| Updated: 12:36, 05 April 2021
The trust s appeal graphic (45843884)
AN ambitious £3m project has been launched this week to increase the amount of land in Warwickshire where wildlife can thrive.
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust wants to see 30 per cent of land in the county â and in neighbouring Coventry and Solihull â managed for wildlife by 2030, including new areas which it intends to purchase.
As well as improving the land and restoring lost habitats, the Nature Recovery Fund would encourage and help other landowners to do the same on their property.
The trust, which already has £1.5m and is appealing for donations to double this, has not revealed where it is planning to purchase land, but said discussions were under way with landowners.
| Updated: 17:08, 04 April 2021
Local arts and heritage groups celebrated being thrown financial lifelines after the second round of government loans and grants were announced on Friday under the Culture Recovery Fund.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced details of 2,700 organisations being offered nearly £400 million in grants and loans to help the culture sector reopen and recover, on top of the £1 billion that has already been allocated in the first round.
Locally some of the organisations included:
Compton Verney given £460,000 grant (45820661)
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, £3,000,000 repayable loan
Warwick Arts Centre, £1,919,000 repayable loan
The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, £261,500 grant
Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park, £460,000 grant
Warwickshire Police issued covid fines for âcar meetâ and garage hair salon
| Updated: 14:12, 04 April 2021
Warwickshire police issued covid rule violation fines last weekend in the county in nine separate incidences.
Five people were fined on Friday night (26th March) in Swanâs Nest Lane. Describing the incident the force said: âPolice patrol found a car meet involving three vehicles and five people from different households. All five were reported for fines.â
Other incidents that involved fines included a report of a woman having converted garage into a hair dressing salon and has regularly had customers attending.
Most of the other occurrences included reports of small social gatherings in peopleâs homes, and one driver fined after being stopped in Kenilworth.
PART II: What s next for our town centres â local business leaders react
| Updated: 14:17, 03 April 2021
See Part I of this story
Cllr Matt Jennings, tourism and economic development Portfolio, Stratford District Council
High Street retailing across the UK has been in decline since the 2008 financial crisis and Stratford-upon-Avon has been no different.
The pandemic has rapidly accelerated the decline. This is coupled with the fact that Stratford is dependent on tourism for the local economy and without foreign tourists we will be reliant on the domestic tourists for the foreseeable future. We are all going to go through a time of rapid change for which we must all adapt.