Finished Products

Home page of my website

'contact' page of my website

'news' page of my website

Front page of my newspaper

Second page of my newspaper
The font isn't grey, I don't know why it's appearing that colour

My finished poster

Creating my website

After being advised by my friends, I decided to use wix.com to create my website as it is free and easy to use. I chose a blank layout in order to create my wesbite from scratch, plus the layout that they offered were not relevant to what I am hoping to create.

The URL/name of my website I chose is 'wickham-gazette', as this is clear and blatantly obvious. The word 'gandybone' (shown below in the HTML) is my username which is also included.

When I created the nav/menu bar I had to decide which pages I was going to include on it and decided on: 'Home' (obviously), 'News', 'Events', 'Leisure', 'Local Info', 'Sport', 'Contact', 'Jobs', 'Homes', 'Cars' and 'Dating'. I have decided to create two hyperlinked pages to 'News' and 'Contact' as I feel that they will both be relatively easy for me to create as I have all the information which I need to create them in terms of articles etc. On the 'News' page I will add more stories which couldn't fit on the home page, and on the 'Contact' page I will have an interactive map for readers to use and see where Wickham is and how far they are from it.

Above are some printscreens showing firstly how I created the menu bar; adding a button for each individual section, and then the completed nav bar as it is shown on the website. 

The printscreen above shows how I was able to change the colour of the button when it is stationary, when it is clicked/selected and when the mouse hovers over it. I made these changes in order to show that my website is interactive, as I think that when you go to click something on a website, if the link moves or alters in some small way you acknowledge that the link is working. I kept to a basic colour scheme of grey as I did not want to use vibrant colours that would clash with the red theme I have used to correspond with my title.

The above printscreen demonstrates my alterations visually: 'Home' is the page which is currently selected as the font has gone black and the background has become lighter. 'News' has not been selected and is shown as it normally is, with white font and a grey background. 'Events' is being hovered on by the mouse, and has subsequently turned inverted it's usual colours and turned black with white writing, to show clearly that it is being selected.

This is an advert which I created for Wickham's local pub. I checked with the owners if I could use the photographs and they gave me permission, so I put them on a sandy background, and added some text and their logo. I feel that this advert is similar to something which you would expect to find on a local paper, especially as this pub is actually Wickham's pub. I have hyper-linked this advert to the Victory Inn's website, just as I have with my two other adverts, one for a catering company and another for a skip hire company. 

The above advert is for my cousins catering equipment company, Akro. She allowed me to use and manipulate the images to create my advert. I felt that the colour was quite neutral and would therefore fit in well on my website, as I don't want too many bright images on the home page deterring people from the actual articles.

This advert is for my brothers Skip hire/waste disposal company. He also allowed me to use and manipulate the images and use the name of the company. I used the blue colour again because although it blended in and didn't stick out too much, it also contrasted with the red theme which ensured that my whole page wasn't too boring and all one colour.

On the home page I briefly mentioned some articles, writing the title in the serif font Georgia to make it stand out against the rest of the writing, which was smaller, not bold and Arial (sans serif). I chose the latter because it is simple and easy to read. I also made the headlines of the stories a different colour to stand out even more and grab the readers attention. I only used a teal colour, as I didn't want to use anything too bright to make sure I didn't cause the page to become too bright and appear unprofessional. I used both these fonts because they are similar to what the Halstead Gazette uses on their website. 

On local newspaper's websites, most feature a search bar, such as the Suffolk Free Press, which had one on the home page. This search bar allows the reader to search for whatever they choose on the website, in order to help them find what they are looking for quickly. I decided I would include a search bar on my website as I think it helps to make my website look more professional. When you hover the mouse over the word 'search', it enlarges and a shadow forms behind it so that the reader knows they are about to click the word 'search'.  The printscreens below demonstrate this.

When mouse isn't hovering over

When mouse is hovering over 

I placed it just above the menu bar, to the right.

In order to connect with a more younger audience, I added Facebook and Twitter links to my website. I created a Facebook page and a Twitter account for the Wickham Gazette and linked them to the icons. By displaying social networking sites on my website, I am broadening the target audience, as mainly teenagers use Facebook and Twitter. The screenshots below show how I created them. 

