Jul 2026 – devizine.com

Facebook User Prays to Jesus to Burn Down Devizes Over Convenience Store Opening!

Another day at the office for Newsquest reporter Jamie Singleton. He reports on a new convenience store at the corner of St John’s Street in Devizes, shares it to Facebook and moves onto the next task….

“Delight as new shop opens in Wiltshire market town,” he headlined it as, encouraging clicking by curiosity; the way of social media. The secret town this time is Devizes, but the mystery surrounding it is the first line of attack for Facebook users; why can’t they name the town in the headline they wail, defeating Jamie’s objective. Yet, it’s far from the end as the anger bubbling, as it cascades into a biblical apocalypse akin to the Book of Revelation.

It often feels to me like Facebook’s comments sections have become the contemporary Armageddon, cycles of cataclysmic verbal plagues, a final gathering for a great cosmic battle, for and against forces of evil; perhaps this is proof. Seriously, this story distracted me from reading a post by a Welsh Restore councillor furious at a rainbow coloured table.

“Remarking on the business’ first week of trading,” the article continued, the owner Mr Raja said “we have had positive feedback from all of the customers. The customers have really liked it and always give nice feedback.”

This is great, and we wish the owners success with the venture, but shamefully, the customer’s feedback doesn’t match the comments section of the Facebook share of the article. Beginning lightly, some there question if we need another shop like this, causing me to wonder if they’re the same people moaning about the absence of shops in town?!

Then, they spiral out of control, with disgraceful and unfounded accusations of money laundering, selling vapes to children, and others barely legible. Here’s me assuming we still lived in a country where we’re innocent until proven guilty, but hey, not according to Facebook amateur magistrates.

Here’s a collection of some of the worst comments made on the story, in all their individual and unique variants of the English language. Warning; they may shock you, but I saved the worst till last:

Dodgy vapes fack navy.windscreen wash alcohol…sounds like another money laundering business to me 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

This first one defies all logic, and causes me to wonder if I should pop into the new shop, enquire if they really stock “fack” alcoholic navy-coloured screenwash flavoured vapes.

More fake booze, vapes and selling whip to kids

I may be ill-informed about this, but what is “whip,” in this context, and does it contain walnuts? Again though, this is a Police matter not for Facebook speculation. If there was any truth in it, which is doubtful, it is up to them to investigate. What if a child has a nut allergy?

Seems Devizes about to get overrun with ‘corner shops’ now. Does Devizes really need 2 in the same area?

I confess, it’s been a while since I checked the definition of “overrun,” but I believe it means going past a planned limit, filling a space with unwanted large numbers. Does two really qualify as a large number? I find myself wondering if this person likes bookshops. They should visit Hay-on-Wye, buy themselves a dictionary.

ran by dinky people

Is? What? Whoa! “Dinky?” Has the meaning of this word changed too since I last looked, or does this person feel small people cannot run a shop? I mean, if it’s a real issue they could lower the height of the counter, or invest in a footstool. Again, I’m encouraged to pop into the shop with a tape measure, all in the name of research.

Market TOWN – Devizes JESUS CHRIST must pray for a fire there and burn the lot it’s a dump and full of OAP”s

This one makes me feel ashamed to be a creature of the same species as this person, and not because of their grammatical error of using a speech mark rather than an apostrophe when neither were even necessary. Rather because, they felt the opening of a convenience store in town was their golden opportunity to summon Jesus and demand he prays for a fire to burn down the whole of Devizes; if indeed we are of the same species.

I’m not making this up, I’ve saved a screenshot because it’s so preposterously sinister even if poorly intended to be satire, I suspect you think I might have. I’m just trying to imagine the scenario: I brushed my teeth and got into my nightgown. I crouched by my bedside and held my hands together in prayer.

“Now I lay me down to sleep,” I chanted, “I pray the Lord…. will burn down the entire town of Devizes!!!”

Then, Jesus appeared before me and asked, “why do you ask me of such a thing?”

“Becasue it’s a dump, and full of pensioners!” I demanded.

“And how did you come to such a conclusion?” Jesus asked me.

“Becasue someone opened a shop!”

As if Jesus would agree. “Very well! Like Sodom and Gomorrah, for their sins of aging and opening convenience stores, I will call upon God to rain brimstone and fire down on Devizes, a river of lava from out of the sky, and destroy this market town, the entire plain, everyone who lived in there, and everything that grew from the ground!”

“Oh, could you wait a moment,” I asked, “I’ve run out of bread, and have to nip to the shops.”

These people walk among us, or at least appear before us on Facebook; cue a tear dropping down my cheek as I await what may come of the comment section for this article!

My Reflection on the Fate of Carnivals

It’s Saturday morning on the 13th July 1985, and there’s a dilemma brewing in my household I’m indifferent with. I’m twelve, aware I should do what my mum tells me, but I’m easily persuaded by my older brother, who is adamant he doesn’t want to go to our town carnival, because Live Aid is being televised….

My mum insists, we are not staying in to watch television, no matter if it’s the greatest show we’d ever see, and fundraising for a vital cause, we are going to carnival, we “have” to go to carnival, everyone “has” to go to carnival!

With the sad news breaking that, due to a lack of funding, Trowbridge Carnival has had to be cancelled, I find myself dwelling on the memory; that, despite being a relatively average family far from raging revellers, my parents thought carnival was virtually a religious tradition we could not miss, whereas I found myself agreeing with my brother’s entreaty based on his plea that “carnival is for children,” and often, I still do.

For the record, thanks to our recent video recorder rental, the dilemma was resolved, as, using the newspaper’s schedule for Live Aid, my brother hastily and half-heartedly programmed its timer to catch the unmissable performances, while mum yelled at him to put his shoes on!

It didn’t go to plan. The consequence of my brother and I being disgruntled and publicly displaying our rebellion, meant no one in my family enjoyed the carnival as much as we might have done when we were younger. Plus, Live Aid suffered lengthy delays in its program, which didn’t align with my brother’s attempts to time the video recorder and we ended up missing several key moments!

Given a seemingly teenage consensus that carnival is too immature for them, I found this memory furthered by recalling my time spent in Marlborough where the view was similar among younger people, and even my move to Devizes as an adult, where the sentiment was also reflected.

Banter that our carnival was rather “sad” leaves me wondering if our generation caused the demise of town carnivals. That, perhaps, carnival committees need to address how they can create a diverse carnival to appeal to all ages, and if, and how, that’s even possible. Satisfying teenagers is no easy feat; should carnival be on TikTok it might yet be saved!

Yet, what is “sad” to me now is that, with the availability and rising trend of music festivals and other similar events, traditional carnivals cannot maintain the attraction they once did, are in decline, and Trowbridge’s isn’t the only one suffering; all readily made free events are.

We could point a finger at the government for underfunding The Arts Council, but historically, carnivals have always been self-funded, through local fundraising events, public subscriptions, and charity collections. Who recalls the joy of recklessly throwing coins onto floats?! Who got hit by one of those heavyweight two pence coins, kept calm and carried on?!

I could take the rose-tinted specs route, or get all patriotic on you, but, I’d rather not! Certainly, price rises for health and safety regulations, first aid, policing costs, and event management is a definite factor, but could the blame game really stop at the public, and their enthusiasm to contribute, financially and motivationally?

If so, it is with bittersweet sympathy I should look upon this with the “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” notion, and wonder if perhaps losing carnivals might in the future make us look upon what we missed, and reinvent carnival again. For which, losing a carnival is a shame now, but for them to make a Rocky style comeback, would be no bad thing.

Or maybe I’m totally wrong, losing town carnivals is bad, might be forever, and is a sad reflection on our era. We all should not be so patronising, that we should recall a time when we loved carnival, be more like our parent’s generation, insistent carnival is a must, and attempt to make them enjoyable for all by making an effort to fund and attend them as best we can in these trying times. For the sum of a carnival’s parts is nothing without the spirit of the folk attending, supporting.

In particular areas where carnival remains strong, from Bridgwater to Notting Hill via Pewsey, they miraculously find a way through the hard times, likely because of the full support of the community. I’m grateful to Devizes Town Council for stepping in and helping DOCA with our carnival, but maybe we should all address any timeworn ideas we might have that carnivals are “a bit naff,” or “for children,” because if we carry these notions they will be, because the folk make it what it is. And right now, it’s not progressing to much more than a tin of beans.

Live Aid, though, I remember seeing Queen via a dodgy VHS recording, and Sue Pollard from Hi-De-Hi too, and that’s as far as my memory stretches!

Trowbridge (Folk) Festival – Greenhill Fields, Southwick, 24th to 26th July 2026

By Andy Fawthrop

Folk Me! – Another Great Local Music Festival

You don’t necessarily need a long pedigree to stage a successful music festival, but it certainly helps. Started way back in 1970, and now in its 55^th year, Trowbridge Festival is definitely coming of age, leaving its long, long heritage as The Village Pump Folk Festival trailing in its stellar wake. This was the fourth year at its latest site in Southwick, and things are starting to settle back in again, attracting an increasingly large number of folks who want to buy a weekend ticket and camp in a field for three days of fabulous live music. This year was as near to a sell-out week-end as makes no difference….

Full disclosure – I was part of the Site Team that helped to build the arena (and knock it down again later), so I might be said to have something of a vested interest. I might also even have sneaked in an Open Mic appearance on one of the stages on Sunday. However, I had absolutely zero influence over the programming of the event, nor any over the truly excellent quality of the many fine artists who appeared this year. So what follows is my honest appreciation of what I saw and heard over the weekend (aided and abetted by fellow Devizine roving reporter Ian Diddams).

Apart all the usual random stuff going on all over the arena (yoga, tai-chi, impromptu music sessions, Morris dancers, stilt-walkers, SAT Co comedy troupe, demonstrations, book launches, photo booths), just like any other festival I suppose, there were three stages of scheduled entertainment to choose from and (thanks to some thoughtful programming) a nice overlap between time-slots, allowing folks to wander around and taste most of the wide variety of talent on show. The arena is not so large or crowded that you couldn’t get across from one venue to another fairly quickly, yet just far enough apart to ensure that there’s no sound leakage between the stages.

And, oh my, the entertainment on offer was simply stunning, both in terms of quality and quantity, to say nothing of the huge diversity of styles. We had original traditional folk, folk rock, roots, indie, comedy, punk, Irish, swing, bossa nova, big band jazz, dance & ceilidh, euro-romantic/ bohemian, singer/ songwriter, together with the traditional categories of the slightly bonkers, and the totally deluded. There were over sixty acts, across three stages, and nary a covers band or a tribute act anywhere to be seen. Whilst the latter certainly have their place in the festival scene, and there are those who really love them, this festival was absolutely not the place for that type of offering. Here it was all about original music, and whilst there was certainly a smattering of older, traditional folk tunes perhaps re-worked and re-interpreted for the modern era, that was very much in the minority. Long gone are the days of old men, with their fingers stuck in their ears, singing (ahem) unaccomplished. This weekend it was almost entirely new stuff- fresh, original, lively and an absolute bloody pleasure to listen to.

The selection available to the punters, very much aided by a comprehensive programme booklet, and by a helpful Clashfinder online (thank-you Kieran!), was:

The Pump Stage, at the top of the field, curated and marshalled by our old friend Kieran Moore, promoter, producer, rescuer of venues and general all-round good egg. This year his appearance was completed by his sporting of a wizard’s cloak – say no more! The eclectic array of acts included Water Thieves (excellent skiffle & folk trio), Andy Skellam & Anna Kissell (a little bit serious and too dour for me), our very own Vince Bell (local Devizes hero who, of course, delivered his usual excellent set), Concrete Prairie (best act on this stage on Friday), Ravetank (OK), Antoine & Owena (old folkie friends of mine and who were polished, amusing and really excellent), Woodkern (OK), Terry Sheppard (OK) and Merv Grist (veteran excellent comic poetry and stories).

Plus several more acts who I didn’t get to see personally (M/X, Fly Fly Triceratops (who I’m assured were a teenage indie outfit who were highly energetic and very, very LOUD), Butane Skies (a female-fronted band with a token male drummer delivering fun alt-rock, previously reviewed here by Darren in 2025), Bellyful, Kurt Alexander, Neverlove, Sunshine Frisbee, Brutalligators, Mexican Dave, a ceilidh with Juniper, Bob Gallie, Luke De-Sciscio & The Real Boys, Rob Quo, Toodles & The Hectic Pity, and the ever-hilarious Scott Doonican). Also headlining Friday night was none other than Salisbury upstarts, now turned globe trotting (and recently signed to one of the biggest and best talent agencies UTA) indie punkers Carsick. And the only reason I didn’t get to see all these wonderful people was not because I was lying in a field, blissed out on cider, but because I was too busy watching some great acts on the other stages. So much music, so little time!

