Great Shelford news
News headlines
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New 450 seater restaurant for Scotsdales
Dry cleaners closes
Great Shelford Dry Cleaners has closed.
Looksmart dry cleaners has put a sign on their door saying that they are closing and that they are not taking any more dry cleaning orders.
However the sign says says that they will be opening to return dry cleaning orders that are still held by them.
The High Street shop was taken over by the Royston cleaning company Look Smart several years ago.
Look Smart have been approached for a comment about why the store has closed.
The news means that Shelford residents will now have to drive to Sawston or Cambridge for the nearest dry cleaners.
Posted April 22 2024
advert here
Starshine charity Walk to start and finish at Shelford Rugby Club
The celebratory Starshine sunset walk on Saturday 22 June is starting and finishing at the Shelford Rugby Club this year.
very year hundreds of local people take to Cambridge’s streets to walk in memory of their loved ones and raise funds for people supported by Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, with many walkers returning annually.
On Saturday 22 June, as the sun sets over Cambridge on one of the longest days, walkers will set off from Shelford Rugby Club. Participants can choose from a 5 or 10 mile option, meaning there’s a suitable challenge for all. Both routes will be brand new. The 10-mile route will take in some of Cambridge’s iconic landmarks while the 5-mile route will be local to the Shelford area.
Star Shine Night Walk starts at 7pm from Shelford Rugby Club. A Star Radio DJ will be getting the crowd warmed up with a selection of great music before they set off. Walkers are encouraged to dress up and accessorise to set the city aglow.
This year’s event is kindly sponsored by Hamberley Care Homes, Cambridge Grove. Last year more than 350 participants and 80 volunteers were involved helping raise over £40,000, from a combination of registration fees and much welcome participant sponsorship. Together you can help make 2024 even bigger, and make a difference for more local people in our care!
Register your place at arhc.org.uk/ssnw or call 01223 675888 for more information.
Register before midnight on 5 May for a 20% discount - £14 adults and £7.60 children aged 10-15. From 6 May prices will be £17.50 and £9.50. Registration closes on 19 June, unless capacity is reached earlier – so secure your place now!
Posted April 18 2024
Potholes fixed 12 times claim
A Shelford Councillors says he knows of potholes that have had to be fixed 12 times in the last 5 years.
Shelford and Stapleford county councillor Brian Milnes said the “cheap and cheerful” repairs for some potholes only last months before they have to be fixed again.
Cllr Milnes told a meeting of Cambridgeshires the Highways and Transport Committee on March 5 that he knew of a pothole that had been fixed by the county council 12 times in the last five years.
“We are making use of [the] dragon patcher because it is very cost effective. It is cheap, but it is cheap and cheerful," he said.
“The material that the dragon patch puts in its potholes is quickly removed, sadly often into drainage gullies adjacent to where the work has been done, and then we have to go back and do it again.”
Cllr Milnes said he had just received his 221st email about potholes on Granhams Road in Great Shelford, which have been repaired “three times in the last year”.
He said: “That Granhams Road example is pertinent because it just lasts three or four months maximum before potholes reappear.
*See a full report in the Cambridge Independent
Posted March 12 2024
Shelford Co-op ram-raided
The new Shelford Co-op was ram-raided on March 15. The cash machine from the new shop was taken.
Police were called to reports of a ram raid at the Co-op in Great Shelford just after 4am.
Officers later found the stolen cash machine in Grange Road near Duxford.
They also found a white Mitsubishi L200 believed to have been used in the ram raid.
Thieves are believed to have abandoned the pick-up van and cash machine in Grange Road, Duxford.
The new Co-op in High Green, Great Shelford opened on January 26.
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The Co-op store in High Street, Great Shelford was hit by ram-raiders in September 2018.
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Pictures courtesy Harriet Heywood/ BBC
E-scooters heading for Great Shelford
E-scooters will soon be available in Great Shelford.
An extension of the Cambridge e-scooter trail to the village has been given the go ahead by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Places for the extended area being considered include Great Shelford, Grantchester, Teversham and Fulbourn.
Greatr Shelford gave the thumbs up to the idea at their meeting on February 21.
The green light was given by the Transport and Infrastructure Committee on March 13.
