ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 24 MARCH 1893

ANTON FISHING CLUB

Mr.Fowle, the proprietor of the late Anton Fishing Club, which was always held in such high esteem by the late Francis Francis, is still the owner of the upper portion of the river, the only available reach of this once celebrated club. He again proposes to re-establish a small select club on water which extends from the town of Andover, including Pitts Mill, nearly to Rooksbury Mill, and the fishing is about a mile in extent. This reach, during the existence of the late Anton Club, contained some of the largest trout in the river, and was considered by many anglers the best water. Mr.Fowle has lately been to great expense in having the river cleaned; he also purposes [sic] putting in a large quantity of small fry, and is having the water strictly preserved.-The Field.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 22 MARCH 1918

NOTICE — TEDWORTH HUNT

WILL Farmers and others who have OLD HORSES, &c., to dispose of (dead or alive) kindly let E.James, The Kennels, Tidworth, know, as he is very short of flesh at present.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 26 MARCH 1943

CORRESPONDENCE — RE-PLANNING

Sir,—So much interest and discussion has been aroused regarding the question of re-planning our countryside and the houses in which the people will have to live that every aspect of material—natural and otherwise—should be considered. Having been shown houses made of chalk pise [*]—good houses too—has made me wonder as to its real potentialities.

Surely this would be an economic as well as a decorative and substantial material for our re-building. The laying of damp-courses, and other modern developments in housing would overcome all the obstacles against such a use, and look at the saving in cost.

I wonder if any of those interested, live in, or know of, chalk houses, their age, stability, etc., and would be grateful if they would let me know the details.—Yours, etc., L.G.SIMS, 107, Millway Road, Andover.

[*Compiler’s note: Pise — Building material of stiff clay or earth, forced between boards which are removed as it hardens.]

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 22 MARCH 1968

PLAN TO EXTRACT GRAVEL AND SAND AT WHERWELL FACES BITTER OPPOSITION

The Countess of Brecknock will face bitter opposition to her plan to extract gravel and sand from 69 acres of land near Wherwell Primary School when she returns from Africa at the week-end.

News of the project – which will be discussed by Andover Rural District Council next month – has been received with consternation.

Resolutions have been passed by Wherwell and Chilbolton Parish Councils condemning the plan which, it is claimed, would “create an eyesore in the famous valley of the River Test.”

The parish councils and a number of residents of both villages have sent letters of protest to Hampshire County Council. A petition signed by 30 villagers — none of whom are employed by Lady Brecknock — has also been sent to the county council.

And objections have been lodged by the Test and Itchen Fishing Association and the Council for the Preservation of Rural England.

Main criticisms of the project are that additional heavy traffic which would inevitably use the narrow village roads would endanger the lives of residents, especially children attending the school; it would have a detrimental effect on “one of the loveliest valleys in England” and would ruin the famous fishing on the River Test.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 26 MARCH 1993

END OF THE LINE AS LOCOMOTORS BECOMES HISTORY

Last Friday was a sad day for the remaining employees of Locomotors in Andover.

The 40 strong workforce clocked in for the last time to say farewell to a company that has been part of the Andover scene for 71 years.

Founded in 1922 as the Hovis coachworks the company expanded into the specialist vehicles market – becoming one of Britain’s largest and most respected suppliers of fire engines and other specifically adapted transport.

The company ran through several changes of hands before a management buy-out in 1987 made the business an independent concern.

But last year it hit difficulties in the wake of the currency and interest fluctuations of ‘Black Wednesday’

Redundancies followed and in December receivers were brought in to try and sell the business. They were unsuccessful.

TEN YEARS AGO — 21 MARCH 2008

STORE WARS!

Sainsbury’s is the latest supermarket giant to make its stand in Andover’s store wars as it prepares to move into the old Focus DIY building.

The store, which has occupied its current premises in Borden Gate for just over two years, has been competing for customers against the newly-opened Asda and the 24-hour Tesco through intense advertising.

Andover now has five supermarkets (Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and Lidl) all vying for customers.

In the weeks leading up to Asda’s official opening on 7 March the majority of the town’s supermarkets battled it out in the pages of The Andover Advertiser and The Midweek Advertiser.

Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have each used multiple adverts to bring in more customers. Some of the stores have also been distributing leaflets to hundreds of homes to keep the attention of their customers and to encourage more through their doors. Sainsbury’s will be moving to a site on the edge of town at the Enham Arch roundabout previously occupied by Focus DIY. Building work is already under way for a complete refit and refurbishment. A Sainsbury’s spokeswoman said the new store would increase the provision of shopping in the town for its customers. “Sainsbury's has been looking to improve its offer to Andover shoppers for some time and the opportunity of purchasing the store at Shepherds Spring Lane emerged following the decision by Focus DIY to cease trading from the site,” she said. And she added: “The town centre store remains unaffected by our occupation of the former Focus DIY building.”