DESPITE assurances from County Hall last week that there were no plans to close the Mission Bank at Redesmouth to deal with a landslip, notices went up in midweek stating that the vital link road is to close for two weeks after all, from May 31.

That will entail a lengthy detour for Redesmouth residents to cover the mile and half into the village, but at least the closure will be relatively brief – for now at least.

LET us hope that assurances from the county council with regard to the future of Bellingham Tourist Information Centre are a little more accurate.

Despite rumours to the contrary, a council spokesman has assured me there are no plans to move the TIC from its present location alongside the Heritage Centre to the library in the town hall, as has happened at Hexham.

I HEAR that the valuation day held held at the fire station, featuring the star of the BBC’s popular Bargain Hunt programme, Paul Laidlaw, was a great success, raising £254.40 for the Jubilee Field playground maintenance work.

I am led to believe that some high value items were brought forward, and the owners were well-pleased with the confidential valuations.

Friends of the playground committee chairman Les Mole asks me to pass on his thanks to all who supported the event or helped out on the day.

I AM pleased to say there was a decent turnout for the ladies’ golf taster session at Boggle Hole on Thursday.

The response was so encouraging that visiting professional Martin Forster will now be holding a ladies’ group coaching session every Thursday evening at 6.30, in addition to his regular Sunday morning junior coaching and individual/group sessions.

ANOTHER new chapter appears to be opening at Brownrigg, with the sale of the holiday lodges business to the Hunter family, who have ambitious plans to expand into glamping, as well as opening a gym and shop.

The old wooden buildings have had a colourful past, and the site is held in high regard by people from all over the world who spent part of their education there.

Let us hope it proves just as popular as the camping and caravan site next door, which appears to be going great guns.

THE wonderful May weather may have brought out the bluebells, but it has also brought a large number of adders out into the open, notably in the Hesleyside area.

Britain’s only venomous snake is perfectly harmless if left alone, and it will only bite when severely provoked.