New accommodation brochure
We have compiled a pdf brochure of all the accommodation businesses who advertise with us on Virtual Swanage and it is available for you to download from http://www.virtual-swanage.co.uk/docs/Accommodation_Guide_2009.pdf
We will update this free download every month with the latest details.
Jurassic Outdoors Open Evening
As a thank you to our regular customers, we’re holding an open evening between 6pm and 8pm on Friday 3rd April, to view our new range of summer clothing and footwear.
More...
Google Earth Mapping Swanage
It appears that Google Maps are expanding their UK coverage of street level maps and are currently taking photos of all the roads in Swanage today.
More...
Not serious all the time ........
You’re going to die.
I’m going to die, too. Every day I live is another day closer to when I stop. It could be tomorrow, it could be in thirty years time. I’m glad I don’t know when my time is up; that would spoil the fun. So my motto is ‘treat every day as if it were your last because one day it will be’.
I spent a really lovely Sunday. Started off with bacon (high fat content), eggs (cholesterol) and coffee (caffeine). Worked in the garden with my shirt off, soaking up the spring sunshine (skin cancer). Stopped for elevenses; coffee (caffeine) and a chocolate bar (fat and cholesterol). Went out to lunch (more fat, more cholesterol) in the car (helping climate change). Had a beer (risking prostate cancer) and Tina had a glass of wine (risking breast cancer). Paid by credit card (risking bank fraud). Back home to laze around, taking no exercise (risking heart attacks) soaking up more sunshine (risking skin cancer).
Later, we cleaned the three (anti-social) cars, (probably using carcinogenic chemicals). Spent an hour (apparently too long) in the Jacuzzi (soaking up chemicals and risking skin irritation) playing the lovely warm jets on my back (damaging my kidneys), and knocking back at least a pint of San Miguel (that’s my units for the day gone), listening to loud music on the headphones (damaging my hearing). Dried off under the patio heater (that’s the globe totally finished).
Dinner was Steak (grilled, not fried, but still dangerous), sauté garlic potatoes (fried) and vegetables (two sorts, not five). Apple pie and Ice-cream (fat). And a glass of red wine (good for the heart). And another (that’s tomorrow’s units gone) and another (but then it was a very good bottle and I don’t think I’m driving anywhere). And then put up the feet in front of the TV (no exercise either considered or possible by this stage). And so to bed.
Am I glad to be alive ? No, I’m amazed ! That reminds me, I must cancel the Daily Mail……..
See you next month. Maybe.
David Hollister
Planning
We have been running a series in the Purbeck Gazette entitled 'Telling It Like It Is' , and the last two months' articles have been on planning matters, peculiarities, and downright odd decisions. I have tried and failed to understand how it is that some plans seem to go through almost 'on the nod' whilst others are subject to constant refusal, moderation, and general hassle from either the Planning Officers or their Committee. I would be interested to follow up the last article (Gazette April 2009) with any stories, comments, etc from our readers and those who read and contribute to this blog. So if you have a story - let's have it at virtual-swanage.co.uk. If you do not wish me to use it in next month's Gazette, please indicate this fact at the end of your tale.
I genuinely belive that something is wrong here. but cannot at this stage make any comments or point any fingers because I don't have enough hard facts. Over to you, dear readers.
If you'd prefer to keep it anonymous then please email me your story at david.hollister@corfe-castle.co.uk. All emails will be acknowledged but I make no guarantee of publication; that's Nico's department !
David Hollister
2008 - 2009 site stats
Below are the overall visitor site stats for the Virtual Swanage website for the past 12 months.
As you can see the number of visitors to the site dropped in September when the first signs of the credit crunch was being reported in the media.
| February, 2008 |
481,744 |
 |
101,070 |
 |
1,625,889 |
 |
12,501,564 |
 |
| March, 2008 |
557,143 |
 |
161,657 |
 |
1,753,491 |
 |
13,879,425 |
|
| April, 2008 |
655,433 |
 |
142,671 |
 |
1,875,849 |
|
14,557,947 |
|
| May, 2008 |
679,204 |
|
164,712 |
 |
2,118,580 |
|
17,631,446 |
 |
| June, 2008 |
692,613 |
|
92,480 |
 |
2,150,756 |
|
17,299,385 |
|
| July, 2008 |
573,240 |
|
82,580 |
 |
2,094,285 |
|
19,789,756 |
|
| August, 2008 |
367,300 |
|
57,716 |
 |
1,494,356 |
|
18,928,876 |
|
| September, 2008 |
239,301 |
 |
41,957 |
 |
943,120 |
 |
10,639,660 |
|
| October, 2008 |
236,250 |
|
46,128 |
 |
787,491 |
|
9,719,874 |
 |
| November, 2008 |
187,998 |
|
44,037 |
|
582,954 |
|
7,667,652 |
 |
| December, 2008 |
169,002 |
|
42,225 |
|
566,427 |
|
7,765,092 |
|
| January, 2009 |
233,839 |
|
51,449 |
|
889,788 |
|
11,008,942 |
|
| February, 2009 |
214,192 |
|
44,806 |
|
824,359 |
|
10,746,358 |
|
| Total(s) |
5,287,259 |
|
1,073,488 |
|
17,707,345 |
|
172,135,976 |
|
| Average(s) |
406,712 |
|
82,576 |
|
1,362,103 |
|
13,241,229 |
|
Where next for Swanage Online
If you were looking for information about the area, what would you like to see and have more information about on our main Swanage Online site at http://www.virtual-swanage.co.uk/
Please post any ideas using the reply box below.
New gallery photos
We have added 3 more photos to the gallery of the area
http://www.virtual-swanage.co.uk/gallery/searchthumbs.aspx?qu=2000&tp=da
Co-operative Group to close Somerfield
Peter Marks, the chief executive of The Co-operative Group, has revealed that he plans to close Somerfield's head office in Bristol next year, putting hundreds of jobs at risk, and that it will take "at least two years" to convert more than 650 Somerfield stores to its own brand
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/
If Coop are converting all the Somerfields, they must be planning to sell Somerfield in Swanage otherwise we would have two Coops !
Yet more job losses which the town dosnt need.
The Durlston Project
This week I was able to have a look around Durlston Castle and see the work which the Durlston Project are doing to revamp the building and area.
After talking to some of the volunteers who are working on the building removing parts of the interior and other work they said that they are always on the lookout for extra help, so if anyone who reads this can help in any way, please contact them.
More info is availble on the Durlston website at http://www.durlston.co.uk/index.php?nid=20&id=57