I clicked 'add', then 'clip art' then 'icons'

These were some of the interactive icons to choose from

I included the date at the top of my website, in the middle. All websites I have looked at such as the Halstead Gazette, the Braintree and Witham Times and a the Sudbury Mercury include today's date so I made up a date and added it in the nav bar at the top. To create the nav bar I used the same process as before (see above), except I changed the colours slightly.

The date can be seen in the middle of the nav bar at the top. 

I also decided to create a weather forecast, which is another feature commonly used on local newspaper websites. On the Halstead Gazette, todays weather is shown with the temperature, a picture of the weather e.g. a sun for sunny or a cloud for cloudy. This helps the reader to identify what the weather is like quickly and easily without actually even reading anything. The picture of the type of weather and the temperature stand out on the weather feature. I attempted to create my own weather forecast using neutral colours to enable the sun to stand out. There is an option for readers to get the full weather forecast by clicking on the link 'weather forecast >>' highlighted in blue. Despite the weather being wishful thinking and not reality, due to the fact that I chose the date to be June, I felt that I had to make the weather relative to the time of year. I feel that this makes my website look more professional.

My weather feature creation

I also decided to create a marquee, as on other websites I have researched, particularly news websites, they all appear to have one. In order to create this, I had to add 'page groups'. The printscreens below demonstrate how I did it. 

I went to 'add', then 'page parts', then 'page groups'. 

I then changed the page transition to 'elastic'

I then went to 'add', and then 'text', then 'paragraphs' and added a text box to each page of the page transitions

I then went to 'add', 'navigation' and then 'controllers'. I then picked the 'prev/next' controller and placed it next to my marquee.

In each page group, of which there are three, a different headline appears. The transition changes from headline to headline every few seconds. 

On every local newspaper website that I researched I found a section dedicated to the most popular, most read and most shared articles on the website, so I decided to create a 'most popular' section. I used a large, bold, serif font in capitals to catch the readers attention with 'most popular'. It also has a red background, which keeps with the red theme of my newspaper. The list of stories is written in smaller sans serif font which is easier to read. It has a grey background to ensure it doesn't blend in on the home page which is mainly white.

I uploaded pictures that corresponded with my articles. The print screen below shows how I uploaded pictures. 

To upload pictures I clicked 'add' and then 'pictures'. A box then appeared with the option in the top right hand corner to 'upload image'. I selected that which allowed me to upload pictures from my computer on to my website.

Above are the articles that are on my homepage, both with corresponding images. I added underneath the headline of the article when it was last updated as I had seen this used many times on local newspaper websites to help the reader know whether the story is recent or not. I inserted clip art of dotted lines to separate that small section of writing from the headline and brief summary. I used a small sans serif font called Arial for this. I used Arial again on the summary of the article, but made it slightly bigger. This summary will inform the reader what the article is about so that they know whether it will interest them or not. The headline is in teal in order to stand out and contrast against the black, white and red which are the most common colours used on my website. I used Georgia which is a serif font for the headline, which is larger than the other text in order to stand out and catch readers attention. 

Using makesweet.com I have created a way of advertising my newspaper using my poster which I created.

 This gives a realistic idea of what my poster would look like if it was actually displayed in public, which allows me to reflect on how realistic and eye catching it is.

I think the red banner helps to catch people's attention as it is so vibrant. Also the headline which refers to the Olympics makes the reader think that the newspaper does not focus on mundane local news, but instead more interesting stories that affect a larger variety of people. This is the final draft of my poster and I am happy with it. 

Deciding on the final poster

I remain unsure about the design of my poster, as I originally wanted to include a photograph on it. However I feel that it doesn't look very good, and would perhaps look better without the picture. I am going to conduct a survey in order to decide which design is better received: the poster with a photo or without.

Poster without image

Poster with image

I asked a random selection of people of all ages:

Do you prefer:

The first design?

The second design?