Updated March 14 2024
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
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
Twinning update
French Breakfast - Saturday 16th March - 9.00/11.00am
You will have received information regarding the French breakfast on Saturday 16th March .... please sign up as soon as you can, which will help us with our catering arrangements. Reserve your places by contacting Penny Pearl by 13th March either by email (twinningsec@gmail.com) or by telephone (01223 842483).
Verneuil-en-Halatte - May 25th - May 28th
Sarah Haddow has recently circulated information regarding the Twinning visit to Verneuil-en-Halatte in May. Thanks to the generosity of Shelford Parish Council we are able to reduce the price per child from £90 to £45. We hope that this will encourage families to participate in the 36th anniversary of the signing of the Twinning Charter in Verneuil-en-Halatte. The cost per adult is £115. Please contact Sarah Haddow (sarah.haddow@talk21.com) to register your interest and then she will send you further information in due course. Thank you to those who have already registered their interest. The earlier people register helps our French counterparts to think about the provision of suitable accommodation for the weekend.
Posted Feb 27 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
Noticeboard mystery
There are two village noticeboards in Great Shelford S, one in each of the two car parks, for general community use.
I and several others have noticed that our posters disappear within a few days of being put up.
The parish council are not responsible.
So my question is, Who's "tidying up" our noticeboards? and please will they stop it!
People in the village want to know if there are events, and the noticeboards are one of the ways they find out.
Helen Harwood
Posted Feb 1 2024
Award for Shelford station staff member
A Greater Anglia staff member has been given an award at a national rail ceremony.
Angela Milton, who has worked at Shelford station for 14 years and has been on the railway for almost 30 years, received a ‘highly commended’ award in the station staff category of the RailStaff Awards.
The nominations noted that she has an ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of the railway timetable’, is ‘unfailingly helpful’, and ‘provides an exceptional service to every customer that walks through the door’. Angela was also commended for turning Shelford station into a community hub.
Angela has created a small library, hung a mirror in the waiting area by the ticket office, and regularly offers fresh fruit to give customers a little morning pick-me-up.
Angela Milton said:
“I am so pleased to have received the ‘highly commended’ award – I am very proud and this is the icing on the cake of my career.
“I often find myself being a listening ear for customers too, in between my normal duties of selling tickets and making that sure everything is OK at the station. I think Shelford really is a home from home.”
Posted Jan 152024
CBE for Great Shelford resident
Professor Anne Prentice’s has been awarded a CBE award in the New Year’s Honours list.
She lives on Tunwell’s Lane in Great Shelford
Prof Prentice is an Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow at the University’s MRC Epidemiology Unit, was awarded a CBE for services to British and Global Public Health Nutrition.
A former director of the MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory (previously MRC Human Nutrition Research) at Cambridge, and programme leader of the MRC Nutrition and Bone Health Research Group at Cambridge, she was also head of the calcium, vitamin D and bone health research team at MRC Unit The Gambia. Her research is focused on life-course nutritional requirements for population health, with an emphasis on calcium and vitamin D, and encompasses the nutritional problems of both affluent and resource-limited societies.
She said: “I am delighted to receive this honour on behalf of all the people, in this country and worldwide, who have worked with me to improve our understanding of the links between nutrition and health.”
Posted Jan 4 2024
Tesco break-in
Burglars took cash boxes after smashing through the window of Tesco's in Woollards Lane Great Shelford on Nov 26.
Posted Dec 5 2023
Church Street is Parish Council's traffic priority
Church Street is the Parish Council's priority for traffic management changes following the traffic survey in 2023.
Survey responses highlighted the safety of children arriving and leaving school.
The Parish Council is preparing a Local Highways Initiative bid for " safety initiatives on Church Street - comprising a give way feature with build outs (possibly to include a signalling option as this is preferred giving benefits for cyclists and pedestrians) combined with removal/replacement of two/three parking spaces and addition of two wooden gateway features after the two bridges and near the Plough."
Any final decision on the bid will be made by Cambridgeshire County Council.
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The Parish Council has commissioned a report from traffic consultants to explore potential one way solutions for the village using computing modelling. If a one way system is proposed, this would only be after further analysis, potentially a trail and a full public and business consultation.