The Bar Stage in the middle of the arena, pretending to be simply the Festival’s (Kettlesmith) Bar, run by Matt Cook and Simon Taylor of The Pump Acoustic Club, and featuring a varied mixture of artists. These included: Jennifer Crook (meh), The Cleverly Brothers (legendary comedy artists featuring Tim Webb of Spill The Whiskey, and local comic poet Merv Grist), Sid Bloomfield (another excellent veteran comedy performer), Xaphania (young, local, very impressive), Jane Langley (older, but lively and a bright performance), Seren Alyssa (young & upcoming, and recently seen at The Pump Acoustic Club and in The Fold in Devizes), and the Trowbridge Ukulele Strummers (don’t get me started on where strumming a ukulele can lead you!).

Again, there were several acts that I simply didn’t have the time to catch, including The Frukes, The Anglo-American Almost Allstars, John Coventry, J’s Tonic and the Silver Street Band.

And finally there was The Main Stage at the bottom end of the arena, offering the largest space to stand or dance, or else sit inside or outside the marquee, and featuring some twenty national and international figures. These were, I suppose, the bigger hitters of the festival. They included Chris Difford (ex-Squeeze) whose classic songs were willingly taken up (to his very obvious delight) by a packed audience, and whose stories of fellow “pop stars” of the 1980s and 1990s were simply hilarious, including the seemingly large number of other artists who’d managed over the years to keep Squeeze from the No. 1 spot in the charts. And the various “w**kers” who he thought would never amount to much, but who ended up playing Wembley six months later, whilst Squeeze were still playing at the back-street pub in Peckham…priceless!

There was the incomparable John Otway Band who delivered the usual hilarious and manic set, yet completely different to his recent appearance at Long Street Blues Club with Wild Willy Barratt. There was Martin Simpson whose impeccable delivery on vocals and guitar, woven with music stories was fascinating There was The Rob Lear Band (our friends from over the Welsh border, having recently played The Piggy Bank in Calne, and several events over the years in Devizes). Apart from a sudden mishap with Terry’s guitar at start of their tea-time slot, they were an absolute triumph, and the new songs (squirreled away onto a sneak preview EP CD) were a total delight.

Did I mention the three great bands closing the stage on the three nights? The Welsh band Rusty Shackle, who were an excellent Friday night band for dancing, 3 Daft Monkeys headline finishers on Saturday night with their loud, brash, and tight arrangements, and Merry Hell the superb Festival closers on Sunday with high energy, high comedy and great choruses.

But there were plenty of other bands too: Spill The Whiskey (one of this year’s ceilidhs), Harbottle & Jonas (really excellent), Luke James Williams (OK, bit samey), Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes (best on main stage on Friday night), Banter (with loads of traditional/ classic songs but fabulously re-arranged), Gabrial Moreno & The Quivering Poets (Saturday starters, superb, interesting, poetic, definitely one of my “undiscovered” picks of the festival), Bluebeard & The Desperate Hours, (featuring our old friend Phil Cooper on bass), Michell, Pfeiffer & Kulesh (three nationalities, singing modern songs), Chris White & Julie Matthews (modern folk royalty, joined on stage with a surprise performance by the wonderful Miranda Sykes), The Terry Hall Big Band (superb jazz/ swing from the 1940s – a real toe-tapping starter on Sunday morning), The Magpies (OK, but a little lacklustre), and Juniper (a superb lively band for a Sunday tea-time).

In addition to all this there was plenty of stuff to have a go at yourself. Music, after all, is about participation (except in my own case of course). Apart from an extended Open Mic session each day, there were singing and ukulele workshops, two ceilidhs, and silent discos every night in the bar for the campers who didn’t want to go to sleep just yet.

For children and younger adults there was an extensive programme of daily activities and entertainment, ranging from face-painting, to story sessions, roaming entertainers, circus skills, stilt walkers, a slapstick show and workshops for ukuleles and hula hoops. This wasn’t just an afterthought (we’d better do something for the kiddy-winks), but rather a fully integrated part of the festival. It was so good to see whole families enjoying themselves for the whole weekend. It sure helped to make this a multi-generational thing, and added to the friendly, safe atmosphere.

Add to this a good choice of pop-up food vendors, coffee etc, craft stalls of all types, Lycra Man (IYKYK), a visiting milk man for the camp site, and a breakfast bar, and you have yourself a pretty good set-up. There was no possible way of getting bored for more than a few minutes.

The sensible, friendly stewarding and security teams, with plenty of space for camping and parking, made this simply amazing bloody value for such a good festival and for so much entertainment. It was so good to see the festival supporting lots of local vendors and businesses, as well as encouraging plenty of local young up-and-coming performers.

This is and was a huge volunteer effort, back-boned by some hard professional services (power, water, security, marquees, sound and lighting, staging etc), and therefore retained a very warm and friendly atmosphere. The stewards and marshals were super-lovely and helpful, nobody behaved like a twat, and the atmosphere was therefore laid-back, relaxed and welcoming.

Chatting to Festival Director Nick Reed at the end of the festival, he pronounced himself absolutely delighted with this year’s festival. Numbers were up, the music had been great, and the positive feedback had been overwhelming. “Clearly, we’re very happy. We’ve still to do the final number-crunching, but the financials look positive. Keeping it small and laid-back has been the right formula and, as we’ve now built the festival to this point, we have both the physical space and the financial confidence to look at some gradual, but gentle, expansion over the next couple of years. We don’t want to lose the vibe and the atmosphere that we’ve slowly built up. So the future looks very positive.” Absolutely great news to hear that, especially in recent times where many live events and festivals have suffered lower ticket sales and/ or cancellation.

Like I said – I’m probably a teensy bit biased – but I have to say that this is now an extremely good local music festival. It’s extremely well organised and well curated. There’s truly something for everyone, it’s good value for money, and it’s also properly local. If you unfortunately managed to miss it this year, I’d highly recommend that you make a space in your diary for next year, allocate your festival budget accordingly, and buy the early-bird tickets as soon as they’re announced. This, truly, is how to run a music festival.

Links for Trowbridge Festival:

www.facebook.com/TrowbridgeFestival

www.trowbridgefestival.co.uk

Links for The Village Pump:

www.facebook.com/thepumptrowbridge

thepumptrowbridge.co.uk 4

Links for The Pump Acoustic Club:

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575730922941

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Stop the Buses! North-East Somerset Reform Hate The “Woke” Bus Ticket Price Cap!

In In 1981 John Sullivan created a deadpan simpleton character for his sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. Immortalised by the late Roger Lloyd-Pack, Trigger would join a succession of timeless British comedy idiots. These days I don’t see any necessity in creating more when we have local Reform Facebook pages and their supporters commenting on them!

In a hilarious act of stupidity even the most renowned comedy writers couldn’t script, the North-East Somerset Reform group took to their Facebook page to slander Burnham for visiting Bath to show support for their bus ticket price cap, reducing the cap by a third. In doing so they’re rewarded my spanner of the week award, and it’s only Monday!

Sharing a Bath Echo article from last week, which explained the Prime Minister accompanied the West of England’s Labour Mayor Helen Godwin on a visit to First’s Weston Island depot to promote a measure to cap current fares until the end of March 2027, and reduce them from £3 to £2, they said “Burnham is not welcome in the Bath & North East Somerset Council area!”

Oh right? Does that include the bus users in the Bath and North East Somerset area? Of course it does, they love paying more if it stops Burnham coming!

“He won’t do anything to improve our local roads here,” they proclaimed about the proposal which so obviously improves local roads, by easing congestion with an improved and affordable public transport scheme. But it’s the last bit which is real comedy gold, affirms my complete and utter inability to comprehend what these rightwing fruitbats mean when they so idly use the term “woke,” and leaves me pondering if they even know themselves!

“Only by ejecting the woke left-wing parties from BathNES and Bristol can we even begin to solve our transport problems and get our roads moving again,” they continued. The only thing being ejected here is the bullshit spewing from their mouths.

Eh? So, public transport improvements are “woke” now? Who knew? Cheaper bus fares? “Woke” too?! That’s a real reflection from a party claiming to be for “the people.”

Can’t afford £3 for a bus? Walk, this seems to suggest; you woke peasants; I’ll kick dust into your face, roaring past you in my gas-gussling Chelsea tractor while the fields around us burn to the ground. But, hey, it’s just summer!

Needless to say, the post backfired via a collection of sensible comments, in which no one blamed immigration. But the final irony in the North-East Somerset Reform group speaking on behalf of the Bath & North East Somerset Council is me asking you to guess how many seats Reform actually has on that council.

Think hard, but don’t overthink it…..

Yep, you guessed right you leg-end mathematician; none, not one! Not even a footstall!! The council has a total of 59 seats, which are distributed among the following political groups: Liberal Democrats: 38 seats. Independent Group / Unaligned: 10 seats. Labour: 6 seats. Green Party: 3 seats. And Conservative: 2 seats.

And with posts as pathetically stupid and so obviously clutching at straws for
slandering Burnham as this was, unless the constituency is full of Triggers, which I highly doubt, that, or a similar proxy is the way it will continue! Now, that’s as funny as a Binface win!

Oh The Deep; Sarah Tarry’s New EP & Launch in Devizes

After near-on ten years at this, I assume Devizine has pretty much discovered all the local talent, when suddenly someone off our radar pops up to say hi! Devizes-based Sarah Tarry, is new to me, but I’ve had a sneaky peak at her new euphoric EP, Oh, The Deep, which is released on Friday 7th August and has a launch gig at the Devizes Cellar Bar…..

“It’s kind of a comeback EP,” Sarah explained, “my last one was around 2013.” The five-track EP of smooth and rootsy melodic acoustics over ambient soundscapes and backing vocals, is a collection of songs which Sarah has been working for some years on, and the time spent clearly shows. The third song, Ropes, concerns human frailty and hope, and is a good example, as Sarah wrote it over fourteen years ago.

The title tune homages sacred places, and with the delicate sounds of a coastline, breathes a rapture of blissful summery vibes. Sarah explains Where Can I Go is a “wrestle with a love that is so deep and unconditional that it just won’t let go,” leaving me in awe at the poignancy enveloped in this EP.

It comes with a sketchy cover illustration of wintery country walks, by Imogen Hobbs, causing the whole project to feel wholesome and endearing. Yeah, sounds nice to me! Plenty to encourage me to check out the Bear’s Cellar Bar on Friday 7th August; you coming?!

Pre-save it here, LinkTree here, Bandcamp

Full Throttle For The Sixth Devizes Scooter Rally

Featured Image: ©Gail Foster

At least I think it was the sixth Devizes Scooter Rally; after three weekends spent at a sunkissed Lower Park Farm I’m getting a smidgen hazy! Nevertheless, I acknowledge and appreciate folk have their own valid reasons to cite either of these three major and hugely successful Devizes events as their favourite, but, personally this weekend was mine…..

It’s justifiable to suggest big sound and stages, renowned performers or a universal variety of tributes are elements as to why you might choose differently to me, and that’s all good. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all. Devizes Scooter Rally may not necessarily win these categories, it’s niche but knows what its punters want, and delivers it with passion, and utmost pride.

It also makes up for them all when the atmosphere is as electric as it was, the community feel extends to hoards of annually returning visitors from afar, the team’s dedication is second to none, and a campsite so jammed as to make Michael Eavis envious!

Not forgoing, for my personal taste, this one is a retrospective reflection on the music and fashions I grew up with and cherish to this day.

Devizes Scooter Rally 2026 Image: *©Gail Foster*

It might also be suggested, because of the success of Devizes Scooter Rally the others implemented similar; I’ve seen two Madness tributes prior to this weekend! But if tributes are essential elsewhere, while the rally had cover bands nodding to the era, and Madness will forever reserve a fair chunk of that respect, it had one tribute which must be as highly praised as those other acts, if not more.

Nestled between magical ska covers eight-piece Hampshire/Dorset collective, Skamageddon, and the sublime soul ensemble All That Soul, Bootleg Blondie rocked my world, and I’ve seen the real McCoy! If you think covering T-Rex’s Get it On in a Debbie Harry style for an encore at an event full of mods and skinheads is risqué, with a certain ease it worked and alongside all their hits, Bootleg Blondie brought the house down with it.

Bootleg Blondie is a concentrated marvel replicating the whole band, not just the adored frontgirl, and they were tight. Yet the latter must be said of all on the lineup.

The returning Butterfly Collective kicked Saturday’s proceedings off with a glorious and vast selection of covers, enveloping every subgenre and youth culture represented in the crowd. From punk to ska to mod, and modernising with Britpop, whatever they followed each song with was as well-received as the previous. From Oasis to Sex Pistols, they knocked them all out of the tent.

Most interesting was a finale where Tom Petty’s Freefalling was meshed into the Jam’s Town Called Malice, and after a ska-fused Woolly Bully encore they finished with a northern soul fashioned cover of Erasure’s A Little Respect. The lively frontman proudly told that it was their fourth time playing Devizes Scooter Rally and hailed it as “the best rally on the planet!” A sentiment reflected by the audience, and me.

With Soul Pressure DJ Terry Hendrick filling gaps, it was onto Skamageddon, who, with matched excellence, gave us a superb repertoire of classic Two-Tone, blended with ska versions of novelty hits and exceptional stage banter. From The Specials to Bad Manners they hit the spot, and took to everything from Nellie the Elephant, the theme from the Fresh Prince of Bell Air, and even Mr Brightside over the rhythm of The Maytal’s 54-46. It was a brilliant set for Bootleg Blondie to follow.

