earlier near the coast

Distraction Thefts of Mobiles

Police are reminding customer facing staff to keep their phones secure at all times after receiving seven reports of ‘distraction thefts’ since the start of October.  The offenders will enter a premises with a customer reception area such as a hairdressers or hotel and distract staff by asking for help or directions and waving papers around.   They will then take the phone from the reception desk/counter whilst the member of staff is distracted.

Very sorry to hear that Cliff Quay brewer Jeremy Moss passed away last Friday 4th September,

Last year the walk raising funds for the Mid Suffolk Carriage Driving for the Disabled was in Peasenhall.  This year it was going to be a dog walk in Monk Soham  but sadly it's CANCELLED.

Roadside verge volunteer wardens rake and monitor verges as wildlife reserves.

The Bentwaters Cold War Museum has thought about re-opening and decided leave it until next year.

Not surprisingly with the current unpleasantness house sales around near the coast are slow but most active in Saxmundham.

The Bentwaters Cold War Museum is thinking about re-opening next month, we certainly enjoyed our visit.

Not surprisingly August's Maui Waui festival near Theberton  has been postponed until next year.

♫ Man in the Hat's three previous virtual hoedowns have triumphed with a sea of appreciative comments.  He's doing it again Friday ... PPE not needed but you are advised to social distance from your device.

We visited Katie's Garden Newbourne for the first time last week.  A staff member asked Are you trying to leave without paying?  We were third in the socially distanced queue for the cashier and exit and empty handed because we'd put our three tumbler tomatoes down whilst waiting.

HM Coastguard are warning that the Bawdsey  Cliffs are dangerous because of erosion.

A man has been charged with the Darsham and Framlingham petrol station burglaries and ramming a police car.

If not a crime wave around near the coast at least a ripple.  Last night both Darsham and Framlingham petrol stations were burgled, Friday a quad bike was stolen in the Yoxford area and about the same time two expensive looking bicycles were stolen from a Woodbridge shed.

Suffolk, or at least Co-ops near the coast, have rediscovered the ice bucket challenge.   Yesterday in front of a few socially distanced onlookers a very good handful of Framlingham Co-op staff were cheerfully dunked by their co-workers.  If we'd paid more attention we would know which charity benefitted but we do know Wickham Market Co-op have been challenged to do the same thing.

Yesterday afternoon a body was found in an Aldeburgh house and in the evening there was an armed robbery at the Fressingfield  Mace Store.

9am-2pm Saturday week 29 February Knodishall Brownies are holding a table sale in the village hall with profits to the hall.  Tables are £10, phone Brown Owl Jo Mayhew on 01728 831748.

Storm Ciara (not Clara) has closed the Orwell Bridge we think 3:00am-06:00pm.

 WANTED  A graphic designer to be paid for designing a Bauhaus style poster.

It's the Cratfield Turkey Trot this afternoon at Whitehouse Farm.

Yesterday's matinee performance of The Scarlet Pipistrelle at the Seckford Theatre Woodbridge had dancing, singing, joking, lovely ladies and plot.  The audience attempted to clap the Brexit joke and we particularly enjoyed the sausage puns, great stuff!  Common Ground Theatre tour the show around near the coast ... more here

Immediately post Christmas (27-30 December) A Crag Path Christmas in the Jubilee Hall Aldeburgh hosted by the Alde and Ore Estuary Trust.  The river Ore runs through near the coast but is little more than a ditch by Framlingham.

Only tickets in advance for dinner and Basil's Christmas Carol at Stonham Barns Saturday 15th December.

The Shepherd and Dog at Forward Green (it's between the A140 and Stowupland) still has a TO LET sign outside.

Starting next Thursday for four days the Grundisburgh Cribfest.

Saturday there's a fish and chip supper and auction of promises in Kelsale village hall we think in aid of the church St Mary and St Peter.

Sunday week 21 October will be the last opening this year of the Bentwaters Cold War Museum.

The jeep run yesterday at Debach Airfield was their last open day of this year.

Don't know if the Women's Tour of Britain will be returning to near the coast next year but we do know it will be a day longer,

Sunday will be the autumnal equinox, sorry to be a downer but winter approaches.

♫ Stuff to do around near the coast this weekend includes tonight a music quiz at the Framlingham Crown, the free Laxitude all weekend with Lyrical Jukebox and naughty Harleston boys Red Mecca playing tonight plus Maritime Woodbridge tomorrow and Sunday.

It's going to be a busy Sunday tomorrow with the Dunwich Dynamo passing through near the coast in the early hours, open gardens in Double Street Framlingham, free step dancing at the Blaxhall Ship, classic car day at the Debach Airfield and St Lawrence's Brundish will be visited by The Right Reverend Martin Seeley Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, probably the first visit by the diocesan bishop in sixty years and there's a picnic as well.

Thankfully it's rained and no doubt will again soon ... mind you it's already becoming a bit annoying.

This is an interesting double, around 9pm tonight there will be the longest blood moon this century.  About the same time the Beeb are forecasting (let joy be unconfined) a second thunderstorm for near the coast.

Looks like it probably won't rain today St Swithin's day.

Sign in Ashbocking advertising free horse manure not surprisingly by the stables with a dressage ring right on the B1077.

Village fetes this Saturday include Cretingham, Bedfield (on the sports field) and Otley both of which start at 2pm.

Batteries stolen earlier this month from speed indicators in Chillesford, Hollesley, Snape and Tunstall.

Here's a new one (to us at least) Splat Quack Go Suffolk's Muddiest Mud Run. superficially a Woodbridge happening tomorrow but in fact just outside Hollesley ... entries accepted on the day and it sounds a teensie bit like those Zombie Evacuations.

Expect delays and parking difficulties when the Women's Tour of Britain starts in Framlingham tomorrow (we enjoyed the 2014 stage start in Felixstowe), takes a turn around near the coast, returns to Framlingham and then goes on to finish in Southwold.

Stonham Aspal may have lost it's pub but the village hall is very active with bingo, film, pub and quiz nights.

It's the fourth Pirate's Ball this weekend starting tomorrow night in Thorington. ♫

We've paid for Suffolk Coastal's garden rubbish collection starting this month.  We've opted for the bigger bin and were looking forward to re-purposing going forward the old bin to store yet to be chopped up kindling ... but the bigger bin doesn't arrive until August.

Last week a Browning shotgun was stolen in a Knodishall burglary.

♫ Musical nights out tomorrow around near the coast include 5 In A Bar at St Mary's Sweffling with refreshments (we last 5 In A Bar at the 2014 Great Glemham Christmas show), and Man in the Hat at the Knodishall Butchers Arms. ♫

The Shepherd and Dog at Forward Green (it's between the A140 and Stowupland) has a giant TO LET sign outside.  Tripadvisor and someone who told someone else seem to think it's closed and has been for a bit.  We're pretty sure the letting agents are Fleurets who specialise in pubs and shops but we can't find it on their website ... maybe that's why it's got stuck.

Through some oversight or possibly just good old fashioned incompetence last year we didn't make it to Common Ground's Christmas show Sherlock Holmes and the Hooded Lance.  We will try harder for their autumn tour of The Mariner and they have a shiny new website to tell you all about it.

A fine example of enviable near the coast local authority communication skills.

A bit windy last night ... eh?