back to the sign, because I was involved with the people who were putting it up. It will come down obviously, but it only happened yesterday. (LAUGHS) Things move slowly in Fenland.
PAUL STAINTON: Yes I was talking metaphorically really.
BRIAN PARKER: Yeah I know I know.
PAUL STAINTON: It’s a sad .. I remember we were on Breakfast doing this story. It seems like it’s been going on as long as North Westgate in Peterborough, another promised development.
BRIAN PARKER: It’s been going on for years Paul, and to say we’re disappointed is an understatement. We feel let down. We feel angry. I’ve been on the Whittlesey blog this morning, speaking to so many people, and the people are just up in arms about the whole situation.
PAUL STAINTON: For those people who don’t live in Whittlesey, what have you got at the moment? What facilities have you got?
Continue reading “Whittlesey – the forgotten town of the Fens”

Winner Takes All in Stanground

10:12 Tuesday 3rd May 2011
Mid-Morning Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: Time now for the latest in our local election debates. Local elections of course coming up on Thursday. Today we focus on Peterborough, and in particular the ward of Stanground Central. I’m joined by four of the candidates who are standing in that particular ward. First of all, Marco Cereste is the incumbent Conservative candidate, and Leader of Peterborough City Council. He says he’s passionate about making Peterborough a city where everyone has the chance to fulfil their potential, and enjoy high-quality public services. As Leader, his priorities have included promoting and attracting new investment in the city. In the ward, it is currently the refurbishment of Stanground College. Hello to you Councillor Cereste.
MARCO CERESTE: Good morning. Hello.
ANDY BURROWS: Stephen Goldspink is the candidate for the English Democrats. Although standing in Stanground Central, he was first elected to the Council to represent East Ward in 2002, first as a Conservative, and then as an English Democrat, after switching parties. He says he decided to get involved because he wants to make a difference in the local community. Good morning to you Stephen.
STEPHEN GOLDSPINK: Good morning Andy.
ANDY BURROWS: John Swallow is standing as an Independent candidate. He’s a bus driver. He hit the headlines last year when he stood against MP Stewart Jackson at the General Election. He began in politics as a Member of the Labour Party, but left after becoming disillusioned. Good morning John Swallow.
JOHN SWALLOW: Good morning Andy.
ANDY BURROWS: And Chris York is the Labour candidate. Chris lives in Stanground, and has been active in the community for several years, currently working on setting up youth projects to tackle anti-social behaviour. He says the difference between him and the other candidates is that he’s the only one who lives in the ward, working all year round for the people of Stanground. Hello Chris.
CHRIS YORK:Yes. Hi. Good morning.
ANDY BURROWS: Gentlemen, thank you for joining me. We’ve got lots to be talking about between now and 11 o’clock. That’s for sure. And what I’m going to do in the next few moments is give you all a chance to sell yourselves. You’ll have 30 seconds each to tell us what you’re standing for, before we get into the debate about Stanground, and of course Peterborough in general. We’ll be back with you in just a moment
(TRAVEL) (TRAILER)
ANDY BURROWS: 16 minutes past 10. It’s Tuesday morning. On Thursday Peterborough and everywhere else goes to the polls for the local elections. In the latest debate we’re having on the local elections across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, we’re focusing on the Peterborough ward of Stanground Central. It’s a key-battleground, not least of all because the Leader of Peterborough City Council is trying to hold on to his seat. He joins me this morning, alongside Stephen Goldspink, candidate for the English Democrats, John Swallow, the Independent candidate, and Chris York, the Labour candidate. Mark Williamson is here as well in the studio, because gentlemen, I’m going to give y ou 30 seconds each to sell yourselves, and your policies. We’ll go in alphabetical order, so Marco Cereste .. we’re doing it on surnames, before you start arguing between yourselves. We’re doing it on surnames, so Marco Cereste, you get to go first. Mark’s got the stopwatch. In your own time Marco, off you go. Continue reading “Winner Takes All in Stanground”

Peterborough News 25th August 2010

A summary of the Peterborough Breakfast Show from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire broadcast from 07:00 to 09:00 on Wednesday 25th August 2010.

Topics:
GCSE results locally are better than last year but below the national average.
The NHS Quit Smoking service in Peterborough is struggling with low success rates although it has reached its target.
Posh come back from 0-1 down at half time to defeat Cardiff City 2-1 in the Carling Cup.
Continue reading “Peterborough News 25th August 2010”

Peterborough News 2nd August 2010

A summary of the Peterborough Breakfast Show from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire broadcast from 07:00 to 09:00 on Monday 2nd August 2010.

