Debbie Rogers, of The Boutique, won Businessperson of the Year at the Grantham Journal Business Awards on Wednesday night.

Debbie told the 260 guests at the awards, in the grounds of Belton House, that independent retailers provide that ‘personal touch’. She also said a tearful thank you to her husband Ian.

The runners-up were Adam Lascelles, of Winkworth Estate Agents, and Denise Shaw, of Keniki Nails and Beauty.

May 7 is not only the date of the General Election, but also that of the election for South Kesteven District Council.

Voters will be asked to head to the polling stations to choose the district councillors they want to represent their wards.

These councillors will be tasked with making decisions which affect the district.

Here is the list of candidates standing in wards in the Journal’s news coverage area.

**Aveland Ward (one seat)

Conservative: Peter James Moseley, of East Street, Rippingale

Labour: Muriel Anne Snowden, of Highcliffe Road, Grantham

**Belmont Ward (two seats)

Conservative: George Charles Roy Chivers, of Fifth Avenue, Grantham

Conservative: Nicholas Paul Craft

Labour: Richard John Galvin, of Wroxall Drive, Grantham

Labour: Vic Smith, of Signal Road, Grantham

**Belvoir Ward (two seats)

Conservative: Pam Bosworth, of Grange Paddock, Barrowby

Labour: Jonathan Robert Wacey, of Bradley Drive, Grantham

Conservative: Tom Webster, of Main Street, Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir

**Castle Ward (one seat)

Labour: Jean Joyce, of Scottlethorpe Road, Edenham

UKIP: David Colin Plowright, of Croake Hill, Swinstead

Conservative: Nick Robins, of Halford Close, South Witham

**Glen Ward (one seat)

UKIP: Patrick Beese, of Pinfold Road, Castle Bytham

Conservative: Martin Paul Wilkins, of Rutland Close, South Witham

**Grantham Arnoldfield Ward (two seats)

Labour: Cash Carraway, of Sidney Street, Grantham

Labour: Tanwir M O Rahman Chowdhury, of Mayflower Mews, Grantham

Conservative: Helen Goral, of Lindisfarne Way, Grantham

Independent: Alfie Kent, of Lynden Avenue, Gonerby Hill Foot

UKIP: Jean Patricia Taylor, of Bramblewood Close, Gonerby Hill Foot

UKIP: Mike Taylor, of Bramblewood Close, Gonerby Hill Foot

Conservative: Dean Anthony William Ward, of Denton Avenue, Grantham

**Grantham Barrowby Gate Ward (two seats)

UKIP: John Andrew Allan, of Richmond Drive, Grantham

Conservative: Lynda Mary Coutts, of Winchester Road, Grantham

UKIP: Simon Howard Finch, of Dysart Road, Grantham

Green: Sam Hadlow, of Barrowby Road, Grantham

Independent: Ian Nicholas Mihill, of Barrowby Road, Grantham

Labour: Anne Ropson, of New Beacon Road, Grantham

Labour: David Julian Simpson, of St Catherine’s Road, Grantham

Conservative: Frank Austin Turner, of Barrowby Road, Grantham

**Grantham Earlesfield Ward (two seats)

UKIP: Felicity Margaret Mary Cunningham, of Alexandra Road, Grantham

Labour: Tracey Ann Forman, of New Beacon Road, Grantham

Labour: Rob Shorrock, of New Beacon Road, Grantham

**Grantham Harrowby Ward (two seats)

Labour: Mark Timothy Ashberry, of Kenwick Drive, Grantham

Labour: Sue Orwin, of Manthorpe Road, Grantham

Independent: Ian Edward Selby, of Princess Drive, Grantham

Independent: Bruce Victor Wells, of Keats Avenue, Grantham

Lincolnshire Independents: Mike Williams, of Chelmsford Drive, Grantham

Conservative: Linda Wootten, of Manthorpe Road, Grantham

**Grantham Springfield Ward (two seats)

Labour: Mark Franklyn Bartlett, of Valley Road, Grantham

Green: Gerhard Lohmann-Bond, of Glen Close, Little Bytham

Conservative: Nikki Manterfield, of Wyville Road, Grantham

UKIP: Maureen Patricia Simon, of Harlaxton Road, Grantham

Conservative: Adam Neil Stokes, of Tissington Road, Grantham

Labour: Caz Thomson, of Queen Street, Grantham

**Grantham St Vincent’s Ward (three seats)

UKIP: Donald Charles Atkinson, of Springfield Road, Grantham

Conservative: Mike Cook, of Dudley Road, Grantham

Green: Caroline Virginia Coram, of Harrowby Road, Grantham

Independent: Patsy Ellis, of Harrowby Road, Grantham

Conservative: Graham Frank Jeal, of St Vincent’s Road, Grantham

Conservative: Stuart McBride, of Peascliffe Drive, Grantham

Labour: Charmaine Dawn Morgan, of Harrowby Road, Grantham

Labour: John George Morgan, of Harrowby Road, Grantham

Labour: Alex Morse, of Hall Lane, Harrowby

Independent: Anita Doreen Selby, of Village Street, Westby

**Grantham St Wulfram’s Ward (two seats)

Labour: Stephen Christopher Diggines, of Avenue Road, Grantham

Labour: Yvonne Bernadette Gibbins, of Great Northern Court, Grantham

UKIP: Paul Michael Martin, of Lodge Way, Grantham

Conservative: Jacky Smith, of Low Road, Manthorpe

Conservative: Ray Wootten, of Manthorpe Road, Grantham

**Isaac Newton Ward (two seats)

Conservative: Bob Adams, of Dallygate, Great Ponton

UKIP: Derek Sylvester Creasey, of Moor Lane, South Witham

Labour: Paul Brian Jacklin, of Harlaxton Road, Grantham

Conservative: Andrea Kathleen Webster, of Main Street, Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir

**Lincrest Ward (one seat)

Conservative: Peter Francis Howard Stephens, of Old Somerby

Labour: Lee Andrew Steptoe, of Anson Close, Grantham

**Loveden Heath Ward (one seat)

Conservative: Alexander Paul Maughan, of Brookside Close, Grantham

Independent: Bob Sampson, of South Heath Lane, Fulbeck

**Morton Ward (one seat)

Conservative: Frances Jean Cartwright, of Aveland Way, Aslackby

Independent: Richard John Wells, of Station Road, Morton

**Peascliffe and Ridgeway Ward (two seats)

Independent: John David Andrews, of Marratts Lane, Great Gonerby

Conservative: Rosemary Kaberry-Brown, of Heath Farm Close, Sudbrook

Conservative: Ian Stokes, of Easthorpe Road, Great Gonerby

Independent: Jeff Thompson, of Belton Lane, Great Gonerby

**Toller Ward (one seat)

Conservative: Mike King, of Folkingham Road, Billingborough

Liberal Democrat: Brian Withnall, of Church Lane, Folkingham

**Viking Ward (two seats)

Independent: Laura Jane King, of Bayford Drive, Newark

Conservative: Sarah Jayne Stokes, of Easthorpe Road, Great Gonerby

Conservative: Katy Wilks, of Manor Drive, Great Gonerby

Independent: Paul Wood, of The Pastures, Long Bennington

Mark Bates Ltd won the Judges’ Excellence Award at the Grantham Journal Business awards 2015 on Wednesday.

Grantham Business Club chairman Stuart Pigram, in presenting the award, said the company had shown significant growth, a commitment to community and sporting events and a strong and committed management team.

Mr Bates described it as a ‘huge surprise’.

Four teenagers, the youngest just 13, have been handed anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) lasting three years after terrorising residents on Grantham’s Earlesfield estate and causing £5,000 worth of damage to The Meres.

Cameron Hart, 13, Tom Clawson, 17, Macauley Harman, 15, and Liam Finlow, 15, were part of a campaign of anti-social behaviour in and around the estate which included the vandalism at the leisure centre.

The ASBOs were made just days before it was announced that the first phase of a £600,000 upgrade of improvements to The Meres is to begin, the first of which is a revamp of the cafe to a Costa Coffee shop.

The teenagers verbally abused people, threw missiles at passers-by and property and shone laser lights at car drivers. They were also involved in theft and damage to jump mats at The Meres, being obstructive, trespass, damage to doors and shutters and other acts of vandalism.

In spite of repeated warnings by police and South Kesteven District Council to stop their behaviour, they continued to cause harassment, alarm and distress elsewhere in Grantham town centre and on Dysart Retail Park.