Posted Jan 2 2024
Burglary
A house in Hinton Way was burgled on October 20.
There were also six garden building burglaries on Mingle Lane and Hinton Way on the evening of Friday 27th.
Posted Oct 31 2023
Great Shelford gala postponed
The Shelford Autumn gala has been cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances."
The gala was due to be held on October 14th in the Memorial Hall. It was organised by the Parish Council.
Adverts can still be seen around the village for the event, including in the Great Shelford Village News.
It was expected to raise up to £3,000 for local charities including Cambridge Playscheme and the Great Shelford Village Charity..
Tickets were £50 each which included a three course meal.
The Parish Council is hoping to hold an event in February instead.
Posted Oct 2 2023
Motorworks go from strength to strength
Motorworks are going from strength to strength following their expansion earlier this year.
"I just wanted to take a moment to thank all old and new customers of Cambridge Motorworks Ltd, we have been inundated with new happy customers at both sites (Shelford and Wimpole) since we now do all make and models repairs/servicing whilst still specialising in Bmw Minis," said owner Blake Elkins.
"As a goodwill gesture I would like to give back to the local community, maybe sponsoring or something along those lines?
Contact Blake at blake@mworks.co.uk
Posted Oct 27 2023
Nordic walking launched in Great Shelford
Nordic walking is a sociable, outdoor walking exercise with poles that improves strength, endurance, core stability and posture. First used by Finnish cross-country skiers as part of their summer training, Nordic walking is a form of fitness walking, with both INWA (the International Nordic Walking Federation) and British Nordic Walking recommending the 10-step technique for the optimum workout.
As well as improving balance and co-ordination, Nordic walking allows you to travel further and faster. Reassuringly, if you’re returning to exercise after a break, you do so with a reduced chance of injury as your body eases gradually towards ‘whole-body’ fitness.
Gait Nordic Walking offers the 10-step method at Shelford Recreation Ground with individual or group classes available. Every step counts: book a FREE 25-minute taster (9.15 – 11.15 Thursday 12/10; 10 – 12 Sunday 15/10). Advance booking essential: gaitnordiwalki@gmail.com Mobile: 07879 369553
Posted Oct 2 2023
Local celebrant Mum marries daughter to son-in-law
Corinne Davidson trained as a celebrant - and her first ceremony was her own daughter's marriage.
"Having completed my training, I was delighted to write my very first ceremony," said Corinne from Great Shelford.
"What could be more special than to generate a service from scratch for my daughter’s wedding! Emily and Jon both studied in Cambridge, but they didn’t meet until they were working in London a couple of years later.
It was over the Christmas holiday that I finally decided to train as an Independent Celebrant.
"The idea had formed a few years ago, but I needed courage to leave safe employment (I used to be a Secondary School teacher at Comberton before working at Peterhouse) to generate my own business.
"Writing ceremonies for people’s key life events felt like a natural choice. I like working with and helping people, and I enjoy creative writing. Therefore, creating a bespoke and personal ceremony at a time of high emotion for people feels like a good blend of my interests and skills.
Carefully chosen words to mark the safe arrival of a baby, or the loss of a loved one, or the union of a couple in love, can inspire, heal, and bring joy to those who need it. It is an honour to be part of these times and events.
"The beauty of a celebrant wedding is that you can have exactly the elements you want without restriction – the readings, music, everything… Jon and Emily wanted a traditional hymn and so that was part of the service – drawing together friends and family in a united voice. They wanted four readings – there was no restrictions on how many or which ones they could choose.
"The main advantage that comes with a celebrant wedding is being able to get to know the couple and to write up their love story, personally and uniquely. Knowing your celebrant before the big day helps with comfort and support as well as with championing the couple through carefully chosen words. It was very special to have married my daughter to her new husband as my first celebrant job.
"Since then, I have begun work with bereaved families writing ceremonies for their loved ones’ funerals. This is rewarding work, ensuring that you capture the essence of the person being remembered as well as covering all the things the family want to share with people at the funeral.
