SATURDAY PITSTOP WITH ESSEX FORD BILLERICAY – 1.3.8

As it's the first Saturday in the month, Essex and East Anglian farmers brought produce to the monthly market outside Brentwood's Baytree Centre – home of Phoenix FM.  Our guest in the second hour was Coun Bev Beale, chair of Billericay Town Council.

Food, glorious food

We saw around a dozen stallholders selling the best of the region's fare.  Most popular last month was the market's bakery – only a few croissants remained by the time I popped over for refreshment after the show ended at midday.

This morning the bakery was back, along with a veg stall and others offering cakes, meat and fish, jams, preservatives and pickles, olive and dried fruit and juice from locally grown fruit.  The Baytree Centre farmers' market returns on April 5 from 9am.

Billericay Council: enhancing the town

Billericay Town Council chair Bev Beale came into Phoenix FM to choose the music during his half hour on air, between explaining his choices and the council's role.

Coun Beale – a gent to clarify this holder of a dual gender name in the vein of Shirley, Hillary etc – is the closest Billericay gets to a mayor.  The council's 11 years old and doesn't see the need for a mayor in the usual sense.  Instead the ship's captain turned councillor opens town fete's – and even Billericay's new toilets due to be ceremonially launched on April 4.

Coun Beale explained the council's aim to enhance services provided by others at district and council level by Basildon District Council and Essex County Council.  For £16 per household, the 40,000 population town is provided with flora and fauna thanks to Billericay in Bloom and hanging baskets.  Other town council-provided enhancements include Xmas lights, litter collections, war memorial maintenance, play areas and memorial gardens for the deceased including children.

Rod Stewart's 1975 number one, Sailing, marked Coun Beale's time on the seas captaining oil tankers before he changed tack in the mid 1990s – prompting Queen's These are the days of our lives (1995).  Concluding track was opera's Nessun Dorma.

From Essex Ford Billericay

Essex Ford sales have begun one of their busiest months of the year with arrival of the new 08 plate on all vehicles registered from today to the end of August.  For Phoenix FM listener offers on 08-plated vehicles, phone Essex Ford's James Marney on 01277 652242.

In service, get a free MOT with all service work through March on any vehicle.  To take up this Phoenix FM offer, contact Essex Ford's Carol Sullivan also on 01277 652242.

See www.essexford.com

Article by Oliver Rowe, 1 Mar 2008
Posted in Saturday Morning with Oliver Rowe

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