Using http://chartmaker.mathwarehouse.com I created a pie chart to display my results:

I have therefore concluded that I will use the first design without the image as people clearly prefer it. 

Article number thirteen

CAR CRASH IN SUDBURY

Last Monday two children and their Mother were injured in a minor car crash on the A131 between Sudbury and Halstead, following a side collision with another car. The two children, Allana who is 13 and Edwardo who is 7, are both in hospital being treated for shock, whilst their Mother, 34 year old Maddi, is receiving treatment for whiplash. The driver of the other car walked away with minor cuts and bruises, but has been fined £300 for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Article number twelve

VOTE FOR YOUR LOCAL PAPER

A competition for the best local newspaper will be held at Reeve's Hall in Braintree to crown a local paper 'The Best Local Paper 2012'. Also entering the competition is the Halstead Gazette, the Sudbury Mercury, the Haverhill Echo, the Braintree and Witham Times, the East Anglian Daily Times and the Hedingham Times. The winner will receive free publishing for a year, and promotion in the national paper 'The Times'. Awarding the prize will be local celebrity Matt Cardle, winner of the X Factor 2010, who previously lived in Maplestead, Wickham's neighbor village.

Article number eleven

CUTS TO THE BUS SERVICE

The daily local bus service which runs every hour from Halstead to Sudbury is due to have it's times altered and reduced. Currently it provides an hourly service beginning at 7.10am and finishing at 8.00pm. The local council have spoken and informed residents that the trip that passes through Wickham will be under review as it is not being used enough to generate profits.
"We apologise for any inconvenience we may be causing, but it is in everyone's best interest that we make sufficient cuts to the bus service", Michael Gove, the chairman of East Anglia Transport told the Wickham Gazette. "The bus will continue to run, but at altered times."
At present the buses have not altered, however the changes are set to begin next month, with the hourly service being reduced to every three hours.

Article number ten

LITTER ON THE GREEN

A plague of litter louts left Wickham's green covered in an array of wrappers, cans and paper around the bus shelter. The Village Committee promptly cleaned it up. The local police have got involved and asked for anyone with any information to come forward and contact PC James Woods on 01787 394596

Article number nine

CAMPSITE OPENS IN WICKHAM

Local farmer Phil Weavers has donated an acre of land to the camping association, so that a campsite can be created in Wickham. It features outside plugs for electricity, drinking water, a wooden shower and toilet block, a small cafe that opens for a couple of hours a day around lunch time, a fruit stall and a pay phone.
The campsite is surrounded by a fence and guarded by a gate; to enter you must pay a small fee into the automated machine which then provides you with a ticket which is valid only for the amount of time paid to stay for. It is possible to leave and return as long as the ticket is in your possession.
Wickham offers the perfect surroundings for the campsite, as it boasts a pub, a farm shop, a small post office and the Village Hall. The local bus service can also take people to Sudbury or Halstead, the two nearest towns.

Article number eight

LOCAL WOMAN WINS £10K

Wickham resident Glenda Bone has won a significant £10,000 on the national lottery. She plays every week, but told us that she had never won prior to this. "I'm absolutely thrilled," she told the Wickham Gazette, "I am going to take a nice long holiday with my husband and buy myself something nice".
Glenda, 64, is a retired accountant who lives with her husband along Elm Road. She is a member of the Village Committee and is helping to organise the annual village fete.

This is Glenda Bone, however I may take another picture of her with a cheque to emphasize the main event in the story. 

Article number seven

HALSTEAD SAINSBURYS CHARGES FOR PARKING

Sainsbury's in Halstead is to begin charging for parking in the car park which is to the rear of the shop. A spokesperson for Sainsbury's attempted to justify the new plans by saying: "too many people were using it as a car park for not only Sainsbury's, but to go to town as well. That's fine, but our main priority is our paying customers, who happened to not be able to park."
Allegedly some people were leaving their cars parked in the car park for days on end, implying that these people perhaps live nearby and do not have sufficient parking space. CCTV cameras will be installed in order to record number plates and ensure that no one outstays the welcome that they paid for.
Prices will range from 50p for half an hour to £5 for overnight (til 10am), and tickets will need to be displayed on the dashboard of your car.

