A visit to the hairdresser

Today I had an appointment to have my hair cut and coloured. There are many good salons to choose from in Dorchester, I have been using Thomas J William Hair Design in South Street since they opened last year.  My daughter first recommended I try them as she was pleased with her hair cut.
I have received excellent service and style advice and enjoy the modern uncluttered salon experience. The staff are extremely polite and professional and the business seems to be going from strength to strength with a new beauty service opening shortly.

Link to hairdresser's Facebook page

Chilly day

I had a lunchtime appointment in High West Street today and was walking back home and noticed that the building opposite the end of South St and Trinity St has been sold. It is a very large building and looks perfect for re-development. I did notice some men measuring the pavement outside the other day and thought that it might be all to do with the new proposed Dorchester traffic re-routing scheme. 

Transport and traffic re-routing plans

It was so cold and chilly today but not raining thankfully so I called into Simon's Delicatessen for some hot soup! I have to say that Simon does make very good soup! Today it was tomato, red pepper & goats cheese! If you eat in he serves it with a big chunk of bread in a lovely deep bowl, but today I just took it as a takeaway. 

Simon's Deli

I bought a book in Waterstones as I saw the author interviewed on BBC Breakfast this morning.

It is the Costa book of the year  called 'The Shock of the Fall'  the author is Nathan Filer.

He is a qualified mental health nurse and the book covers schizophrenia loss and grief. 

link about the book

Trains and more!

We are celebrating our eldest daughter's 21st Birthday this weekend and she will be arriving here by train. We are very lucky to live in a location where transport provision is excellent. Some of our family were also planning on using the train to visit us this weekend from Southampton, but it appears there is going to be disruption due to engineering works. Please use this link if you are also planning on travelling by train this weekend!
Southwest trains engineering summary
You will see the 1/2 February 2014 post about half way down the page.

Last weekend we rented a car from U-drive which is located next to Dorchester Station. We needed to go to Bath on an important shopping trip to look for a dress for our other daughter to wear to her school Spring Ball in April. The car rental for 1 day including petrol was about the same cost as using the First Great Western service from Dorchester West Station which is good but can be a bit busy on a Saturday coming home.
The National express coach service also uses Dorchester station as a stop so there are many ways to travel around the UK from here.
I am looking  forward to the Brewery Square plan for the UK's first solar powered station to be built, and for a lift to be installed for disabled passengers, to enable them to access both platforms.

car hire
coach timetable
new station plans

The Station Pub in Brewery Square

As this is to be my 'local' I am keeping an eye on it's development progress. This pub was formerly used by sports fans to watch football on big screens at the weekend and was mostly used by pool players. After it closed there was an arson attack on it last October and the building was left looking very sad.
I was pleased when I learnt that it was to be developed as part of the Brewery Square development and very interested to learn that it was to become a micro brewery under the management of 'Brewhouse & Kitchen'.
The public have opportunity to look at the planning applications on the Dorset For You website. Using the planning application number, which is usually pinned outside the property, or by using the map you can see what the developer intends to do. I was a little saddened to learn that the only evergreen tree in this road is to be cut down. It is titled an 'unremarkable' holly tree! I think it would not be entitled to a preservation order as it is nothing very special, and a tree consultant has now given it's last rights! There are plans to plant new trees, and I am sure that they will be stylish additions to the area, but I know the little goldfinches that arrive in spring will miss it. I put out niger seed in a feeder last year and was delighted when these migratory birds arrived. I used to watch them dart back and forth from the 'unremarkable' tree to my garden.
It will be good to see the building smartened up and I look forward to sampling some very local beer!

http://brewhouseandkitchen.com 

Link to planning application

January 2014

I moved to Dorchester in October 2011 having lived since birth in Weymouth. I had always felt more at home in Dorchester having worked for many years in South Street in my twenties. Having moved near to the new Brewery Square development it has been exciting to see this area develop. I intend to use this blog to record the continuing development of the area and the town in which I live.