Great Shelford news

News headlines

Woollards Lane potholes labelled dangerous by the Parish Council
Squirrels for sale at Great Shelford butcher
Can you provide a home for a swift or house martin?
New beauty salon opens in Great Shelford
Arthur Rank Hospice might have to cut nine beds
Shelfords named as one of the best places to live

Woollards Lane potholes labelled dangerous by the Parish Council

The surface of Woollards Lane is in "a dangerous state" according to Great Shelford Parish Council.

They are demanding urgent action on potholes in Woolards Lane, Tunwells Lane and Cambridge Road.

"The surface of Woollards Lane is in a dangerous state with numerous potholes making it hazardous for cyclists and other vulnerable road users" said the Parish Council letter.

"Pavements across the village are also deteriorating, increasing trip and fall risks and affecting accessibility for those with mobility aids and pushchairs. Repairs were marked months ago but have not been carried out, and the markings have washed away. We note that it is marked again for filling (hopefully soon) but the whole road and pavements need resurfacing."

The Parish Council has created what it has labelled a Call to Action.

"We ask for the following, with named accountability and clear deadlines:

1. Immediate mobilisation of the LHI scheme for Church Street, with interim safety measures (e.g., temporary traffic management/signage and stricter parking enforcement) within 4 weeks, and a published programme for permanent works.

2. Delivery schedule for both PFHI schemes, including the installation of double yellow lines outside the Co op on High Green and the gateway/dragon’s teeth measures, with confirmed start and completion dates.

3. Rapid repairs to priority defects on Woollards Lane, Tunwells Lane, and Cambridge Road, and re marking any washed off repair markings, within 20 working days; plus a pavement condition review and a plan for remedial works.

4. A meeting within 4 weeks between senior Highways officers and the Parish Council to agree an accelerated plan and improved communications, with attendance from the leads for LHI and PFHI delivery."

You can read the full letter here.

In their response, Cambridgeshire County Council said that action in Great Shelford is imminent.

"Partial works have been completed on Woollards Lane," said the letter from the county council.

"The route will be soon reinspected to identify any additional issues requiring attention.

"Tunwells Lane and Cambridge Road form part of a connected route with High Green. Reactive maintenance works have been ordered on these carriageways to be completed by the end of January.

Updated Jan 15 2026

* Read a letter from villager John Butler claiming "the potholes present a clear & present danger."

Pothole

Squirrels for sale at local butcher

Squirrels are now being sold by a local butcher.

Hambletons at Scotdales on Cambridge Road in Great Shelford i now selling fresh squirrels.

"We certainly do stock fresh whole squirrel at a price of £5.95," said Butchery Manager, Ashley Robins.

"They are sourced from an orchard at Key Thorpe. We have one fresh delivery a week on a Thursday however they do seem to sell rather quickly so pre order is advisable."

Posted Feb 26 2026

squirrel

Can you Provide a Home for a Swift or House Martin?

The CamSwift group has received a grant from Great Shelford Parish Council to purchase and install swift nest boxes on houses in the village.

Colonies of swifts and house martins already nest in the village but there are few sites available and those that exist are often under threat.

We have a number of swift nest boxes and house martin nest cups which we can install free of charge. Several householders in Sawston have already taken up the offer (funded by Sawston PC).

If you are interested, we will contact you and discuss whether there is a suitable site on your property for a nest box. To sign up for a box or nest cup, please contact Helen Harwood on 01223 840393, or email helen_harwood_uk@yahoo.co.uk.

If you are a Stapleford resident, we have a similar scheme funded by Stapleford PC.

Posted Feb 26 2026

swift

burg

Great Shelford burglary

A home was burgled in Great Shelford just before Christmas.

The daytime break-in was in Stonehill Rd on Friday 12th December, between 3-5pm.

The burglars broke in through an upstairs window and climbed on the side extension from the back garden.

It is believed that not much taken.

