Archived News May 2003 Prices Rise but Property Sales Fall May 30th Property prices across the country are still rising but the number of sales taking place have fallen significantly Good news for the countryside May 30th The proportion of new housing built using brownfield sites has continued to increase. The provisional figure for 2002 is 64% Country pubs get wired up May 30th Rural communities at opposite ends of England are benefiting from new IT and internet facilities as their local pubs get wired up with, amongst other things, computers, printers and webcams Hunting Helps Expand U.K. Wildlands, Study Says May 29th Researchers conclude that the importance of hunting and shooting to wildlife conservation is highly relevant to the debate over whether fox hunting with hounds should be banned in Britain Gang 'intimidates' villagers May 29th Police step up patrols in a Bedford village in response to vandalism and rowdy behaviour by teenagers. Village finally gets mains power May 28th Ten homes in Cwm Brefi, a remote mid Wales community, are brought into the 21st century as mains electricity is installed after a four-year battle. Butterflies are becoming more elusive May 28th Many species of butterfly are declining in numbers, especially in the south of the country, according to a survey conducted throughout 2002. New biking trail rocks May 28th A new white-knuckle mountain bike route using granite rocks as part of its features is now open in Dalbeattie forest near Dumfries-shire. Wildlife car collisions are deer indeed May 27th Road accidents associated with deer are known to cause several hundred human injuries and up to 20 fatalities on our roads every year. Agency accused of failing communities May 26th The Countryside Alliance has accused the government of "stealing" money from rural communities in Herefordshire and Worcestershire to fund the "right to roam" project. Giving thanks for water May 25th A dying tradition that dates back centuries is being kept alive in Endon, a north Staffordshire village. Big Brother watches island wildlife May 24th Cameras are to be installed on remote Scottish islands to enable people on the mainland to watch their colonies of sea birds and other wildlife. Digital Ark Sets Sail May 24th An online archive to keep a permanent record of extinct and endangered animals and plants has been launched by Sir David Attenborough. Scotland back on map as tourism booms May 24th SCOTTISH tourism has turned around in the last 18 months as total tourism expenditure, for example, grew 8 per cent in Scotland in 2002 GREAT LANDSCAPES WEEK May 23rd CPRE's first Great Landscapes Week is from Saturday 21 to Saturday 28 June... click here for list of local events. Roadworks hit village traders' pockets May 23rd Shopkeepers claim major roadworks have turned Gargrave, North Yorkshire, into a "ghost town". Grant for organics May 22nd An organic farm business near Totnes in Devon has been awarded a Defra Processing and Marketing Grant. NEW Hadrian's Wall Path is open May 21st 84 miles along an unbroken path from Wallsend on Tyneside to Bowness-on-Solway. Businesses have the ‘knowledge’ to succeed in the countryside May 20th The countryside is proving an increasingly fertile ground for jobs that are based on skills and brainpower – the Knowledge Economy – according to new research. Plight of the bumblebee May 20th A promotional buzz at the Chelsea Flower Show this week will be urging gardeners to help save the native bumblebee. Cherishing local customs and traditions May 20th Projects dealing with customs and traditions have won more Local Heritage Initiative grants than any other category, according to a recent survey. Go-ahead for schools merger May 19th Three village schools in Pembrokeshire are to close and be replaced by a single unit despite parents' protests. Pensions and pints at post office May 19th A new post office is opened in west Wales - inside a village pub, the Incline Inn in Ponthenry, near Llanelli, which now doubles up as a general store. Thieves target village signs May 16th North Yorkshire villages suffer an identity crisis after thieves steal their place name signs. Flood defences for Somerset village May 15th Work on a £2m flood defence system at Hillfarrance, a Somerset village, is due to begin on Friday. Villagers get speed guns May 15th Villagers in Ringmer, East Sussex, angry about speeding drivers have been given their own laser gun to act as a deterrent. Coastline meeting 'depressing' May 14th Villagers meeting the Environment Minister about their crumbling coast came away with nothing. Honest Food launches "Local to Locals 2003" May 13th Pub-goers across the UK are being asked to nominate pubs that serve up locally produced food Rural schools in closure threat May 12th Ten small schools in Powys are facing a consultation about their possible closure because no longer appear financially viable. Good news for a favourite mammal May 12th England’s otters are returning five-fold to the land they were driven from nearly 50 years ago, reveals a new report. Video footage here 'Rope bridge' for dormice May 11th A special rope bridge for dormice to cross a busy road has been built by nature workers on a housing estate. Twelve Month Reprieve for Hunting? May 10th Leader of the Commons, John Reid, has given hope to pro-hunters saying the Parliamentary programme might be too crowded to push through the Hunting Bill this session. LIGHT POLLUTION GROWING FAST May 9th The starry night sky is disappearing as countryside with truly dark skies is shrinking fast. Rural areas could lose out as digital divide widens May 9th 90% of people, both rural and urban, care so much that they want to ‘keep the countryside the way it is now’ but the English countryside continues to change – and on the high tech front there is a widening divide between town and country. Dales Farmers Launch Meat Co-Op May 9th Beef and lamb farmers in the Yorkshire Dales have forgotten former rivalries and formed a meat co-operative to sell produce that is locally bred, born, raised and butchered. Award for mountain rescue May 8th Villagers receive recognition four years after saving a local mountain from being quarried. Villagers oppose road scheme May 8th Residents living in Birtsmorton, a Worcestershire village, are hoping to prevent a new road from being built. Digital divide 'hits rural business' May 7th A widening "digital divide" between town and country is holding back rural businesses, a watchdog is warning. Rural firms cry out for broadband May 8th The story of the owners of two rural-based businesses in Wiltshire who have been campaigning for broadband access. Ospreys a welcome site in Lake District May 6th A pair of ospreys that have returned to a nest in the Lake District for three years running are now incubating eggs. Few moths are seeing the light May 5th New figures from the oldest agricultural research station in the world have revealed devastating declines in numbers of once common moth species, with potentially serious consequences for wildlife. Watchdog criticises Post Office May 4th A post office watchdog criticises a decision to close a rural store in the Telford area. Cash boost for rural tourism May 1st Defra announces extra funding to tempt more holidaymakers to the east of England.