Following the news that Elm Grove level crossing could be closed a private meeting was held last Monday between Network Rail and invited residents.

My understanding is that Network Rail is also looking to close the level crossing at Sandringham Avenue as well as the crossing at Elm Grove. The Sandringham Avenue crossing is popular as it gives access to Hoylake Allotments and is used by pedestrians and motorists (who have to use the phone provided to contact Merseyrail to check that it is okay to cross). The proposal from Network Rail is to close the two level crossings and construct a new footbridge over the railway line at [edit: Melrose Avenue]. Further it is proposed that a new road from the end of Proctor Road will allow access to the cottages in Harrington Avenue opposite Manor Road Station. Network Rail has said that the existing footbridge at the station cannot be used for public access because the station is closed during the night.

There are several parties affected by these proposals including:

• Harrington Avenue and Proctor Road residents
• Hoylake Rugby Club
• Holy Trinity School (who use playing fields over the line)
• Hoylake Allotments

Did you know that bin lorries don’t visit the Harrington Avenue properties? A van is used to collect household rubbish and recycling from the cottages.

I haven’t heard, but I wonder if the foot crossing that allows you to cross the line from the Cinder Path to get on to Meols Drive is also being considered for closure?

Anything to add/correct? Feel free to comment…

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Crossing The Line: Another level crossing could close

Where: West Kirby Residential school, Meols Drive. West Kirby

What: A fun afternoon with Chester Rock choir performance, football match, cake and refreshments, Beat the goalie, Tug of War, Bouncy castle, face painting, balloon release and raffle.

In aid of: Alder Hey Hospital, Manchester children’s hospital, Make a Wish Foundation and Ronald McDonald House.

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Rock and Goals Fundraiser

Here’s a short video that captures some of the ‘shout’:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Many thanks to crew member Ian Davies for the information about this RNLI shout.

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Hoylake RNLI: Latest ‘shout’ captured on video

I haven’t checked, but I reckon that the above old shop doorway is the nearest Hoylake can offer as a ghost sign.

A ghost sign is old hand-painted advertising signage that has been preserved on a building for an extended period of time and has typically faded. So strictly speaking, the sign in the tiles in the doorway of the now-closed Spotty Blue Teapot cafe don’t count. You’ll see much better examples in this site dedicated to ghost signs. I’ve forgotten what ‘Brewer & Co’ used to be …was it a large grocers?

But am I right? Are they are any other ghost signs in Hoylake and if so where are they? Hope there are more!

Oh, I’m not so sure that this one qualifies either …but there are double bonus points if you have a photo of the (in)famous Finniland. Surely someone has a photo of Hoylake’s one and only theme park?

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Friday Photo: Ghost signs

Confirming a couple of messages that I’ve received in the last couple of days, the Wirral Globe reports that Network Rail are looking to close the level crossing at Elm Grove. There’s a private meeting next week at Melrose Hall were invited residents can discuss the possible closure of the crossing with local residents. Presumably the main consideration for the people who live in the small number of properties over the line is vehicle access. It isn’t clear if pedestrian access will still be permitted. You can walk to the next crossing at Melrose Avenue or continue on a footpath to Proctor Road.

There have been several fatal accidents along the Meols-Hoylake stretch of the Merseyrail Wirral Line over the years including one in 2009. In 1960 a train crashed into a lorry at Elm Grove crossing.

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Elm Grove Crossing: Set to close?

Here’s a super view of a Hoylake sunset taken this Wednesday evening by Kate (age 11 from Hoylake).

You can enjoy views like this during this summer simply by going down to the prom – you don’t even have to pay for it. How good is that!

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Friday Photo: Hoylake sunset

You’ve probably noticed but there have been a few openings/closings of shops in Hoylake recently. I thought I’d do quick run down of what’s been happening on and around Market Street:

(1) Hoylake Violin shop has now closed. I mentioned some weeks ago that the violin shop was up for sale and it seems the building has been bought as the removal men were there the other day.

(2) Martin & Co letting agent, who were located in the first row of shops just past Sandringham Avenue has relocated to Moreton. That shop was the old Bon Bon sweet shop of course.

