News, comment and gossip for Horsington, the Cheritons and surrounding villages in Somerset
Reports are filtering in that Music Nights at the Half Moon are getting lively. And now someone has sent BloggoVision a video which they assure us was filmed in the Half Moon. We don’t believe it -the flat hat is a giveaway! The decor looks different. And they are far too lively. But enjoy anyway.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSIUf2hD6Io&feature=plc
Horsington Village Hall now has a website, where you can see what’s on and who to contact for the various activities which go on there.
You can also make enquiries or book the hall for your own event.
The Blog welcomes this new member of Horsington’s on line family.
Thanks to everyone who took part in the survey. Altogether a massive 17 people took part, a response that indicates either a huge level of indifference to the blog, or feverish activity on Christmas preparations and festivities by the rest of the villages. We fear it was the former.
The answers we got were encouraging though . It indicates that though we may be low on subscribers, quite a few people dip in from time to time without being prompted by email.
There were 46 votes on the qualitative aspects of the Blog, which indicates that many respondents ticked more than one box in the second, multiple choice question. So we know that the blog keeps people informed, makes them laugh, is interesting, useful and well written, in that order. No-one thought it was a load of rubbish, or unfunny.
The purpose of the survey was to discover if the blog enjoys enough support in the village for the editor to plod on with it. Well yes it does, just, but only just. The blog is for you the readers, not a vanity project for the editor. You can help improve it by writing something about the village, what you like, what you hate, tell us about events which you are organising and comment on news as it happens.
Sign up for (free) email notifications and encourage your friends and neighbours to do the same. It’s really easy.
Happy New Year – Have an excellent 2013
Ed
The Blog has been favoured with another communication from Mrs Badger. Welcome back ma’am. She writes:
“Dear Editor,
I got very excited watching the Victoria Wood video which you so thoughtfully provided, and naturally my thoughts turned to disappointing or non-performance and thence to the problems facing the US economy and this Fiscal Cliff thing.. It is so long since I worked in the City that I haven’t the faintest notion of what it’s all about. Could you enlighten us please?
Certainly my dear. Imagine a household budget:
Annual family income: £21,700
Money the family spent: £38,200
New debt on the credit card:£16,500
Outstanding balance on the credit card: £142,710
Total budget cuts so far: £385
To put this into perspective for the US economy, simply add 8 noughts to each of the above numbers, and substitute “USA” for “household”.
Easy. Now can anyone come up with a solution? The UK and European situations are not so different.
Wallets are notoriously and painfully tight in January. The Half Moon has come to the rescue with two promotions – Sunday Carvery and Dessert, only £10 per head until 26 January.
Curry nights return on Tuesdays from 6-29th January. Two delicious home made curries for a tenner. Unbeatable value.
And don’t forget, you can get 3 premium Balvenie pure malt whiskies for under £9.00, with a fourth, complimentary Monkey Shoulder thrown in. Until the whisky runs out. Cheers.
Something missing? Email the editor editor@idnet.com
Regular activities (village hall unless stated).
Mondays Pilates 6pm
Tuesdays Upholstery 10.30 am , Badminton 8pm,
Wednesdays Adult tap dancing 6.15
Thursdays Art 10.00
Fridays Art 10.00
Click here to go to the Village hall Website
Other events
Wednesday 2nd January Half Moon Music Night, 8.45
Thursday 3rd January Horsington WI Christmas/New Year Dinner, Village hall, 7.30 Barrel of laughs Comedy Club, Nog Inn, Wincanton £8.00 or £10.00 on door Tel 32998 More . . .
Tuesday 8 January Curry night returns to the Half Moon. Two for a tenner! (Until 29 January)
Thursday 10th January Parish Council, 7.30, Village Hall
Open Mic Night (turn up and play, or just listen, Nog Inn Wincanton, 9pm. More . . .
St John’s Church services
6th January 9.15 amHoly Communion with Sunday School
13th January 11.00am Morning Prayer
20th January 9.15 am Holy Communion
27th January 8.30am Holy Communion
The friendly and relaxed Half Moon Music Night kicks off the New Year on Wednesday the 2nd of January at around 8.45 p.m. in Horsington. Please come and join us to play, sing and say whilst enjoying a beer; it is completely free apart from the drinks. Further details from Anna 01963-370749.
A special Christmas treat from BloogoVision. Select full screen, get a cup of cocoa, turn up the volume and enjoy!
The expected invitation to Sandringham (and/or Chequers) has not materialised (again), so your Editor is spending Christmas in Horsington polishing his sub-aqua gear and rubber dinghy in expectation of the next deluge.
We wish all our readers and subscribers an excellent, happy and renewing Christmas.
Thanks for your support. Keep reading. Tell your friends. Write something.
And look out for the elderly, the sick and recently bereaved this Christmas.
With very best wishes, The Editor.
Don’t forget to do the readers survey – it will only take a few painless seconds
South Somerset District Council met last week to discuss a full agenda. Among the items was a proposal to remove the discount on second homes and grant exemption to certain properties undergoing refurbishment or major alterations.
These are the proposals:
1. the removal of the 10% discount applied to second homes, charging 100% of Council Tax; (This would add £117,000 to the council’s revenues)
2. the removal of the 10% discount applied to properties that have been empty for more than 6 months, charging 100% of Council Tax; (This would raise £125,000)
3. the introduction of a 50% premium charge for dwellings that have been empty for more than two years; (This will raise £274,000)
4. the introduction of a 100% discount for a period of up to three months where a dwelling is unoccupied and unfurnished; (The current period is 6 months. This proposal will raise £396,000)
5. the introduction of a 100% discount for up to 12 months to replicate the current Class A exemption from Council Tax for dwellings that are unoccupied and unfurnished and require, or are undergoing, major repair works or structural alterations to render them habitable. (No gain or loss of revenue).
These reforms will bring in an additional £912,00 per year, of which £92,110 will go to South Somerset District Council, and the lion’s share, £643,010 will go to Somerset County Council and other preceptors.
Sadly, not enough to trigger a reduction in Council Tax from the most expensive local authority in Somerset.