Coming to your Town Street: A Prime Tripled Fronted Betting Office to enjoy spending your hard earned lucre in.

There was hand wringing, furrowed brows, sadness and despair around the large board table at Leeds Civic Hall yesterday. In fact there were tears in the eyes of the dear councillors and planning officers as they sealed the fate of Armley Town Street and helped hasten it's decline to a ghost town.
The vote of 7 for the application and 4 against (Cllr Harper was against and made a heroic speech against the application) was a reluctant lEGAL one- (if spineless in our humble opinion), as to refuse permission would be 'perverse'!

So despite arguments that this would impact the vitality and viability of our once great town street, (which according to some of the aged representatives, it really had been a shopping destination of some renown) the plain fact of the matter was that the applicant satisfied all 'material planning' concerns in changing the use of Todd's from a retail outlet to a service outlet.
This was despite the 'site visit' of cllrs and planning officers who walked along Town Street, noticing the empty units, and 'fringe' retail such as charity shops, the quantity of which signal a street in decline. (The planning department had searched high and low to find a loop hole in the unitary development plan for Leeds and Armley and national policy but could not find a good legal reason to turn down this application)

In the past few days the Lady Mayoress has learned more about planning than was her want, but the sad facts stand that the plans for Armley cannot influence the type of 'service outlet' off the main parade. On the bit which is Somerfield etc that is considered the primary frontage and has to be 80% retail and 20% service, Todd's is considered to be in the 'secondary' frontage and therefore more service is permitted along that strip.

It was put to the panel that bookies actually prove that they increase footfall! Hmmm, we would like to know does increased footfall result in increased spending elsewhere? Well ofcourse it must cos every punter who uses a book makers comes out richer than when they went it surely... and step out with a spring in their steps to spend their loot in the restuarants, cafes, clothing shops etc that line Town Street. How curmudgeonly of the Armley Tourist Board to have tried to stop the spread of this prosperity!

So thanks to all of you who took the time to sign petitions etc, there is a hearing at the magistrates court for their licence application, but we feel quite deflated at the prospects of this being rejected, as asked many times before if any of you have any knowledge that could help stop this then please do something if you care.

A big thanks to Maria from He-re who trod the streets with a petition, who really heard what the young and old of Armley thought about this, and yesterday made a very good 3 minute speech asking 'how does granting this application fit with plans for regeneration in Armley?' The answer was a resounding 'bog off to regeneration as we are toothless in the face of an expensive appeal which would cost YOU the council tax payers as we would lose'

Apparently we lucky Armleyites can still look forward to some lovely cash being spent on tarting up Armley Town Street later in the year, not sure how new railings and the like are going to hide the fact of decorating a corpse with jewells though.

The Lady Mayoress knows that you care, but wants to leave this thought with you.
If you care enough about Armley, please don't keep it to yourself. Over on the grown up sister blog www.armleytownstreet.blogspot.com we are going to keep fanning the flames for change. We feel depressed at what has happened and what this might mean for Armley, but perhaps the time is right to capitalise upon the strength of feeling we are witnessing amongst our residents. What were the chain of events in other run down areas that resulted in them picking themseleves up and flourishing. Do we need to form a development trust? WHAT CAN WE DO?

Your community SOAPBOX

We have set up a very grown up blog space called ArmleyTownStreet.
If there is anything anybody wants to get on their soapbox about then you too can contribute,

The first soapbox is about the future of Armley Town Street, and asks for anyone who gives a thingeymyjig about our Armley to ACTIVELY get involved. Identify yourselves, tell people what you want. This site is still but young, but all reports we get show that visitor numbers are growing and putting 'What's it like to live in Armley' 'What is there to do in Armley' 'Armley Regeneration' in the google search engines. We know there are loads of you already contributing in many ways, but let's use this space to communicate it to those who don't know and might like to get a sense of what is happening to make a difference.

Obviously if this is all waffle and you just want the daft tongue in cheekiness stick with this site. If you want some community collective action lets start talking about it together on the ArmleyTownStreet blog. Click here to read: http://armleytownstreet.blogspot.com/ or email jamsiren@thearmleytouristboard.com if you want to have your own login to the site and start publishing.

Over and OUT

Jam Rag News

A little round up of coming stuff from across our region and beyondski


EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DESK

Tea Dance
The lovely ladies say:
" We are back for a wonderful easter affair!
All the usual dreamy things- fantastic tea and cakes, our wonderful singers cara and sally, fab raffle, bingo and other games too.
As its an easter special we are holding a bonnet parade and competition for adults and children. Get creative and make a super bonnet, you never know you might win the top prize!
We're also having a traditional egg hunt.
Come along in your finery, bring your friends.
Love Angie and Donna."

Easter Tea Dance: Interplay Theatre, Armley Ridge rd, Armley, Leeds LS123LE
£5 adults £2.50 children/oaps
3.00pm -7.00pm

www.themarvellousteadancecompany.co.uk
email- themarvellousteadancecompany@yahoo.co.uk

RETAIL AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE

Russian Polish Shop Opens in Armley
Make your way to the bottom of Town Street near Carol's Flower Bowl. Open 7 days a week till late every week day and 10-5 on Sundays
Selling an exotic array of Eastern European Foods. On our visit we were served by the lovely Theodora,and came away with some strange frozen quarky cheese bars, sauerkraut, jars of wee (or perhaps applejuice), very nice meat stuff, dumplings, and honey. If you know anyone who would like to translate a post for the Armley Tourist Board into Polish so that we can be truely welcoming then please get in contact with our International Desk.