Posted Dec 31 2025

train

Greater Anglia steps in to help Shelford couple

A Shelford couple who missed the last train from London received an early Christmas present after their Greater Anglia train driver added an extra stop to their midnight journey to drop them off at Shelford station.

Kirill Tsukanov and his wife Marina thought they may be stranded after missing the last train to their home town of Shelford on December 6. Friday night.

After an appeal over social media to train operator Greater Anglia, the driver made an unplanned an exceptional stop at Shelford station.

The act of Christmas goodwill saved the couple from being stuck miles away from home in the middle of the night.

The pair had missed the last train back home from London to Shelford at 11.28pm

They took the 11.58pm direct train to Cambridge, prepared to fork out for a cab fee from either Whittlesford or Cambridge.

Kirill went on X (formerly Twitter) to ask Greater Anglia to make a ‘really short additional stop in Shelford’.

‘My wife and I missed the 11.28pm service unfortunately, so we would really warmly appreciate it,’ he wrote.

Kirill said: ‘15 minutes after that, the train information display rebooted and the train announced a new pattern that included Shelford.

‘I couldn’t believe my ears. Greater Anglia then confirmed on X it would stop at Shelford.’

A spokesman for Greater Anglia said: ‘Delivering excellent customer service is always really important to us, so we were pleased to be able to help Mr Tsukanov and his wife with their journey home by stopping a service additionally at Shelford.

‘An extra station stop, outside of planned timetables and schedules, is not normally possible, not least because it may result in additional delays to other passengers or services.

‘However, occasionally, in exceptional circumstances, a special stop order, where a train stops additionally at a station where it was not originally booked to call, may be arranged."

Posted Dec 12 2025

A handful of Shelford homes will be hit by the "mansion tax."

At least eight homes in Great Shelford will be hit by the "Mansion Tax" unviled in the recent Budget.

Owners of properties that cost more than £2 million will now have to pay a High Value Council Tax surcharge of at least £2,500 from 2028.

The Valuation Office will conduct a targeted valuation exercise to identify the properties that sold for more than £2 million.

The number and location of the properties affected is currently unknown. Analysis of Land Registry data by the Reach Data Unit revealed that , 157 properties sold for more than £2 million since the start of 2020 in Cambridgeshire and, therefore, will be liable to pay the charge. The majority of these houses can be found in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.

In South Cambridgeshire, the roads with the most expensive properties are concentrated in Great Shelford, including along Woodlands Road, with five properties worth more than £2 million; and Coppice Avenue, with three such properties.

See the Cambridge Live coverage here.

Posted Dec 1 2025

mansion

beauty

New beauty salon launches in Great Shelford

Award-winning beauty entrepreneur Amy Vince has opened the doors to her brand-new salon, The Hidden Beauty Room, in the heart of Great Shelford.

After three and a half successful years running her multi-award-winning business from a home studio in Fulbourn, Amy has expanded into a custom-built luxury salon at York House, Station Court. The move marks a huge milestone in her journey from solo technician to salon owner and educator, with The Hidden Beauty Room now home to a growing team of industry specialists.

The new salon has been designed to feel calm, welcoming, and full of positive energy — offering clients a truly laid-back luxury experience. Every detail has been created with comfort and relaxation in mind, from the soothing interiors to the curated treatment menu.

Clients can enjoy a full range of beauty services, including award-winning lash extensions, brow treatments, semi-permanent makeup, and BIAB and gel nails, all delivered by a team passionate about enhancing natural beauty. Amy’s ethos is rooted in quality, care, and confidence — ensuring every client leaves feeling their best self.

The salon officially opened for appointments on Monday 10th November.

For bookings and updates, visit www.thehiddenbeautyroom.co.uk or follow @thehiddenbeautyroom on Instagram.

Posted November 3 2025

Another award for Shelford Spice

Just three years since opening, Shelford Spice has been named “Best Takeaway in the East of England” at the Asian Curry Awards for both 2024 and 2025, earning this prestigious title two years in a row. This is their third major industry award in as many years.