The youths were part of a larger group of teenagers who caused damage and concern to residents and businesses around the town.

The four youths received the three year orders at Grantham Magistrates’ Court on April 9 which stated they must not:

* Engage in conduct which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to others or inciting or encouraging others to do so within Grantham

* Enter certain areas within the Earlesfield Estate including Grantham Meres Leisure Centre and Hornsby Road shops

* Be in any public place within the district of South Kesteven with each other and another six youths who cannot be named for legal reasons

SKDC’s business manager for neighbourhoods Mark Jones said: “As a large group they were intimidating and frightening to members of the public, often using extremely offensive language towards their targets.

“People were scared to say anything to them because of the fear of repercussions.

“We will always adopt a proportionate response when dealing with individuals who impact so negatively upon our communities. Educating and encouraging them to modify their behaviour but where that is proving ineffective, enforcement action will always follow.”

PC Kay McManus from Lincolnshire Police said: “If anyone sees a breach of these conditions set out by the court, police should be contacted on the non-emergency number 101.”

SKDC’s Antisocial Behaviour Officer Mel Sinnott added: “There were several other youths who did listen to the warnings we gave them. They stopped their behaviour and stayed away from the places we requested them to.”

In addition to the ASBOs, possession proceedings were sought on two SKDC council tenants for the parents’ lack of control of their children.

The new Costa Coffee shop at the leisure centre replaces the existing cafe.

Neil King, managing director at 1Life which manages the leisure centre, said: “As part of the five year contract extension that SKDC has awarded to 1Life, we have made a commitment to developing a range of new services at Grantham Meres. We wanted to be able to provide our centre visitors with a coffee shop solution that offered a quality product that was backed by excellent service.”

JMP Solicitors won Business of the Year at the Grantham Journal Business Awards 2015 on Wednesday.

JMP managing director Ian Howard said: “After 14 years it is great to get this recognition. We feel very much part of Grantham and it is an exciting time to be here.”

The runners-up were Gilder Care and Mark Bates Ltd.

A schoolboy has suffered head injuries after he was in collision with a car in Stonebridge Road outside Grantham College.

Police have closed off Stonebridge Road while they investigate the incident.

The boy, who is believed to be under 10, was airlifted to Queen’s Medical Centre by air ambulance, from the nearby Paddock. Police say his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The incident happened just before 4pm.

Police would like witnesses to call them on the non-emergency 101 number with any information, quoting incident number 283 of today.

A boy, believed to be under 10, suffered head injuries this afternoon after being in collision with a car near Grantham College.

Police closed off Stonebridge Road while they investigated the incident.

The boy was airlifted to Queen’s Medical Centre by air ambulance, from the nearby Paddock. Police say his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The incident happened just before 4pm.

Police would like witnesses to call them on the non-emergency 101 number with any information, quoting incident number 283 of today.

It was a busy weekend for a select group of athletes representing Belvoir Tri Club at events both home and away.

Another early season race for a small group of Belvoir Tri Club athletes saw Adam Jackson take third place overall in 1hr 6min 29sec at the RAF Scampton Sprint Duathlon run by Lincoln Tri.

Joining Adam were Kevin Gench and Wayne France, who was recovering from a recent illness, who came home in 14th (1:12:30) and 34th (1:26:41) places respectively.

Elsewhere in the region, Paul Kerr and Louise George flew the flag at Belvoir Half-marathon, with Paul finishing in a very respectable 17th place with a finishing time of 1:21:46. Louise George recorded 2:11:09.

Adding a continental twist to the weekend, Tim Dawson took to the famous pavé of the Paris-Roubaix road race course when he took part in the Paris-Roubaix Challenge on Saturday.

He covered the 168km distance with 52km of cobbled sections in 6hr 50 min in a field of 4,500 riders.

Tim said: “It was amazing to get there and be amongst so many riders, and then see Peter Pain from Witham Wheelers on the start line.”

l Belvoir Tri’s summer schedule gets underway in May with a focus on road riding and open water swimming. The club’s Saturday morning beginners’ swim coaching started last week with six swimmers of varying abilities taking to the water.

If you feel you are confident in the water but would like to be able to improve your freestyle technique in a safe and friendly environment, then pop along, the session is open to members and non-members alike.

