On Saturday 28th October join us on the Hythe Pier to celebrate 100 years of engineering heritage.
The Pier Train Locomotives were manufactured in 1917 and have been operating on the Pier Railway since it started running back in 1922.
Train Day 2017 is your opportunity to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to our Pier train locomotives and show your support for the campaign to save the Pier, Train and Ferry
We want you to join us for a day of history and heritage on the famous Hythe Pier and its unique narrow gauge electric railway recognised in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest one in the world!
We will be taking over the Pier for the day from 10.30am until 4.00pm
The Birthday Celebrations will begin around 11.00am when we will cut the birthday cake and sing a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday with support from the New Forest Brass Band, who will then entertain us with a medley of favourite music.
We will be running the famous train every 15 minutes for the day and invite you to take a ride on this most famous old train down to the end of the pier where we have our Pop Up Cafe open for business with tea, coffee and cakes available.
You can have your picture taken in one of the two locomotives at the end of the pier to provide the perfect record of your visit.
Children will be able to follow the heritage trail along the pier learning about many special events through the last 100 years and there will be a certificate for everyone who takes part.
In the afternoon we will have the Waterside Women’s Choir singing again at the entrance to the pier.
There is a super prize raffle and of course, you can always take a ferry ride across to Town Quay as part of your visit to Historic Hythe Pier.
Access to the pier will be by special pier toll tickets available on the day.
Adults £2, Children are free.
So if you are looking for something different to do on the 28th October then why not share a little piece of history and join us to celebrate 100 years of British Engineering and help save Hythe Pier in the process.
Organised by Hythe Pier Heritage Association with support from Blue Funnel Ferries Ltd
Mistletoe
Fayre
Saturday 2nd December
The Memory
Tree
This year,
in addition to the lights on the Christmas Tree we are turning it in to a
Memory Tree. If you want to commemorate a loved one, or a special event, then
the rules are simple: make the decoration, take a photo of it, post it on
Facebook Page ‘The Hythe & Dibden Memory Tree 2017’. Bring the decorations
to the Mistletoe Fayre on 2nd December to be added to the tree, (if
you can’t attend you can drop them at The Grove before the 2nd).
Decoration
can weigh no more than 100g (4ozs)
Decorations
should be no more than 8” in diameter
Decoration
must have a hole/loop to enable us to attach it to the tree with a cable tie.
We’re sorry
decorations CAN NOT be returned
Hythe Fireworks
Thursday 2nd November 2017 5pm
Ewart Rec, Jones Lane, Hythe
After months of planning and consulting with young people, the work on the new skate park at Netley View starts this week! If the weather is kind it is hoped the work will be finished by October ready for half term. The design for the new skate park can be seen on Gravity Engineering's Facebook page.
REPORTS – NEW FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL COUNCILLORS
Cllr Peter Armstrong
It was my privilege and honour to represent Hythe and Dibden at the New Forest Business Show. Big thanks go to those local businesses who also helped out on the stand. Go New Forest for organising it, New Forest Business Partnership for letting us have space and for Marcus and staff who delivered the backdrop. We also have two new banners to use so if you know of anyone having an event please let the Parish Clerk/Deputy Clerk know.
At the event, it was possible to promote a number of our local Brand New Forest Businesses and even sign up more! We have about 70 offers now with more being added since the event.
Networking with businesses and representatives of various organisations was also positive on the day.
A4 Posters as mentioned at the last Parish meeting will be available for noticeboards and we are in the process of getting another banner for events as the previous was cut down by a person(s) currently unknown. Other suggestion/help always welcome.
Amongst the various conversations at the Business Show, it was surprising how many had not been to Hythe, travelled on the ferry or knew we had a Tuesday market! We have work ahead of us to promote our Village and get it known! Being BNF Village of the year we have a unique opportunity to promote ourselves but it can’t be done just by yours truly.
In 2016 the community at Dibden Purlieu asked for spring bulbs to be planted. 1 ton of daffodil bulbs later the display astounded both the community and the team who completed the planting.