Topics:
Figures from the Department for Energy and Climate Change indicate that Peterborough’s carbon footprint is down near the bottom of the league tables and that Peterborough is falling behind other authorities in its energy efficiency performance.
The Government has invested another £1.5 million in Phase Two of the Future Jobs Fund for Peterborough, delivering a further 238 6-month contracts for employees.
Peterborough’s Back to Business Club run by the Greater Peterborough Partnership has helped its 50th client back into work after redundancy.
Continue reading “Peterborough News 2nd August 2010”

Mel Collins on Cancelled Projects and School Places

Mel Collins Peterborough City Council’s Assistant Director for Learning and Skills tells the BBC’s Paul Stainton how they intend to cope with a rise in the school intake resulting from housebuilding when Government has cut funding for at least two planned expansion and refurbishment projects in the pipeline for Peterborough schools in the South of the city. Broadcast at 08:12 on Wednesday 7th July 2010 in the Peterborough Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

BBC Peterborough March 23rd 2010

The BBC Radio Peterborough Paul Stainton’s Breakfast Show summary for Tuesday 23rd March 2010.

Topics:
Labour suspends sleaze ministers. Further damaging revelations in progress.
Local group expresses concern at multiple Council and EEDA funded outlets on the High Street.
The Crown pub in Lincoln Road will reopen as a private members’ club.
Outsourcing of Council services: the head of the new Leisure Trust describes her vision.
Stanground College expansion plans unveiled as newbuild proceeds apace.
Posh play fellow strugglers Scunthorpe tonight. Gannon mulls his future.
Dirk Benedict (Face from the A-Team) stars as Colombo at the Key Theatre shortly.
Google abandons Chinese Govt. restraints on web content and redirects users to uncensored HK Google site.
Michael van Straten Health Guru visits the Alliance & Leicester Building Society with good advice for staff.
British banks will be obliged to provide a basic bank account to anyone who requires one.

Interviewees:
Gavin Elsey Cllr. and Member for Regional and Business Engagement Peterborough City Council.
Brian Gascoyne Chairman Millfield and New England Regeneration Partnership and Crown Landlord.
Sheila Smith Chair of the New Leisure Trust.
Chris Moncrieff ex-Press Association.
Michael van Straten Health Guru.
Rowen Squibb Growborough.
Graham Godson Scunthorpe Fan.
Allison Sunley Programme Director 14-19 Education Peterborough City Council.
Michael Cross Key Theatre.

Companies mentioned:
Cardea.
Primark.
TK Maxx.
Alliance & Leicester.

Team:
Presenter: Paul Stainton
Producer: Steve Titman
Sport: John Symes
News: Gabrielle Grindrod
Travel: Justin Peterson
Weather: John Gray
Phones: Kerry Devine
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John Bridge and the Cardea Development

An interview with John Bridge Chairman of the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce on the news that Morrisons will be coming to the new Cardea development in Stanground. Broadcast at 07:15 on Thursday 7th January in the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Peterborough.