I will definitely use this article as it is news that covers a larger area, showing that my newspaper is not just soley for Wickham. 

Article number six

VILLAGE COMMITTEE NEED MORE MEMBERS

Wickham St Pauls Village Committee are in need of more members, and are looking to add a larger variety of people to their meetings, which take place every Thursday at 7pm in the Village Hall. Chairman Ron Hood told the Wickham Gazette: "We'd like some of the younger villagers to come forward, as we could do with a fresh, young perspective. Most of our group collect our pensions before our meetings!".
The committee are the heart of the village, helping to promote and create events which will bring money into the small community, looking after the wildlife and natural areas, and addressing any issues which may be raised. Anyone who is interested in joining, please go to the next meeting on Thursday 17th June at 7pm.

A Village Committee

Article number five

SUMMER FETE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The annual Summer fete is set to take place on Wednesday July 4th this year, however volunteers are still required to help with setting up of stalls, decorating the area and being car park attendants. The organiser of the fete, Amy Reeve has urged anyone who can spare an hour or so on the day to please come forward and help. All volunteers will receive refreshments for free, and will be helping out the whole community.

Here is a picture of a fete which would entice the readers to help as it looks like a fun day

Article number four

VILLAGE HALL IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Wickham St Pauls Village Hall is set to undergo a series of improvements in the near future as plans are becoming finalised for it's new design. The new structure will feature a shower room, an upstairs kitchen and commercial dining area and a larger hall. When commenting on how long it will take before these plans become finalised, chairman Alice Humphries told the Wickham Gazette: "We're still fundraising at the moment, but we're getting very close. The plans are nearly finished and everyone's very excited".
The current building has been around since 1984, and although it appears sturdy from the outside, it is in fact deteriorating on the inside. Mrs Humphries claims that this is the main reason her and the rest of the committee have decided to re design the whole building.

Article number three

THEIF TARGETS FARM SHOP

A fruit thief is at large, having stolen a vast quantity of strawberries from Wickham’s Farm Shop. Owner Paul Spencer was woken up in the early hours of the morning by his dogs barking, and saw a black figure amongst the strawberry plants, gathering the fruit. He ran out to confront the thief who consequently ran away.

“I reported it to the Police but nothing has been done.” He told the Wickham Gazette. “I don’t think people are taking it seriously, but the point is, this person could begin to steal more than just strawberries”. Mr Spencer has set up new CCTV cameras around his farm in order to ensure that the thief doesn’t strike again.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident, please contact us: 01787269999

This is a photograph of Spencer's farm shop, relating to the article. A photo of just the strawberries would be too ambiguous. 

Article number two

This is another article which will feature in my newspaper and on the website. It isn't as big as the Olympic story and is subsequently shorter. I have included a picture in case I need it, otherwise I will just use the text.

LOCAL PENSIONER OPENS B&B

An 81 year old pensioner from Wickham has opened a new Bed and Breakfast on the outskirts of the village, called ‘The Catley Inn’. Terence Bone, who lives at Catley Cross Farm, a grade two listed farmhouse dating back to the 17^th century, has decided to convert his home into a bed and breakfast. “I’ve always wanted to do something like this, and now I’m getting older this is my last chance, so I’m going to take it”.

The Catley Inn boasts a 3 acre garden including an orchard, an original well which is still used to pump water and 3 large bedrooms. Terence confirmed he will charge £49 per night, which includes dinner, complementary refreshments and breakfast the next day. It will be open on the 24^th of June. 

This is a photo of Catley Cross Farm

Article number one

This is my main story and will feature on both the website and front page of my newspaper. This story relates to teenagers because Laura is young, but also interests older generations as it relates to the 2012 Olympics. Horse riding is also a sport enjoyed by many ages, and therefore many ages will want to read this article. The community would be proud of one of it's members achieving such an amazing thing and it therefore makes sense to feature it as front page news.

