this is rammy

Ramsbottom Park Upgrades – Episode 97

October 30, 2017 by Lee Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:06 — 7.8MB)

Ramsbottom is a town that is constantly going through changes, and with the large turnover of visitors to the town it’s no surprise that some of the facilities start to get a bit worn.

This episode I’m talking about some of the recent changes to Nuttall Park and more so Top Park.

Now back in July 2015 I wrote that Top Park was overdue an upgrade as it had fallen into disrepair. Little did I know that the park itself had more or less been in need of renovation for many years.

I was pleased to be able to write just back in September 2017 that those works appeared to have started. I’m now very pleased to announce that they’ve pretty much finished. Albeit that they need to clear away some rubble and plop some new grass here and there. All the equipment seems to be finished.

On the one hand, it’s fairly frustrating with regards to Top Park that it’s taken so long for this work to be completed, but on the other we have some lovely new equipment. Swings and roundabouts really. No really, there are Swings and Roundabouts.

Interview with Pat Duggan of The Doghouse Jazz Bar – Episode 91

March 15, 2017 by Lee Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:41 — 20.5MB)

In the past week I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to catch up with Pat Duggan and record an interview. I’ve been into the The Doghouse Jazz Bar a few times before but never really spoke to Pat much, you don’t tend to get much time for things like that on a night out, not when people are working anyway.

I booked a day off with work and headed down Kay Brow and turned into the industrial units through the tunnel and into the yard. When I approached Pat was already there mopping up, he looked up as I said “Hi Pat” and put down his mop. He looked genuinely pleased to see me, which considering it was actually his wife who had done most of the arranging of the interview was nice to see.

Windy Doris, Fallen Trees and the Banana Hook of tat – Episode 90

February 26, 2017 by Lee Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:14 — 10.7MB)

Welcome to This is Rammy, your weekly podcast for all things Ramsbottom.

This week in Ramsbottom we’ve had a bit of a breeze whip through of the name Storm Doris. Doris went on to remove many fence panel (shout out to Paul Jenkins) and some trees fell over too. As far as I’m aware nobody locally was seriously injured. There were some reports of minor injuries being sustained, (another shout out to Paul Jenkins), I even ended up getting involved with moving bits of a fallen tree.

What happened was on Thursday, I was just watching social media, well it was my on my day off and I noticed someone report that a tree had fallen down on The Rake. Right, I thought, time for some on the stop finger on the pulse journalism.

I left my house and started running up towards The Rake, before realising that was a stupid idea given I had to pick my son up in just ten minutes so I turned round and got my car.

Once at the bottom of The Rake, it wasn’t obvious where this tree was, I couldn’t see it from the bottom, so I decided to drive up and take a look. Right at the top was the tree, fallen from the

Coming up this week on the website I’ve got a few recipes from our fantastic local restaurants Pancake Day

Mellissa Brown of The Mouse Trap – Episode 88

February 12, 2017 by Lee 1 Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:30 — 13.5MB)

Welcome to This is Rammy, I’ve got a fantastic interview this week with local restaurant owner Mellissa Brown of The Mouse Trap.

When we first moved to Ramsbottom me and my family had always stared in wonder at the ever increasing sign that was outside The Mouse Trap with the earliest dates available to book for their cheese and wine nights. One day, we thought, we’ll book and get on that list.

Then, a year or so later and a renovation happened, and the set massively future dates for bookings seemed to go away. This is when we learned that the new owner was Mellissa Brown, also known as “Gareth Seddons Girlfriend” but I wanted to get away from this image as The Mouse Trap is very firmly Mellissa’s business and her passion.

[spp-tweet tweet=”Me: Did you know much about wine before? Mellissa: I’d drank a lot of wine.”]

Over the course of the interview I came to realise that this isn’t “just a day job for Gavs girlfriend” but is firmly something that Mellissa loves to do. She is as enthusiastic about cheese as she is hosting. Which given she owns a cheese restaurant is very fitting.

Gary Neville visits The Mouse Trap

After the interview Mellissa let me in on a secret, that The Mouse Trap was going to be having a very special guest on Friday. That special guest being Gary Neville, ex Manchester United player and current football pundit. I promised Mellissa I’d keep schtum, despite the fact I wanted to tell the world.

I hope you enjoy this week’s interview episode of the podcast, I’ve got a few more coming up in the weeks to come.

Paper, Coffee, Trains and a big win for Ramsbottom United all from a tent! – Episode 87

February 5, 2017 by Lee Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:34 — 5.3MB)

How are you? Have you managed to get out in the breaks in rain recently? I don’t know about you but when I’m out for a walk I feel a bit of a fraud. Not because I don’t often go out for walks, but because we live here I tend to be under-dressed compared to others I pass.

These people tend to be kitted up properly in boots, thermals, walking sticks and woolly hats, and me, well I feel like I practically stepped out there in slippers.

Several news articles have popped up this week that I thought it worth talking about, starting off with:

Plans have been submitted for Park 66 which contain KFC, drive-through Costa Coffee and gym. – 1:15

I don’t know if you ever visit Park 66 just off the M66 motorway, but I quite often nip into the ASDA petrol station on my way home to fill up. I spoke last year about the old cinema at Park 66 that had recently been demolished and mused on what the plans might be for the site.

The site became unused back in 2010 when the Cinema closed and the retail units on site shut up shop too leaving pretty much just the McDonalds and ASDA on their own.

These plans have now been submitted to Bury Council and they include the following:

KFC
JD Sports
a gym
and a DRIVE THRU Costa.

All these reported by Bury Times.