Rye Neighbourhood Plan Deadline

The deadline for comments on the Rye Neighbourhood Plan is this Friday 6 April. The Conservation Society has distributed its draft comments on the Plan to the membership with the latest Newsletter - see under Planning on this site - and its final comments will be submitted to Rye Town Council following the Executive Committee meeting tomorrow.

Listed Building Maintenance

The Listed Property Owners Club has a very interesting section on renovation and maintenance work on listed homes. Given the large number of such buildings in Rye it is important that owners know the rules and regulations surrounding such work and the expensive pitfalls that can be avoided. For example altering a listed building without listed building consent and planning permission in a way that affects its character is a criminal offence with potentially severe penalties. For much more information just click on this link.

AGM

A reminder that the AGM of the Society will be held in Rye Town Hall at 11.15 on 27 April followed by a lunch at the Mermaid Inn.

A copy of the 2017 Annual Report which is currently at the printers may be downloaded here. My apologies that I have been unable to combine the cover page with the report but it looks like this! click here. Rest assured that the printed version which will be out in a few days will be complete.

Any items for the Agenda or other queries should be advised asap to the Secretary at ryeconservation@gmail.com.

Barclays Bank

Back in January we contacted Barclays Bank Customer Services to say that we were concerned about the deteriorating state of the front of the building.

Apart from the poor image it gave of the Bank there was a concern that it might be a sign of it closing, but there was good news. We were advised that work would start in March to repair and reinstate the window frames and doors. So I was pleased to note that scaffolding has gone up and it seems the work is to be carried out this month.

The Ship Inn

For some time we have noticed that the

sign above the entrance to the Ship Inn has deteriorated. In February we held a meeting with Ed Gardner, the Commercial Director of Hush Heath Estates. Hush Heath have recently taken over the management of the Ship. They are based in Goudhurst where they own the well regarded Goudhurst Inn and also own a vineyard and cider facility in the area.

Mr Gardner was most helpful at the meeting and we are hopeful that the sign will be restored or redone. It may of interest that it is believed that the sailing ship that can just about be made out on the sign is the Madeira Pet, a wine and fruit schooner of 83 tons built by Rye ship builders Hessel and Holmes and launched in 1857.