A sense of failure …

You’ve tried everything, but still it goes wrong – you think it’s your fault even though it isn’t? It’s been one of those weeks – a bad week for Impington.

Post Office

Impington Post Office

The news about the Post Office wasn’t unexpected – they’ve decided to close it – and it’ll be gone in less than a fortnight.

The fact that it’s much more accessible (both for disabled and business users) than Histon, that  Histon will be challenged to cope with the extra demand, and that it’s heavily used by businesses didn’t seem to matter. Nor did potential growth in business from the opening of the Guided Bus service, and therefore more people passing on foot.

We got some support from the County group, but none from Postwatch – and now its going.

The owner is keeping the shop open – so we’ll keep using it – but Post Office services?

Histon & Impington Crier

Histon& Impington Crier

For six years we’ve had a free monthly newspaper, the Crier, delivered to Histon & Impington. It’s been run by Cambridge Newspapers, but earlier this week we got a mail from the editor, Nigel Brookes, that started:
“I write to inform you the Histon and Impington Crier has ceased publication with immediate effect.”

No more information as to why – but the whole page ads taken by local estate agents may well have gone as they focus their advertising budgets – and that will have a major impact. The current economic turmoil we find ourselves in is having effects everywhere.

Just before the Crier started up we were looking at starting a community newspaper – and we’ll try that again – a community newspaper can publish good, as well as the not so good, news – and is important to keeping the community together.

Unwins

Demolition of historic buildings at Unwins - 100 years of history in the skip

Unwins Seeds celebrated 100 years of business in the community – and then were sold. The brand is still going, but testing, administration, packaging all left the village some years ago.

What to do with the site is now the question. It used to provide employment for 70-80 people – and as a “sustainable community” (ie one where there are as many jobs as people in work) jobs are important.

But when Unwins closed, there was no demand for commercial property, but there was housing demand. So, the land was sold – for £4M (Land Registry information) – and we’re now on planning application three. The first, outline application was rejected quickly – application two was bigger – too big in the eyes of Parish Council, local residents and the planners. It had one of the longest list of reasons for refusal that we’d seen.

It did, however, make a case for retaining (and converting) one of the old buildings on the site – a building almost 100 years old. Part of what makes a community is its built environment, a visible expression of its history – so we were pleased to see that.

Application three made no reference to retaining the historic building – though that would have made an excellent opportunity to provide small start up business facilities to the hundreds of businesses in the villages run from bedrooms and garages. The application hasn’t been decided yet, so we had hoped that they might have changed their minds.

But earlier this week they demolished the building – someone called it “corporate vandalism” – its not of course, they own it, there are no laws that prevent the demolition of commercial property (and you’ll see more of it – rates are payable on empty commercial property …) but you have to agree with the sentiment!

What now?

As Fred Astaire sang: “Pick yourself up, Dust yourself off, Start all over again.”!