Todd's Planning Update- Please come if you have time to show support - Thursday- Civic Hall- 1.30pm
Call for old and young to attend next weeks ANTI GAMBLING planning Meeting in Leeds
If you read the following start at page 148. They seem to think we have a lost cause, even though John Battle's post bag has been bulging at the seams and we got well over 300 signatures. The planning report focuses on the fact that we are objecting on moral and ideaological grounds, neatly ignoring the fact that we are campaigning about regeneration and future sustainability. If anyone has any useful FACTS about how bookies etc do not contribute to the long term growth of an area please send them to us. CLICK HERE TO READ DOC

See what the property gurus think about Town Street and Armley by clicking here

Lady Mayoress and cohorts declare Barley Corn Ale is Good

International Relations and Inward Investment Desk

This week we had visitors from:

Cultural Digest and Celebrity Corner Publications Detail

And finally ?Who would we like to interview in Armley? & What do we wanna ask em? Stay tuned for the X Lady M's first BIG interview.......................Shall we have a poll, or perhaps visit the comments box and leave a few suggestions?

Oh God lord, look what has been unleashed by your support, the current X Lady M issues new edict on drink guzzling locally

" Word reaches me that the hostelry on the junction of Armley Ridge Road and Town Street, named the Barley Corn Public House, now serves the ale of choice of Lady Madonna of Chicago City. That's right along with 2 other hand pulled cask ales Timothy Taylor is now served for the good citizens of Armley and beyond. So show your support by getting along and supping it. The Lady M and other folk from St Ives Town Hall will be inspecting for evidence of Westons Organic, Country Manor, and pickled eggs, we shall report back as to our findings"

May we also extend a warm welcome to a new neighbour in our community who has come back to her home town from the dirty old smoke, and by the looks of things may be a real asset to our neighbourhood.

Word from West Leeds Festival "Oi! Get Knitted"

Spare time on your hands? Do your fingers need saving from themselves, the fags, food or booze? Young Fogey, Supermodel or eccentric? Read on...

Guerrilla Knits - A complete knitted festival?
We need your help to knit a complete shed cover for one of our beloved festival sheds. On the outside the shed will appear spookily normal (wooden sides, tiled roof) until you get up-close and discover that reality is a knitted illusion. Open the door and enter a wonderful patchwork blanket world…a shed to warm and comfort you.
Read the Yorkshire Evening Post article here.

Instructions for knitted shed.
EXTERIOR (Wool provided);
Slats - all 15cm high (plain knit)
A. 13 strips at 150cm length
B. 22 strips at 210cm length
C. 8 strips at 60cm length

Roof Tiles (Wool provided)
21cm squared (cast on 30st)
Then plain knit or k1 p1 till square


INTERIOR (own wool or contact us if needed):
Cast on a stitch per year of your age
Knit square
Colour, pattern and stitch of your choice

Coming soon…Instructions and workshops for:
Fruit & veg Birds & biscuits
Flowers & bugs Snugs & Signs

For further details and to arrange wool delivery/collection:
Jane Earnshaw
Interplay
Armley Ridge Road
LS12 3LE
Tel: 0789 631 8657 email: festival@interplayleeds.co.uk

The X Lady M of Armley has been very hermit-like these last weeks

Jam Siren has been quite concerned about her mental state, as she has been laying off the Country Manor, keeping her nose out of her neighbour's concerns and generally moping around.
In fact since she dramatically announced her intention to step down the ex Lady M has lost some of that 'sparkle' that made her so profoundly irritating. Jam Siren has been at quite a loss as to what to do to bring back the interfering old boot, and thinks perhaps the best thing would be to put it to you that maybe Lady Mayoress should step back into her old patent buckled shoes; what dear public do you say?

She has intimated to me that since watching the film 'Hot Fuzz' she has some new grand schemes about how she may keep up the campaign of making Armley the BEST PLACE ON EARTH to live. Not having seen the film myself I do not know what she means when she mutters darkly 'Sometimes the means will justify the ends' and 'It's all for the greater good'

Still she was also heartened last week by two events, one being the fact that our postcode is now at last coming into it's own and receiving wonderful unsolicited junk mail from Organic food producers, which makes up for the ignorance of those marketeers sending along those awful 29% unsecured loan offers. What's more rumour has it that what was 'Armley Plumbing Supplies' in Upper Armley may soon be turned into a wonderful place for coffees and gossip galore!

Furthermore she had a boost by being mentioned by a rather dashing young man from a legal firm with a lovely Leeds office on his corporate website. Addleshaw Goddard are going to be helping the young of Armley with their reading skills, so hopefully more of the little tykes will be able to read this website and become proper citizens of Armley. Read the piece by clicking here

For the civic minded amongst us, good(ish) news that Todd's has been granted a small stay of execution until April thanks to all your support! Still much work to be done though and we will keep you appraised of any news. With over 300 signitures online and on paper we have given the town planners some food for thought. So all we need now is a serious contender to ring those agents in Leeds - Adair Paxton and make a serious offer on Todd's to the owner, who must by now be wondering if they backed the wrong horse!

Finally the Valentine's Tea Dance made us cry with pride! It was sublime. More pictures to follow.

So what say we with regards the sad ole lady; shall we have her back or shall we get someone else to do the job?