E-mail info@belvoirtriclub.co.uk

SATURDAY

Football

Northern Premier League

Premier Division – Trafford v Grantham Town (3pm).

United Counties League

Premier Division – Northampton Sileby Rangers v Harrowby United (3pm).

Grantham & District Saturday League

Premier Division (1.45pm) – Aslockton Cranmers Reserves v Caythorpe, Cranmer Arms v Beehive United.

Grantham Hospital Charity Cup – Ancaster Rams v Blue Pig (at Ancaster playing fields, 1.45pm).

Cricket

Unicorns Trophy (50 overs)

Group stage – Lincolnshire v Cheshire (at Grantham CC, Gorse Lane)

Lincolnshire ECB Premier League

Skegness v Grantham (12pm).

South Lincolnshire & Border League

Premier Division (1pm) – Boston v Belton Park, Spalding 2nd v Billingborough.

Division One – Grantham 3rd v Skegness 2nd, Welby v Heckington.

Friendly – Trent College v Belvoir (1pm).

SUNDAY

Arion Grantham & District Sunday League

Premier Division Cup Final – Osbournby Rangers v Nobody Inn Athletic.

Lincolnshire Intermediate League

South Under-18 – Collingham v Harrowby United (10.45am).

Cricket

Grantham & Melton Association

Division Two (1.30pm) – Barrowby v Syston Town.

TUESDAY

Football

United Counties League

Premier Division – Harrowby United v Deeping Rangers (7.45pm).

THURSDAY

Lincolnshire Intermediate League

Appleby Frodingham v Harrowby United (7.30pm).

FOOTBALL RESULTS

Northern Premier League

Premier Division – Grantham Town 1 Ilkeston FC 0.

United Counties League

Premier Division – Yaxley 2 Harrowby United 4.

Arion Grantham & District Sunday League

Premier Division – Ropsley 6 Helpringham Rovers 0.

Division One – Caythorpe Sports & Social 4 Totemic 0.

Division One Cup Final – Ruskington 2 Nobody Inn Athletic Reserves 1.

The uncertain future of Grantham Hospital has featured in the Journal’s columns more frequently than many readers who depend upon its services may have wished.

Sadly, every time a specific question is asked of United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust we get ducking and diving responses which do not actually address the question.

What sort of confidence can people have when they are told by ULHT that there are “no plans to alter the ‘type of patient’ seen going through the doors of Grantham A&E”? How many people are thinking: “What ‘type ofpatient’ am I going to be classified as?”

ULHT chief executive Jane Lewington uses the word “unfortunately” to preface her statement that “services at Grantham will have to change”, before kicking the planned Grantham day surgery unit into the long grass. We are given no specific information as to the original day surgery remit, including timing and capital costs - so yet more obfuscation.

ULHT must be either devious or dim if they don’t understand that the people who pay them simply want honest answers to crucially important local questions.

Brian Bruce

Colsterworth

Police have confirmed a boy who was injured in a road accident yesterday in Grantham suffered a minor head injury.

The 10-year-old local boy was in collision with a Chrysler Voyager near to Grantham College on Stonebridge Road at about 4pm. The car was driven by a 33-year-old Grantham woman.

The boy was flown to Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, by air ambulance which had landed in the nearby Paddock. No-one else was injured.

This year marks Bob McKinlay’s third term as president of the Rotary Club of Grantham Kesteven, which he has been a member of since 1988.

Before that he was also part of Rotary clubs in Newark and Hemsworth, and says that Rotary is a great way to help people and to make good friends.

As president he enjoys getting to attend lots of events, including recently the Children of Courage awards. He said that he was very proud to be there as the front man of the club rewarding youngsters for their remarkable achievements.

The 67-year-old used to work in the automotive industry, with 35 years at ball bearing manufacturers RHP, which has since become NSK.

Bob remains only semi-retired, as he now uses his experience to teach students at both Grantham College and Loughborough College. He helps them earn their National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in Lean Manufacturing, which as the name suggests is the study of how to reduce waste during the production process.

As well as getting to pass on his knowledge to the younger generation, he also particularly likes to see older students earn what may be their first ever qualification.

Bob lives in Allington with his wife of 46 years Mary, who works at Easton Walled Gardens. They have a son and daughter, Iain and Claire, and two granddaughters, Katie and Lucy.