This year’s award was presented by The Apprentice finalist Anisa Khan, in front of leading figures from across the UK’s South Asian cuisine and hospitality sectors.

They’ve introduced their own creations such as:

18-inch giant naan breads
Curried noodle dishes blending British-Asian comfort flavours
Chicken tikka burritos.

Posted Nov 28 2025

spice

New book from Shelford creative writing group

A group of writers in South Cambs have put together a book of original works along with a history of this wonderful charity

The book called For the Want of A Nail is for sale for £10 every penny of which goes to EACH. Phone 834271

Christmas is the time for children so what could be more appropriate than to support EACH They make ideal "Stocking Stuffers" or "Secret Santa" presents or a "thank you" gift

Don't give wine or flowers give "For Want of a Nail" for this is a gift that will last forever

Jill Adderley
Tel: 01223 834 271

Posted Oct 13 2025

bus

Shelford bus round-up

Stagecoach service 7, Sunday to Saturday between Cambridge (Emanual Street), Addenbrooks, Gt Shelford Sawston & Saffron Walden, runs along A1301 Tunwells Lane, Cambridge Road

Stagecoach Tiger Service T3, Monday to Saturday between Fulbourn (Capital Park) and Granchester runs along Hinton Way Tunwells Lane and Cambridge Road

A2B service 17 , Monday to Saturday between Guilden Morden, Royston, Harston Hauxton the Shelfords & Stapleford to Addenbrookes and City Centre (Drummer St) runs via High Street, Tunwells Lane, London Road and Stapleford Bury Rd, Haverhill Rd, Gog Magog Way & Hinton Way. The 17 service also serves Mingle lane between Gog Magog Way and Hinton Way

Myalls service 132, Sunday and Bank Holidays only between Saffron Walden and Cambridge Only one journey each way through Gt Shelford via A1301

Full time tables available on Bustimes Bus Times

By John Wakefield

Posted September 24 2025

Photo of the Great Shelford and Stapleford fire by Matthew French

Houses evacuated due to field fire

A number of houses had to be evacuated after a large field fire in Stapleford and Great Shelford.

Up to 50 firefighters has to deal with the blaze on August 20, including crews from Hertfordshire and Suffolk.

Ten fire engines rushed to the scene near Gog Magog Way, Dukes Meadow and Mingle Lane between Haverhill Road and Hinton Way.

One local resident dsecribed the fire on Face book as "really frightening."

The fire spread quickly close to residential gardens.

Smoke affected local roads, including the M11 where drivers were asked to slow down.

People living nearby were advised to close their windows.

Firefighters arrived ar around 2pm to find a well-developed fire involving a tractor that spread to large area of field.

Firefighters worked incredibly hard to surround the fire and successfully managed to prevent it from causing any damage to properties.

"We are deeply grateful to the emergency services and local farmers for their rapid response," said a statement from Stapleford Parish Council.

"At our next Parish Council meeting on October 2 , we will be looking back at the situation and reviewing what we as a village could do to prevent any such fires happening in our local community."

The operation lasted a total of four hours.

The cause of the fire was accidental.

Posted August 26 2025

Field

Memorial Hall changes in the pipeline

Changes could soon be happening at the Great Shelford Memorial Hall.

A survey about the possible changes ends on September 12.

According to the survey, possible changes could include;

✅ Removal of the Fixed Stage

To create a more flexible layout for events and activities, the current permanent stage will be removed. In its place, they’ll introduce a modular, portable stage system that can be configured, or removed, according to each event’s needs.

✅ New Storage Solutions

Dedicated storage areas will be built for chairs, tables, modular stage sections, and equipment hired by user groups, helping keep the hall tidy and clutter-free.