Corinne Davidson – Insight Ceremonies
https://www.insightceremonies.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/insightceremonies/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090079070614
Photos: www.andyandszerdi.com #andyandszerdi
Posted Aug 16 2023
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
Shelford couple scammed
A Great Shelford couple have been swindled out of thousands of pounds in an online scam.
They have decided to share the details of what happened to them to serve as a warning to other people after losing £10,000. They have asked not to be named.
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February decided to sell some old shares . Started the sale registration process but didn’t complete it
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April had a call offering to buy the shares .Said they would call back in a few days time
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As had already decided to sell the shares, we said yes when they called back
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The caller said they were an Agent representing a large buyer who was buying a mixture of corporate and small shareholder holdings. He was very pleasant ,did not pressure us and in time we felt we got to know him
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Due the nature of the sale I was asked to sign a non-disclosure Agreement. I used to deal with these at work ,read it in detail and it all seemed in order
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Another week or so went by and had another call confirming the purchase price per share. We had a number of large bills coming up which having taken early retirement meant us dipping into savings so some additional income was an attractive option and we agreed to go ahead.
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Received a number of documents relating to the sale as well as website links for all parties involved
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Were advised that an insurance bond needed to be in place with monies from the buyer and seller. We would receive our insurance premium payment back along with interest and the share monies owed to us when the full sale had gone through. Again, there was a detailed ‘legal ‘ document sent over detailing all of this
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Did a bank transfer of the monies to the Metro Bank, Philippine’s, account details anonymised.
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Issue with the transfer so took a three weeks to happen. Agent said there was ‘no hurry’
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Three weeks later confirmed full sale would happen
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Advised there were some shares on offer that we could buy at a cheap price and resell at the higher price that we had been offered. Take a day or so to decide
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We decided to proceed due to financial commitments and paid a first instalment the following day
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It was the next morning that we became nervous and read the Martin Lewis website . Read an Article about typical characteristics about scams and realised that this matched our experience. Called the bank straight away because the monies had left our account a few hours earlier to try and do a recall. This was unsuccessful
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At no time did we hand over bank account information or give remote access to our laptop which would have alerted us
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If we had been at work this probably would not have happened because we would not have been easily available for calls
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Barclays bank say they can do nothing to help as the recall was unsuccessful and Metro Bank are still investigating
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Next step is contacting the Bank Ombudsman.
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And of course when you read it you will think how were we so gullible. When we look back on it we think EXACTLY the same !
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Posted July 26 2023
Major changes at Scotsdales
Scotsdales have started major development work at their flagship store in Great Shelford.
The considerable development will enable Scotsdales to significantly enhance the experience for their customers. Phase one of the project began in August, which will see the plant area being covered by a roof, as well as the construction of a purpose built garden care department.
This will be completed in Feb 2024, before moving onto the second phase of the development which includes building a new restaurant and more advanced food hall.
Scotsdales, Great Shelford, will remain open throughout the entire refurbishment period. They have created a temporary outdoor plant area, and relocated their perennials, trees, shrubs to offer our customers the same quality and range of garden plants. Their team are excited about the next chapter in the Scotsdales story, and they are on hand to help any of our customers along the way.
Posted Aug 16 2023
Zara forced to close for two days
Zara Indian restaurant was forced to close for 48 hours after a car hit the outside wall.
No one was injured in the incident, which happened on July 25. It is believed an elderly driver lost control of their car.
The popular restaurant was due to re-open on Thursday July 27.
Posted July 26 2023
Zara photos: John Wakefield
Shelford Guides finds a new leader
Two experienced Guide leaders have now been found for Shelford Guides.
Shelford Guides has been running since 1917 providing fun, friendship and opportunities to learn new skills to girls aged 10-14 years.
Posted Oct 2 2023
Shelford Spice shortlisted
Shelford Spice has been shortlisted for an award.
They are a finalist for the Takeaway of the year for the East of England in the English Curry Awards.
The results will be announced in August.
Posted July 26 2023
Indecent exposure man arrested
A man has been arrested after a number of reports of indecent exposure in Great Shelford and the surrounding area.
Police have charged the 21-year-old man from Surrey with five counts of indecent exposure between 13 and 17 June in Great Shelford, Sawston, Cambridge and Orchard Park.
He has also been charged with one count of outraging public decency in Great Shelford on 17 June and appeared in court in June.