With Park Farm full of food choices, stalls from crafts to scooter parts, and the busiest bar this side of Munich’s Theresienwiese, The Devizes Scooter Club has captured the energy of the already established larger rallies, yet retained the community spirit of the smaller ones. Now nestling in-between them, that is what the returning attendees love about it most. For if last year blossomed because of the arrival of Ranking Junior’s incarnation of The Beat, this year’s didn’t support such a renowned headliner, yet it equalled the size and ultimate atmosphere of last year.

This should be particularly credited to the headline, All That Soul, for I couldn’t think of another tried and tested act by the Scooter Club who deserved it more. This soul singing trio of gospel rooted sisters, backed by an accomplished band, began with Motown classics and moved to a second half of funk and disco floorfillers. In a word, All That Soul is sublime.

Who dares to cover Motown? Most who do disgrace it, it was the crème of sixties soul singers, but All That Soul can replicate it like no other I’ve bore witness to.

Moreover, credit and the highest of praises must go to everyone at the Devizes Scooter Club, and their volunteering family and friends, who labour on making this event as well organised, welcoming and absolutely brilliant as it is.

If combined, this summer of local events proves we’ve a wide diversity of music options and great scenes here in Devizes, the rally provides something it sorely misrepresented; retro soul, ska and reggae. I’ve eclectic tastes, but these are what I love most, therefore I’ve got to get it while I can, and Devizes Scooter Rally does, with big brass bells on. And brass is class!

Thorn in Conservative Wiltshire Councillors’ Side; The Munster Show Must Go On!

Sheez, I go away for five minutes and look what happens. Devizes Facebookland turns into the Ok Corral! Seems I must interrupt my lovely mountaineering holiday to broadcast an alternative viewpoint from what’s being said on a local Facebook group…again!

This, providing the post remains, proves what we’ve been saying about the political bias of Devizes Issues. Ooh, handbags at dawn; forever bad loser, the Munster of Lavington got his knickers in a twist with the head of Wiltshire Council Ian Thorn, took to poisoning Facebook with another rant, which, against every self-made rule of an apparent unbiased local information group, was successfully shared onto it.

As if Facebook isn’t toxic enough already with national politics, it seems local Tories are inclined to slander their opposition parties like they’re Andy Burnham before he’s even put his toothbrush in the holder at number ten.

I get that Thorn isn’t flavour of the month, and even MP Brian Matthew wrote to him to express concerns over the booking system trial at our recycling centres. For my tuppence on this, I agree with concerns about the flytipping it could encourage. Though Ben Reed for Devizes North points out “this pilot phase will be used to better understand the habits and needs of residents and ensure the service is tailored to their needs. It’s important to say up front that this is not a permanent change at this stage; if the trial doesn’t bring benefits, then the booking system will be amended or scrapped.”

That’s not a “u-turn” as suggested by Devizes Conservatives on that same Devizes Issues Facebook group, a group clearly so governed by the Devizes Conservatives it may as well change its name to The Devizes Daily Mail. It’s a trial. You don’t u-turn a trial, you try it, and if it doesn’t work, you scrap it, just as Ben said.

But we’re not waffling about recycling centres, it’ll cost nought to book a slot, ergo it’s a post-lockdown niggling storm in a teacup; flytippers are pricks, and will do their dirty business booking slots or not.

No, we’re more concerned with airing dirty laundry in public and the Council’s time it wastes; W (Worrow) entered the chat. I might occasionally slobber it, but I don’t retype drivel. So, through the powers of screenshot, here’s the glorious package of allegations in full technicolor, as shared on the ominous Facebook group:

How did he get away with that utter baloney, on a group clearly stating no political misinformation, plus lifetime banning others who do similar?!

Could it possibly be, and this is purely speculation based on an assessment of frequently recurring incidents, that this vicious attack of hearsays, in which it must be noted the Munster himself uses the word “perceived” to loophole the fact what he’s saying hasn’t yet been proved, has been allowed by admin of the group to stay, because it has been immaturely presented by a fellow Conservative still grumpy the Lib Dems democratically won control of Wiltshire Council?!

I don’t know. Sounds like the whimpering of a spoiled toddler to me, but you be the judge. Conservatives had their own way for generations here, their silver spoons plopped from their mouths, and it’s understandable they’re tetchy about change; bless their cotton socks. But we should be concerned about the fairness of using a popular local Facebook group to level allegations that, as of yet, are unfounded. The group’s own rules should have meant that this post was not suitable for publication.

Ben Reed criticised the admin of the group, Conservative Devizes Town Councillor Iain Wallis, for his usage of the group as a biassed political platform. In a submitted post to the group, Mr Reed stated this would “probably” be his “last post on this group, since in my view it has become a Conservative mouthpiece.”

Yeah, it’s not your choice to make there, Ben! You have to ask yourself, given all the evidence, if Ben’s post will ever make the final cut and if he’ll be a group member for much longer. So, for your perusal, shock factor, or amusement, here it is:

As for Munster’s allegation, despite how he might perpetually cry about it, assume that for now, it is only an allegation because it’s only an allegation.

I will not side with any political party, I will form my opinion based on wider sources. But should it be proved correct, and Thorn is doing a dirty deal, I would gladly stand side by side with Dominic Muns at the Black Dog Crossroads or any other location of his choice, declare he was right, maybe eat a hat, and agree something needs to be done about it.

For now, I’ve probably got more important things I should do. There’s better than treating local council level like it’s the Imperial Council of the Galactic Empire on
Coruscant. But, I guess this was always going to be a repercussion by some Conservatives when their majority befell to a democratic election.

“I’ve spent the last few weeks reflecting on the tone of our politics, and frankly I’m deeply troubled,” Cllr Taylor Wright mused on the subject.

“It has become far too common for politicians to casually throw around allegations of corruption, back-room deals, “brown envelopes” or other forms of dishonesty without producing a shred of evidence. Sometimes, those accusations are made directly. Sometimes they’re encouraged through innuendo. Sometimes they’re allowed to spread because too few people are willing to stand up and say, ‘No. That’s not true.’”

Taylor rightly added that it “should concern every one of us.”

In a heartfelt opinion, he stated that threats have been made against Cllr Ian Thorn’s home. “As someone in public office myself, there are times I genuinely wonder whether it’s sensible to take my three-year-old son into town because of the hostility that now seems to surround politics. That should horrify us all.”

“I have defended Cllr Ian Thorn because there has never been any evidence presented that he has acted corruptly or improperly. I will continue to do so. But my defence doesn’t stop there.”

“I extend exactly the same principle to every councillor serving Wiltshire Council, regardless of party. Unless there is credible evidence of wrongdoing, I will not stand by while colleagues have their reputations dragged through the mud by rumour, insinuation, or politically convenient fiction.”

Head of Devizes Guardians, Jonathan Hunter, has also spoken to us about the fiasco. “Local politics should bring communities together, not drive them apart,” he said.

“Residents rightly expect their elected representatives to debate issues, but always with courtesy, integrity, and respect. Healthy debate is an essential part of democracy. However, personal attacks, division, provocation, and inflammatory language help no one. Also, the promotion of personal attacks in any setting causes great harm.”

“Behind every social media post and every public role is a person, with family, friends, neighbours, and colleagues. The way we speak to each other, and also about one another, has a real impact, not only on those directly involved but also on the tone of the communities we serve. This reported behaviour is not what Devizes is about.”

It’s a shame, councillors stepping on thin ice formed by other vengeful councillors. But we, as the general public, need to not be convinced by this verbal sparring, because if we back it, it will only normalise petty squabbling, and just like national politics our council will get a revolving door system where nothing practical gets done.

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Devizes welcomes its first female Town Crier

By Charlotte Emily Devizes Town Crier

There are some moments when history feels less like something written in books and more like something happening right in front of you….

Standing in Devizes Market Place, raising my voice with the traditional cry of “Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!”, I had the incredible honour of being nominated the first female Town Crier of Devizes.

I have done some scary things in my time, but I cannot remember the last time I felt quite so nervous. Yet there was something wonderful about standing there, surrounded by smiling faces and the history of this remarkable market town, knowing I was becoming part of its HERstory. Devizes, the home of Daphne Oram, a pioneer of electronic music and a founder of the radiophonic workshop.

Perhaps it was fitting that I should find myself drawn to a role built around making voices heard. I have always believed that when something matters, someone needs to be willing to stand up and say so. A Town Crier’s role has always been just that: to bring news, celebrate achievements and make sure the voice of the community is heard.

Before becoming Town Crier, I briefly held another unusual distinction as the world’s first fully licensed female boxing MC. Announcing fighters in a boxing ring certainly taught me how to project my voice, but proclaiming the story of Devizes felt like a very different kind of honour.

The tradition of Town Crying stretches back centuries. It is thought that early versions of the role appeared in Ancient Greece, where heralds announced important news and events. By medieval times, Town Criers had become an essential part of community life, bringing proclamations and announcements to those who gathered in marketplaces.

In 1066, King Harold is said to have granted Certificates of Protection to Town Criers, as they were often responsible for delivering unpopular news and could become the target of public anger. King John later decreed that anyone who harmed a Town Crier would face severe punishment for treason. And if my proclamations ever prove too loud, too enthusiastic, or occasionally too honest, I ask only that you remember your history and “don’t shoot the messenger”!

The familiar cry of “Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!” comes from the Old French meaning “listen” or “hear ye”!

Town Criers were not simply loud voices. They were the original news service: announcing royal proclamations, posting notices and sharing information before newspapers, radio, social media or even Devizine existed. Their tricorn feathers were not just decoration either; they were traditionally used as quills for writing those important notices.

Women, too, have played their part in this history. One of the earliest recorded female Town Criers was Beetty (Betty) Dick of Dalkeith, Scotland, in the 18th century. Rather than using the traditional bell, she is said to have used a saucepan to attract attention before making her announcements. Women, haven’t we all felt we needed to do that occasionally?

Now, centuries later, another woman, me, has added her voice to that tradition, this time here in Devizes.

The role of Town Crier is not just about volume. It is about celebrating a place, its people and its stories. And what a privilege it was to proclaim a town like Devizes: a place of Moonrakers and music, canal and community; where the Market Cross, the Corn Exchange and the mighty Caen Hill Locks tell stories of trade, ingenuity and resilience.

The occasion felt even more special because I was able to represent Devizes while wearing Devizes.

My dress came from The Wardrobe, my underwear (ahem) from Amelie and the magnificent robes I wore were kindly loaned by Dig It Vintage on 10 John Street. I was deeply honoured to discover that they once belonged to Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker of the House of Commons and a fellow past showgirl like me.

To wear robes connected to such an important woman in British history, while becoming the first female Town Crier of Devizes, feels like a remarkable meeting of past and present and I am deeply moved and honoured.

From Betty Dick with her saucepan, to Betty Boothroyd in the House of Commons, to a woman (not called Betty!) standing in Devizes Market Place with a bell, a voice and a whole lot of sass.

I was proud to stand there representing every woman who has ever felt overlooked, underestimated or told to “tone it down”. Like many menopausal women, I have reached a point where I don’t care what people think of me and I know my voice matters, and there is very little anyone can do about it, because I have a big bell… and the historic protection of the King!

I look forward to using my voice to celebrate this town: its independent businesses, its events, its charities, its volunteers and all the people who make Devizes such a special place.
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!
God Save The King!

An Impressive and Fantastic Park Farm Music Festival

Images: Jess Worrow

Well my friends the time has come; Park Farm Music Festival sure went from zero to hero in one swift and fantastic Saturday……

Nestled between Fulltone and the Scooter Rally, two established events on the calendar at the same Devizes site, Park Farm, the self-titled music festival’s inaugural outing last year deserved more attention. Perhaps with Nirvana and AC/DC tributes its lineup greatly directed towards rock, but more so because it takes time for the worth of any new festival to become realised.

If I’ve waffled about how, despite it being a new venture in Devizes, the organisers have twenty-five plus years of experience hosting Mantonfest, a gorgeous family event adored in Marlborough, I could only hope folk took heed. The organisers this year went with more universal appeal for its lineup. For whatever reason, it worked, and I was delighted by the announcement that Park Farm Music Festival sold out this year.

Those who had cottoned on left impressed. I’m not here to flatter anyone, I say it like it is, you know this. But proof the organisers aimed to impress, particularly Devizes folk, use the example of the town’s most beloved blues legend Jon Amor and his drum and bass section Tom and Gerry, rocking the stage while I could still taste toothpaste. A brilliant beginning to what will be a mighty fine day.

The other Devizes favourite present, Ben Borrill and Pat Ward’s Matchbox Mutiny took twice to a side stage towards the end, and with their fun but proficiently delivered covers they absolutely rinsed any expectations the side stage was merely an interim whilst tribute acts soundchecked.

Knowing how amazing they are, I expected this much of Ben and Pat. My pleasant surprise on the alternative “Moonrakers” stage was a young Hungerford-based trio called Station. They’ve gone from gigging Marlborough’s Green Dragon to national tours, and it was easy to see why.

