NAILSEA
PEOPLE
Marketplace
more news on the food + drink page including listings & monthly market dates
Sponsored by Crown Glass Shopping Centre
What's new on the High Street?
2021
Greens the sandwich bar and deli at Colliers Walk is up for sale.
It opened in October 2019 and sells the best vegan rolls in Nailsea.
Hopefully it will find a buyer soon and not add to the row of empty shops at Crown Glass Shopping Centre.
Owner Dean Sandy has tried - he changed the hours, toyed with changing the name, swapped the menu around, struggled finding Saturday staff and then there was Covid and lockdown 1, 2 and 3.
He said: "It’s time for me to concentrate on other things, and I would love to hand this over to someone that can really unleash its potential.
"The price is very fair for what the business is.
"I’ve been toying with a few ideas but I just don’t have the time to follow them through sadly.
"Serious enquiries, drop a message on Facebook for more information on price and lease details."
His other business at Café 119 in Station Road is going great and is becoming more and more popular.
Going, going
LOST AND FOUND: Nailsea Home Additions house clearance crew led by Alan Goddard and his son Geraint found an expensive Rolex watch while out on a job and handed it back to the owner. The watch is valued at many thousands of pounds and is coming under the auctioneer's hammer at Clevedon Salerooms on Thursday, November 25. Can't help but wonder if it was found down the back of a sofa? We will watch online with interest how much the bidding reaches. To follow go to https://www.clevedonsalerooms.com/upcoming-auctions/.
Nailsea High Street November market
Nailsea Farmers Market this Saturday, November 20, 9am-1pm in the High Street
Organiser Louise Hall said: "We are so excited to be back in town this weekend, transforming the High Street into one of the biggest farmers markets around with food, drink and makers,
"This weekend we welcome Modern Industrial Design, this is bespoke pieces from the showroom of John and Karen Osborne based in Portishead.
"Also The Drinks Kitchen who create non-alcoholic drinks -for the designated drivers!
"It not too early to start sourcing Christmas gifts such as festive packs of preserves, cheeses or beers always a useful and popular gift to receive.
"Also, when in Nailsea do make a point of popping in to the wonderful Simply Green zero waste shop http://www.simplygreenzerowaste.co.uk/ for a huge range of essential items with no added plastic packaging,
"We are also welcoming several community groups on Saturday, look out for stalls with information about Home-Start UK which supports families with young children experiencing challenging times, Nailsea Lions Club with its Christmas draw and learn about the work going on at Nailsea Tithe Barn."
FOOD, DRINK AND FORAGING
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Bath Soft Cheese - award-winning range including Bath Blue and Wyfe of Bath
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Barleywood Organic Vegetables - a bountiful range from the Walled Garden at Wrington
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Bristol Fungarium - cultivated gourmet and medicinal mushrooms
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Cesar Coffee- roasted by Cesar from his native Columbia, bags of coffee or hot on the day
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Chew Valley Gin - best new distillery of 2021
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Demilles Botanicals - plant based soaps
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Glastonbury Ferment - gut-friendly ferment foods
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Go Wild Preserves - exciting range of preserves with amazing flavour combinations
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Hall & Lench - free range eggs & veg plants
- Incredible Brewing Company - Bristol based micro brewery
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Janes Flower Pots - seasonal pots and plants and hanging baskets
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Leafy Greens Micro Farm - highly nutricious micro salads, vegetables & herbs
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Nailsea Cider - cider makers creating traditional craft cider with fruit from local apple orchards
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Nailsea Country Markets - locally produced baked goods and preserves
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Nut Tree Farm - Goat farm selling milk & meat handmade soaps, quiches & lamb meat
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Nutts Scotch Eggs & Pies - award winning savoury range
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Oven to You - exquisite, sweet tarts in a huge range of flavours
- Real Pork - outdoor reared pigs producing flavoursome pork, bacon, sausages and hams
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Robert Hawker Venison - best venison around from carefully managed local estates
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Rooms the Confectioner - handmade fudges, cinder toffee, marshmallow and more
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Somerset Charcuterie - full range of locally produced charcuterie
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Somerset Cheese Company - award winning cheeses from buffalo, sheep, goat and cows milk