Inspector Simon Birch from Cambridgeshire Police said: "Incidents like this are taken extremely seriously by police and we urge anyone who experiences anything similar to contact us immediately providing as much information as possible. Your information will help us target our patrols and give us the best chance of finding those involved."
Posted Jun 26 2023
Friendship group
Great Shelford Friendship group for older men and women meets in St Mary’s Community Room on THURSDAYS at 2.30pm in term-time
A big thank you to all of you for your support so far
We will be meeting again from Thursday, 28th September.
We have space for more members - maybe some from church congregations would like to join us as we cover all kinds of interests.
Please contact Rosey Feuell, LLM - 01223 213305 / roseyleaf@talktalk.net – or come along one Thursday.
Posted July 26 2023
Radical traffic plans for Great Shelford revealed
Proposals as wide ranging as stopping motorised traffic using Church Street and to make Woollards Lane and High Street one-way have emerged to improve traffic management in Great Shelford.
Moves to switch parking on Church Street to the opposite side of the road, extending weight limit restrictions and the introduction of all day parking charges in the village are highlighted in the report.
“A very radical option would be to consider if a permanent closure of Church Street to motorised traffic would be possible or desirable,” says the report, commissioned by Great Shelford Parish Council.
“The closure of Church Street to through traffic would reduce traffic along Woollards Lane and High Street, particularly the rat running identified from the traffic surveys.
“Other options have been considered, such as introducing one-way operation in High Street and Woollards Lane,” the report states.
The 45 page traffic report has been carried out by consultants Intermodal Transportation, who were commissioned by the Parish Council. It has been published on the Parish Council website. Great Shelford Parish Council, who commissioned the report are planning wide consultation before considering the options and exploring the viability of some of the ideas. No decisions have yet been made by Great Shelford Parish Council.
The report highlights illegal parking near the school which it says could be addressed with “a camera option which would likely to be the most effective deterrent.”
“There may be a benefit in switching the parking adjacent to the Church from the northern side of Church Street to the southern side as that would increase inter-visibility,” the report states.
“A one-way scheme for High Street and Woollards Lane could be included with a segregated cycle facility incorporated if roadside parking is removed in part,” the report proposes.
Further work was commissioned by the Parish Council in February 2023 to explore the feasibility and potential benefits of introducing a one way system. This work will measure traffic flows and the potential impact of changes.
“A survey of local people indicated a high level of concern relating to congestion, speeding and parking,” said the report.
The report states: “Great Shelford Parish Council intends to implement ongoing improvements in the village and after initial priorities are addressed, will explore additional measures such as one-way systems, pedestrianisation in parts, increasing parking potential on the perimeters of the village and introducing all day parking charges.”
Next steps suggested in the report include:
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“Consider the detailed revisions to parking in Church Street and introduce a formal priority working arrangement to facilitate wider footways where possible.
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“To discuss potential weight restrictions in Church Street with the Local Highway Authority (the County Council.)
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“To undertake further studies including exploring if a one-way traffic system could be implemented in High Street and Woollards Lane.”
Lyn Disley of Great Shelford Parish Council commented “We asked the consultants to ‘think out of the box’ and so the ideas are varied and some pretty radical. Of course, some considerations are just unworkable, but as with all problem solving, ideas can lead to further thought and eventually to solutions. No action is being considered yet as we are only part way through the process of gathering data and ideas. It is helpful to see a wide gamut of thoughts and this will inform debate. The closure of Church Street to through traffic is not an option that is being actively considered.”
Proposals arising from this work and other investigative work will be shared with residents and feedback invited on practicable initiatives that could be discussed with the Highways Department of Cambridgeshire County Council and then any improvements that could be viable would be trialled and reviewed.
Any changes would need to be approved by Cambridgeshire County Council.
Posted June 1 2023
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
New girls football team for the village
Shelford & Stapleford Strikers Football Club are hoping to start a Girls team for the 23/24 football season. This is to add to our super successful mixed teams from the age of U6s to u18s.
Training will begin for the girls team this summer, ran by John Rush, coach and chairman at SASS FC. (Volunteers will also be required)
If you (or you know someone) with a daughter in Year 2 or 3 that is keen to play, please contact John.rush@sass-fc.com.