The daffodils are little harbingers of spring and certainly bring joy to the community as every year we get loads of messages saying how appreciated they are. We are keen to spread even more joy so if people have a request for daffodils near their homes or businesses please let the Council know by e mailing sean.spencer@hytheanddibden.gov.uk or by phoning Sean on 02380 841411. The Parish Councillors are keen to provide daffodils where the community would like to see them as such a relatively tiny expense yields a huge amount of pleasure
After the beautiful daffodils displays that have brightened the community our thoughts move onto summer. The Council’s Maintenance Team have now finished planting the summer flower displays. With hanging baskets, summer flower beds and planters now completed, summer is officially with us.
This year the Maintenance Team has redesigned the planters in the Village Centre and are trying something new as each tower will only be planted with one type of flower but each tower will feature a different colour.
As there are so many flowers to be watered and with a large number of the hanging baskets in busy areas, it means that the maintenance team have to either carry out the watering whilst many of us are still asleep in bed or as we are making our way home after work at night.
A copy of the Community infrastructure Levy Report
http://www.hytheanddibden.gov.uk/media/uploads/CiL%20May%202017.docx
PDF Accounting Statements for 2016/2017 can be viewed here:
http://www.hytheanddibden.gov.uk/media/uploads/Accounting%20Statements%202016%20_17.pdf
For information on Transparency and previous years statements please visit Transparency page Here
PRESS RELEASE - 19th April 2017
From Lee Rayment, Director of Blue Funnel Ferries Ltd, and Blue Funnel Cruises Ltd.
I am very pleased to announce that Blue Funnel Ferries Ltd have completed the takeover of the Hythe- Southampton Ferry service. This has taken longer than anticipated and involved lengthy negotiations. Our Solicitors have worked hard to complete the exchange of some very complicated aspects of this change of ownership. All matters are now complete and I can confirm that Blue Funnel will assume full control and operation of the service on Friday 21st April 2017.
This will secure the immediate future of this important transport link and begin process of change which will provide a real opportunity for the service to flourish once again.
I am very pleased to confirm that the staff who have demonstrated their commitment and support over the recent period of uncertainty are being transferred to the new company providing security for their employment.
Our first task is to restore a reliable service however this will involve taking the existing vessel Great Expectations out of service for an annual refit. This will involve the usual maintenance and the detailed inspections of the vessel, including shafts and propellers as stipulated by the MCA, ( Maritime & Coastguard Agency ), but also involve a change of colours and name (although the new name has not yet been confirmed). We also plan further improvements to the boat including heating for the winter and upgrading the seats. These will be planned and implemented in due course.
Due to the urgency of the works required to Great Expectations we will be organising this as soon as possible and during this period we will be providing a temporary boat. Whilst this is less than ideal it is important to ensure that the works are completed without delay, we therefore ask for your patience and support in the short term.
We recognise the necessity to have a second vessel available in order to provide a reliable continuous operation and we have therefore secured a boat that we intend to use to assist on the route. This boat is currently undergoing its own refit work before being brought into service.
Once we have completed these first steps and have the main vessel back in service we will announce changes to the timetable and fares which we believe will prove popular and demonstrate commitment to our customers.
Our objective is to make this historic ferry service a modern reliable and cost effective operation which offers a real alternative to using your car, as well as providing a unique and enjoyable means to travel to and from Southampton
An integral part of the ferry is the pier and train, they are intrinsically linked and I recognise the important history and heritage associated with each. Throughout the period of negotiations to purchase the business I have maintained contact with the HPHA (Hythe Pier Heritage Association). This group with the support of the whole community have demonstrated a real passion and commitment for the pier, the train and the ferry. I look forward to holding detailed discussions with them to explore opportunities to work together and secure the long term future of the pier, the train and associated buildings.
Blue Funnel Ferries look forward to this new venture and a new chapter for the Hythe Ferry and we very much hope you will support the service and help us create a better future. We look forward to seeing old and new customers on the ferry in the near future and for many years to come.
Lee Rayment
Managing Director, Blue Funnel Cruises Ltd
Today is Anzac Day. An important day for Australians and New Zealanders who commemorate those who landed at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915, their first military action in the WWI.
Why am I bringing it to your attention? A good many British were at Gallipoli (including my 16 year old grandfather, 'Barney' O'Carroll on HMS Edgar) and one 'son of Hythe'. Commander Edward Unwin VC was awarded a Victoria Cross for the part he played that day. There is a memorial to him on The Prom and his incredible story of bravery and determination is told HERE