✅ Separate Meeting Room

They’re creating a fully soundproof meeting room that can be hired independently from the main hall. This allows for multiple events or bookings to run concurrently, maximising community use and income. A glass frontage will bring in natural light and make the space more open and inviting.

✅ Enhanced Accessibility

The refurbishment will include the installation of a Changing Places-style facility, designed to meet the specialised needs of less able members of our community and their carers, ensuring dignity and comfort for all.

✅ New External Accessible Toilet

An externally accessed accessible toilet, available directly from the recreation ground, will be added, ensuring that park users have access to suitable facilities.

Posted Aug 26 2025

memorial

An artist's impression about what the Memorial Hall could look like after proposed changes @Great Shelford Parish Council

barley

Grand opening of Barley Manor Care Home

Barley Manor Care Home in Great Shelford was officially opened by TV star Sherrie Hewson on July 10.

The Grand Opening Ceremony for the Care Home in Station Road included some of their first residents who moved into Barley Manor last August. It also included pupils from Great & Little Shelford school whose Eco Gardening Club visit regularly to work with the residents.

Star of the day was Sherrie Hewson (pictured) who is an English actress who has played Martha Blake in Hollyoaks since May 2024. She is also well known for her roles as Maureen Holdsworth in Coronation Street.

"I wish there had been care homes like this when my mum was around," said Sherrie.

The event was well attended by the local community who have supported Barley Manor since opening. The delightful afternoon tea made by the home’s chef team included local ingredients from Cam Cattle, The Cambridge Cheese Company, Cambridge Distillery and Wylde Sky Brewing.

Posted July 16 2025

Scotsdales new cafe opens

cafe

Posted July 24 2025

Shelford Day Nursery takes on its own allotment

Shelford Day Nursery has taken a bold and exciting step on our journey to becoming a truly eco-conscious setting – they’ve secured a 22-metre allotment plot and we're transforming it into a thriving, sustainable growing space for our children, families, and the wider community!

Thanks to the generosity of Timotey Playscapes, they now have beautiful, low raised beds perfectly designed for little hands to explore and grow.

They have laid accessible pathways around them, making sure all theirchildren can get involved. Even the babies have been helping out with watering cans in hand

They’ve made amazing progress:

Bases laid and sheds installed to safely store tools and resources.

A water butt set up, ready to teach the children about rainwater harvesting and sustainable water use.
Three tonnes of fruit and vegetable soil moved to fill the first three of our six raised beds.
Generous allotment neighbours have donated strawberries and rhubarb, and they are deeply grateful for their support.
Planting is underway – our little eco-explorers have already planted potatoes, onions, leaks, broccoli, and wildflowers.

This project is about community, collaboration, and connection. They're putting up a board on-site to let families know what tasks need doing each weekend – from weeding to watering to harvesting. We’d LOVE your help so look out for this addition coming soon..

Come and join them on The Hectare Allotments Great Shelford. Many hands make light work – and big dreams grow faster together.

This initiative is not only a fantastic outdoor learning opportunity, it’s also a vital part of their application for Green Flag accreditation with the Eco-Schools Award. They are committed to helping our children understand the importance of sustainability, nature, and working as a team – and they want the whole community to be part of it.

More at https://shelforddaynursery.org/

Posted May 27 2025

allotment

Forum

Shelford restaurant hits the headlines

A Great Shelford restaurant has hit the national headlines after its owner started using CCTV evidence to hit back at negative reviews.

Jackie Wan, the owner and head chef of the Forum Chinese restaurant in Woollards Lane for 11 years, has used footage to “clarify” problems raised by unhappy customers who have used TripAdvisor, Google or Facebook to leave poor reviews.

In one example, after a customer complained that they had had only had four prawns in their stir fry, Wan claimed he was able to prove they had had seven prawns.

The story originally appeared the Times before being published in the Mail Online, the Guardian and the Daily Mirror.

Mr Wan, who was born in Hong Kong, came to the UK as a teenager, working in kitchens at luxury Hyatt hotels in London.