(3) Jills Cookshop has opened next to the pet shop.

(4) The Little Bluebird Tea Rooms & Cakery is coming soon. Judging by the map on their facebook page it looks like they’re opening in the former Greek restaurant next to Meat & Mingle. cafe

(5) I’ve heard that a vegetarian restaurant is to open in the vacant shop next to the Monte Carlo restaurant but I’ve seen the shop listed on a property website this week as being available to rent , so I’m not sure what’s happening there. By the way, Monte Carlo has opened a second venue of the same name in Heswall.

By now Hoylake residents will have received a letter from their MP, Esther McVey, detailing a campaign entitled Support Your Shop Local Month.

Armed with your paper coupon you can make a purchase at the participating outlets and receive a discount of 5%. Purchases of alcohol are excluded. The offer runs until the end of May and if deemed to be successful will run again in the future.

Party politics aside (this is HoylakeJunction, not Question Time!), what do you think?

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Shops and shopping deals in Hoylake

A play about Hitler’s rise to power, first performed in 1938, is to be staged again, at Melrose Hall in Hoylake.

“Fear and Misery of the Third Reich” by German writer Bertold Brecht was written as a protest against what was happening in the playwright’s homeland as the Nazi Party strengthened its grip on the country in the years leading up to the Second World War.

The action charts with brutal honesty the growing tyranny of Hitler’s rule and the chilling effects his policies had on ordinary people.

“In one way, it can be seen as a play about how people behave in societies where just to speak out against official policy is an act of incredible courage,” says director, Tom Mclennan.” But, the play also looks at how we all behave when faced with conflicting interests and how we often find justifications for our own selfish actions by pretending they have been taken for more noble reasons.”

It all sounds like serious stuff, but as those who are familiar with Brecht’s work can tell you, humour is often used to expose and highlight human foibles and to attack corruption.

The play runs at Melrose Hall, Hoylake on the 17th May. All tickets £6/5 and can be obtained from Melrose Hall, Melrose Avenue , Hoylake ,
CH47 3BU or from HELP SHOP 59, Market Street, Hoylake or 0151 632 2152 632 2152

Performances start 7.30pm.

More details from 0771 684 8894

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Bertold Brecht: Drama at Melrose Hall

I’ve been browsing through my archives and stopped on this very old image kindly sent to me by Paul Doleman. I like the way the photographer has captured the people chatting on the street corners (posed perhaps?) …something we all still do today when we bump into someone along Market Street.

By my reckoning the view is toward Meols with Trinity Road on the left (or Church Road as it was then) and Elm Grove on the right. Today you’ll find Wellington-Young Insurance Brokers on the left and Ambience Hair & Beauty on the right.

Those gates must be Shaw’s Yard and Elm Grove (or at least the land around Shaw’s Yard) was then known locally as Cockle Alley with, according some of your previous comments, several local fishermen living in cottages in Elm Terrace.

In the row of shops on the right you’ll find Joseph Iles, maker of plain and fancy biscuits no less! Mr Iles, being something of a big-shot in the village, had a second shop further up Market Street. Today you’ll know it as the Indira restaurant.

I wonder if the Lighthouse Inn was around back then? I suspect it was. And ideal for a restorative pint or two of ale after a hard day’s fishing the Irish Sea.

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Friday Photo: Standing on street corners

This Friday (26th April) is the day that the Big Beach Clean-up takes place at both Hoylake and West Kirby and volunteers are more than welcome.

Organised and promoted by the Marine Conservation Society and Marks & Spencer, the nationwide scheme aims to reduce the amount of beach litter from around our coastline. In addition a litter survey will be undertaken to record the types of litter that can be found on the shore.

Register here for the Hoylake clean-up and here for the one at West Kirby. Meet at either Hoylake Lifeboat Station or West Kirby Sailing School for 1pm. On the day wear suitable clothing including gloves and take a drink with you.

If you register in advance you’ll receive a voucher on the day of the clean-up for a fiver off a £30 spend on food and drink at M&S.

Photo above is of Red Rocks sourced from wikipedia.

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Big Beach Cleanup: Hoylake