SASS FC also take on U6 boys and girls (year 1) for our mini striker teams.
Please visit www.sass-fc.com for more info
Posted May 23 2023
Square and Compass is back
The Square and Compasses has re-opened.
The village pub opened its doors again on Easter Sunday after Hans and Justine Pinkard took over the reins.
Traditional pub food is now back on the menu.
And new benches at the front of the pub are also on the way in the next few weeks.
Hans and Justine have many years experience, having previously ran popular pubs at Balsham and Ashdon.
“We have been out for three years after because of the pandemic but the timing for the Square was just right,” said Hans.
“We have lots of experience of pubs. We hope we can offer the village something fresh alongside the traditional pub offerings.
“Hopefully the Square can recover from the pandemic and people rediscover the joy of the village pub, rather than it being down on its luck
“We are child friendly and dog friendly – we want to make this a pub for the whole village,” he said.
“Overall we think we need to keep it simple, with good quality beer and reliable reasonably priced food.”
You can stay across their opening hours through their new Facebook page
The Square and Compasses pub in Great Shelford closed in January.
Posted April 24 2023
Great Shelford and Stapleford Neighbourhood Plan: April/May 2023 community consultation is live
There are only three things in life that are certain: death, taxes…and that development will be coming to Stapleford and Great Shelford.
We can’t stop development, but we can shape it to meet our community’s needs, protect the things we value and improve the less good bits. We can do this through legal powers given to us in Neighbourhood Planning.
Building on an initial opinion survey in 2022, a group of Stapleford and Great Shelford residents and parish councillors has drafted a vision for our villages in 2040 and actions we could take to realise it.
There are lots of other things we’d like to understand residents’ views on too, including our proposals to protect locally valued vistas and green spaces; meet local housing needs; improve biodiversity; enhance access to our surrounding countryside; and expand our active travel network.
We need to know if we’ve got all these things right before we start work on the legally binding policies against which all planning applications for our area will be assessed.
You may sometimes feel that you don’t have a say in the growth of our area, but you do! When completed, policies in our Neighbourhood Plan will have just as much clout as those in the National Planning Policy Framework and our Local Plan.
Please give a few moments to help shape the place where you live.
The survey is open until 28th May 2023 – you can find it and lots of supporting information online at www.greatshelfordparishcouncil.gov.uk/SGSNPlan or pick up a hard copy at a pop-up event or at Great Shelford Library. And three lucky-dip winners will each receive a £50 voucher as thanks for taking part.
Jenny Flynn
Chair of Stapleford and Gt Shelford Neighbourhood Plan steering group
Posted April 20 2023
Parish Clerk attends Coronation
Libby White, Clerk to Great Shelford Parish Council was invited to attend the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May 2023.
Both Libby and Angie Hurren are local council clerks and Community Governance graduates with First Class Honours degrees from De Montfort University, and were awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to their communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Around 2,000 people attended the Coronation. That number includes around 400 community representatives.
Updated May 23 2023
Shelford Twinning Association 2023 exchange visits
We are delighted to be arranging visits again after the pandemic. 2023 marks the 35th anniversary of the beginning of the Shelfords’ twinning link with Verneuil en Halatte, a village situated about 30 miles north of Paris. The date of this year’s visit to Verneuil is:
Shelford to Verneuil : Thurs 1st – Sun 4th June
Cost: Adults £95* Children £75* (second and subsequent children £50*)
The fare includes all travel, accommodation and meals (the only other expenses being a small gift for the host family, lunches on the days of travel, a little pocket money and your travel insurance for the four days). Travel is by coach from Great Shelford (channel crossing by tunnel).
The visit is for all, adults and children. The people in Verneuil are welcoming and friendly, and everyone is accommodated in families as the essence of twinning is getting to know each other on a personal level. Children of primary school age are especially catered for. The programme includes outings to places of interest, a morning in school for primary age children, and a party for all. It is not necessary to be able to speak French, but it’s nice to try!