He said that the CCTV footage was only used if a complaint did not match his or his staff’s recollection of events, or if a problem was raised a long time after the customer had visited.

Mr Wan told the Times: “If there are issues on our side or whatever happens is our mistake then of course we try and make up for it. But there are some customers that it doesn’t matter what you do, you cannot please them. Those are the things I really can’t stand because we’ve done nothing wrong. I will not kneel down for anyone. I will stand up and fight when the fault is not on our side.”

Overall the restaurant, rates 4.5 on Trip Advisor and 4.6 on Google.

When another customer complained about the restaurant charging for chilli oil, Mr Wan wrote: “Try asking for peppercorn sauce when ordering a steak in any steak house and see what happens.”

He acknowledged that his combative approach was risky: “Yes I will lose on some business, but then at the same time, I protect my name. I’m proud of what we do and I’m proud of the product and service that we deliver so I stand up for myself, my staff.”

Posted March 17 2025

Shelford arsonist book published

A new book about the infamous Shelford arsonist John Stallon was published in May.

Shelford writer Fraser Grace published his book Firestarter about the 12 farm fires that made national headlines in 1833 before Stallon was hanged for his crimes.

"Four years, twelve fires, the best of London’s detectives – and still no one knows the identity of the ‘devil’ with the gift of fire. With land reform sweeping through South Cambridgeshire, the scandal is choking the columns of the nation’s newspapers, wrecking the reputation of the ‘ill-fated village’ of Shelford," says a press release about the book.

"Fraser Grace trawls through history, sifting out a tragedy rooted in the undocumented, hard-pressed agricultural labourers of nineteenth century England."

Three events are being held by Fraser to promote the book.

Thursday 8 May 7-8pm, online - in Conversation with Midge Gillies
https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/event/conversation-midge-gillies-and-fraser-grace

Weds 14 May 6.30pm - Hart’s Books, Kings Street, Saffron Walden.

*Firestarter was published by Galileo Publishing, on 1 May 2025.

https://galileopublishing.co.uk/firestarter/

Posted May 5 2025

fraser

The Shelfords named one of the best places to live

Great and Little Shelford have been named as one of the best places to live in the UK by the Sunday Times.

While Saffron Walden was voted the outright winner, the Shelfords were highlighted in the top 75 places.

The Sunday Times said:" This is one of the country’s most desirable commuter hotspots

"These villages have similar good looks and pretty thatched cottages, though each has its own identity. Great Shelford is the larger, and has the lion’s share of the amenities, including the library, medical centre and dentist, plus the railway station. Its many clubs and societies offer plenty of opportunities for growth, from Scouts to WI to tennis. Shelford Rugby Club is one of the biggest community sports clubs in East Anglia, fielding five men’s and two women’s XVs plus 17 youth teams," the Sunday Times said.

"The highlight of the social calendar is the Shelford Festival and Feast, a week-long celebration of music, comedy and entertainment. Last year, its 30th anniversary, it raised £20,000 for local causes and this summer will feature the 1980s icon Jason Donovan and the Radio 2 DJ Scott Mills.

"Little Shelford may be smaller but it has plenty going on, including badminton and bowls clubs and the biennial Village Fun weekend, which returns in September. Clear your diaries that month because it’s also when the Shelford Fun Run takes place.

"Great Shelford has a Tesco Express and a Co-op, a post office/general store, a pharmacy and an optician. The Memorial Hall holds an occasional repair café and, every Wednesday, the Great Shelford Country Market. You can pick up locally sourced meat from Barker Bros butchers, which also sells packaging-free vegetables; stock up on groceries at the upmarket Shelford Deli; and buy excellent plonk from the knowledgeable NYWines (its bar is open from Thursday to Saturday)."