LOCAL GIRL LAURA SET FOR OLYMPICS 

Laura Jolley, 17, from Pine Road in Wickham competed at the National Equestrian championships last Saturday, taking home first prize. This is the sixth competition Jolley and her pony Teddy have competed in and won in the last two months, winning two trophies and countless rosettes.

Jolley was scouted last year at a dressage competition and will be competing in the 2012 Olympic games in London. She told the Wickham Gazette that she was ‘absolutely thrilled’ and ‘really looking forward to the ceremony’. A sixth form student at Hedingham School, Jolley also works part time as a barmaid in the Victory Inn, Wickham’s local pub. Steve Hanley, owner of the pub said of Jolley: ‘she’s a fantastic, bright young girl who will go far.’

A budding rider from a young age, Laura’s keen interest in horsemanship has clearly prevailed, as in a few months she will compete against some of Britain’s best riders in the show jumping and dressage categories. 

This is my favourite picture of Laura on her horse, Teddy

This stationary photo looks quite posed

The headshot of Laura which I may use. The boy, Matt Cardle, will be her boyfriend.

This action shot of Laura is another good photo and clearly shows what sport she is competing in

Article ideas

I am attempting to create a range of stories which can be used on my website and newspaper. They need to be believable to an extent, and therefore realistic. They also need to be easy to create, for example if I needed to take photos which relate to the story, I would need to be able to do so easily. I need to research into each idea properly and decide if any will be too difficult to create. Here are some ideas.

1. Laura Jolley, a local Wickham resident, qualifies for the Olympics 
For this article I would easily be able to obtain photos as I know Laura firsthand, and I already have some photos of her on her horse, which is what relates to the story. I have shots of her riding her pony which clearly show what sport she is competing in, and I also have head shots of her which I may use to show her face in order for readers to recognise her.


2. Terence Bone, another Wickham resident, opens a Bed and Breakfast in the village
For this article I would need photos of Terence, who happens to be my Dad so that wouldn't be a problem. The alleged B&B could be our house as it is a 17th century four bedroom detached house.


3. Theft of strawberries from the farm shop in the village
The farm shop is in the village and therefore easy to get to, however I am unsure of what to take a picture of as currently there are no strawberries. Also how would a photograph prove that they had been stolen? I might consider changing this story somewhat.


4. Plans to improve the village hall
This is actually a real story, as my Mum who is the chairman of the Village Hall is planning to improve it, therefore I have access to the blueprints, plans and designs, and of course the current structure if I need photos.


5. The Summer Fete volunteers needed
I have pictures of previous fetes which I could use to promote this story. Also it would be easy to create as it is fairly simple.


6. The Village Committee needs more members
This would be difficult to convey through images as there isn't actually a 'Village Committee'. There are different committees in the village but they meet every so often and therefore if I wanted a picture of them together I would have to wait for them to unite. Also this story is fairly boring.


7. Halstead (nearest town) charges for parking at Sainsburys
This is a larger scale story and would entice readers from all over, not just Wickham. This would be easy to get pictures of, as all I'd need to show would be the parking meter which already exists and Sainsbury's the shop.


8. Glenda Jarvis, a Wickham resident, wins £10,000 on the lottery
Glenda Jarvis is my Mum's maiden name. I can easily get pictures of her, perhaps posing with a cheque or some money in her hand.


9. Campsite opens in Wickham
There is already a campsite in Wickham, albeit a small one. I can easily get pictures and there is always usually a tent or caravan there. However if there wasn't one it may complicate things as I have no way of proving that it is actually a camping site without showing the campers.


10. Littering on the green
To show this I could litter the green with rubbish and take a picture of it, however this would be more time consuming and is not a particularly interesting story.


11. Cuts to the bus service
This would affect a lot of people in the village as I know the majority are older and rely on the bus service. It would be of interest to the younger people as well who also use the buses. It would be easy to get a picture of the local bus.


12. Vote for your local paper
 This would be an article about a competition in which the Wickham Gazette would be competing in.
13. Car crash in Sudbury (second nearest local town)
This would be fairly difficult to do as unless there is a car crash in Sudbury - which I pray there isn't - I cannot get a picture, and even if I could, I doubt I would be allowed/want to take a photo of a crash that was fatal. I would only include a minor one, but of course I can't choose crashes, therefore this story is slightly difficult.

