Big night for Nailsworth (From Stroud News and Journal)

Big night for Nailsworth

A ONCE in a lifetime chance to spend an evening ice skating in Nailsworth town centre is being provided at the Victorian Christkindl evening in the town on Friday, November 30.

After the success of the 'White Christmas' provided last year by snowscape specialists Snow Business the organisers of this year's Christmas event have decided to go one further and provide an ice rink opposite the bus station.

The generosity of a number of sponsors has made the rink possible and skates will be available for hire. Attendants will also be on hand to help anyone who does not know how to skate.

For those with any energy after skating, Maureen and John Coneley are once again bringing their fun fair to Nailsworth as their family have been doing since the days of King John's Charter, when they were then the Family Studt.

A little more sedate but packed full of interest and entertainment is the ever-popular craft market and charity stalls in the Mortimer Gardens and the Old Market selling bargains and Christmas gifts and where there will be mulled wine and a variety of enticing foods for sale.

And for the youngsters Father Christmas will be in his grotto after turning on the Christmas lights.

Procession Father Christmas will take pride of place at the head of the procession which will start at 6.30pm in the car park at Egypt Mill and is open to anyone in costume who cares to join in the fun.

The procession will then travel up Fountain Street into Market Street before turning into Old Market from where it will proceed to opposite the bus station, where the countdown for turning the lights on the Christmas tree will begin.

The excitement begins on Friday at 6pm when the children from Horsley School will be singing carols in the bus station and the Nailsworth Junior Band will also be playing traditional carols.

Later in the evening more music will be provided by 107 The Falcon and the band Texas Bean.

Traffic and parking

Old Market will be closed to traffic from 6pm but for residents Fountain Street, Market Street and Cossack Square will provide a route to the other side of town, although motorists are asked to take great care as there may be wandering children.

Throughout the day the small car park opposite the bus station will be out of use as the ice rink is put in place, as will the car park opposite Burtions. The Newmarket Road car park and that behind the police station will however be open.

On the night there will be plenty of space available at Wyvale's Waterside car park from where Ebley Coaches have genorously agreed to provide a ferry service to the town centre.

For more, see this week's SNJ