When Rotary or teaching isn’t keeping him busy, Bob likes to either indulge in his life-long interest in old buses, or go for a round of golf, although he stresses he is not the greatest player. Yet he always participates in Rotary’s annual golf competition at Belton Park, and encourages anyone interested in taking part in this year’s event on June 11 to enter, with details on the Rotary club’s website at tinyurl.com/7q6jbtq

Graffiti is repeatedly being cleaned off but then reappearing on a bridge behind the Riverside sheltered housing complex.

The issue was first flagged up by 18-year-old Lewis John, who noticed the graffiti while doing some filming around the river as part of his media college course.

He said: “This is really getting out of hand - we need to catch the people who are doing this!”

While the graffiti was then removed, the Journal visited the spot again on Friday only to discover more in its place, with the defiant ‘We will tag’.

Speaking to surrounding residents, it appears that this is by no means the first time. A female tenant who preferred to remain anonymous said: “It’s terrible isn’t it. And it keeps coming back.”

Cindy Brom, 66, of Riverside said: “It is such a shame. It’s been going on for years. I’ve seen them doing it, a group of them who sit there and throw their cans over the wall into the river.”

Although she cannot be sure, Ms Brom estimates that the group are aged between 14 and 16 years old.

She also pointed out that a post by the wall appears to have been part of a former gate, and that reinstalling this might help tackle the problem in a similar way to the gate by Redcross Street.

Not owning a brand new, state-of-the-art car, I’m intrigued by the design of newer cars and wonder if your readers may be able to help and confirm my suspicions.

I have noticed that most cars now seem to lack those little orangey-yellow lights on the front, rear and sides that tell other drivers that you are planng to turn, exit a roundabout or change lanes. We used to call them indicators. They were really quite useful, as they gave us an idea of what other drivers might be about to do. As I’m sure you can appreciate, waiting for long periods of time to enter a roundabout because drivers do not indicate their intention to exit can get quite frustrating. It used to take us a split second to activate the indicators, usually with a little stalk behind the steering wheel.

I can only assume that new cars are fitted with some sort of device that allows them to read the mind of their driver and then relay this to other cars (presumably fitted with similar devices), thus creating a network of cars communicating with one another and knowing what each one is about to do. Unfortunately, this shuts those of us without these intelligent state-of-the-art vehicles out of the communication network, leaving us merely to second guess what other drivers are about to do, increasing frustration and accident risk.

Would readers be able to confirm my suspicions and perhaps explain a little more how this interesting system works?

Curious

By email

Kevin Turner, deputy chief executive from United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, has responded to my enquiry over the future plans for Grantham Hospital A&E.

There are plans to provide an ambulatory emergency care centre at Grantham Hospital. This concerning news raises more questions. Research indicates that ambulatory emergency care centres provide a centre for care where patients are assessed but not admitted overnight. Instead they are treated within the day or required to come back for further exploratory assessment under appointment.

If so, this is a far cry from the A&E service that existed at Grantham Hospital a decade ago. I have asked for a clarification regarding what this news really means for A&E provision at the hospital including any ramifications for wards with the function of caring for critically ill patients.

Hospital administrators are keen to assure us there is a future for Grantham ‘as a model hospital’. Real improvements to elective (planned) care are very welcome. However exactly what the ‘model’ is that is proposed for our hospital may be a far cry from what local people and visitors to this area need in terms of acute care and what we had.

Cuts to our local A&E and our maternity unit put us at risk. For some conditions time is a critical factor. On a trip to Lincoln this Tuesday via the A1/A46 traffic was at a virtual standstill. It is a sobering thought that this is the preferred route for our ambulance crews between Grantham and Lincoln.

Newark Hospital is also coming under scrutiny as people there share our issues with delays and a lack of acute care locally.

According to a review the NHS is now in real difficulties. Most NHS trusts across England are running out of money. In the East Midlands the NHS trusts at Peterborough and Stamford, Sherwood Forest Hospitals, North Lincs and Goole and Kettering are all struggling. This dreadful situation must not continue.

Amazingly Mandy Charles, 50, who works full-time and is a single mother to her children Elspeth, 14, and Sam, 20, has found time to write five books.

