Review of the year: Giant scarecrow, peregrine chick and mystery crash

APRIL begins with a strong warning from Extinction Rebellion over river pollution. Yellow signs installed around River Park, Winnall Moors and The Weirs criticise Southern Water for illegal discharges.

The signs read: “Warning toxic water brought to you by Southern Water.

“Shocking and wholesale disregard for the environment, for precious, delicate ecosystems and coastlines and human health.”

Winchester Cathedral peregrine, Winnie, says hello to her first chick of the year.

Newborn Rosie will be ready to fly the nest in June. The return of peregrines in recent years is a huge conservation success story.

Rosie the peregrine chick (Image: Nigel Jones)

Hampshire company, The Little Pub Group, saves The Roebuck Inn. The pub, in Stockbridge Road, re-opens with a new staff team and fresh look after it was forced to close under its previous owners, who were accused of not paying their employees.

Manager Reza Najafi said: “We’re so happy to be here and open to the community. The amount of local residents coming in has been overwhelming, absolutely brilliant.”

Winchester parkrun celebrates its 10th anniversary. More than 400 runners take part in the milestone event.

Volunteer co-ordinator Ann Stanhope gets a special mention. She ran in Winchester’s inaugural parkrun and has volunteered 291 times - as well as running 207 times. 

Winchester parkrun's 10th anniversary meet (Image: Emma-Louise Precious)

The city centre says goodbye to popular Italian restaurant chain Prezzo. The Winchester branch, in Jewry Street, is one of 46 to permanently close.

Election hopeful Harry Johnson-Hill is standing in two wards more than 120 miles apart. The 21-year-old Conservative candidate is aiming to top the polls in his home town of Alresford and Essex, where he lives as a student.

Current Alresford ward councillor, Russell Gordon-Smith, said: "It is a bit unfair on both places that he is canvassing to get support and people believe that he will be devoted to that area.”

May

CONTROVERSY continues in the run-up to the city council elections with candidate Charlie Wise.

The Liberal Democrat comes under fire for posing with an AK-47-gun replica in his Facebook profile picture.

Mr Wise tells the Chronicle that the photo was taken in a museum in Prague in 2016.

Election day sees the Lib Dems tighten their grip on the council increasing their numbers to 30 councillors, while the Conservatives slip from 13 to 12.

Former staff and patients rally around top doctor Martyn Pitman who was sacked by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Ex-colleagues believe his forced departure was due to him being a whistle blower, who spoke up for midwives and patient safety after a three-year “witch hunt” by the NHS trust.

Coronation celebrations sweep the district to welcome our new King. More than 200 bellringers from Winchester and surrounding areas pull together for the special coronation ringing.

Alresford Station street party (Image: Stuart Martin)

One of Winchester’s longest serving independent shops announces it will be re-locating to Italy.

Family business Forme, which sells Italian gift and homeware items, opened in Parchment Street in 1999.

The shop makes it move to be closer to family and help relieve the financial burden of Brexit.

Manager Andrew Butling, 54, who runs the shop with his wife Celeste and parents-in-law Maurizio and Silvia Ponzellini, said: “We’re moving for very happy family reasons.”

Alresford resident Glenn Walsh holds onto his 15-year winning streak at the Watercress Eating Championship at the annual Watercress Festival. Mr Walsh devours 85g of watercress in 31.29 seconds.

Mystery surrounds an unusual car crash by Winchester College. A three-point turn looks to have gone disastrously wrong in the usually quiet College Street.

A silver Ford crashes into the school’s wall, leaving the car straddling the pavement and a flower bed in the Warden's Garden.

Car crashes through College Street wall (Image: Contributed)

June

WINCHESTER City Council ends free overnight parking. The proposal gets the go ahead from cabinet member for climate emergency Cllr Kelsie Learney.

An overnight charge equivalent to two hours of the daily rate will apply for off-street parking after 7pm and before 8am in central car parks in Colebrook Street, Cossack Lane, Middle Brook Street, Gladstone Street, Friarsgate, Jewry Street, St Peter’s, Tower Street and Guildhall Yard.

A giant Bagpuss scarecrow is up for auction to raise money for St Francis Animal Welfare.

The winner of the Owslebury Scarecrow Competition finds its permanent home at Osborne School, a special school in Winchester, following a winning bid of £200 by parent Emily Loretto.

The 1.7m tall creation, by Paul and Emma Simmons, even attracts the attention of his onscreen owner Emily Firmin who starred in the show as a girl.

Bagpuss at Osborne School (Image: Paul Simmons)

Steve Brine announces he will be standing down as the MP for Winchester and Chandler’s Ford at the next General Election.

Mr Brine was first elected in 2010 but believes it’s time for “a new chapter” in his life.

He said: “Going forward, I feel I can pursue some of the issues I care about - in health and perhaps elsewhere - outside Parliament as well as within.”

The future of one of Winchester’s last remaining independent pubs is on the rocks, with soaring gas and electric bills taking their toll.

Rising Sun owner Rob Plunton and his family (Image: Rob Plunton)

Rob Plunton, owner of The Rising Sun, said: “The future of the pub is not looking good. Full closure is definitely on the cards, we’re in need of a miracle.”

There are changes in the taxi service at the railway station. Tensions rise between Wintax and Winchester’s hackney carriage drivers, with Wintax purchasing a four-year tender from South Western Railway (SWR) to use the bays directly outside the station.

Carol McGill, of Colson Road, Winnall, has been getting taxis for years but said the new system is “absolute chaos” after trying to get a taxi with her friend and her dog.