"There’s a brace of pubs, the Brunch Base café and Chinese and Indian restaurants. Bangladeshi takeaway Shelford Spice was named the best takeaway of the year in Cambridgeshire in the Asian Curry Awards 2024, and Cara Coffee is a social enterprise created in partnership with Great Shelford Free Church. The café is run mostly by volunteers and is a place of friendship — “cara” means “friend” in Gaelic and has several meanings in Latin, including “valued” or “beloved”," said the Sunday Times.

"Little Shelford has a Chinese takeaway, while the old Navigator pub has reopened as the Side Quest Inn; it’s only open for drinks but is expected to start serving food in the spring. Also nearby is the lovely Gog farm shop and café, which runs sell-out events including fermentation workshops."

Writer Adele Geras, who lives in the Shelfords, said she was " proud" for the Sunday Times accolade.

Posted March 25 2025.

times

Trim trail plans for Great Shelford

There are plans to introduce a trim trail at Woollards Lane Recreation Ground.

A survey has been launched to find out what people would want to see as part of the trim trail.

The active trail would be a fitness-friendly path with wooden workout equipment like monkey bars, pull-up bars & balance beams.

Great Shelford Playscape is also proposing a 3×3 basketball court—turning the lonely hoop into a fast-paced Olympic-style game zone.

To make this all happen, Playscape needs your support. Your feedback helps secure funding.

https://shelfordplayscape.org/phases/08-active-trail/

Posted April 1 2025

trim

Great Shelford Online village website is more popular than ever

The Great Shelford community website had a bonanza month in February, with 1672 unique users.

In the same month, there were 1062 unique users to the sister Little Shelford online website and 807 unique users for the Stapleford Online community website.

Posted Feb 26 2025

unique

loo

New toilet for Great Shelford village centre

There's a new public toilet in the centre of Great Shelford.

The new portable toilet is now available for public use at the Recreation Ground. The toilet can be found to the left of the skate park at the top end of the smaller parking area.

The toilet has disabled access and baby changing facilities.

The Parish Council has provided the toilet after feedback from Playscape and Rec users, and will be trialing it for one month.

Please do let them know your thoughts as to whether you would like it to stay. The council will assess all feedback at the end of the trial.

Posted Oct 29 2024

home

Shelford's new Care Home opens

Great Shelford’s new care home opened its doors on August 12.

Barley Manor boasts specialist residential, dementia and nursing rooms.

Barley Manor Care Home at the heart of the village on Station Road has already created 40 jobs in the village.

Six residents are already enjoying the modern facilities at the Care Home.

Facilities at the home include everything from a dedicated cinema, gym, hairdresser salon to their own vegetable garden. And they are already planning a joint project with some of the pupils from Shelford School in their spacious gardens.

Residents and their families also have the use of a private dining room.

From the moment you walk in, Barley Manor has more of a feel of an upmarket hotel than a care home. The reception leads straight on to a “free” café/ bar which is included in the monthly fees.

Manager Narcis and some of the 40 staff will be familiar faces for some of the residents, having managed and worked at other local care homes.

“We are delighted to have welcomed our first residents and we are certainly looking forward to building links with the Shelford community,” said Denise Gilchrist, Client Services Manager.

Barley Manor is owner Porthaven’s 20th Care Home.

Posted August 23 2024

A new garage with local links

A new garage has opened in Great Shelford that is offering offer a free pick up and return service and free courtesy cars.

Park Vehicle Services have just moved into the ex-Cambridge Motorworks premises at 11 High Green, Great Shelford.

They are experienced motor engineers, with over 30 years experience in Great Chesterford.

“We are offering servicing, MOTs, Cambelts, Clutches, Tyres, Exhausts, Brakes and all vehicle maintenance and repairs to all makes and models” said owner Barry Rule (pictured)

“We already have customers from the Shelfords and Stapleford. We think our focus on good customer service and really listening to what our customers want will be really popular.”