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The Great Cake Company - gluten free cakes and tray bakes plus dairy free options
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The Sausage Shed - huge range of sausages using local high welfare pork
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Timmy's Chilli - jellies and marmalades with a chilli kick
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Times Past Cheese Dairy - a huge range of flavoured Cheddars
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Wesley Cottage Bees - master beekeeper Lyn Ingram with her honey & honey related items
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Whitegate - apple juice plus cider, pear juice and apple cider vinegar
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Whites of Wick - Aberdeen Angus beef
ARTS AND CRAFTS
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Bristol Woodturning
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Clevedon Bag Company
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Dragonfly Jewellery
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Grandma Knitting
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Granny Bear Crafts
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Jennys Crafts
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Little Craft Company
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Modern Industrial Furniture
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Tracey's Ceramics
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Yeti cards and gifts
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COMMUNITY STALLS
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Home-Start UK which supports families with young children experiencing challenging times
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Nailsea Lions Club with its Christmas draw
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Nailsea Tithe Barn
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Nailsea Musical
For more information visit www.somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk.
A slideshow of photographs from the October market is in the Gallery HERE.
Nailsea's new store manager
Tesco Nailsea has a new store manager.
Paul Holloway - not to be confused with celebrity master baker Paul Hollywood - took over from Jon Weed.
After five years in charge of Tesco Nailsea Jon moved to a bigger store at Golden Hill, Bristol at the end of October.
Paul who went to school in the Rhondda, south Wales, comes to Nailsea from a Gloucestershire Tesco.
He has been with the supermarket chain for 30 years.
He has a very low profile on social media so apart from customer services saying 'he is a very nice man' that's all we can tell you for now!
Since it opened in 2007 Tesco Nailsea has had five maybe six store managers – can you name them?
Wendy Derrick believes the store opened in 2002 and has had 11 store managers.
She said: "I started when it opened but thinking about it two of the 11 where only covering in the short term, while another store manager was found."
Wow that's a turn around...the 2007 date was suppied by Tesco!
Email your answers to nailseapeople@gmail.com.
Eat your greens and help business
The owners of a long-standing North Somerset grocers have put out an impassioned plea to the community - use us or lose us.
Bosses at S&R Burchills say post-pandemic they have seen a 50 per cent drop in the number of customers coming into the shop at Colliers Walk.
Although some customers continue to use the online ordering and delivery service set up during lockdown, it is not making up the numbers seen pre-covid.
The shop opened in Nailsea in 1991 in a High Street lockup and is one of only two grocers left in the town.
The other Ashley Olsen, at Silver Street, which was up for sale.
The drop in the number of people coming into Nailsea is thought to be mainly due to the pandemic as people choose to shop online rather than venturing out and mixing with others.
This has been especially noticably during the recent surge in Covid cases.
Shop manager Debbie Reeves said: “Since the start of the pandemic, and over the past couple of years, we have noticed the way people shop has changed dramatically.
“More and more people are choosing to shop online, for safety and convenience.
“Even within our line of business, when we started here in Nailsea in 1991 there were five different greengrocers, all family-run, with their own customer base.
“Now there are two of us left.
“We have noticed around a 50 per cent drop in customers physically entering our shop, and while our online business has grown to some degree, not to the extent of the other 50 per cent.”
Burchills ran a successful online ordering and delivery service during the pandemic to ensure customers could get their supplies.
Mrs Reeves added: “We have been here throughout the pandemic and provided fruit and veg deliveries when it was needed the most
“We are still offering our online delivery service five days a week, with free next day delivery on a spend over £15.”
The store also supports local suppliers, stocking a variety of locally produced goods from chocolate made in Nailsea, apple juice from Tickenham, eggs from West Harptree, milk and cream from the Chew Valley and cheese from Lye Cross Farm in Redhill.