Researching newspaper articles

To help me gain some more insight into what kind of articles are featured in local newspapers I am going to research the content of two newspapers.


The Halstead Gazette
On the Halstead Gazette website homepage the articles are summarised so the readers gain an insight as to what they're about, and are therefore more likely to read them. On the 'News' page, only the titles of stories are shown, which link to a page containing the story featuring the date and time when the article was published. There are a number of interactive options at the bottom of the page including 'have your say' which allows readers to register and leave comments following an article. Readers are also able to print the article, email it to a friend, share it and see what others have commented about it.

Some articles featured in the Halstead Gazette are:

Halstead: DIY shop closing after 50 years

A DIY shop which has stood in Halstead for 50 years is closing due to business rates and a one road way system.

Ray Burton, general manager of Mellons, said he is desperately sorry for all their loyal customers but after battling a drop in trade for five years they could no longer continue.

He said the one way restrictions, which mean traffic cannot come down Kings Road to Mellons, caused a big drop in trade that they never recovered from.

See this week's Gazette for the full story.

This story is short yet gives away the whole event letting the reader know what's happening. This could influence readers to read the stories on the website as they appear to be more brief. The title of the article is very obvious and lets the reader know exactly what the article is about in a blunt manner. As this article does not cover a larger area, it is not a fundamental story and is therefore not allocated a lot of text as not every reader will be interested. 

Halstead: Jubilee job for town celebrations

A job is being advertised co-ordinating Halstead’s celebrations to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

There will be a day of celebration in the Public Gardens on Sunday, June 3.

A provisional programme of events includes a Punch and Judy puppet theatre, line dancing, fancy dress and the town crier.

Halstead Town Council wants to employ someone to work two days a week in the run up to the event, and to co-ordinate and troubleshoot problems on the day.

The job advert reads: “We are looking for someone with good organisational skills to liaise with Town Council members and officers, and with outside groups and individuals to prepare a day of celebration.”

The closing date for applications is 10am on Monday, with interviews taking place on Wednesday.

This story is again rather short, summarising the information. It is a small local story and therefore does not have a vast amount of detail as it will not attract a huge amount of readers. The title attracts attention as it speaks about the looming Queen's Jubilee which everyone is excited about getting involved in, and the prospect of a job regarding this celebration. It is a good way to advertise the job to local residents, and provides information as to what is happening as well. 

Sudbury Mercury

The Sudbury Mercury is very similar to the Halstead Gazette offering similar options as the Halstead Gazette does. Some articles are briefly summarised, and each story has it's own page where the full story is then told. The articles are all categorised into 'news', 'sport' and 'entertainment'. On the home page different types of news is separated by blue lines. The first lot of articles are 'local news', the next 'local headlines', then 'top stories' followed by sports. 

Some articles featured in the Sudbury Mercury are:

Residents win battle against school traffic

By Emma BrennanWednesday, March 14, 2012
5:23 PM

 

RESIDENTS campaigning to resolve traffic problems around a west Suffolk primary school have secured a minor victory.

A Suffolk County Council engineer has confirmed the authority will install yellow lines at danger points on Badleys Close and Folly Road, close to Great Waldingfield Primary. But it could take six months for the measures to be put in place.

The school is set to grow to meet demand for places when it converts to the two-tier education system in September, as part of Suffolk County Council’s School Organisation Review.

However, residents bordering the school say at peak times, the roads are already dangerously congested with cars parked on both sides.

Badleys Close resident Paul Claridge has written to the county council several times during the past six months on behalf of worried villagers.

Now – following a meeting organised by county councillor Colin Spence between the highways department, the police, representatives from the school and parish/district councillors – the county has pledged funding for the yellow lines.

In a letter to Mr Claridge, county engineer Ross Corbyn said they intended to install double yellow lining at the junctions, and single yellow lines along Folly Road, with the associated signing.

However, he said the legal process could take up to six months because traffic regulation orders allowing the police to enforce the new measures would have to go through a public consultation process. The proposed changes would be advertised within the next six weeks, he said, to give people a chance to object.

