Recent Posts

Radio Berkshire are coming to Cookham on Wednesday 9th August, meeting in the Wesley Hall, Lower Road, Cookham, at 10.30. Patrick O’Hagan, a Cookham lad, would like to interview as many people as possible, in confidence about their experience at Strande Park. Please come along.

The tours already have a lot of interest and that is before local or national press coverage which is great news.
Some more timeslots on Saturday tours now available for 10am and Wednesdays 10am.
Please do scroll down through all the listing for creative art sessions and tour times and share the Ticketsource link to friends who might be interested.

It's a rare opportunity to see an active archaeological excavation in real time as its happening.

Saddle up as final phase of Maidenhead Missing Links cycle route is completed
 
Cyclists in Maidenhead now have a dedicated new 1.3km cycle route, making healthy active travel across the town safer and more convenient, thanks to the completion of the £2.8m Missing Links route.
 
The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead has constructed the new route in phases, with the final part focused on upgraded paths, a new bridge, landscaping, and signs at Town Moor. The whole route connects current and future residential areas in the north with the town centre and railway station to the south. Pedestrians can also use it.
 
The overall scheme, mostly funded by government’s Local Growth Fund through the Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), includes improvements at a number of key locations to help people transition to cycling or walking for shorter journeys, supporting the council’s work to tackle climate change.
 
The council would like the route to be adopted into the National Cycle Network in due course.
 
Councillor Geoff Hill, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “I’m pleased to see the final phase of this new route completed and I’m sure it’ll prove popular with cyclists and walkers. Creating safer and more convenient cycling routes, empowering more people to reduce their reliance on vehicles for short journeys, not only supports our work to address climate change, but gives our residents the facilities to improve their health and wellbeing.
 
“We’re also looking at what further walking and cycling improvements we might make in Maidenhead town centre streets, a new pedestrian and cycling crossing over St Cloud Way, and investigating improvements in the Norfolk Road area that might help higher numbers of people walk and cycle into the town centre more easily and comfortably.
 
“In the meantime, you’ll see work completed this autumn to install a new toucan crossing over the A4 from the car park to Holmanleaze to replace the demolished flyover and be part of the Missing Links route. These are all crucial parts of our major strategic investment into active travel and healthy travel choices in Maidenhead.”
 
Alison Webster, Chief Executive at Berkshire LEP, added: “This project directly supports and strengthens the regeneration plans for Maidenhead town centre. It is a great example of our LEP investment helping to improve connectivity for people across the area and help create communities where people want to live, work and visit.
 
“Through the government’s Local Growth Fund, we’ve been able to work with our local authority partners to invest more than £135m in infrastructure improvements that benefit Berkshire, like this new cycleway. With the rise in hybrid working and more people enjoying spending time in their local communities, it is very timely that we have been able to fund and facilitate this new cycleway and champion more sustainable and healthier modes of travel.”

From a Cookham Resident

CAB friend said the firm of lawyers with the most expertise is Tozers of Exeter.  A long distance away but it would seem best to follow the advice given.  Could look up Find a Solicitor – and then go to the list of those who have expertise in this area.  Who knows a tame local legal professional?

Cookham residents may help with financial backing. This is what the villagers of Blewbury did when they had the same situation with the same guy.
 
The Methodist Church is offering a space for a meeting of residents and other parties/agencies involved.  Comfortable chairs!  Please could this be passed on to the relevant person/persons.

[Guided Tours]

Preparation for this summer's dig on the Paddock Field starts on Monday (24th July) with equipment arriving and topsoil being removed. For the first 2 weeks volunteers will be doing an excavation trench to the North of the site to try and locate the Early Medieval river edge. There might not be much to see so tours will start later.

On Monday 7th August, students from the University of Reading will arrive for their 4 week field school, exploring the industrial/craft-working areas and burial zones found last year.

Guided Tours
These will be on Saturdays at 2pm and 3pm and need to be pre-booked to help us manage visitor numbers. Please go to www.ticketsource.co.uk
At "find events" search for Cookham Abbey.

These tours are free but donations welcome, to be split between Friends of Cookham Abbey and student welfare.
You can drop by any time Mon-Sat between 9am and 5pm and students will show you around the site.

IMPORTANT
There is no parking on site apart from Blue Badge holders - there are rented flats at the parish centre and the church may have events so courtesy to residents and church users must be observed in this matter please. There may be space in the car park by Stanley Spencer Gallery or on Sutton Road.
 

A tapas bar will open in Bourne End on 16 of August.

El Cerdo, which already has an outlet in Maidenhead, will be based in the town’s mariner with the establishment open for bookings.

The business’ latest venture comes off the back of winning a Diners’ Choice Award along with a Muddy Stilettos prize this calendar year.

A short Facebook revealing the news states: "Nestled on the side of the River Thames, our brand-new location will immerse you in a world of flavours and tranquillity.

INSPECTOR APPROVES STATION COURT APPEAL
Despite the best efforts of The Cookham Society, The Parish Council, Ward Councillors and numerous individual residents objecting strongly to this overbearing block of terraced houses the Inspector has surprisingly approved the application and planning permission granted.

The Society does not object to the use of this site for housing but this proposal, like the previous one, is trying to squeeze too much onto a small site which is highly visible to the public from both sides. The design does not blend with its surroundings. This is sad day for Cookham.

Maidenhead United FC agreed in 2022 to buy land at Braywick Park for £460,000.

However, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead dropped the deal on 27 July after 22 members of the public wrote formal objections.
Members of the council's cabinet said the benefits of the new stadium were outweighed by the loss of public open space.

The National League club had agreed to move out of its current home in York Road, which has been in use since 1871 and is the oldest continuously-used football ground in the world.

It would have bought nine acres (four hectares) or nearly a quarter of Maidenhead's largest public open space, which is already occupied by several sports facilities.

The price of the three-course a la carte menu at Tom Kerridge's flagship Marlow restaurant The Hand and Flowers will rise from £155 to £175 on September 1, according to a notice on the pub's website.

A spokesperson for The Hand and Flowers said the decision to increase the price of the menu had "not been taken lightly" and was a direct result of the increased costs facing the business.

A controversial battle by a small business to keep one of its buildings after failing to seek council permission in advance has been settled.

The Arcade in the High Street Cookham is the site of a few small businesses and is a historic part of Cookham’s conservation area.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a derelict shed towards the rear was refurbished, covering about 12sqm – and was being used as an independent office by a small business.

Last year, there was a retrospective planning application for the business to be allowed to keep operating from the building.