The latest, titled Draped in Deceit, is a young adult mystery tale with dark, supernatural elements, and is the first in a planned four-book series. Mandy told the Journal more about it and her plans.

What is Draped in Deceit about?

The story begins following the death of 17-year-old Dan Trennan’s adoptive mother, with him seeking solace in the arms of ex-girlfriend, Nicola James. Nic also agrees to help him find his birth mother, but tragic events take over and danger seems to follow in their wake when Dan’s younger sister goes missing and his adoptive father Greg points the finger at Dan.

How do you come up with ideas and characters for your stories?

They just pop into my head. I write whenever I get a spare moment on the computer. I work full-time as a carer at a residential home in Scalford, but I write as much as I can. This book has taken about eight months to write. I get very involved in the characters and what is happening to them. I like to write in the first person because it personalises the story - this is written from Nic’s persepective, although focusing on the events happening to Dan and his family.

How did you get into writing?

I have been writing since I was about nine, but seriously for 15 years. In 2000 I graduated with a degree in Fine Art from Loughborough, but at that point my marriage ended and with two children I didn’t want to travel to paint. But through my writing I can be creative, and this book has received a lot of good feedback. It’s hard to get publishers to take a chance with a writer that isn’t tried and tested, so I’ve gone down the route of getting it self-published. The cover is by my friend and photographer Kerry M. Parker, and is what I imagine the stairs of the old theatre, a key setting in the book of which Nic has premonitions, to look like.

What are your influences?

The Twilight series had a big influence on me, and the books of C.J. Omololu with characters who remember their past lives. Also The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbits, and films like the Matrix and Avatar.

And you are holding a book signing in Grantham?

Yes on April 25 from 10am to noon at the Grantham Computer Centre. Owner David Charles is my cousin and he’s been brilliant in supporting me, including fixing the computer when needed! The book will be on sale on the day and is also available on Amazon for £7.99 in paperback and on Kindle for £2.

Looking through the old Grantham directories you can see what jobs we did and how we were employed.

Chapel Street was the west end of what is now Brook Street and an independent chapel is listed in 1868. In Brownlow Street, Caroline Hardy ran the Sun Inn at No. 7 in 1900 but Thomas Parkinson had been there in 1872 but also as a broker, furniture dealer and victualler.

Back in 1863 the infants school had been built for £800. In 1872 William Stratford is shown as Master of the British School in Brook Street and in 1885 the United Free Methodist Church is shown to be in the street.

By 1900, the famous watchmaker Charles Sexty is living at No. 4 with Henry Sexty (of 37 High Street) too. George Budd was also a watchmaker but George Budd Junior is also described as a cycle agent.

There is a whole collection of trades connected to horses, from William Rawlings, a horse clipper at 7 Brook Street in 1872, to Robert Parkinson Furniture, hay and straw dealer in 1900.

In 1885 at 2 Brownlow Street we have William Bedford, a tanner and currier, at No. 2 but gone by 1900 to be replaced at No 5. by John Gray, a horse dealer.

The lists describe cabinet makers, lots of shopkeepers, a milk dealer in Brownlow Street, a music teacher in Swinegate, a ladies hairdresser – Miss Anne Medlock at No. 3 – and a joiner and blacksmith Alfred Baxter at 8A, next to John Milner a saddler and harness maker at No. 9 in 1900. The Rose & Crown public house run by John Elvin was at No. 2.

Brook Street seems to have been quite upmarket with George Pawson at No. 3 described in 1872 as a ‘Cricketing outfitter and Burton Ales’! Miss Annie Brooksby at No. 9 is recorded merely as ‘takes boarders’. No trades were shown for Mrs Susan Clayton at No. 4 or Robert Garrett at No. 10. But many trades are listed in these crowded streets – baker and flour dealer, tobacconist, haircutters, furrier, tailor, cork cutter, confectioner, hosier, milliner, dressmaker, painter, plumber, general dealer. In 1872 it was noted John Nixon, a solicitor attended at No. 1 Chapel Street only on Saturday.

People did not seem to live very long at these addresses. The directories were published every 13 to 15 years from 1856. I stopped looking after the 1900 edition.