Mr Spence said the problem had been ongoing and had caused a lot of “anxiety” to residents. He welcomed the proposal, adding: “One problem has been that the police have been unable to monitor the situation because there were no yellow lines there.

“Putting them in will not be popular with everyone, but we have to get the balance right between the residents who are struggling to get their cars in and out of their driveways at peak times, the parents who are dropping their children off and other road users.

“This problem is not unique to Waldingfield, and as the schools grow over the next year or so, it is going to crop up all over the county.”

District councillor for Waldingfield, Frank Lawrenson said: “In the long term, it would be useful to have extra parking at the school but that’s a question of resources and finding the necessary space.

“In the meantime, anything that can be done is good news and I am absolutely thrilled to hear that they have agreed to put in the yellow lines, because the problem is a huge concern to local residents.”

If no objections are received, the lining could be in place before the school summer holiday.

This story is a lot longer than any found in the Halstead Gazette, and features quotes from an interview providing different perspectives and points of view. The title of this article 'Residents win battle against school traffic' would perhaps appeal to parents with children at school, particularly any local schools, as the article may affect them. The clear title helps readers to decide whether this article would be of interest to them. 

Acton: Shop couple moving on after 35 years of ‘open all hours’

By Emma BrennanMonday, March 12, 2012
8:51 AM

 

SINCE Bob and Gill Hodgson set up shop in Acton 35 years ago, they have seen three other stores in the village close.

But not only has the couple’s enterprise survived, it has weathered two periods of recession and flourished despite challenging personal circumstances.

Now, due to health problems, the Hodgsons have reluctantly decided to sell their shop and three-bedroom house, so they can move closer to medical facilities in Bury St Edmunds.

Bob’s Stores, on Acton High Street, near Sudbury, which sells everything from food, sweets and newspapers to plants, vegetables, shoelaces and animal feed, has provided a living for three families since it opened 86 years ago.

Mr Hodgson, 64, said: “We are quite proud of the shop and the fact that it is still here after all these years. We feel that Mr Jacobs, who had the shop built in 1926, would also be really chuffed that it is still going strong.”

They credit their ongoing success to long hours, hard work, the variety of items they stock and the support of the villagers. They are keen to get someone to take on the shop as a going concern, so it can continue to serve the local community.

Mrs Hodgson said: “We feel there are still a lot of prospects for the shop and there are a several opportunities we can see being developed by new owners. For instance, we started offering newspapers a few years ago, so opening on a Sunday for the papers could increase trade. New owners could also apply for a liquor licence.

“There is a good chance for someone to make a living from the shop and we would be exploring all those avenues ourselves if we were able to continue here.”

Mr Hodgson, who suffers with the arthritic condition, ankylosing spondylitis, has had one hip replacement and is awaiting a second. He feels it is time to retire and move closer to West Suffolk Hospital, where he has regular appointments.

Before settling in Suffolk, during the 1960s, the couple spent four years in Australia. They moved to Acton in the 1970s with their daughter Sarah, and their twin girls Sam and Jen were born in the village. Tragically, they lost Sam five years ago, aged just 26, when she suffered a pulmonary embolism resulting from a deep-vein thrombosis. Mrs Hodgson said: “The main reason for us moving here was because we thought it would be a lovely place to raise a family, and that has certainly been the case. The village community has been very supportive and we have been here so long now that we are serving people who we saw as children, who now bring their own children into the shop.

“One woman told us recently that she doesn’t know how she’ll cope when we move away, and that’s very touching. We will certainly miss everyone.”

The shop and house are currently on the market.

Similar to the previous article from the Sudbury Mercury, this story is very detailed and includes quotes. Understanding the people who feature in the article is portrayed through the quotes, providing an insight as to how they feel about moving, allowing the reader to sympathize. The title of this article begins with the area of which it primarily concerns, then goes on to use a reference to the popular show 'Open All Hours', which is fairly old, therefore implying that the older generations may be more interested in this article, as some younger people may not even understand the word play used in the title.