Children aged 13 and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Closing date for applications: 22nd April
For more information and a booking form please contact Sarah Haddow (sarah.haddow@talk21.com) or Colin Jefferson (colin@frenchfrogs.net)
The French visit to Shelford is scheduled for 8th – 11th July 2023
It is not a requirement to host a French family, but it is fun to do so!
Posted March 17 2023
Kash stores changes hands
Kash Stores on Hinton Way, Great Shelford changed hands on April 3. Prakash and Jayshri retired after 28 years.
In a statement, Prakash said:
"We are pleased to announce that the convenience store "Kash Stores" in Great Shelford will be handed over to a new set of people on April 3rd, 2023.
"The new team is committed to providing the same quality services that our loyal customers have come to expect. We would like to thank our customers for their support over the years and wish the new team every success in their new venture."
Posted March 31 2023
Cambridge Miniworks to stay in the village
Cambridge Miniworks is staying in Great Shelford.
In September, owner Blake Elkins announced that the family run business would be relocating to a bigger site.
But now the company has decided to keep hold of its Shelford headquarters while also expanding to a second garage at Wimpole (Wishers garages) which will also be named Cambridge Motorworks in due corse. The Wimpole site has its own mot bay, 4 ramps and a body shop.
They are also about to change the company name to Cambridge Motorworks.
“We are going to be carrying out services and repairs for all different makes and models at Great Shelford but also still specialising in Mini and Volkswagen. We already have a big local customer base so this is the right direction for us.
The expansion will see sales being carried out in the future at Wimpole. And that will mean the company will no longer need to park vehicles on High Green, which will go down well with local residents.
“This is a real Great Shelford success story,” said Blake. “This is good news for the village and good news for the business. This decision means that the village will be retaining a good quality and trusted garage on its doorstep.”
The expansion will also mean extra jobs for the village, keep an eye out soon!
Cambridge Miniworks have been in the village since 2011 when the company converted the former blacksmith’s shop.
It’s a family run company, with Blake involved with maintenance and sales, while his wife, Lauren, looks after accounts. Assisting Blake in both garages is Ian Newey along with 3 highly experienced technicians.
Posted Jan 31 2023
New path to Dernford reservoir in the pipeline
Exciting changes are planned under the umbrella of a new venture called the Sawston Greenway.
The Sawston Greenway will provide a safer and better route for people walking, cycling and, where appropriate, horse-riding, linking Sawston, Stapleford, Great Shelford, Addenbrooke’s/Biomedical Campus and Cambridge.
The Greater Cambridge Greenways will follow off-road paths, along quiet streets or provide improved facilities along busier roads to provide more people with safer, easier and more direct routes in and out of Cambridge.
Proposals include;
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Reducing the speed limit on Chaston Way, Mingle Lane and Church Street, Stapleford to 20mph along with traffic calming measures
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A new parallel zebra crossing is proposed on Hinton Way, Great Shelford to connect between Chaston Way and Mingle Lane.
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The creation of a new direct off-road shared use path from Great Shelford to Dernford Reservoir and the A1301.
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A raised junction is proposed outside Shelford Station to reduce vehicle speeds and create a safer environment for people accessing the station.
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An upgrade to the Genome cycle Path making the path wider to provide users with more comfort.
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Consultation about the proposed changes ends on Friday 9 December.
To find out more and share your views with us please visit the following website: https://consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/gcp-sawston-greenway
Posted Nov 23 2022
New barbers for Great Shelford
A new barbers has opened in Woollards Lane, Great Shelford.
Istanbul Barbers opened on November 21 in the former Solutions hairdressers.
The new barbers will be open seven days a week, offering what owner Çetın Tasdoğan describes as the best traditional Turkish services including wet shaves.
They are opening Monday to Saturday 9am to 6.30pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm with no appointments necessary.
Solutions Hairdressers in Great Shelford closed on October 13.
The Woollards Lane business has been going strong for 13 years.
"Its a really sad day for me and a really day for the village," said owner Sharon Footman.
She said that Solutions had never recovered after the pandemic.
"The climate has changed so much since then. People are trying to save their money, men are cutting their own hair. Mums are cutting their kids's hair. And people are cutting back on colouring.
"I feel really sorry for our elderly customers as there will no longer be a hairdressers for them in the village."
Sharon is now mobile hairdressing. Her number is 079969898375.