Feelgood and carefree songs of oceans, driving away and how fake gold jewellery makes your finger turn green, were joyfully delivered with zest in a unique eighties mod-Two Tone punkish come subtle Levellers-esque mesh. Though I love what I’ve heard of them, I’m not completely informed, but would liken Station to the Coral, and believe it’s an apt and deserved comparison. I went straight for the Instagram follow, because they delighted the crowd with natural flair.

Mantonfest wouldn’t be Mantonfest without veterans Barrelhouse, and equally they bring their vintage blues with a groove to its baby sister Park Farm. If it’s standard issue, it’s a deserved badge of honour. Following Jon Amor wasn’t going to be easy, being this is Devizes, and Devizes loves Jon. Yet, Barrelhouse’s show is so insatiable it’s catching on here, via memorable gigs at The Southgate and hey, didn’t I book them at Rowdefest for this very reason?! Ah, they did it, as they do each time, an explosion of jump blues mixing covers with originals which no one bothers to untangle, because it so absolutely rocks.

The remaining day at this brilliant communal and genial festival was vetted tributes. In chronological order, too hot for mirror-disc top hats, Slade tribute Slyde wonderfully homaged the seventies glam era, got elders worked into an early frenzy and younger onlookers mesmerised by the catchiness of those ostentatious anthems. I knew they would, I’ve seen them before, albeit it was a Mantonfest Christmas party, still, yeah, they had to encore with the unseasonal classic Slade yell, and with exceptional expertise.

The stage was ready for the second tribute to seventies/eighties pop, and undoubtedly the most invariably treasured, Abba. Abba Inferno hail from Swindon rather than Sweden and with Scandinavian accents intended to jest about this. The general banter and party-dance crowd encouragement of Inferno was second-to-none, and if Abba tributes are two-to-a-penny, with apt costumes and their dedication to the defining sound, this was the best one I’ve bore witness to.

With the evening still young I could criticise we peeked too soon with tribute acts, but with the crowds roused now, I remained confident the organisers know better, and know exactly what buttons to press. The penultimate act was ultimate for my personal tastes and seemingly the majority at Park Farm too. Self-styled Badness attributes Madness, Bad Manners and merges other Two-Tone acts into one of the most entertaining, lively and Northern humoured amusing tribute acts I’ve ever seen. It’s one of those who will force anyone younger and unaware of the music of the period into some dedicated after-study, while thoroughly skanking those in the know.

Fulltone may have had a great and energetic Madness tribute, but I wished those at Lower Park Farm last weekend were here once again, because Badness would have banged them to rights. This was the peak of the evening, not forgoing Matchbox Mutiny filled in the gap with another astounding second half.

While talking about badness, bad was my research for our preview of Park Farm, as the Queen tribute I had seen at a previous Mantonfest wasn’t the same one as here. They were The Boheniems, and they were the best Queen tribute I’ve ever seen, but, apologies for the assumption, that mistake; this Queen tribute was called One Vision, and unfortunately, while satisfactory, failed to deliver quite the same impact. Nevertheless, it was late, folk had had so much fun, and with sufficient alcohol in their system, it did not matter. One Vision was enjoyable, and a great end to an absolutely fantastic festival at Park Farm.

Just like glorious Mantonfests of yore, this festival was so carefree and friendly. With an adequate scattering of food and drink options, there may need to be more to entertain the kids, and we look forward to side-attractions blossoming here, but for the music lovers this is one mighty fine event, and one you should mark on next year’s calendar if you’ve not already. If I’m singing Abba songs all week, please excuse me!!

Trowbridge’s New Music Venue The Birdhouse Opens Tonight

If both Claire and Chloe Grist jest their working and marital relationships are of “left” and “right tit,” respectively, it might explain the reason for their chosen species of bird on the logo of their popular music promotion Facebook page, Bird is the Word!

However, in order to incorporate the letter B on the logo of their latest adventure, a new music venue for Trowbridge town centre which opens tonight, Friday 17th July, the bird this time more resembles a chubby pigeon! After poking my nose into the new gaff at a private invite opening party last night, I’d favour comparing The Birdhouse to a phoenix, rising from the ashes of political ballyhoo surrounding property in the area, and hopefully proving hospitality will better save the High Street over retail.

Swindon’s Old Town is an already established example, where bars, restaurants and music venues co-exist within walking distance. With The Pump a stone’s throw away, already bucking the unfortunate trend of venues closing, and The Old Town Hall, just next door to this new venue breathing life back into entertainment and community-driven events in Trowbridge, seems the time is nigh for the Birdhouse, a comfy but lively and friendly free music venue, with bar and a menu of sharing platters.

It was a popular “soft” opening, and great fun, as guests gathered to celebrate the coming of The Birdhouse. To dot the few remaining i’s and cross the t’s I expect the team will be busy today, for the mayor arrives at 6pm to officially open the venue. Then it starts as it means to go on, with Trowbridge punkers Brakelight being the first official band to grace The Birdhouse stage at 8:30pm. Entrance is free, please support it, because, from what we’ve seen of it so far, it looks fantastic!

The Sir Issac Pitman building on Trowbridge’s Silver Street is a listed building from 1976, and architecturally many of its grand features are retained. Nine years after Wetherspoons relocated, Claire and Chloe have teamed with the former operator of The Boathouse and director of SD Hospitality Management Ltd, Sam Dean, to see this glorious reformation as a music venue, The Birdhouse.

Aesthetically it’s also comfy, with lots of sofas and soft chairs, and functionally it serves its purpose aptly, with a lengthy bar reaching across the back, a convertible stage area, and ground floor spacious enough for a dancefloor. And you just know, with that Cracking Pair’s dedication to the local music scene, it’s going to get a lot of use!

Soloist and one half of The Hot Juice Project duo, Jake Lockhart was actually and unofficially the first person to grace the new stage at The Birdhouse, entertaining the guests, as nibbles were handed out and Sam, Claire and Chloe gave an improv speech declaring their gratitude from their supporters and of dreams coming true. We wish them all the very best with their new project, and look forward to the prospect of partying with them as soon as possible!

Wiltshire Music Awards Nominations Coming In

Not all of them yet, but some of the top five nominations for this coming Wiltshire Music Awards are being released. Let’s take a look at them, shall we?!

Best Desk DJ nominations go to: DJ Paul Alex, DJ Dion, Sound Image Roadshow, Rock the Boat, and James Threlfall.

For Best Venue: The Victoria, Swindon. Salisbury Arts Centre. The Pump, Trowbridge. The Three Crowns, Devizes. The Ruze, Chippenham.

For the Contribution to Music in the Community award: Swindon 105.5FM. Dave Wright at The Southgate, Devizes. Jemma Brown & Fulltone Festival. Peggy-Sue Ford of Don’t Stop the Music radio show, and us, Devizine and myself! Thanks to everyone who thought of me!

And finally, for now, The Best Band award:

The top 5 nominations are Burn The Midnight Oil, Talk in Code, 5 Nights at Adyans, Butane Skies and Ednostic.

While there’s more to come, organiser Eddie Prestidge congratulated the top 5 finalists, and said “being shortlisted is a fantastic achievement, especially considering the high standard of nominations we received this year. We would also like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who was nominated. The support shown by the Wiltshire music community has been incredible, and every nomination is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our nominees.”

The winners will remain a closely guarded secret until the Awards Ceremony on Saturday 14th November at Melksham Assembly Hall. Book your tickets now and be there when the winners are revealed!

Wiltshire Music Awards is looking for sponsors of the various categories. For sponsorship enquiries: hello@stonecirclemusicevents.uk

Matchbox Mutiny at Wiltshire Music Awards 2025 Image: Helen Polapix

Speed Reduction on Caen Hill to 50mph

Be honest now, who likes to bomb it up and down Caen Hill dual carriageway like they’re Lewis Hamilton on a promise? Who thinks once they’ve made it through town’s traffic that they’re auditioning for The Fast and the Furious episode 15? Well, your days of thunder might be numbered….

Cabinet Mebers meet next week to consider a formal Traffic Regulation Order, proposing the introduction of a 50mph speed limit on the A361 at Caen Hill, near Devizes. Decision details state “The Council’s proposals have a good level of support and combined with road safety improvements will positively contribute to collision reduction at this location.”

During the formal consultation period a total of eleven items of correspondence were received. Of those eleven correspondents, 6 indicated that they supported the Council’s proposals, 3 raised comments surrounding the extent of the project and 2 spanners were in objection! Who objects to road safety measures, when one day it could be someone they care about in a collision?

Led by Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, a decision will be made on 22nd July, and could be carried out as early as next year.

I know it’s going to raise some objections, probably from the Hamilton wannabes, but I support this. There’s no barriers, poor signage, and the pedestrian path is overgrown. Halfway up a fallen tree completely obstructs the path, and you have to step into the road to avoid it. With more events happening at Park Farm, there’s more pedestrians.

There’s dodgy crossings at Poulshot, Potterne and Rowde, plus a few farm tracks. There’s even a few residential properties and one conveniently placed breakers yard, if you do write your motor off. There’ve been numerous accidents there, some fatal, and using it daily, personally I find it miraculous there’s not many more.

I’m no killjoy, but what’s the point in racing along it when you abruptly go from national speed limit to 30mph with little forewarning, or equally anchor brakes on for a tractor when it merges into a single lane the other direction, before you’ve even got the time for the wind to blow-dry your gorgeous blonde locks?!

When you look at dual carriageways elsewhere, coming in or out of urban areas, they are 50mph. Look at the Botley interchange on the notorious A34; that’s wider, walled, with central and side crash barriers, and only has two junctions with full slip roads, and that’s 50mph.

But the sad reality is often, such restrictions only serve to remind the moralistic drivers who edge just over the limits, but those who think they’re Han Solo trying to make the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs, will continue to believe they’re force protected.

The bottom line is that it has to be a conscious decision by the drivers to slow down, and if the reduction helps, then it’s worth the cost of a few signs, surely? Please, don’t be a numpty, cabinet members, back this.

Traffic lights at the Poulshot- Rowde junction are also on the cards. We should return to this subject after the decision is made on the 22nd, when I look forward to chatting with Cllr Tamara Reay about it.

Jamsters Festival at The Southgate

January last year, The Southgate Inn Devizes announced Jamsters, a monthly Friday night platform for loose groupings and associations created at their regular jam sessions each Wednesday. On Sunday 2nd August they’ll be celebrating by bringing some of them together for the first Jamsters free festival, aptly, at the Southgate…

A spokesperson for the inn said, “every great music community needs somewhere to begin. For countless musicians across Wiltshire, that place has been The Southgate.”

The Southgate’s Wednesday night jam sessions have been running regularly since Dave & Deborah took over the pub in 2018. It offered a secure space where people of all ages and abilities can come to play and sing.

“These weekly sessions have become far more than an acoustic jam,” they say, “they’ve birthed enduring friendships, inspired songwriting partnerships and helped musicians find the confidence to take their music beyond the pub’s walls to perform full-length gigs, either as soloists or in bands.”

And I know this to be true. I’ve been to a few, though being unable to hold a note, I reject and quiver in fear of any offers of so much as a tambourine! I just love the comradeship, the communal feeling, and the way they take turns to lead, and the improv singalong becomes something magical.

From 12pm onwards on Sunday 2nd August The Southgate presents a lineup of local talent, solo artists who cut their teeth at these sessions, and groups which formed through it.

Pat Ward and Ben Borrill’s celebrated covers duo Matchbox Mutiny and Gordon Thompson and Tim French’s duo Painted by Numbers, both play, along with soloists like the incredible Vince Bell, one third Lost Trade and local legend Jamie R Hawkins, this year’s wonderful breakthrough singer-songwriter Sammi Evans, the lovable Tom Harris, and Byran Davis, a new name to me, but when I get there I predict I’ll say something like, “oh, hey, I do know you,” because that’s the way things roll around here!!

Worthy to note, the lineup is far from the be-all-and-end-all of musicians who’ve been helped by these sessions, but it’s certainly an incentive to get down the Gate, if not just on Sunday 2nd August but anytime for their non-stop musical programme. As if we needed an incentive!!

“It’s about celebrating the pub that quietly made so much of it possible,” they say. “It’s about recognising the importance of grassroots venues at a time when so many are disappearing.”

Yeah, I’m down with that. Particularly when I pause to reminisce on all the brilliant nights we’ve had there, dancing around George the pub dog as he naps front and centre of the performers! Long live The Southgate and those jammy Jamsters; I wish I could hold a note, I can’t even grip fully onto a tenner before the kids swipe it from my hands!!

Ruby Darbyshire & Devizes Cafe Nero Wins Poppy Campaign Award

As if we required proof that Ruby Darbyshire is loved by all, today she was asked to play her pipes by the war veterans in Devizes at Cafe Nero in the Brittox and received an unexpected award….

Congratulations to branch manager of Neros, Rachel Shotter, who received an award for the help she has given to the Poppy Campaign in Devizes over the years; Ruby thought she was only there to help celebrate by playing her bagpipes.

