From the pages of the Down Recorder, September 26, 1978

From the pages of the Down Recorder, September 26, 1978

26 September 2018

BALLYNAHINCH — Plans for a new factory in Ballynahinch to manufacture cane furniture could bring 50 new jobs to the area.

A new company — Pinewick Manufacturing — a subsidiary of the Pinewick shops, has applied for planning permission to build a 20,000 square feet factory on the Hillsborough Road.

The ambitious venture has been planned by Mr Peter Wilkin, who has been running the Pinewick organisation for the past four years and if proposals are approved then the new building would be able to provide 50 jobs within three years.

Pinewick has shops in Ballynahinch, Belfast and Ballymoney and its Ballynahinch pilot production plant has been turning out a variety of goods, including plant stands, telephone tables and wall plant holders. These articles are presently being manufactured by a workforce of seven, but if the proposed scheme swings into action a whole new range of items can be produced.

At the beginning of the year Mr Wilkin set about finding out just what local talent could produce and thus a new local industry was born in a small workshop behind the Ballynahinch shop.

While Mr Billy Burrowes, one of the first employees of Pinewick and now a director, was trained as a joiner, the rest of the workers picked up the craft remarkably quickly. Mr Wilkin thinks the new project would be of great benefit to the community and would be unlikely to provide any training problems.

CASTLEWELLAN — A dispute over transporting a young Castlewellan girl to school brought a stinging attack on Education Minister Lord Melchett this week. Castlewellan councillor Mrs Ethel Smyth has labelled the behaviour of Lord Melchett as “disgraceful” and called for immediate action.

The furore centres around a five year-old girl whose father wants her to attend a state controlled school in Dundrum or Castlewellan. However, because she lives in the country outside Castlewellan she would need to have school minibus transport provided for her.

According to Mrs Smyth, she has been told by the South Eastern Education and Library Board that the child will have to go to a maintained school in Annsborough which would exclude the need for transport arrangements.

“The child’s father wants her to go to a controlled school and he is entitled to have her do so,” Mrs Smyth said. “I am thoroughly disgusted and I think that the Department of Education must be totally inefficient if they don’t answer within a month.

DOWNPATRICK — There just seems to be no stopping the Downpatrick supergroup Rosetta Stone, who recently completed another dynamic tour of Japan and will be setting off on a trip to Thailand later this year.

The five members of the group — Damien, Terry and Colin McKee, Andy LeGear and Ian Mitchell — are just back from their second conquering trip to Japan where their latest hit, Sheila, is currently number one.

In the last year the band have been playing constantly across the globe and have built up a huge following in many countries, including Germany and Canada. But it has been in Japan that Rosetta Stone have really shot to stardom.

This was one of the first countries which the band visited after its formation and it became clear from the start that the young Irish lads obviously had something which appealed to Japanese girls.

At the end of their first Japanese tour each member of the group received a gold disc for mass sales of their LP, Rock Pictures, and their first two singles also thundering into the Japanese charts.

Now they have gone and taken Japan by storm again where they are playing to crowds of between 11,000 and 15,000 twice a day.

KILCLIEF — Strangford police have appealed to the public to help them trace keys which were stolen from a car on Saturday.

The car, a Chrysler Hillman Minx, had been parked in a field at Kilclief between 1.30 and 2pm while  Mr John McMullan, of Drumroe Road, was working. When he arrived back at the vehicle an ignition key and a boot key had ben taken.

Police in Strangford have since been informed that a children’s sponsored walk was passing through the area at the time and they have appealed to parents to ask the children who took part if they know anything about the theft.

NEWCASTLE — A burning interest in art has led Newcastle couple Margaret and Gerry Grant into an unusual project — the opening of a new art gallery in their own home.

With over 200 paintings and sculptures of their own they have opened the gallery in an extension to their Bryansford Road house.

But it isn’t only for the fun of it. The Grants will be buying and selling works and promoting exhibitions. Already they have lined up an autumn show with exhibits from a Spanish painter and an Italian sculptor.

“We are aiming at the professional rather than the amateur,” Mrs Grant said. “Our main aim is to share our interest in art, but we do see the commercial and promotional sides to it.

“Really there is a wide range of work on show. My husband and I have been interested in art for a long time.

DUNDRUM — A phantom clothes line thief has struck again — this time in Dundrum. The thief, who has been confining his acts to the Newcastle and Dundrum area, struck during the night at a house on the Dromara Road.

A considerable number of children’s clothes were taken from the line, making it a profitable night for the thief.

Police in Dundrum and Newcastle are anxious to catch the thief, who must have a considerable wardrobe stocked up by now. Anyone with information or who sees anyone acting suspiciously around houses at night should contact them immediately.

KILLINCHY — Plans for a new primary school in Killinchy have brought a ’no go’ sign from local residents. In a petition to the South Eastern Education and Library Board, the residents of Ardview Park have expressed serious concern about the plans.

It’s not the building of the school they object to, but rather the fact that access to the site will be off Ardview Park. They say they are concerned about traffic which will be using the road, both during the construction of the school and when it is opened.

Their petition was recently shown to members of the Board’s Finance Committee. Afterwards it was agreed to set up a special sub-committee to visit the school and report back on the plans.

BALLYGOWAN — A Ballygowan housewife will be one of eight ladies who will be taking part in the national finals of the Cook of the Realm contest. Mrs Joy McVeigh baked her way through too the finals and now her efforts at the last hurdle will be televised on BBC next Wednesday.

Mrs McVeigh and the seven other contestants will have to devise a fuel-saving meal for four people costing no more than £5 and which must be cooked entirely in the oven or on top of the cooker. The top prize is valued at more than £4,000.

ARDGLASS — Ardglass boxer Ray Ross has been offered a wonderful chance to make an impact on the British lightweight scene.

Every since he lost a close decision to Charlie Nash for the Irish title two years ago, the 28 year-old slugger has shown indifferent form. But now the Ardglass golf course greenskeeper has a chance to make the top before he runs out of fight time and interest.

Ross has been matched with the experienced Jonnie Elliott, of Bournemouth, over eight rounds at Maysfield Leisure Centre in Belfast on October 11 and a win would hoist Ross up the lightweight ladder and on to bigger punch for paydays.

Ray is part of a big British title fight night involving Antrim southpaw Jim Montague against Clinton McKenzie for the vacant light welterweight title.