The new business is a real homecoming for the Rule family. Barry’s grandparents ran the Douglas of Shelford store (now the Tesco Express) in Woollards Lane for a number of years when he was a child. His grandparents and mother lived on Church Street, Stapleford and then Mingle Lane, Stapleford.

The phone number for the Shelford site is 01223 794008
Their website is www.parkvehicleservices.co.uk
Email is parkvehicleservices@hotmail.co.uk

Posted June 10 2024

motor

New Shelford MP

Pippa Heylings is the new Shelford MP.

The Liberal Democrat won the local seat in the General Election with a majority of more than 14,000.

It was previously held by Conservative Anthony Browne.

Her first official task in the new role was to visit the Shelford Feast on Sunday July 7.

Miranda Fyfe from Stapleford, standing for Green Party, came fourth.

The results were:

Chris Carter-Chapman (Conservatives) - 15,063
Harrison Edwards (Reform) - 4,897
Miranda Fyfe (Green Party) - 2,656
James Douglas Strachan Gordon (Independent) - 459
Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat) - 29,704
Luke Viner (Labour) - 6,106
Posted July 8 2024

Northern Lights spotted over Great Shelford

The Northern Lights were potted over Great Shelford on Friday May 10.

These are some photos of the historic night.

Have you got local photos of the big night? Share your Northern Lights photos with davidm1961@gmail.com

Posted May 13 2024

lights

Photos by Ann White, Penny Ramsay & Raj Sondhi

bus

Green light for guided bus

The guided bus is back on track.

The bus will travel on a new track on green belt land on the edge of Great Shelford and Stapleford, crossing Hinton Way as it travels between Babraham and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

The plans were paused in September 2023 because the £162 million price to deliver it was so high.

But following an announcement of extra cash in the budget on March 6, the plans are back on track.

A £7.2million boost to progress the Cambridge South East Transport (CSET) busway plans was announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

He said: “In addition, £10.2 million is being invested to support the development of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Europe’s leading centre for medical research and health science. £7.2 million of this will unlock improvements to local transport connections for the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the city, and £3 million is for Cambridge University NHS Trust to support plans for growth.”

The Greater Cambridge Partnership has confirmed that this funding will allow them to progress the CSET scheme to the next stage.

Cllr Elisa Meschini, chair of the GCP executive board, said: “We are pleased the government agrees with us about the strategic importance of this connectivity scheme by providing £7.2 million to progress it to the next stage."

Posted March 7 2024

Scotsdales expansion

Work has just started on a new 450 seater restaurant at Scotsdales.

The new restaurant is part of a major building project at the popular garden centre.

he demolition team are currently at Scotsdales, taking down the last remaining original green houses.

This work on creating the new restaurant will take over a year.

Their current Sunflower Café will remain open throughout this project, until the new restaurant opens in 2025.

Scotsdales are embarking on phase two of their major development to build a brand new restaurant and improvement to their internal retail space having created a brand-new purpose built, weather proofed plant area and gardening department,

This has improved the plant area and garden shop, and seen an impressive new glazed Planteria area built.

Scotsdales Managing Director Caroline Owen said: “The garden centre at Shelford has had little investment since 1990, and the plans to develop the site have gone back many years. We began work in July 2023, with the aim of investing in the future of the business and making Scotsdales standout.

"With horticulture being at the heart of what we do here, the new weatherproofed plant area and gardening department were the priority, and we are delighted with the space that has been built. We are really excited to begin construction on the new restaurant area, the enlarged food hall and improving some of the facilities and retail areas. We cannot wait until the work is completed in 2025.”

Posted March 20 2024

scotsdales

co-op

New Co-op opens

By Olivia Bridgen

The new Co-op opened on Friday January 26.

The new 2,400 sq ft convenience store is located at De Freville House, High Green, Green Shelford. It opens between 7am-10pm daily, and supports 12 local jobs.

The new shop includes an ATM to provide access to cash in the community.

Co-op manager Dessent said that they have received a “great response” from the public .