PS: Good news for Stanground this morning. It’s set to get a new Morrisons supermarket. The chain has confirmed they hope to be part of the new fifteen hundred home development planned called Cardea. Plans are on show today and Saturday at the Stanground Community Centre. John Bridge is Chairman of Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. Morning John.
JB: Yes good morning Paul.
PS: Are you warm?
JB: Yes not too bad at the moment. But obviously looking forward to going out and meeting the challenges of the cold this morning.
PS: Yes. Does Peterborough need any more supermarkets, do you think?
JB: Well I think the key thing is that we all know of the current economic difficulties, and the only way we’re going to get out of this is with businesses investing, and putting their money into Peterborough, and creating jobs for people. And so I think we should really welcome Morrisons’ involvement in this new Henry Davidson development at Stanground, because what it is going to do is going to be a stepping stone to enable us to get through the economic difficulties perhaps quicker than many other locations.
PS: Yes I think most people agree we’d like to bring more jobs to Peterborough, but won’t this just be taking trade from elsewhere? We’ve already got an Aldi in Stanground, we’ve got Serpentine Green just down the road.
JB: Yes indeed. But a key thing is that particularly supermarket businesses only invest where they can see that the customers are going to come and use them. Because no-one is actually going to come and create something without being able to get the revenue they need. And certainly the choice which the general public at large need ensures that they get good value for money. Because what it does mean is that there’s competition and people obviously vie for their business. And so I think really it’s a win-win situation. It does give the choice, and it gives really good value for money because people are able to see that these companies do compete with each other. One of the biggest problems we hear from many of the public is that you know there isn’t choice. One chain is you know got lots of stores and they’ve got no other options. But in Peterborough there are lots of options, and people can decide which supermarket they want to use, and it is really good for a competitive situation and keeping the prices right for the customer.
PS: Yes. Morrisons is just the latest in a long line of investment to come into Stanground. What’s so special about Stanground at the moment?
JB: Well I think the key thing is that people do see that there is tremendous potential there, and I know obviously there are one or two concerns which need to be dealt with. But clearly with its strategic location and particularly when we’re looking at the Magna Park development along the railway line which is going to be developed from Felixstowe to Nuneaton, it is a very strategic route, and people can see that there is the availability of the creation of jobs there, and clearly we believe that developing it like that is going to be really positive for Peterborough. And we’re looking at some four to five thousand additional jobs, and we all know how desperately we need to provide jobs, in order to ensure the quality of life for people, and to sustain the development of housing and all the things that go with it for everybody that lives there.
PS: Yeah. And retail at the moment, is it starting to pick up? We keep being told we’re pulling out of recession here. Some good figures for Christmas trading from some areas, how are we doing round here?
JB: Yes I mean I think with Queensgate and John Lewis and Next in particular we’ve seen some really positive figures, and they’ve done really well, and I think that one of the key things we have to understand is that Peterborough has a really good retail offering, and people are finding it very attractive to come and shop in Peterborough. And that is shown by the figures that we’ve seen over Christmas. they do see it as a real place that they want to be and spend their money. And there are lots of options for them to be able to shop in all the different varieties. And I think we’re very fortunate to have such a vibrant city centre and shopping centre such as Queensgate. But the key thing is it’s still going to be challenging in the early part of this year. Things are changing with the VAT having been increased again. There are going to be challenges with various issues of additional redundancies as we meet the challenges of the debt that the UK has got. So I think that although we’ve had a really good Christmas, we have to understand that there are still going to be certain problems that we are going to have to manage ourselves through. Which is why it is so important that as Peterborough, we are able to attract investment now, to ensure that we don’t get the kind of lull that perhaps may happen in other locations.
PS: John. Stay warm. Thank you for that. John Bridge, Chairman of Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. Morrisons said “we are keen to bring our great value fresh food to new customers in Peterborough.” And they are “looking forward to being part of this exciting new development in Stanground.” Your thoughts on that, and anything else you hear in the show. Do you want another supermarket in Stanground?

BBC Peterborough January 7th 2010

A summary of the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show from BBC Radio Peterborough broadcast Thursday 7th January 2010.

Presenter: Paul Stainton

Topics:

A Labour coup bid has failed.
Due to the inclement weather the East Anglian Ambulance Service is using four wheel drive vehicles.
A new Morrisons store is promised for Stanground as part of the Cardea development.
Plans go on display for a major expansion of Peterborough which means a township in Great Haddon.
British Phonographic Institute report record sales.
A new Royal Mail stamp issue features popular album covers.
Retailers report panic buying of milk as the bad weather continues.
Police and insurers report an increase in vehicles stolen while the owners’ defrost their cars.
Peterborough City Council shelters the homeless charitably and has plans for a night shelter in the pipeline.
The Press Officer for the Posh talks about prospective signings of new players.
Museum man relates stories of the Nene freezing over back in historical times.
Pheasant Pub in Keyston competes in Gordon Ramsey’s F-Word programme.

Interviewees:
Vickie Burn RAC.
Andy Tatt Peterborough City Council.
Julie Rivett Housing Peterborough City Council.
John Bridge Peterborough Chamber of Commerce.
Malcolm Tarling Association of British Insurers.
Gennaro Castaldo HMV.
Dave Grunwell Highways Agency.
Phil Addenham PUFC Press Officer.
Taffeta Scrimshaw Pheasant Pub Keyston.
Stewart Orme Peterborough Museum.

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Companies Mentioned: Morrisons. Cardea. Henry Davidson. Aldi. John Lewis. Next. BPI.Association of British Insurers. HMV. Pheasant Pub Keyston.