APRIL ISSUE OF ECHO

With an extra special effort we have managed to complete the April issue of ECHO and it is now ready to be printed. It should be on sale by the end of the week.

We cannot rule out the possibility that our printing and distribution may yet be interrupted but we hope we can carry on being of service to the community in these difficult times.

Many of our normal sales outlets are closed, notably the churches, but we will still aim to provide copies to the ones which are open – notably the Co Op stores in Earlsdon Street and Allesley Old Road, Earlsdon Street Post Office and some other food outlets and general stores. If you are purchasing supplies for isolated friends and family from these places, or you are among the ones isolated and are being supplied in this way, then you could consider adding a copy of ECHO to your shopping list with no additional risk but please do not make extra trips solely for that purpose.

Should subsequent events prevent us getting the issue out, we will make the content available online and some if it will be posted online, and kept up to date, in any case.

We will make an assessment next month on whether we can produce a May issue.

ECHO and our great community will survive and thrive once more.

Please look after one another and stay safe.

THE ECHO TEAM

Bus Pass Restrictions Lifted

From Thursday 19 March, and until further notice, the restriction on travel before 09.30 has been suspended meaning that you can travel free of charge on all bus and tram services in the West Midlands Network area from the start of service – excluding services run by A&M Group – Flexibus.

Many leading supermarkets have decided to open early or set aside the first hour of business exclusively for older customers and those most vulnerable to Covid-19. It is hoped that being able to use your pass earlier will allow you to take advantage of this.

Please bear in mind the Government’s advice about restricting social contact, particularly if you are over 70 or have underlying health conditions, and of course please do not travel if you are self-isolating. If you are unsure then please refer to the latest advice from the NHS and Public Health England here

Theatres close

Following Government Coronavirus advice, both the Criterion and Albany theatres have decided to close until further notice.

Anyone who has bought advance tickets will be contacted directly but please see the respective websites for the latest information:

Albany Theatre

Criterion Theatre

CLOSURE OF ALLESLEY OLD ROAD

From Friday 21 February until Sunday 1st March, a small stretch of Allesley Old Road between Queensland Avenue and Kingsland Avenue OUTBOUND from the City will be closed for drainage works.

This will require diversions for motorists and for two bus routes.

The no. 8/8A bus service to Eastern Green will be diverted up Queensland Avenue, along Hearsall Common and Broad Lane and into Glendower Avenue, resuming its usual route from Lyndale Road.

The no. 23 bus to Allesley Park will not turn left into Four Pounds Avenue, instead continuing along Holyhead Road and turning into Grayswood Avenue, picking up its normal route at the junction of Grayswood Avenue and Allesley Old Road.

Both services will run as normal INBOUND to the City.

Riley Car Presentation

A presentation about the replica of the first Riley car, which is currently on loan at King Henry VIII School, Warwick Road, takes place at the school on Wednesday 12 February at 7pm. The original was designed by Percy Riley, an old boy of the school, in 1896.

The event is open to the public and free to attend – click on the link for more details and to book:

Event and Booking

Graham Partridge

It is with great sadness that we have to inform the community of the death on Sunday 12th January of Graham Partridge, a founding member of the ECHO team and for 40 years its Chairman and public face. In due course we will pay a full tribute to Graham, both in the pages of ECHO and online.

Happy New Year from ECHO

As we come to the end of a very challenging but also a very successful year for ECHO it’s time to take stock.

We have celebrated our 40th anniversary but in a sense are about to enter our 6th decade, having been published in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and, very soon, the 20s.

Our sales remain good, in contrast to many parts of the print media which are losing out to on-line competitors.

As always we are grateful for the combined support of our advertisers, sellers, contributors (both those who are members of the ECHO team and those who are outside the group but provide the good quality copy or information that makes it possible for us to provide 32 pages or more every month) and, most importantly, our readers, without whom there is no point in any of it.

We look forward to continuing to serve the area and community we all love in 2020 and beyond.

The next issue will be out around Friday 31 January. In the meantime the ECHO team wishes you all a very Happy New Year.