Ruby’s father Brian Darbyshire said “what she didn’t know was that she was also getting an award for her contributions of support.”

This follows from the Royal British Legion Devizes Branch Annual Poppy Awards Ceremony at the Wyvern Theatre in June.

Well done, Ruby; we won’t stop praising you until you win the Mercury Music Prize!

Donovan or Donoless, Fulltone Festival is a Cake Tray!

Images by Gail Foster

Regretfully I must report that due to a personal issue Jason Donovan is unable to sing at Devizes’ Fulltone Festival this afternoon. But all in attendance yesterday will be aware, if Jason was a cherry on the cake, Fulltone is not one big cake. Fulltone is an industrial sized tray of cherry bakewells and each individual cake has its own cherry…..

If a tray of bakewells required one chief cherry, it would be the fellow with the most familiar parietal lobe in Devizes, Anthony Brown, conductor of the FullTone Orchestra, delicately or furiously waving his baton around for hours, as the mood of the music requires! Or it could also be his wife, Jemma, who miraculously finds time off from promoting and marketing this grand show to sing at it too. But a tray of bakewells does not have a chief cherry, each individual cherried cake must be credited and praised for what is one of the most magnificent shows this side of Barnard’s Star.

There’s one violinist who reminds me of Chris Kamara, but unfamiliar with all the names of this seventy-piece orchestra, each and everyone of them are cherries! And their combined efforts is what makes Fulltone so tasty. To them, and every volunteer, well done and thank you, for, from start to finish, Saturday was totally and unequivocally magical.

Social media posting expected today, or thoughtless clickbait headlines, casting opinions on Fulltone whether or not they attended! The move to Park Farm I suspect will be under scrutiny, particularly by those who once makeshift their own free party by pitching up by the exterior fence. Transport issues with the times of the shuttle bus might rightfully be criticised, and for an event dedicated to its town, its regularity might need evaluating for future years; teething troubles. But with the campsite option, the Fulltone Festival 26 is more accessible to a wider audience, and folk from afar communally rubbed shoulders with dedicated Devizons for a series of showstoppers back-to-back, heralding a new chapter for Fulltone.

Social media can be toxic, Park Farm is where you must be to assess this. And should you require an example, let’s take the grand finale of Saturday night. That iconic stage, like a giant sky-reaching gothic church window, barely shaded partygoers from the heatwave, as Two-Tone tribute Mostly Madness did what it said on their tin. With emphasis on the trombone player rather than the singer, it was an incredibly lively show of second gen ska, and went down a treat. Then the orchestra came out, glittered up, with a rendition of Fatboy Slim’s Right Here, Right Now, but rather than the repetitive sample which might’ve been acceptable in the nineties, a young guy, conveniently called Guy I believe, interpreted a rap over it; and it was sublime.

The stage was set for a number of club classics, each with a different singer, as Devizes-own smiley BBC legend James Threlfall prepared his decks for a “large” mix continuing the club classic theme. What was earlier a stage wonderfully reciting the classical themes of John Williams’ Star Wars was now a pumping house festival, where the exhausted orchestra took a hydration break. But this was not the grand finale, only near to it in timings.

Now the orchestra came back out. James remained on the decks providing the beat, the orchestra played the melodies over it, Rozella came out too, glittering, and they did a few more vocal club classics, using Guy to rap Snap’s Rhythm is a Dancer. Then, a singer from the orchestra backed her with her most memorable hit Everybody’s Free. This was my personal favourite thing ever to happen at a FullTone Festival, as sparks of the fondest memories flooded my neurons, aided by a Muck & Dunder Bajan rum punch, and we danced like there was no tomorrow, even though there was and FullTone continues today!

For an Uncle Albert perspective, back in the day, “when I was in the rave,” house, jungle, techno and all other subgenres were virtually the same shebang, or at least their roots were bundled together. The only divide was songs for cheesy clubbers, aching for the commercialisation of rave culture, and those for the “hardcore” free party people illegally raving in some field or other. Then there were those songs which transcended that boundary, that appeased whatever side of the fence you sat on, and in 1991, Rozella’s uplifting piano-breaking anthem was “the one.”

But, looking at the faces of those dancing to it last night, my personal significance mattered not a stitch, as for many 1991 is a page in a history book. Still, I couldn’t have imagined this “throwaway music” would ever become classed as “classics,” as they relished every second of it as much as me, and the few other matured ravers!

For those younger, 1991 was not a live music era, it was governed by DJ culture. I didn’t know (much care) what Rozalla looked like, but as she sang on that stage, she looked and performed as beautifully as I could’ve ever imagined. In some vague similarity, The Wurzels seemingly did too!

Imagine, if you will, the most unlikely break between sections of the Proms, but, as we’re West Country, the glove fitted with danceable jollity. Professionally accomplished, where age didn’t seem to come into it, and I am a Cider Drinker encouraged a bra to be thrown in their general direction, the Wurzels were expectantly brilliant!

The Kaiser Chief’s Ruby Ruby perhaps not as apt as other pop hits they’ve covered, and the encore Combined Harvester had the techno remix backing, which would’ve been acceptable in 1992, but I take into consideration their ages and if it had to be the last song, they were likely completely knackered by the end of it. They put in the shift, with hilarious banter and skilled scrumpy & western, as those bumpkin legends were the making of it.

There were parts I regret I missed, such as the orchestra playing a Queen set; it sounded smashing though, as I rushed carefully back across the dual carriageway, assuming the last thing folk want to see driving home is a milkman as roadkill. Too conveniently located to home, I nipped back for my dinner and a spray of Lynx!

But, John Williams, the whole Star Wars catalogue, made me remember why we were there, for the grandness of this orchestra, for the experience of this conglomerative of excellence, for the acoustics of ye gods running through you, and for the institution the FullTone Festival has become; and I’m not even a cherry bakewell kinda guy, I’m more brownie!!

Strange Days Indeed, at The Barge on HoneyStreet

Earthlings and all other organic lifeforms with a taste for the occult, fortean and general weirdness are heading to The Barge at HoneyStreet the first weekend of September for the return of Strange Days Festival. You risk spontaneous combustion if you don’t too….

If you felt an alien autopsy, some alpine shape-shifters or the neohermetic order of Kyballic philosophy were unfortunately missing from your usual festival haunts, this might just be for you and your spirit guide.

A wildly Wyrd weekend specially crafted for fans of forteana and unexplained phenomena, Strange Days covers the entire weekend with weirdness, esteemed speakers, cosmic cabaret, and some mindblowing music. As of last year, the most powerful tractorbeam musically arrives from intergalactic visitors Henge, with their jazzy psychedelic space-rock rave everyone wants to be abducted by.

Star of the hidden camera prank show Trigger Happy TV, the man with the giant phone Dom Jolly also headlines, and there’s an array of speakers, and other bands, including Calne’s own masters of comedic metal, the chelonaphobic Real Cheesemakers, who might/might not play from inside the belly of a sperm whale.

Indie experimentalists Quatermass III are also playing, known for blending glam-tinged experimentalism, “folk-horror” themes, and electronic textures. And Novum Wo, an experimental electronic artist blending distorted glitch, IDM, and sample-based sounds with Medieval, Arthurian, and contemporary industrial aesthetics.

There’s the unmistakable band Dogshow, on a voyage to explore how music can be experienced differently, by traversing genre-fluid astral planes whilst dressed as poodles. The Quantum Mechanics’ paranormal podcasters go live, Bob Fischer and Stephen Brotherstone resurrect all your disturbed childhood TV memories simultaneously, while Jonathan Downes goes on the trail of Mexican Vampires, and past president of the British UFO Research Association Lionel Fanthorpe talks about close encounters.

I’d like to say I’m only dipping my little toe into the dark waters of Strange Days, as there’s so much more to discover, but the minds of the followers of the event might meander onto the argument it’s a vestigial structure, leftover from our tree-dwelling ancestors, while podiatrists interject, maintaining the little toe is still functional and significantly aids in balance and weight-bearing, and we’ll have a battle of medical curiosities on our multi-fingered, prehensile organs.

Strange Days is on the weekend of the 4th-6th September, when the nights draw in, and we get closer to the spirit world. It’s at the Barge at HoneyStreet so it’d be rude not to camp, which is included in the ticket. Tickets are a 130 of your Earth coins, with discounted rates for kids. From HERE and beyond……

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Fortnightly Banking Drop-in Sessions Replaces Devizes’ Lloyds….

No smiling faces in this snap! Our MP Brian Matthew met with representatives from Lloyds Bank yesterday to raise concerns about the closure of the branch in Devizes. Get in Brian, but it looks like we’ll be returning to the era of stuffing our cash into mattresses again….

Brian said he “discussed the impact on vulnerable customers who may need extra support with their banking and on local businesses for whom a local branch is helpful.”

Lloyds explained they are going to provide a fortnightly drop-in session to assist their customers with banking queries. They have also promised to ensure customers are aware of and supported through the transition. Hello? This is Devizes; expect fortnightly queues!

Have you ever tried to train a pensioner how to online bank?! It took me five years to show my mum how Facebook works!

We’ve come to the point where you’re made to feel guilty paying with cash, as the shop worker thrusts their card reader in your face. I’ve just about sussed online banking. It’s those pesky parking meters that send me into all kinds of flustered senior moments.

If we must face a cashless society, can we not wait for a generation to pass? It isn’t fair on them. I’d like to send these young entrepreneurs a hundred years ahead in time and ask them to work out quantum web diagnostics in fourth dimensional realities… or some other Dr Who type malarkey!

A charity trustee stated how important the branch is for depositing regular cash collections. “Once the branch has gone, it will mean travelling to a Lloyds branch in another town,” they expressed their concern. “Small businesses, clubs, charities still deal in cash and need the convenience and security of a local branch.”

Another comment said you need a branch for registering a lasting power of attorney, as you cannot do that online and must rely on the postal service. Well, I say that’s risking it a bit; can’t even get Auntie Doris’s birthday card delivered within a six month schedule!

Others have suggested a banking hub for all major banks. But yeah, that takes a united community effort; I’ll wait!

“I will be following up to ensure this happens,” Brian concluded about the fortnightly drop-ins and promises of training customers. “I will also be looking into access to cash in the town to ensure there is still sufficient provision for those who prefer to pay in this way.”

I’m glad we voted in this guy, he da man, but for now, it looks like the future of traditional banking is doomed here in Devizes. What’s that under your matress, Auntie Doris?!

“Gaslight” at The Mission Theatre, Bath, July 8th-11th 2026

by Ian Diddams

images by Michael Stevens – Pharos Photography

Shakespeare is credited as having introduced around 1,700 words into the English language, and several hundred phrases and idioms. This practise of word invention was not however unique to Shakespeare, or that late 16th Century period… A play written in 1938, by Patrick Hamilton, was not only popular amongst theatre goers but its name became a by-word for marital deceit, trickery and mental abuse. The play was named “Gaslight.”

Google and Wikipedia will fill in the plot synopsis but as per our use of the verb “to gaslight” in English, the play revolves around the mental abuse of Bella Manningham by her husband, Jack Manningham – an upper middle-class couple – as he undermines her self-confidence and sanity with a plan to send her to a lunatic asylum.

Next Stage Theatre Company present Hamilton’s disturbingly engaging play at the Mission Theatre, Bath this week. The cast deliver a tense, gripping performance over two and half hours plus interval, and every character is ideally presented. With a little over twenty-four hours’ notice, due to cast sickness, Sam Fynn stepped in to play the villain of the piece, Jack. It’s testament to his skill and ability that his performance was all but perfect.

Antonia White played the down trodden, abused target of Jack’s gaslighting, and her portrayal of the victim’s descent into self-doubt and loss of sanity is indeed harrowing – so much so, that at one moment I felt genuine compassion to “Bella” as she stood just a yard from me looking so confused, withdrawn and psychologically beaten.

The supporting cast were no less excellent. Mayur Bhatt, a Next Stage regular, presented Rough, the former Inspector as a perfect foil to Bella’s confusion. His level headed, intense but kind persona, not lacking a little humour, was ideal to help at times relieve the gut churning story unfolding before us. He represents a far lower middle-class character, transcending the gap between the master and mistress of the house with their two working class servants.

Ananda Rhodes played Elizabeth a long standing and loyal housekeeper who is Bella’s only friend, with demure touches really underlying a servant’s position who has no power, no control but is desperately trying to help. Their relationship blurs the lines of Victorian society at its edges, a state that Jack not only notes but berates Bella for as part of his controlling actions.

In total contrast the young house maid, Nancy, is no follower of standard protocols… she uses the front door of the house; she is hugely passive aggressive towards her mistress and desires and makes herself available to her master. Her surly nature contrasts with Elisabeth’s deference perfectly. James Hacker and Oliver Manners complete the cast with cameo roles as Rough’s “muscle”.This entire cast work seamlessly together with fully believable characters, all tied together by director Claire Rumball (also set design) and her team Oliver Manners and James Hacker as stage management. Tech is delightfully delivered – including of course dimming and raising gaslights – by Kris Nuttall and Andy Punt on lighting and Andy also on sound. The thoroughly delightful costumes arranged by Ness Bishop.