It also sources vegetables from local growers and goes to the market every day to pick supplies.
Mrs Reeves said the store wanted to continue to trade in Nailsea but needed the support of the local community.
“Our hope is to remain in Nailsea for another 30 plus years but we need peoples’ support to achieve this goal," she said.
“ The high street in general is in a ‘use us or lose us’ stage right now but we can turn things around together.”
Nailsea has already seen a number of closures in recent years, including of all its banks apart from Lloyds.
The former New Look store also remains vacant in the town centre and there are a number of empty shops in Colliers Walk.
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The Crown Glass Shopping Centre retailer recently took part in the month-long Fiver Fest in an attempt to boost sales - this was deemed a great success by the businesses that took part.
Helping businesses to bounce back
Local businesses in North Somerset are being urged to take advantage of a free business support package.
One hundred and fifty businesses will have access to a mix of one-to-one support sessions with expert advisers, group support sessions with other local business leaders, and be signposted to a range of online resources and information hubs.
Key business challenges to be addressed include:
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staff recruitment and retention
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attracting new and repeat business via marketing and digitalisation
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business planning for resilience and long-term benefit
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attracting new markets via enhanced sustainability and accessibility credentials.
The Welcome Back North Somerset initiative is designed to help independent businesses in high street/town centre and seafront locations across the area bounce back from the challenges of the pandemic and national lockdowns.
The project is supported by the Welcome Back Fund financed by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
With Welcome Back funding North Somerset Council has commissioned Tomorrow’s Tourism to deliver the business support package and is urging local business owners to sign up.
North Somerset Council executive member for placemaking and economy
Mark Canniford is the Liberal Democrat ward councillor for Weston-super-Mare Hillside.
He said: "We are delighted to support this project and urge local businesses to register their interest and benefit from solutions to raise sales revenue, attract new customers and markets and drive your business further.
"As a business owner myself I see this as incredibly helpful support at such a challenging time.
"There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking advantage of this free offer today.”
Businesses can register their interest and find out more about how to get involved at https://survey.zohopublic.eu/zs/ErB8MQ.
STAR LEGAL: Once the home of Hunters estate agents this office had been empty for a while. Now it is managed by solicitors Peter Murray and Dean Roach. Moving across the road from their former premises they have practiced in Nailsea for many years Peter in the context of commercial property work and Dean as a specialist in family law. They are able to provide a range of legal services for individuals which includes, probate and wills, lasting power of attorney, divorce, family and litigation. And they have experts who can assist with all aspects of residential property including sale, purchase and transfer of equity. More online HERE
A 'gert' goodbye to Tesco Nailsea manager Jon Weed
After five years in charge of Tesco Nailsea manager Jon Weed is moving to a bigger store at Golden Hill, Bristol on Saturday, October 23.
Father-of-two Jon who was 50 in March and is married to Sarah said he is ‘definitely emotional to go’.
He said he is sorry to leave behind his Nailsea colleages and community friends.
Jon has worked for the supermarket giant for nearly 35 years including time at the Weston store.
The name of his replacement is expected to be announced next week and Jon will be back for one day on Tuesday, November 2, for a handover.
Jon is well known for his charitable stunts including sponsored marathon walks and even a leg wax
Jon said: “I have loved my time in Nailsea, my colleagues are brilliant, customers great, but obviously there comes a time when I need to move on having been in the store the amount of time, I have but I will definitely miss the people here.”
During his tenure at Tesco Nailsea Jon and his team have given lots of help to deserving individuals and groups, from supporting coffee mornings to donating to community Christmas dinner.
The supermarket is currently recruiting a community champion to ensure this continues.
From the emergency services personal to fundraising groups like the Lions have all be good friends, he said.
He said: “I have built long-standing relations with some key characters in Nailsea and I am sure the store will continue to do that."
But sometimes especially during the lockdown it wasn't easy, Jon admitted.
