Badminton at Tapton School

Join Ranmoor Badminton Club at Tapton School
Join Ranmoor Badminton Club on Fridays at Tapton School

Ranmoor Badminton Club is looking for new recruits.

They are after existing players over 16 years old who are keen to play friendly and competitive doubles games from 7-10pm on Friday nights at Tapton School in Crosspool. This is usually followed by a couple of drinks in a local pub.

If you’re interested then please get in touch with them by calling 0114 230 2961 or on email using lesleykelly@yahoo.co.uk.

Opticians opens today in Crosspool

Alex Gage Family Optometrist: now open in Crosspool
Alex Gage Family Optometrist: now open in Crosspool

Optometrist Alex Gage opened his new practice in Crosspool this morning.

Alex said: “We hope to help all members of the family with their vision needs. It is easier if families come together, they only have to remember one appointment and they can get help and support with choosing spectacles as well as advice from us on what suits there needs best.”

A grand launch is planned for Saturday, with entertainment for all the family from 11am.

You can read an interview with Alex here.

Alex Gage Family Optometrist – 0114 266 7066

Crosspool Characters: optometrist Alex Gage

Alex Gage, optometrist
Alex Gage, optometrist

You’ll notice that there has been a bit of activity in the old Thresher Wine Rack unit recently. As we revealed back in June, a new family optometrist will be opening there in September.

We caught up with Alex Gage, who is opening his new Crosspool practice in September, to find out a bit more about him and his business.

Tell us a bit about the optometrist practices you run in different locations.

We are moving from Broomhill where we had a smaller premises and parking was difficult. We also have branch at Woodseats where I started in 1996.

What are your impressions of Crosspool? Do you live locally?

Crosspool is a lovely place we used to live there when the King’s Head still served beer. We used to sit in there and say “In years to come we can look back and say I remember when all this was fields” but I think the school field is still there, just not the pub.

Why did you decide to open an optometrist in Crosspool?

As I say we lived in Crosspool in a terraced house before my eldest daughter Emma could walk, but wanted to find somewhere with a garden instead of a concrete yard for children to play in. It still has that community feel and with the schools around I think there are lots of families around which we hope to serve well for all there vision needs.

Sandygate Road empty off licence unit
The old off licence unit will open soon as Alex Gage Optometrist

What sort of services will you be offering residents?

We will offer the usual vision services: NHS & Private eye exam, spectacles, contact lenses including Overnight Vision Correction (OVC) where you wear lenses overnight and don’t need to wear them the next day. My wife Sarah started this about 18 months ago and hasn’t looked back.

We’ll sell good quality sunglasses for all the family: you wouldn’t dream of sending your kids out without suncream for their skin but how many make sure their kids protect their eyes from UV as well? We will be providing the choice to help parents and children alike.

We will also be offering Behavioural optometry which I am accredited and a member of BABO. This helps people especially children to understand the world we live and the information their eyes are giving them (more info at www.babo.co.uk).

We are also hoping to provide sports vision to help athletes improve their game, by maximising the efficiency of their vision. I have also been working with a Sheffield-based engineer with hid new putting programme called Break 30 which aims to help golfers get a round with less than 30 puts.

What approach do you have to optometry and what are your plans for the practice in the future?

I think the above gives a good idea of my plans and hope that by attracting families we can help all members of the family with their vision needs. It is easier if families come together, they only have to remember one appointment and they can get help and support with choosing spectacles as well as advice from us on what suits there needs best.

Crosspool’s new optometrist will be opening in early September.

Alex Gage optometrist

Tapton academy plans postponed

Tapton school
Tapton school: academy bid has stalled

Controversial plans to change the status of Tapton secondary school in Crosspool to an academy have been put on hold due to legal issues raised by the school’s owner.

Private finance initiative company Interserve and its funders Lloyds Banking Group have concerns over how PFI schemes work with academy status, particularly over the way the council would make PFI payments on behalf of Tapton after it has become an academy.

The school is still committed to the conversion and barristers are working through the issue, although no new completion date has been announced.

The proposed move is unpopular with parents and teachers.

Controversial academy plan in chaos (The Star)

Household waste survey

Have your say on household waste by filling in this council questionnaire before it closes on Friday 16 September:

We want you to tell us what’s important to you for your waste collection services and what you think our priorities should be over the next few years when we need to make savings. You might have strong opinions about how your waste and recycling is collected in the future. Whatever your feelings, let us know, and we can take your views into account when making future decisions about waste services in Sheffield.

