Monday 17 December
At 10.30 we arrived at Pendle Community Hospital in Nelson for a Christmas visit. We were met by the Matron who showed around all of the wards where we were able to chat to many of the patients.
At 10.30 we arrived at Pendle Community Hospital in Nelson for a Christmas visit. We were met by the Matron who showed around all of the wards where we were able to chat to many of the patients.
The Matron introduces us to one of the patients at Pendle Community Hospital
The hospital is now used for recuperation for the Blackburn, Burnley, Rossendale and Pendle areas.
From there we went to the 17th century Blakey Hall Farm for the opening of their barn conversion into high quality tourist accommodation. Rachel & Stephen showed us around their excellent bed and breakfast and self-catering facilities.
We cut the ribbon at Blakey Hall Farm - with a sharp pair of scissors!
Mr & Mrs. Boothman has successfully managed to diversify from traditional farming into tourism. The tourism team from Pendle Council were all there to join with me when I cut the ribbon and congratulated them on the 4 double bedrooms addition to over night stay accommodation in Pendle.
Afterwards we went to Townhouse School Christmas party to hand out presents to all of the children.
We meet the Christmas Fairy and Father Christmas with the children
Whist there we managed to meet Father Christmas and the Christmas Fairy in their colourful grotto.
Tuesday 18 December
We were at Hibson Road in Nelson at 11.00am for the Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of new Transport Interchange.
We help to get Nelson Transport Interchange started
By next year this will provide a new high quality bus station, linked to the existing train station with taxi ranks to bring another part of Nelson regeneration.
Now I'm not really knocking down those buildings
One of the demolition workers gave us some old galley proofs from the Free Press, which they had found whilst knocking the old shops down. This is a long forgotten local newspaper, which must have had its office here in 1897.
I show Peter, the local reporter, the 1897 Newspaper galley proofs
After a few press photos we went back to the Town Hall. At 1pm we went to be photographed at the start of work on the old Water Board offices on Every Street. Renovation work is starting on these premises to provide new business start up offices.
The new business start up hub gets underway
This site is part of the Whitefield regeneration area and will form a part of exciting plans for this part of Nelson. I was interviewed by the Pendle Movie Makers who record for posterity significant events in Pendle’s history. They plan to put a film together sometime in the future.
I interview Kelly our Economic Development officer for Pendle Movie Makers
I followed this with a meeting with our Economic Development team on our updated plans for a business awards evening. The event seems to be coming together well and we plan to hold it at the Fence Gate Inn on Wednesday 27th February.
Wednesday 19 December
At 1pm I went to the start of site work for the new ACE centre, which will be built on Russell Street/Cross Street in Nelson.
Another new build in Nelson - the ACE centre
This significant new creative new building will be an Arts and Community facility to replace the old Civic and Silverman Halls. Local people can now see that there is more regeneration going on in Nelson town centre than there has been for many years.
Between 2pm and 3pm I invited all of Pendle’s staff to drop in to my Parlour for a Christmas Drink. I welcomed many members of staff that I have known for many years and some new faces.
In the evening I attended Barnoldswick Town Council where I remained as vice-chair as we appointed Coun. Bell to be the chair for the remaining of the year to replace the chairman who had resigned.
Thursday 20 December
In the morning we held our monthly board meeting at Printoff Graphic Arts Ltd where I am chairman. We also presented all of our staff with a bottle of Champagne.
Friday 21 December
We completed our tour of the Borough’s shopping towns by visiting Barrowford and Colne
Beeches butchers show off their finest sausages
to encourage more local people to support our many excellent small local shops.
Edmondon's shop was full of gift ideas
Starting in Barrowford we visited Chris at Village Fayre, and then to Beech's Butchers, across the road to Edmondson Interiors and then we popped in to Humberstone’s Jewellers
Humberstones had an unusual Christmas tree
where we were shown round their handsome shop before having a welcome cup of coffee.
A White Room had lots of different modern furnitureWe the drove up to Colne and started our visit at A White Room, which is a very trendy interior design shop, run by Kelly & David Riley.
The Butcher in the Market hall showed me his flying pig
Our next call was at Ocarina, which sells Fairtrade products, then across the road to Flowers of Distinction, followed by a visit to Colne Book Shop
I could have browsed in Colne book shop all day
where I bought a few books including A plain cookery book for the working classes, first published in1852. Recipes include how to make sick-diet jelly and how to make gruel!
A sherry and mince pie in the Market hall kept us goingWe then called in to Colne Market Hall and met the hall keeper Ian Varley who showed us around.
Shaws greengrocers was filled to bursting with vegetables for Christmas Dinner
We met with a lot of the stallholders, the Christmas band and with Father Christmas.
We meet Stuart - visiting from Scotland
Whilst in there we saw Stuart Swain who used to work with me several years ago, but who has lived in Scotland since retiring.
Father Christmas takes a short break from seeing the children of Colne
Our final call was at Graham's Poultry, - Graham is the Chair of the Colne Town Centre Forum. 
Graham is kept busy at Christmas
Whilst in Colne we picked up the new Events Guide for the Muni. The guide publicises our Meet Buzz Hawkins and the Bradshaws, which is on Friday 8th February at the Muni. Tickets only £10.
From there we went to Printoff’s works Christmas party in the afternoon.
We now do not have any Mayoral events to attend until the week commencing January 7th so there will be a gap of a couple of weeks on my blog. So - best wishes for a great New Year.