Michael Dessent said: “Our aim is always to operate at the heart of local life, and we’ve worked to develop the range, choice, and added services to create a compelling offer to serve and support our community, conveniently.”

The shop will include an in-store bakery, alongside the focus on fresh and healthy food, everyday essentials, alcohol, ready meals, and free-from, vegan, and plant-based products.

As well as facilities to recycle soft plastics such as crisp packets, bread bags, biscuit wrappers, pet food pouches, and more.

Deliveroo and Just Eat offer online grocery delivery services from the store.

It was due to open on Dec 1st. But delays in installing a power meter mean that the opening has been delayed to mid-January.

Proposals for the Co-op to move out of the centre of the village were given the go ahead in January 2023 by South Cambs Council.

The switch was first proposed in January 2018.

The building, which was originally the De Freville Arms, was previously used as a furniture showroom. The new Co-op is next to Noel Young Wines and Bryan Turner Kitchens.

Updated Feb 1 2024

Great Shelford population is growing

The population of Great Shelford has increased to 4,537 according to the 2021 Census.

The latest figures show that the population of the village has grown by 304 over the last 10 years, a 7% increase.

The population of Great Shelford in 2011 was 4,233.

The new data shows there were 2,111 households in Great Shelford when the Census was carried out in 2021.

The population of Stapleford has grown to 2,005.

The population of Little Shelford has shrunk to 779 according to the 2021 Census.

The population of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in 2021 was 894,522 people.

The most recent Census was carried out in 2021. The results of the Census have only just been made public.

You can read all of the 2021 Census details here.

Posted Jan 29 2024

census

Great Shelford author's family photos turn up in Norfolk auction

Photos from Philippa Pearce's family have emerged at a Norfolk auction.

Photos stretching back to the 19th century were sold at a recent auction in Snettisham, Norfolk.

They included photos (below) of Philippa Pearce's family - she wrote the famous book, Tom's Midnight Garden.

Old photos of the Great Shelford mill also appeared at the auction.

Details emerged in a Facebook group called Find My Family.

"I looked at the photos and noticed many of them were of the house, and some of the mill. There were also photos of Philippa's grandparents wedding, and other family photos," said the Facebook post.

"I would love to reunite these photos with the family. I will write some stories on the individuals in the photos and hopefully a descendant will see a post. In the meantime, if anyone can find a descendant that would be fantastic."

Read about Philippa Pearce here.

See old photos of the Mill and Kings Mill Lane here.

Posted Aug 30 2023

Pearce

EWR

East West Rail WILL travel through Great Shelford

The East West Rail route between Cambridge and Oxford WILL travel through Great Shelford a new report has confirmed.

The proposed new line will run alongside the existing King’s Cross line through the Shelfords before merging with the Liverpool Street line in Great Shelford.

Under the current proposals, EWR has stated that this junction, located to the west of Granham’s Road in Great Shelford and known for historical reasons as the Shepreth Branch Junction, will need to be re-built to accommodate the additional trains. This may require the King’s Cross line to cross the Liverpool Street line on a new bridge in Great Shelford, before the four tracks merge and run side-by-side into Cambridge Station. Technically, this is known as a grade-separated junction because the railways cross at different heights.

Assuming this happens, the impact on Great Shelford will be significant. The bridge structure is expected to be many hundreds of metres long (perhaps over a kilometre) and several metres high – roughly the height of the current footbridge across the railway. The new structure may be located south of Addenbrooke’s Road bridge as that is where there is most space, but EWR has not said.

At present, only two tracks run into Cambridge. But this will become four tracks under the proposed new layout. To accommodate the widened railway, the DNA cycle path running alongside the current tracks will probably need to be moved according to the proposals.

Read more about the impact on the Shelfords here.

Posted May 26 2023

Links to other pages on Great Shelford Online

Our sister websites

The Little Shelford community website

www.littleshelford.online/