I can imagine these streets were busy with horses and carts and smoky chimneys in the winter. Boys would still walk along Brook Street to the grammar school and the gardens of St Wulfram’s rectory stretched down to Brook Street. The Georgian theatre, shown here in a later guise, occupied the corner of Swinegate, Brook Street and Chapel Street, where the petrol station was replaced by the new classrooms of The King’s School.

The Mowbeck stream still runs beneath Brook Street as it did then and the antiquity of the area was shown when a Saxon culvert was discovered during the building of the new classrooms.

British and World Superbike racer Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker is opening a motorcycling dealership set to be a top destination, selling the best bikes, parts and accessories, and complete with Championship level service and performance centre, and even a cafe.

The Chris Walker Kawasaki dealership in Harlaxton Road will sell on- and off-road new Kawasakis in the showroom, as well as selling and servicing all makes of used bikes including Suzuki, Hondas, Ducatis and Yamahas.

Its parts and accessories store has everything from premier clothing and helmet brands Fox, RST, Arai and AGV, to service items and everyday biking essentials.

The performance of customers’ bikes can be tested in a state-of-the art soundproof Dyno speed vault, which can simulate a 200mph ride. Through giant viewing windows visitors can watch this and also bikes being worked on in the British Superbike (BSB) style garage, run by Stalker’s crew chief Chris Hunt. Any performance modifications will be fitted in the designated DynoJet Race Bay. Moreover there is a dedicated ‘Kiddie’s Korner’ to keep youngsters entertained, and a 30-seater cafe.

The business has always been in the plans for 43-year-old Chris Walker and his wife Rachel, 36. Chris explains: “My dad had a Kawasaki motorbike shop in Nottingham when I was a kid, and I spent my first eight years after leaving school as a mechanic in the workshop.”

The four-time British Superbike Championship runner-up added: “I’ve got less races ahead of me than I have behind me, so when I do have to finally stop racing this is something I can step into full-time.”

He is supported by business partner Craig Currie, a longtime friend and sponsor, and general manager Colin Wright, who has run some of the most successful BSB teams and gave Chris his first ever paid superbike ride in 1998.

Visitors to the official opening weekend on April 25 and 26, starting at 10am on Saturday, can meet Stalker and other BSB and motorcross stars, have the chance to win some amazing prizes, and get to see the brand new Kawasaki H2R in action on the Dyno, which with a capability of 326 brake horsepower is the most powerful motorcycle ever produced.

Opening hours will be 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday, 10am-4pm Sunday. For more details call 0333 444 4409.

The outdoor season is about to begin again and Grantham Bowls Club will be opening up its clubhouse for the first time this year on Wednesday evening at around 6.30pm.

The official opening of the green in Bowling Green Lane is 1pm on April 25 when membership payments should be made.

Old and new members will be welcome on the day when there will also be an afternoon roll-up.

Competition starts at 9am on April 26 with the Australian Gala, followed the next week by the first of the Lincs League games on May 1, with the first Sunday League game on May 3 at 10am.

At Grantham King’s School, which incidentally couldn’t have been more a part of the establishment in the 1950s, we were taught to look forward to Utopia.

The British version of a Brave New World where everyone shared the wealth of a national envied around the globe.

Our inventiveness and ingenuity would lead to an idyllic community, they said, in which automation and other futuristic developments such as computers and the like, would mean that nobody had to work more than two or three days a week.

Everyone would have a good life thanks to mankind’s achievements and there would be comprehensive leisure facilities for the use of anyone wishing to enjoy their free time to the full.

Housewives would be well-catered for with a whole new plethora of labour-saving gadgets to make their hard work easier.

Bringing up the kids properly would be a pleasure rather than a chore, as would all the other household duties so many people dislike nowadays.

The wonderful new Nathional Health Service was already the envy of the world and would continue to be, as more and better cures for the most terrible diseases were discovered by those of us who chose the medical profession as a career.

Scientists in all walks of life would keep Britain ahead of its competitors, as would our technologists, teachers and well rewarded, top-of-the-tree workers at all levels.

War would be a scourge of the past, the terrorism we suffer now would be unthinkable, as no-one would need to feel oppressed or abused in such a perfect society.

Were we fools to believe all those naive fantasies after the horrors of World War Two, which haunted our childhood?

What should we say to those who brought us up to have such blatantly false hopes, now we know the truth?

One word.

Liars!