The show however is so far more than just a story of a married couple’s relationship. Its also more subtly a commentary on Victorian – and no doubt 1930s when this was written – society and its mores and attitudes. Whilst being a kindly uncle type figure, Rough himself demonstrates some patriarchal traits, and Nancy’s surly and disrespectful outlook clashes with every other character’s social reserve, even Jack who himself merely maintains a social status quo in his household.And ultimately the play provides huge passive-aggression and irony in its final scenes, over the finessing of Bella’s “madness”, First by Rough to Jack, and then ultimately Bella to her husband, who deliciously turns the tables on him when he believes momentarily that she will aid him in escaping Rough’s clutches and thus the hangman’s noose.Come and see “Gaslight”, played in the round at The Mission Theatre, Bath this week. You will not be disappointed – tickets from https://www.missiontheatre.co.uk/tickets?category=Gaslight

Bird is The Word Caged! Trowbridge’s New Music Venue Coming Soon

It looks like fowlers have finally caught them! I mean, wildly flying around, daytime clubbing, karaoke cavorting, supporting and promoting local live music, who does that?!

Cracking Pair Claire and Chloe Grist do. They set up the Facebook page, Bird is the Word to promote the local music scene. May last year saw them putting gigs on at Bradford-on-Avon’s Boathouse and running a daytime clubbing experience at The Exchange in Devizes.

But it’s been more a case of “mum’s the word” since May, when they first flashed their phones at me, showing off the shiny new logo for an even more exciting project, The Birdhouse.

If I’ve been a good boy and kept my cakehole schtum, now I can reveal that they’ve only gone and teamed up with the former operator of The Boathouse and director of SD Hospitality Management Ltd, Sam Dean, nabbed the vacant Sir Issac Pitman building on Trowbridge’s Market Street and plan to open The Birdhouse, a new music venue; ding dong!

Passed it this morning and took a snap, being the logo is up there, looking rather catching. There’s a private ‘soft’ launch on Thursday 16th July, and the Mayor officially opens the new venue at 6pm on Friday 17th, with all guns blazing by 8:30 when Trowbridge punkers Brakelight will be the first band to grace The Birdhouse stage.

We hope it’ll be a historic moment and wish Sam, Claire and Chloe all the best for the venture. Wiltshire is bucking the unfortunate reality of music venue closures, and Trowbridge is at the heart of it.

You might remember the building being used as a Wetherspoons until it closed nine years ago; small mercies! We think it’s fantastic to see an independent establishment going into its place, and can not wait to party with Bird is The Word!

Deadlight Dance New Single & Video

New single from our gothic duo Deadlight Dance, taken from March’s album Vox Populi….

Second tune on the album, a ballad to the poisonous evergreen shrub Daphne odora, which I classed as “a poignant plodding shoegazer.” The video looks very botanical and outdoorsy, I hope those goths wore sunscreen! Brilliant no-AI video, created by Haunting the Atom; fill your metal buckled chrome studded boots……

Oh, and find them doing it at The White Bear, Devizes on Sunday..

Who’s Lovin a Devizes McDonalds and Tesco?

For what it’s worth, I’m impartial to the prospect of McDonalds, Tesco too. I’ve got viewpoints to waffle endlessly with no real conclusion, if you’ve nothing more important to be getting on with, but I’m certainly not all-out “lovin’ it”….

The initial article announcing the McDonald’s proposal in Bishop’s Cannings was a rush job, to beat the stream of social media. Now I can reflect, provide an opinion piece, you might be surprised. Especially as I hinted I was in favour because it would bring employment, particularly for our younger residents; mud sticks!

Someone submitted their objection, spoke of it on Facebook with an accompanying comment they tagged me in: “don’t shoot me Darren Worrow!” Perhaps they mistook the term “drive-thru” for “drive-by” for which my little knowledge from American movies suggests two entirely different things! I’m certainly not going to shoot anyone, and pray no one returns fire!

Here we go, dispelling myths and hearsays about the golden arches, their global ethical ethos and the redevelopment proposals here, in my own special manner, and purely for your amusement only. Repeat after me, I’m not a councillor!! Imagine though….

The food is rubbish!

That’s subjective or at least debatable, surely? As the advert suggests, some people love that frightfully processed, calorie-dense, diabetes welcoming shit, and will queue all day in their cars for it. If they want to eat foam burgers, battery farmed chicken offcuts and offal, that’s their prerogative, and they will if you object or not. It’s the pickles they tend not to like and launch them from their car windows in some kind of pickle protest; but they are pigeon-friendly and biodegradable.

The company has made strides in responsible sourcing, apparently, but the nutritional value remains equal to eating a mattress. The “O” in a “Fillet O Fish” stands for “oh, did it really come out of the sea?” when allegedly it did, but so do old wellington boots from time to time. Can you point out where the McNuggets are located on a chicken?!

Expect a rise in obesity in Devizes!

Hello to the terminally bewildered! Our kebab shops sell “donor meat and chips,” because “salad is for lightweights.” For the gentlemen with a larger appetite I’ve watched them squeeze an XXL kebab into a 12” pizza box, for crying out loud into a bag of statins.

McDonalds might not be much better, but no worse, and definitely less on portion size. Though both these first two points worryingly open Pandora’s box; how ethical McDonalds is.

McDonalds is unethical!

Unfortunately, you are right, any “restaurant” chain which over-packages its products even if you eat inside has a dinosaur-sized environmental footprint; bring back Wimpy, they served you with a plate, what is so wrong with a plate these days?!

The company pledges to reduce carbon emissions and achieve deforestation-free beef sourcing, but can something on the sheer scale of McDonalds’ global supply chain ever really avoid widespread pollution and deforestation, and how hard does it really try to in Trump’s America? Awl, the dribble from that bastard’s gobshite damped his cardboard straw.

Yet, these are global issues which the McDonald’s Corporation must improve, while we’re on about having one in our town, in a country where there’s already over 1,500 locations, and being there’s not one east of Devizes for some considerable distance, you know their application will be granted somewhere, if not here. Unlike their plastics, which is a “dump,” rejecting this is a “drop” in the ocean, and the only thing you’ll achieve will be Devizes folk shit out of their McFlurry, and having to drive to the Sham.

Sadly, deflecting a global corporation by rejecting one store is putting a plaster on a severed limb.

They exploit their staff!

Again, globally yeah. Long-standing labour disputes and lawsuits regarding low wages and poor working conditions are plentiful. I’d argue that’s the world the low-skilled worker lives in, unfortunately. The economy relies on companies taking the piss, and I don’t recall a company I’ve ever worked for, large or local, who haven’t taken the piss and been generally ignorant to their staff’s concerns, to be frank.

They will, and Tesco too, however, create new and stable jobs here, and in doing so, employ younger people, which, aside from unethical practices, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Let’s not forget those franchise delivery companies might develop, also creating jobs and delivering for our local takeaways too; nobody says Just Eat in Devizes…. yet!!

Hey kids, welcome to the world of work, expect to be exploited, but let it be a lesson, as you’ll delightfully discover the chances of the same crap happening wherever you work is more likely than it is not! It’s the British way! Keep calm, tip your cap when the boss passes and carry on.

It’s unsightly and lowers the tone of the town!

No, it really doesn’t, at least no more than the aesthetics of the industrial estate. We have beautiful rolling downs stretching for miles to Beckhampton, it is a breathtaking drive but when you get to Devizes it’s over and the practicality of civilisation has to begin somewhere.

Seeing a Maccy D’s is standard issue now. No posh couple intending to spend a small fortune in our antiques shops are going to yell, “oh my! They’ve got a McDonalds, George! Turn the car around quickly!!!” Because nearly every other town has one, there is no escape.

The area will be littered!

It always amazes me that McDonalds has brought about this bizarre etiquette in other fast food chains too, that customers actually clear away the piles of litter they produce, as no other “restaurant” customers do this. That is why we need this branch to be “eat-in,” and avoid the “drive-thru” concept as much as possible, because that is when litter unfortunately becomes an issue.

Sadly, to see McDonalds packaging jettisoned from a car window abandoned on our roads is more commonplace than seeing a fox or badger at night; but that might be more to do with posh country pricks not hunting Big Mac boxes to extinction.

I’m of the theory, this is done by younger people, borrowing mum’s car, and they don’t want her to know they’ve wasted fuel driving all the way to the Sham purely for a Maccy Ds, so they uncaringly dump that crap out of the window. I cannot see any other logical reason for doing it, then again logic might not play a part in their justifications.

Therefore, the lesser the drive, the more convenient it is to eat in, stay in the carpark where there are bins provided, or to find a bin, by my thinking. So, a McDonalds closer might not increase littering, it might actually help.

That’s the town centre doomed!

This is where I imagine being at a party and the conversation thus: “oh, how terribly rude of me. You guys haven’t met before? Well, let me introduce you. Devizes, this is the 21st century. 21st century, this is Devizes!”

Get off your high horses. Unless you came into town to buy a sponge burger wrapped in more pointless packaging than an entire new kitchen, it’s not going to impact the few coffee houses and charity shops we have still standing in the town centre. Devizes is still conservative top-heavy in ethos, I thought we’d welcome unethical, monopolising commercial corporations?!

Even freewheelling funky Frome has an out of town commercial service area, with golden arches, and Devizes is never going to be as libtard alternative thinking as Frome! It’s happening everywhere, get used to it.

The old Sommerfield site in the town centre, since Wilko bunked, is one of many redundant shops here. Face reality, no chainstore is going to buy it; the trend is out of town shopping.

Town centres are now for coffee culture, restaurants, pubs, boutiques, hairdressers and charity shops, and I quite like it like that. I don’t want to see Tesco in town, because that drives people into them more than if they had to hop on a bus. I want indie shops in town, and want to see them supported.

Tesco didn’t see the offensive repercussions when they said they’re up for joining the abomination, and bid they’d build a superstore roughly two-thirds the size of the one in Trowbridge. Like we’re only two-thirds as important to them as Trowvegas, what an insult!

It’s kinda like when they build an extra lane on the motorway knowing in a decade they’ll need another. We’ve survived this long without a mega supermarket, on just manky Morrisons and a lonely Lidl. Sainsburys will do, won’t it? I only ever go into Marks & Sparks for confirmation I’m a peasant.

Devizes is expanding without infrastructure improvements; we’ll need bloody motorway services on London Road soon enough, and they come with golden arches as standard!

Tesco, you fail to remember like a Tory slamming Starmer for Brexit, we HAD a museum piece Tesco back in the year OBP (before Poundland) in which all the nice products you could find in other Tescos, all the good stuff, wasn’t available in the Devizes tiny Tesco, only the shitty nineteen-seventies stuff, to suit the decor.

We didn’t have a sushi bar, we had a tub of prawn cocktail, we didn’t have luxury jambon, we had tins of Spam, we didn’t have an iPhone section, we had a lift which occasionally worked, and we certainly didn’t have the one thing we really, really need, a petrol station!

But no, the proposal doesn’t extend to a petrol station; knobjockeys. If you’re gonna do it, Tesco, you could at least go the whole hog. We deserve as much; the kind of supermarket you can get lost in or not at all. Is a little competition to keep fuel price checks healthy too much to ask?! If you want in, Tesco, give us a petrol station in the deal, or bugger ‘arf with your fiver meal deals; a cajan chicken wrap, Boost duo and can of Pepsi isn’t a bloody meal anymore than a Big flippin’ Mac!!

You haven’t even got a conclusion, have you?!

Looky here, I’ve calmed! Before moving to Devizes, I lived in both Swindon and Marlborough, for roughly the same length of time. I guesstimate I actually made more visits to McDonalds living in Marlborough, which doesn’t have a McDonalds, than I ever did during my time living in Swindon, which has too many McDonalds to count without taking my socks off. This is because when things like this are on your doorstep it doesn’t mean you use them any more than when they’re not.

You take them for granted that they’re within reaching distance, but it doesn’t spur you to reach for them more than when they’re not. In fact, the appeal for something you haven’t got is greater than for something you have. I predict novelty appeal in having a McDonalds in Devizes, but within time it’ll be normalised and the novelty will wear off.

You know, so many people say to me, “you’re a sexy beast, Worrow, you know what’s best,” and usually I’d agree, but this one is out of our hands whether we like it or not. So sit back, keep your cobwebbed Clubcard to hand, and face the fate of Devizes head-on, with confidence, and make yours a McHappy meal! Be thankful we might get a McDonalds, but we’re still Reform free!

Brian on FullTone Festival

Our regular historian and Visiting Research Fellow of The Regional History Centre, UWE Bristol, Brian Edwards takes some time to sketch the FullTone Orchestra ahead of next weekend’s festival….

I was blown away when attending one of the Fulltone Orchestra’s practice sessions today. We know the music is fantastic, we know the line up is pretty cool; but I wasn’t remotely ready for the thrill of being in the practice room when the music started.….

I was supposedly there to sketch, but it was ridiculously difficult to focus on the task in hand.