He said: “The best bits for me have been how everyone has come together during the whole run of Covid, the colleagues have done an amazing job from if you go back 18-months when you had the panic buying, then after the panic buying, we went into queueing all-round the car park, all that sort of stuff.
“We have had very few problems, customers queued from early morning, then followed the one-way system – it could have been really difficult – it has been hard there is no doubt about it, working has been very strange and stressful at Tesco Nailsea but it has been made easier by everyone doing what they were supposed to be doing.”
He is also pleased that late night issues in the car park were resolved to the satisfaction of neighbours.
There is a planned leaving ‘do’ organised by the Tesco Nailsea social committee and checkout staff were among the many to present him with goodbye gifts this week.
Nailsea and Golden Hill are considered upmarket areas for Tesco stores.
The Hengrove father of Ella 12 and Sophie 10, is brother to well-known childminder Vikki Jones who lives in Nailsea with her family.
PHOTOS: All in a days work at Tesco Nailsea from fun stunts to digging up the car park and supporting charities in many different ways.
High Street closed
Nailsea High Street is closed without warning to traffic due to a burst water main.
Eirik Bird, of Samuel Bird the High Street electrical shop, said: “The High Street is closed for traffic and dead.
“I think it’s Bristol Water but nobody has told us what's going on or for how long,
“Not seen anybody working on it other than one lorry arrived this morning for about half an hour!”
Nailsea Town Council posted on its Facebook page at midday: ‘We have been advised that Bristol Water have closed the High Street outside property 126 (St Peter’s Hospice charity shop) to the Link Road to repair a further leak. It is anticipated work will take a further three days.’
The road had been closed earlier for water pipe ‘ferrule’ repairs but was due to reopen on Tuesday, September 29.
Later in the day the leak was fixed and the road reopened although shoppers were callling for the dips in the road to be fixed too.
There will be two more closures in October - one for the Eat:Nailsea festival on Saturday, October 9 and the farmers' marker on Saturday, October 16.
People can get more information about highway repairs and a contact telephone number on the North Somerset interactive roadworks map here https://one.network/uk/northsomerset.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Kebab Kitchen which has been closed for a major refit since August is finally ready to reopen with an exciting new online menu and specail food deals. A spokesman said: "We are very excited to announce that we will be re-opening on:Monday, October 4.We are Looking forward to seeing you all soon! Click HERE to order online
Nailsea £5 fest
To show the importance of supporting our high streets, Nailsea is joining with other Independent High Streets across the UK, to put on very special £5 offers across two weeks in October, in the Totally Locally Fiver Fest.
Bethan Walker, of Simply Green, said “Fiver Fest is now a big part of our promotions of local products.
"The independent shops and businesses are what makes our town special and unique.
"The community support for local businesses has been amazing during lockdown, so these offers are to say thank you to customers, and to highlight the great value and economic impact of shopping locally.”
Fiver Fest is a free to join campaign, devised and run by Totally Locally, a grassroots High Street organisation which has been helping businesses and High Streets to help themselves since 2010 with incredible results.
For Fiver Fest, Totally Locally is partnering with Visa, and together, they are calling on shoppers to divert £5 of their weekly spend to support the small businesses in their communities.
Fiver Fest is based around the now famous Totally Locally £5 message:
“If every adult in Nailsea spent just £5 per week in their local independent shops and businesses, it would mean £3 million per year going directly into our local economy. Which can lead to more jobs, a better high street, a stronger economy & a nicer place to live. Makes you think doesn’t it?!”
Spending just £5 a week in Nailsea can make a big difference to our High Street, the Fiver Fest promotes this message.
Fiver Fest has been running successfully in individual towns in the UK and abroad during the past 7 years, and in June more than 100 towns joined in together to make one huge Fiver Fest across the UK - from the North of Scotland to the very South of England.
Fiver Fest Offers have been imaginative and varied; from £5 massages, to a £5 locally sourced meat packs, £5 best-selling book offers to £5 lunch deals, £5 walking tours and even £5 vintage bus seats and ticket machines!
