This is Rammy

News, Information and an award winning Podcast right from the heart of Ramsbottom

Bury’s Big Balsam Bash is Coming to Nuttall Park

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If you fancy getting outside and doing something genuinely useful for Ramsbottom this spring, this one’s for you.

Bury Council has announced that the Big Balsam Bash is returning to Nuttall Park on Saturday 30 May 2026 at 10.30am, and they’re looking for volunteers to come along and get stuck in.

If you haven’t heard of Himalayan Balsam before, it’s a non-native invasive plant that spreads along riverbanks and causes some serious damage. The bashes are a chance for local volunteers to help control its spread and protect the riverbanks we all enjoy.

Last year’s events were a big success, so it’s brilliant to see them back for 2026. There’s something really satisfying about spending a morning doing something that actually makes a visible difference to your local area.

All you need to bring is a drink, a pair of gloves, and some sturdy shoes. Bury Council and local volunteer groups will be there to show you exactly how to bash the balsam correctly.

You can find out more about the full programme of events across the borough, and how to get involved, over on the Bury Council Big Balsam Bash page.

Are you planning to go along? It’d be great to see a good Ramsbottom turnout on the day.

Heatwaves: what you need to know if the temperature spikes this summer

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Most of us are glad to see the sun, but when it stays hot for too long it can become a genuine health risk – particularly for older residents, young children, and anyone with an underlying condition.

According to Bury Council, a heatwave health alert is triggered when average temperatures hit around 30°C during the day and 15°C overnight. The key thing is duration – those temperatures need to last for at least two days and the night in between to pose a serious risk.

If you want to understand why heatwaves cause harm and who is most vulnerable, the NHS has a straightforward guide on coping in hot weather that is worth a read.

The Met Office also runs a Heat Health Watch Alert service between 1 June and 15 September each year, so that is a handy one to keep an eye on through the summer months.

Worth checking in on any neighbours who live alone or might struggle in the heat. It does not take much.

Have you got any tips for keeping cool locally? Drop them in the comments below.

Revised Plans for Ramsbottom Town Centre – Public Events in May and June

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Bury Council has published revised proposals for improving how people get around Ramsbottom town centre, and there are two public events coming up where you can find out more and ask questions.

The scheme is part of the wider Bee Network investment across Greater Manchester, funded by the UK Government through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. The money is ringfenced for walking, cycling, and sustainable transport improvements specifically.

The big goal across Greater Manchester is for 50% of all trips to be made by public transport, walking or cycling by 2040. These town centre improvements are Ramsbottom’s piece of that puzzle.

What’s actually being proposed?

The revised plans focus on making it easier and safer to get around the town centre on foot, by bike, or by public transport. Key proposals include:

  • A new controlled pedestrian crossing on Bolton Street, north of Kay Brow
  • A shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists on Bridge Street, between Crow Lane and Palatine Street
  • A 20mph speed limit across the town centre
  • A number of other new and improved pedestrian crossings

What changed after the last consultation?

There was a public consultation back in 2022 and another in 2024, which received 1,504 responses. People clearly had a lot to say, and to their credit, the council listened.

The most significant change is that the proposed one-way system has been scrapped entirely. Residents and local businesses raised serious concerns about congestion, emergency vehicle access, HGVs on Kay Brow, and the potential impact on footfall and deliveries. Those concerns were heard, and the one-way system is gone.

With it goes the associated pavement widening on Bridge Street and at the northern end of Bolton Street, which was only needed to accommodate the one-way traffic flow anyway.

The 20mph zone, which had strong support during consultation, has been kept in.

Come along and find out more

There are two public presentation events being held at Ramsbottom Civic Hall, Market Place, BL0 9AJ:

  • Wednesday 27 May – 6.30pm to 7.30pm
  • Tuesday 2 June – 5pm to 6pm

Each session includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a 30-minute Q&A. If you’ve got questions or opinions about how all this affects your part of town, it’s well worth turning up.

After these events, Bury Council councillors will consider the revised scheme for approval. If it gets the green light, construction is expected to start in 2027 and take around 12 months.

If you can’t make the events but want to get in touch, you can email the project team at [email protected].

Full details of the revised proposals are on the Bury Council website.

Are you planning to go along to one of the events? And what do you make of the revised plans? Let us know in the comments.

Eagle and Child beer garden is getting an upgrade

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Good news if you’re a fan of the Eagle and Child on Whalley Road. The pub has just had a planning application approved to add a moveable structure to its beer garden.

The application, submitted to Bury Council back in April, asked for a lawful development certificate for the new addition. The structure is described in planning documents as similar to a cabin, comes flat-packed, and can apparently be “erected and taken down within a day”. It’s metal, has windows, and sits under 50 square metres in size.

Crucially, it’s not fixed to the ground at all. It just sits on the existing flagged patio and is held in place by its own weight, which is exactly what makes it “moveable” in planning terms. Bury Council confirmed that when they approved the application on 14 May, referencing case law and planning appeals to back up their decision.

What’s it actually for? That bit’s less clear. No specific purpose was mentioned in the original planning papers, and Thwaites, which runs the venue, hadn’t provided any further detail at the time the Bury Times reported on it.

Whether it’s extra covered seating, a bar area, or something else entirely, it sounds like a decent addition to the outdoor space. A bit of shelter in a Ramsbottom beer garden is never going to go amiss, is it.

Has anyone spotted any work starting at the Eagle and Child yet? Let us know in the comments.

Harry Williams steps back after 60 years as Ramsbottom United chairman

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After 60 years at the helm, Ramsbottom United founder and chairman Harry Williams has decided to step back from the role he has held since helping set the club up in 1966.

That is, by any measure, a remarkable stint. Sixty years as chairman of a football club has to be pushing record territory.

Former secretary Tony Cunningham, who has been offered the position of Vice-Chairman, explained how it came about: “Harry told me he was thinking of stepping back, and after 60 years at the helm, he has certainly earned a break. He then suggested we run the club with a new committee, and offered me the position of Vice-Chairman, with the aim of creating that committee. This has now been done, and we are all excited at the prospect of being able to guide the club over the coming years.”

As for Harry, Tony is hoping he will still be a familiar face at matches – just without the weight of running everything on his shoulders. In Tony’s words: “He has deserved to be able to sit in the sponsors lounge, enjoying a couple of ciggies and a couple of beers.”

Fair enough, really.

The new committee has already made its first significant decision, appointing coach Rob Henry as manager following the retirement of Steve Wilkes.

The timing feels significant. The Rams have reached the play-offs in each of the last two seasons without getting over the line. There’s clearly a squad capable of going up — the hope is that this season, under Rob Henry and a reinvigorated committee, they finally do.

If you’ve got memories of Harry’s time at the club – and after 60 years there must be a few – it’d be great to hear them in the comments.