You can take part in the survey by:

  • filling it in online
  • calling 0844 522 0100
  • collecting a copy from your local First Point Office, Housing Office or library.
Blue box: from April can be used to recycle bottles
Have your say on household waste in Sheffield

Look out for the Autumn 2011 edition of the Crosspool Clarion

The new edition of the Crosspool Clarion has been printed and will soon be falling on the doormats of all Crosspool households.

Crosspool Clarion Autumn 2011
Download Crosspool Clarion Autumn 2011 (PDF, 659KB)

The latest issue includes:

  • Summer Fayre
  • Letters
  • CDYST
  • Computer Course
  • Lydgate Green clean up
  • Tapton transformation
  • Optician to open in Crosspool
  • Neighbourhood Watch
  • Crosspool in Bloom
  • Coppice House Farm Shop
  • Mystery of the Crosspool Tunnel
  • New restaurant opens
  • Transit van torched
  • Manchester Road junction accident
  • Commendable competitors
  • Open Meeting minutes

Download Crosspool Clarion Autumn 2011 (PDF, 659KB)

Some back issues of past editions of the Crosspool Clarion are also available to download.

The Crosspool Clarion is the official newsletter of Crospool Forum. It is a free, quarterly publication, with over 2,500 copies delivered to local households.

To read PDFs on your computer, you may need to first download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Bell Hagg Inn to be converted into seven bedroom house

There are plans to convert the The Bell Hagg Inn into a house
There are plans to convert the The Bell Hagg Inn into a house

Plans to convert a derelict Crosspool pub into a seven bedroom house will be considered by the council planning board on Tuesday.

The Bell Hagg Inn on Manchester Road has stood empty for years but the new proposals would see the two buildings turned into a single dwelling and extended. A two-story structure would also be demolished. Planning officers are recommending that the new scheme is approved.

Loxley Valley Protection Society is critical of the plans, but Rivelin Conservation Group has welcomed the proposal.

The former pub is located opposite the entrance to Valleyside Garden Centre, and its position offers commanding views over the Rivelin valley.

View planning application 11/00131/FUL

The Star: Home conversion for disused former pub

The Bell Hagg Inn has great views over Rivelin
The Bell Hagg Inn has great views over Rivelin

Crosspool student is one of Sheffield’s best

As Crosspool sixth formers celebrated their A Level results this week, one Tapton school student found out that he’d scooped seven A* grades.

George Lee achieved the top grade in French, Spanish, general studies, maths, further maths, critical thinking and physics. He is now heading to Imperial College in London to study maths.

He was one of 31 students at Tapton who achieved straight As and A* grades. However, school’s overall pass rate at the three top grades – A*, A and B – fell from 63% to 56%.

The Star: A-level genius is heading straight to top university

Sheffield Telegraph: Big race for places starts early on A-level results day

Tapton's A Level pass rate at A*, A and B was down this year
Tapton's A Level pass rate at A*, A and B was down this year

Hallam kick off 2011-12 season

The Countrymen return to Sandygate on 20 September
The Countrymen return to Sandygate on 20 September

Hallam FC have started the new season in the Baris Northern Counties East Football League Division One, following relegation in May.

They kicked off with a 1-0 defeat at local rivals Handsworth and then last night lost 2-0 to  Hemsworth Miners Welfare.

The Countrymen’s first match at Sandygate isn’t until 20 September when they host Appleby Frodingham in the Wilkinson Sword Trophy first round. They then play Appleby again on 1 October in the league.

Earlier this month, The Star reported that Hallam chairman and former premiership referee Uriah Rennie has been trying to keep the peace behind the scenes where there has been a rumpus over voting rights and money.

Hallam FC 2011-12 fixtures

Upcoming events at The Sportsman pub

The Sportsman pub on Benty Lane is hosting three events this month:

  • Cheese & Wine night, Monday 15 August, 8pm
  • Whisky Tasting, Wednesday 17 August, 9pm
  • Summer Cocktails, Thursday 25 Aug, 8pm

For more information, call the pub on 0114 268 8011.

The Sportsman pub

The new-look Sportsman pub in Crosspool
The Sportsman pub in Crosspool