Attending the two days of the Fulltone Festival is the most fun you can have in Devizes with your clothes on – said someone that won’t now admit saying it. Come to think of it, it probably rivals some of those other times as well.

Order your tickets now – Fulltone 26 is next weekend!

Fulltone 26

CSF Professional Wrestling Returns to Devizes

The larger than life superstars from CSF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING return to Devizes, Wiltshire on July 11th for a very special edition of SATURDAY NIGHT SLAM, as WWF/WWE Legend: Scotty 2 Hotty will be live and in action!

The former WWF Tag Team, World Tag Team and WWF/WWE Light Heavyweight Champion will return to CSF to compete at the Devizes Corn Exchange, which will feature a host of top Pro names. Also announced to appear: ‘Hotshot’ Joey Scott, ‘English Lion’ Eddie Ryan, Joel Redman, Gilligan Gordon and ‘Unique’ Jake McCluskey!

Tickets are now limited. Priced at £15 all ages. Available with no booking fee online from www.csfwrestling.co.uk (Ringside also available from CSF). Meet and Greet Passes to meet Scotty, get his photo taken with you and collect an autographed poster are available only from CSF online. Venue is fully accessible, including the arena, bar and toilets. Doors 6pm // Showtime 6:30pm // Finish 9pm Devizes Corn Exchange Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1HS For the full line up please visit: www.csfwrestling.co.uk

Update on the Update of a Postcard Fiasco as Untouchable Newsquest Joins the Party!

Though I wish it would be dropped and faded into the archives, it’s got legs! We’re still on about “postcardgate,” but the trivia sometimes becomes the nitty-gritty when the persnickety board the good train Facebook with their vitriolic trollop. Yet Newquest joined the party, and seems to have got off unscathed; funny that….

Here we go; all I said last week was that a digital postcard Devizes Town Council sent to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport could’ve, perhaps, been worded better.

Like a steam train gathering pace in a heatwave they queued online, to condemn me for my minor constructive criticism. Tell me over and over again, posting videos and filling our comments section, that it was only a “bit of fun” and not a bid for the Town of Culture Award; okay, are you going for the Town Crier vacancy? I hear yee!

Telling me to “get my facts right,” when its source, an official post from Devizes Town Council clearly stating it WAS a bid for the Town of Culture Award, apparently it wasn’t, despite them saying it was. Who am I supposed to believe here, Devizes Town Council or Devizes Town Council? Maybe, just maybe, Devizes Town Council knows!

I get messages from Devizes Town Councillors, clearing their names, telling me it wasn’t something approved by them; fair enough. So I run a half-apology update, though standing my ground for calling out the postcard’s wording. Still the negative comments flood in. The most ironic part to all this is, the award for the most negative comment I bequeath to one person, who kindly negatively commented she’s not following us any more over all the negative comments with the most negative comment of all, then declared they didn’t actually read it, so was completely unaware of how negative it was, or wasn’t; see, I told you this story has legs!

Now, I would’ve buried this with those knowing birds flying high and the sun in the sky, for it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day. But now, what really gets my goat up and fleeing from its pen, is that Newquest reporter Jason Hughes picks this story up. He gallantly goes with exactly the same assumption as me, that because Devizes Town Council officially announced on its Facebook page that the postcard was a bid for the Town of Culture Award, that the postcard was a bid for the Town of Culture Award, publishes a Gazette & Herald article about it, and no one, not a single body has commented how evil they are for making the same, apparent journalistic error!

Way to go to condemn a nonprofit blogger for simply pledging we all get behind this and work together to make it better, but suggest to the historic newspaper a similar complaint? Not on your Nelly! We can’t have that!

Their hypocrisy is so pathetic it fills me with despair that the “steering group” are the insular do-gooders mounting this campaign against me, and they’re the same ones going for a “Town of Culture” award; do they have a dictionary to hand?!

“No, you can’t get involved now, because you didn’t attend the meeting,” they’ve said; but some of us have to work for a living. I’m only here for the biscuit crumbs. Who wants to forage the bottom of the biscuit barrel with me, or who wants to snatch them back?

The Grand Return of CrownFest

The first week into July, and two local festivals of five ticked off! CrownFest went down a hit with those who attended this fantastic reputation repair job….

CrownFest at The Crown in Bishops Cannings spawned in 2022, providing landlords sustainability and was a lesson into how to run a lively, community-driven village pub. A majority of the village turned out with a sprinkling of townsfolk, but there was always a handful of killjoy villagers frowning upon it.

Once its reputation preceded itself, the following year saw much greater attendance, particularly from outside the village. Little did we know, due to the vocal minority’s protest, its pinnacle would be its demise. After a furious and often ludicrous campaign, including claiming proprietors stole a gorilla statue from Scotland, didn’t get permission to paint their outside bar, and other petty, police time-wasting falsehoods, with pitchforks at dawn they drove the landlords out and replaced them with another determined to shut out villagers with paid parking and convert the premises into an overpriced Conservative gastro restaurant.

As prime real estate, if it was an unstable era for The Crown, it was short-lived. The proceeding landlady knowingly committed election fraud in a bid for a seat on the council and, once exposed, waddled off with her tail between her legs. The thing is, you couldn’t have imagined this political ballyhoo backstory at the sun shiny CrownFest 2026, much less cared about it.

Undertaking the task of repairing the Crown’s former communal reputation, CrownFest was the icing on the new landlord’s cake. Organiser Eddie Prestidge of Stone Circle marched proudly past me, suggesting I quoted him on “they said I’d never squeeze twelve bands into one day!” But he did, and still it was quality over quantity.

I rocked up to see the end of The Publicans, a vigorously adroit Irish folk collective, and things looked healthy and happy at CrownFest already. A trailer stage with a control tower breathed top class technical production, with a second stage, campervans and tents to the rear of the site, and nestled in-between, a generous helping of attendees.

Again, in this saturated market, this festival could’ve and should’ve attracted more. They’re building back from the vacant years, but all the ingredients to a great festival were present here; note, for next year.

Fundraising for the Wiltshire Hope & Harmony charity, who create dementia choirs, the surroundings of CrownFest are beautiful, the pub is alive once again, and friendly faces came to enjoy themselves. Even the outdoor gents were proper posh and clean!

Time to check the second stage while Welsh tribute Ant Trouble tuned on the main. Two’s Company stood in at the last moment for Lucas Hardy. As the name might suggest an accomplished duo with John E Wright on bass, wonderfully performing folk-rock singalongs.

Ruby Darbyshire followed, once again holding the crowd spellbound with the perfect balance of covers and originals. After this sublime performance it was time for some ant music!

Perhaps it was niche and retrospective, but I and most others enjoyed it. I’ve been looking forward to seeing Ant Trouble again since they rinsed Swindon’s Vic three years ago, especially since the band wishes to end this tribute in order to concentrate on their original electro art-punk outfit, Head Noise. They came out firing on all cylinders with their tribute to Adam and the Ants; elders who understood (the family) and even the kids loved its lively punk-fantasy vibes.

Everything from then on was a Stone Circle showcase; the best acts you’ll find them putting onto pub and club gigs. Out of all our local festivals this undoubtedly supports local acts most and this, to me, is a very important point.

Starter, George Wilding. The real prince charming, the friendliest local human jukebox you’re ever likely to meet, with that golden voice raised the roof appeasing punters who yell out their requests and join him in chorus; legend in his own shirt!

A kindly talented fellow of George’s calibre rounding off with Three Lions on a Shirt, when we were still in doubt of Monday’s outcome, and Bohemian Rhapsody, wasn’t going to make the stage easy for anyone following with a policy of originals only, but it wouldn’t deter Wiltshire’s finest indie-pop darlings Talk in Code. I never tire from watching their dynamic show.

I do wish, though, this shallow trend of wetting knickers over some covers rather than supporting local acts writing and producing their own material would lessen. Talk in Code came out on fire and did the thing we love them doing; an electric set of timeless indie-pop anthems. It doesn’t take more than a few clicks to follow a band online, and familiarise yourself with their songs, and pretty soon, I guarantee, you’ll be creating the atmosphere akin to how you would if they covered Mr Bright Skies.

In this, I thought the rota could’ve worked better if Ant Trouble followed Talk in Code, and George filled in while Kinisha was preparing, then again if I’m to nickpick judging on what I caught of The Publicans, they could’ve suitably been pushed up the lineup too. As I said, CrownFest saw a plethora of great music, all of which needs to slot in someplace.

Sure, Kinisha stole the show, the headline Tina Turner tribute is called and is Simply the Best. But, sunhats off to the team for a brilliant festival of variety in acts, and communal vibes, which none faltered from toppermost quality. All round, CrownFest absolutely rocked Bishop’s Cannings and put The Crown firmly back on the top spot it deserves to reclaim.

The temperature and L-shaped site didn’t fare so well in coaxing attendees to move from stage to stage, many, in conversation and self-made merriment favoured to pick one and stick to it. But hey, that’s the shape the garden is and, seemingly the motivation of overheated Bishops Cannings residents not to stray too far from the shade, bar or barbecue! As long as they had fun, that’s what matters, and CrownFest certainly provided that.

For myself, I am delighted to see CrownFest return this year, and hope it will be an annual feature on our local festival event calendar once again.

Stop the Buses! North-East Somerset Reform Hate The “Woke” Bus Ticket Price Cap!

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An Update on our Postcard Criticism

Earlier today I published an opinion piece on the postcard sent by someone at Devizes Town Council to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, for the Town of Culture Award. Please read this first for relevance to this update…..

This isn’t an apology. I reserve my right to scrutinise and be a cheeky monkey, especially when the subject affects the public of the town, which this surely does.

Though not without satire, my point was that I felt it would have been better, fairer and most importantly, more effective, to have consulted the entire council and possibly the public too, before going ahead with it. We have since learned this was not the case. Not all Devizes Town Councillors were made aware of the postcard.

Since publishing it, councillors have contacted us to say they hadn’t seen it, let alone approved it. If so, this surely only opens a wider Pandora’s box as to why things are being passed through the council without the knowledge of all councillors; surely that’s the point of having a council?!

It remains concerning, in my opinion, for issues of greater importance if a similar pattern is occurring. But that’s for another day.

I stand by my reasoning, the postcard was poorly written, which for the most part, the majority of comments on our social media shares and ones on the Devizes Town Council post shares reflects a similar opinion. We have since learned some “talented writers were asked,” but it was excused by a short deadline of one day. I know only too well the pitfalls of a short deadline, and therefore I will apologise to those who wrote it. As I did state, the idea itself wasn’t necessarily a bad one.

It has also come to light that the postcard was apparently not a bid for the Town of Culture Award, rather for a “minor exhibition,” though the information from the Devizes Town Council Facebook post reads thus:

“𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐊 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟖!

In celebration of our town’s culture and heritage, we have submitted a digital postcard to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Here is our entry.”

If there is something I missed here I apologise, but the detail here suggests quite clearly, it was for the bid.

The article was not negative of the postcard project, simply critical of the wording in the final product.

Still the notion remains, that if such a project is to go ahead, it would be best if our resources were better pulled in, and those skilled at the tools needed were asked to help. There was a meeting some months ago I was aware of, but for personal reasons I couldn’t attend it. No further correspondence has been received by us on the project, despite our offers to help in any way we can.

We wish the Town Council all the best and remain hopeful for the project, and we are grateful to them for their efforts. Constructive criticism from time to time is necessary, I believe, in order to put forth the best bid we càn for this award.

I Smell of Market Stall! Devizes’ Best Bid for Town of Culture Award

Well, that’s that then. In a bid to win a Town of Culture award, yesterday Devizes Town Councillors sent a digital postcard to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and, just like Mick Jagger and David Bowie duetting Dancing in the Street, no one dared to stop them!

Agreed, it’s illustrated with a brilliant and most apt photograph of the Winter Festival by Simon Folkard Photography, one which Simon kindly permitted us to use too when we reviewed the event. And, debatably, the idea to personify Devizes isn’t all bad, but the wording, oh, oh my, the wording is the car crash.

There was me thinking it was a Town of Culture Award, not a Town of Cringe one! It begins informally “Dear Phil,” and describes the town’s “shape” by “markets, makers and people who roll up their sleeves to bring ideas to life,” causing me to fear the postcard might be symbolic of all my sceptical views on this pledge.

Do I want Devizes to win this award? Of course I do. Do I believe Devizes has what it takes to win this award? Yes, that too. We have excellent cultural events and engagement in Devizes, and many of us “roll up our sleeve,” Yet in my experience we do not combine our skills adequately, and squabble between ourselves for the case of our own events we’re staging.

So, we have a vast array of different events, the Food Festival, the Arts Festival, DOCA, and so on. But, let’s take a look at the Frome model for a moment. Their town festival incorporates everything under one banner. There’s food elements, music, art elements too, all combined. If we tried this, it would be pistols at dawn! We can not even agree on one town Facebook group!

We have a writers group in Devizes, another at the Wharf. We have talented writers here at Devizine Towers, and then we have poets in Devizes, one in particular is exceptional (I think she knows who I’m talking about!) We even have writers sitting on the council, for crying out loud!!