Victor is going to retire after more than 60 years as a barber.
"I would like to say a massive thank you to all our lovely clients for their support throughout the years,” said Sharon. “It feels like the end of an era, it's just awful.”
Updated Nov 23 2022
Planning approved for 39 new retirement apartments in Great Shelford
Permission has been given to build 39 brand new independent living retirement apartments in Great Shelford After a successful planning appeal,
Regenerating the vacant former commercial yard site on Station Road, the new development will bring a new community to the heart of Great Shelford, supporting around 78 jobs both during and after construction and contributing over £300k a year to the local economy.
In the appeal decision notice, the Government’s Planning Inspector R Norman dismissed concerns about the design and impact of the development, concluding that the plans “would represent an improvement on the existing site frontage,” and “would improve the character and appearance of the area.”
The new development will provide high quality, secure and self-contained accommodation in landscaped grounds. Owners will enjoy independent living and a sense of community, with a communal owners’ Lounge, a Guest Suite, a Lodge Manager, and a 24 hour emergency call alarm service.
Stuart Goodwill, Managing Director of Churchill’s planning consultancy, said: “This is a very positive result and we will now look forward to starting work as soon as possible on this new development in Great Shelford. Retirement housing is the most effective form of residential development for generating local economic growth, supporting local jobs, and increasing high street spend. The new apartments will also help improve the health and wellbeing of those who live there, and meet the housing needs of many older people in Great Shelford and the surrounding area.”
For more information on the development, please call 0800 458 1857 or visit www.churchillretirement.co.uk
Posted Oct 5 2022
New cafe for Great Shelford
The empty shop next door to Shelford Spice is a new cafe.
It is a full English breakfast cafe, eat in and takeaway.
It is called Brunch Base. The operating hours are Monday to Friday 8am till 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 9:30am till 2:30pm.
It opened on Jan 11th 2023.
You can see their website at www.brunchbase.co.uk
The next door takeaway, Shelford Spice opened in Woollards Lane on July 19.
Shelford Spice is in the former McColls newsagents which closed almost four years ago.
Updated Feb 16 2023
Three new streets for Great Shelford
Three new streets are being created in Great Shelford with the arrival of 21 new almshouses
The 21 homes will be ready to be lived in early in 2023.
The homes are ion three new terraces:
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Martin Terrace
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Pearson Terrace
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Oliver Terrace.
Martin Terrace
Great Shelford was one of many villages to benefit from the generosity of Lettice Martin. On her death in 1562, this wealthy landowner from Chrishall, some 8 miles south of Shelford, left money to found charities for the poor across 36 parishes. In 1890, Great Shelford’s Lettice Martin’s Charity merged with two other local charities to form The Parochial Charities.
Pearson Terrace
In addition to housing, the charity in its early years provided other benefits to those in need, most notably the provision of coal but also nursing aid and equipment. Their records show that between 1893 and 1895, the Parochial Charities paid for nursing duties provided by Elizabeth Pearson, a widow living in Abberley Wood.
Oliver Terrace
Before the Great Shelford health centre opened in 1980, the village surgery was located on the corner of Tunwells Lane and Station Road. Here Dr Hugh Oliver MBE practised, firstly as a locum in the late 1950s and latterly – from 1976 to 1988 – as a much-loved village GP. In between, he served as Medical Superintendent at the Mengo Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. Dr Oliver was for many years a trustee of The Parochial Charities, stepping down in 2014. He died in 2017 aged 87.
Read about the 21 new homes at the Great Shelford Parochial Charities website.
Posted September 27 2022
Nursery offers £1,000 bonus to new staff
Shelford Day Nursery is offering a £1,000 bonus to new staff.
The Nursery is currently advertising on Heart Radio for qualified and experienced Early Years Educators as well as Lunch Time Supervisors.
" We are encouraging new staff to join us as soon as possible and as such, we are offering new starters a joining bonus of £1000; please spread the word," said the Nursery
Potential staff can apply for roles by calling Debs at the nursery, popping in to see us, online via our website (shelforddaynursery.org) or by emailing info@shelforddaynursery.org.
https://shelforddaynursery.org/
Posted June 27 2022
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