And where the community really got behind the campaign, many businesses found it to be their busiest time outside of Christmas.
Totally Locally spokesman Chris Sands said: "We know Fiver Fest isn’t going to change the world but small changes in spending habits can really make a difference to our high streets.
"Just by diverting £5 of our weekly spend to local independents we give them a fighting chance to thrive.
"The pandemic has shown just what an amazing contribution they make to our local communities.
"It’s a conversation worth having!"
It is for this reason, that the sixth National Fiver Fest is taking place.
This time it’s even more important than ever, after how our world has changed during 2021.
YouGov research has shown that 59 per cent of shoppers have used more local shops to support them during lockdown.
And they want to keep on supporting them. Fiver Fest makes that even easier.
Nailsea retailers already signed up are:
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Simply Green
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Coates
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Cafe 119
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Greens
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Flower Bee Florist
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Chic Blooms
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Nailsea International Store
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Home Additions
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Birds TV
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John Brown hardware
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Ring O'Bells
For any independent business wishing to join in the Nailsea Fiver Fest call Bethan at Simply Green Zero Waste on 01275 560266.
CLOSED FOR
RENOVATIONS
REFURBISHMENT UPDATE 2: The opening date for Kebab Kitchen which was supposed to have been Monday, September 6 was pushed back to Thursday, September 16. At the time the owners apologised for any inconvenience. But here we are on Thursday, September 16 and the notice outside has been altered to say 'opening...2021' and none of its ordering websites work either. Workmen can be heard inside!
REFURBISHMENT UPDATE 1: The opening date for Kebab Kitchen which was suppose to have been Monday, September 6 has been pushed back to Thursday, September 16. The owners apologised for any inconvenience. Although Nailsea Town Council planning committee recommended approval for the extension at 8, 9 and 10 Crown Glass Place councillors wanted North Somerset Council planning officer to be aware of litter and late night disturbances from the existing shop to neighbours living nearby
EMPTY SHOPS: Crown Glass Shopping Centre not looking its best with a run of several empty untits this summer along Colliers Walk. Gone are the chemist and vape shop, HSBC Nailsea branch with no news of what may come next, very sad and pictured with no one about and a litter bin in front makes it even more sad. However, despite the showers the High Street was bustling with lots of people as it was August market day. See Gallery for slideshow of pictures HERE
KISCHE CATCH-UP: We told you the Kebab Kitchen was expanding into a next door unit at Crown Glass Shopping Centre but didn't see this coming - closed for school summer holidays, oh dear. Nailsea's favourite Turkish takeaway will be closed for renovation from Sunday to Sunday, July 31-September 5. They apologise for any inconvenience caused and look forward to serving you food soon! UPDATE: Told renovations all on schedule by new owners. There will be not seating inside but everything else will remain the same...
ONLINE AUCTION: It was once Nailsea Members' Club then Decades nightclub and now it is an empty shell. Hollis Morgan had hoped to sell the upstairs of the High Street property by online auction in June but postponed the auction to Wednesday, July 28, when it sold 'prior to auction' for its guide price of £375,000. It has lapsed planning permission to convert into six one-bed and three two-bed flats which would give the development an estimated value of £1.4M. To view a YouTube video of the inside of The Arcade building go here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx_zkL9uWHQ&t=21s
WITHDRAWAL: Barclays bank closed for good on Friday a fortnight after HSBC closed at Colliers Walk. On Wednesday morning, July 22, workmen arrived to start gutting the inside of the High Street branch a job they told Nailsea People they had been doing nationwide especially in small communities and rural villages.The safe had already been taken away.
FOOD FEAST: The good news is the Kebab Kitchen the Turkish takeaway at Crown Glass Place, in Nailsea, is hoping to expand into the neighbouring empty retail units. The bad news is it is closed for the school summer holidays August 2021. Famed for is food incuding garlic pizzas or king burgers only one town councillor objected on the grounds of late night noise and litter...watch this space to learn about reopening...