Could the council not have commissioned some local wordsmith to come up with something more creative? For this postcard looks either AI generated or scribed by a councillor who fell asleep halfway through a day’s creative writing workshop.

I don’t know who wrote this, I would rather not know. But, the bottom line is that the wording on the postcard is cringeworthy, without any artistic flare. It continues to describe this personified town’s canal. Now, if it is supposed to be a person, I’d rather not imagine what part of the human body the author of it would class as its “canal,” but here’s suspecting they talk out of it.

To make matters worse, it goes on to tell the postcard’s recipient “Phil” about what they smell like! “I smell like malt, warm bread, and Thursday’s stalls…” I have no words left in me. Who writes about how they smell, in a postcard?!

Save for the expectation, in return, they could’ve asked Phil what he smelt like; “how about you?!” And the response could possibly have been, “thank you for asking, Devizes. I’m currently on holiday in Spain, and I smell like shrimp paella.”

Since publishing this, there has been an important update HERE

Slowly Burning the Midnight Oil with a New Single

Midnight oil has been burning at Potterne’s Badger Set studio as Devizes’ most impressive and talked about upcoming band, Burn The Midnight Oil takes it to a whole other level with a new single, Slow Burn, and it’s out tomorrow…..

In a relatively short time Burn the Midnight Oil has become an unmissable live show, and last year’s trip to the studio for the three-track EP Werewolf was blossoming with promise of a developing band heading in the right direction.

Whilst Slow Burn retains the swagger of a gunslinger at dawn, as does the previous songs, it also feels to me like the checkpoint to something far greater. Rootsy Americania with gypsy undertones and sombre leitmotifs being their guise, this one doesn’t waiver in poignant wording and powerful delivery, yet it captures something more carefree, wild and commercially viable in its midst too; a punch, a hook, and a sinker.

There’s an enchanting string intro, and it builds to a danceable peak; all the elements are combined here, it requires and thoroughly deserves radio play. In good time, I foresee and hope this tune being the one fans will wait an entire set in anticipation for, and will sing back to them. It’s Florence and the Machine sitting on a toadstool wishing they were more like Fleetwood Mac, it’s girl power Dire Straits melodic, it’s Springteen’s wild romantic gesture calling across a stadium.

In subject we see a turn away from the often dejected and tortured feminine soul of past songs, and a pragmatic idealism more faithful to the sanguinity of relationships developing.

If pop demands a song about the gifts of taking romance slowly should be a ballad, this runs more fiery than Niall Horan’s Slow Hands, and far less saccharine than Janet Jackson’s Let’s Wait Awhile.

Then, if we ask for upbeat, of course, we have one hit wonder Jermaine Stewart not wanting to take his clothes off to consider! Thankfully we’re heading far more subtly here; why does this theme have to be cringeworthy or so overly sentimental when it’s a perfectly viable concept?! Slow Burn, I think addresses this, and exhausts with a genuine angle through personal reflection. That’s what it does for me, it’s tender-hearted legitimately, and the chorus blows the cobwebs off any concerns the ideal might be wrong.

What else do you need to know about this song? It’s solid, out tomorrow, for Bandcamp Friday, pre-save it now HERE, and you’ll hopefully see where I’m coming from!

Perusing Through the Pews; Lawrence Arts Society at St Mary’s Devizes

If you ever stopped to wonder how many artists live locally, drop into St Mary’s in Devizes, because you’ll be impressed by the annual exhibit of the Lawrence Art Society, currently running until next Thursday, the 9th July, and it’s a mixed bag of works from some of the finest local artists……

Named after Devizes’ most famous artist, Sir Thomas Lawrence, a child prodigy whose early career began here when his parents owned the Bear Hotel, in association, the Lawrence Art Society has been running since his time, but was formally established in Devizes in 1953. The Lawrence Art Society is a community of artists of all skill levels and media from Devizes and the surrounding areas. Membership of the group connects you to like-minded individuals, where you can share experiences and continue to grow in your chosen medium.

Much of the art on display at St Mary’s is up for sale, at reasonable prices, and there’s prints and greeting cards too. Browse through the pews, for while in previous years this showstopper was held at the Town Hall, now it is at St Mary’s Arts Centre on New Park Street. I must suppose there’s perhaps advantages and disadvantages to the new location. Starting with the positives, it’s a much more airy space where you can wander, and with the pews separating the artworks, encourages the viewer to focus from afar and, should they be tempted, cruise the canal between the pews for a closer look.

Obviously, you can also take a seat too, which you couldn’t do before! Yet herein lies one negative, St Mary’s needs some facilities, a tea & coffee hub would be ideal, then people would really be encouraged to sit and browse for longer. The one other issue I find is location, whereas The Town Hall may’ve given footfall from random passers-by, you’d have to know there’s a show on at St Mary’s; hence this article!

And, if you usually go to an art exhibition they generally run on a theme if not solely presenting one artist. The magic of this Lawrence Art Society, aside from the professionalism of all the works, is the variety on display. Mostly painting but of all movements and styles, there’s a few, and incredible I must say, wire sculptures of nature.

Some abstract, impressionism and expressionism, a few cubist, of varying and sporadic subjects. Lots of still life, imaginings and even satire, but mostly there’s some spectacular fine art in oils or watercolours, of landscapes you’ll recognise on local travels. The depictions of Wiltshire’s rolling downs and stupendous skies, alongside interpretations of The Market Place and other Devizes locations. It’s all magnificent and with such a wide variety, it maintains your attention.

While Simon Bishop and Alan Watters are two exhibiting who I know their works well, others by Stephen Benison, Brenda Loveland, Paul Oakley, Jean Perrett and over 16 artists make for an impressive show, but when asked to pencil down my favourite I stumbled at the choice on offer, and with such a wide variety of styles, it’s tricky! In the end I went with this fiendish yet evocative oil of Harlequin; it was probably the legs which did it for me, but I’ll say it was the mood of the brushstrokes!

I’ve taken snaps of only a fewest of the hundreds on display, and they do them no justice. So, take an hour off of town’s bustle, and browse this wonderful exhibit before it closes on the 9th July.

And if you’re an artist you might wish to sign up. The Society hosts monthly demonstrations, organises regular en plein air outings, weekly and monthly social painting get-togethers, an annual art exhibition, and provides links to local exhibitions and other art groups. But most of all, it provides a friendly environment where you can share your experiences and continue to grow in your abilities. This annual exhibition showcases precisely this ethos, and is worthy of your time.

Boots and Braces, Get Ready for Devizes Scooter Rally

We’ve been on about the other big Devizes events we’re looking forward to across July, but on the 24th to the 26th it’ll be time to get up on your feet, put your braces together and your boots on your feet, and give us some of that old moonstomping, at Devizes Scooter Rally. And it’s only three weeks away; time enough to wash that Fred Perry…..

There’s no complicated reason for a way of putting this, I love Devizes Scooter Rally! With a few photos I’ll attempt to explain why.

Firstly though, note; I don’t got no hairdryer, no need for anything on two wheels, I’m dodgy enough on four! I go for the music, the drink and the great company; of which is plentiful.

Last year the site significantly expanded as The Beat headlined, at least Ranking Roger’s son Ranking Junior paid homage to his father and the original lineup. Needless to say it was well-received and off the scale; I called it the best one yet. But it’s only a fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally!

I think it’s at the maximum scale the Scooter Club feels comfortable with. That’s understandable, any bigger could potentially lessen that community feel which has attracted the niche market of scooterists and retrospective youth cultures, and blessed this rally with a renowned reputation nationwide.

This year sees lesser-known names on the lineup but all tried, tested and loved by the Scooter Club. Bands this year include the Butterfly Collective returning for their second year, newcomers Skamageddon, Bootleg Blondie, Marquis Drive, The Decatonics and all-time club favourite All That Soul.

It is not about big names, rather throwing one heck of a great party, and that is what they do every year without fail. Kick it off, Colonel!

Here’s a snap of Goldsteppers, who played the 2024 Rally, and I reckon were my favourite band to ever play here. They had this total dedication to recreating an original Jamaican ska sound. Even if I grew up with the Two-Tone movement it only served to fuel my obsession with its roots. Through my eclectic tastes I need to do Devizine, I reserve my rights to declare officially, that original Jamaican ska and reggae are my desert island discs, my favourite style of music. And, we simply don’t get nearly enough of this around these backwaters. But this is only another fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally!

Here’s a picture of All That Soul from a previous year. They’re coming again this year, and if you think perfectly mimicking those Motown classics is asking too much, All That Soul do, do sublimely and on a level I’ve only ever witnessed before when watching All That Soul! Awl, those Northern Soul boys are welcomed here too; throw down some talc and call me Andrea! But, that’s only a fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally too.

It’s all weekend, it’s affordable, there’s free camping. On a local level I believe those with only a passing interest have cottoned onto its brilliance, and even the council have accepted it’s an important annual date on the town’s event calendar. Scooterists from all over the country fly back and forth down Caen Hill, spending money in town; an economic advantage but still, only a fraction of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally!

The biggest chunk on my pie chart of why I love Devizes Scooter Rally, can be best illustrated by these last two snaps. Co-founder of the Devizes Scooter Club Martin Gibbs has been busy painting barrels with the logos and colours associated with the variety of movements which combined make up the ethos of the rally. And there’s the thing….

Everyone at the Scooter Club muck in, use their relevant skills and work tirelessly to create this extravaganza. With their reflection on reggae, their combined efforts is rather akin to a Caribbean carnival, whereby participants will labour all year on their decoration, dress and floats. The Devizes Scooter Club built this bar themselves, they built this bangarang (but not necessarily on rock n roll!!) And you best believe it, this bar takes some heavyweight usage!

You’ve never seen such a busy bar, and members of the club and their families slave night and day, serving attendees with their booze quota until the point they drop from exhaustion! With a lost voice and physically drained from tending the busiest bar this side of Munich’s Theresienwiese during Oktoberfest, my wonderful sister-in-law still drives my sorry drunken ass home afterwards; I’m so grateful, it’s become our thing!!

That’s my major point, that’s why I love Devizes Scooter Rally most; the team behind it, giving 500%, mucking in, and creating this wonderful annual event. And this reflects into those attending, only expanding on this real community feel, done only so for the spirit of the day, and love of doing it!

That’s the magic of Devizes Scooter Rally, in a nutshell. In Jamaican patois you’d be a bubu, or here, a fool, to miss it!

There’s Lots happening in July in Wiltshire, With or Without Bradley Walsh!

Please don’t get me wrong, I love that Bradley Walsh Cockney sparrow, and could imagine myself having a right laugh with him down any boozer he cared to drop into! But here we wouldn’t suggest you should wait for Brad to pop into your local before guaranteeing your good self a cracking night out! We’re into July’s midsummer madness, and Devizine will focus on all the best things to do this month, in Wiltshire, with or without Bradley or another celebrity…..

For Newsquest, unfortunately, the Chase is over! Sure, I pipped them to the post on the McDonalds application fluff last week, but that could’ve been anyone’s. I’ll hold my hands up; I did it because, from time to time, the clickbait headline is a must. But day-to-day I’m not fussed over hits.

Our focus is on the pub without a celebrity appearance. The venue where there might be a person, or group of, you don’t know, or at least the television-addicted, cheesy puffs munching sofa-surfers majority don’t know, but you’ve heard of, or are taking a chance on, because you read Devizine. Because you trust us when we tell you that this person, or persons, have spent years perfecting their art, rehearsing together, writing songs, painting, learning their lines, or finding the right chords to match, and in culmination they do so for purely for the love of it, perhaps in hope to put food on the table, and to provide something together…..to entertain you.

Here at Devizine we will report on the amateur, the upcoming local talent, with equal gusto to an event who’s booked a top name. We don’t do this for hits, we do this because we believe there’s a truckload of skilled actors, musicians and artists around these rural backwaters who are going unnoticed by the mainstream media, and what is more, they deserve so much more than this. But there you have it, try as we must! If I did this for payment I’d have quit years ago!!

So, check out July on our event calendar now, and recheck again as we go through the month, because it is constantly updating. Don’t rely on that event popping up on your Facebook feed any more than local newspapers telling you about it; all social media platforms have lots of political propaganda to throw at you, paid mush adverts, wonky opinions, and cringeworthy pictures of someone you don’t even knows’ supper. There’s no room left on there to show you the gig your mate is putting on down your local, and you cannot expect them to find the space, because, to them, spreading hatred and causing division among the masses is far more important. Stop the clock, Bradley, that is wrong.

There’s no polite way to explain it, but I think you should face facts; mainstream media is a big bag of swollen bollocks, and locally, it’s competing with social media for cringe clickbait, whilst failing to showcase and highlight the real people out there, striving to be creative. Send me your thoughts on that in emoji or as an AI poster, if you care to, I’ll be too busy to answer them, as I’ll be covering as much of what’s really going on locally as I possibly can!

Summer festivals and so much more; see you down the front, mine is a cider, ta muchly! Xx

Oh, and if we’ve missed listing your event, it isn’t because we don’t like you! Tell us about it like you’re Billy Joel on a promise!!

Check out July on our event calendar now.