FUNDING for the town’s plans to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June has been confirmed.
A budget of up to £6,000 has been agreed by Melksham Town Council for events and activities taking place over the four-day bank holiday weekend, from Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5th June.
Proposed plans include closing the High Street and Market Place to traffic for one day on Saturday 4th June for a street party, a fayre in the Market Place, a tea and cake afternoon in the Assembly Hall with a screening of the Queen’s coronation, a Royal photo exhibition, and a family picnic in King George V playing field, with attractions such as a helter skelter slide and a Punch and Judy puppet show.
A working group of town councillors has now been formed to help move the plans forward.
At a meeting last week, some concern was raised about the ‘ambitious’ plan to decorate the town centre with 2,000 metres of blue, white and red bunting.
Town clerk, Linda Roberts, highlighted that it will take town council amenities staff an estimated 204 hours to prepare for, install and take down the bunting – on top of their day-to-day work in the ‘busy season’.
Instead, she suggested the council consider scaling back the plans, focussing on decorating the Market Place.
Cllr Saffi Rabey also highlighted that she had received some feedback about the plans to close the Market Place and High Street for a street party. She explained that the Avon Bowls Club will be hosting an event as part of their centenary celebrations on the same day, and they have raised concerns about accessing their club adjacent to Melksham House, which is accessed via the Market Place.
Mayor cllr Jon Hubbard suggested that the council “reach out and have a conversation with them” as plans for the Jubilee celebrations progress.
The proposed celebrations will complement the town council’s tree planting plans, which launched this month with the planting of a single oak tree in King George V playing field, close to the park’s entrance on Lowbourne. More trees will be planted across the town as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy’ – a tree planting scheme in honour of the Queen’s 70 years as monarch.
Pictured: Town councillors Louisa Lewis, Sue Mortimer, Pat Aves and Graham Ellis get in the spirit of Queen Jubilee celebrations
