THURSDAY, 24th MAY, 2012.

Torch fever

Off: Cloud Nine Readers'ViewsPages21-24 Page 33

Page 9

What’s on... What’s gone...

Pages 17-20

Doorste hazard

Page29

Pub landlady fights Tesco takeover bid

By Rachel Naylor A pub landlady has launched a petition in her battle to stop Tesco getting its hands on the property.

Annette Townley, (50), who runs the Waggon and Horses on West Road, Congleton, was distraught after her brewery Marstons told her it was in talks with the supermarket giant.

She said Tesco representatives visited the pub on Monday with a view to uying it and converting it into an “Express” store.

Ms Townley now fears she will lose her home and her livelihood.

She has worked at the pub for 15 years and has only been landlady for seven weeks.

Ms Townley told the “Chronicle”: “I’m absolutely gutted. I love this pub.

“A lot of people are against it, I’ve been in touch with our MP.”

She said if Marstons did sell the West Heath pub to Tesco, she intended to fight the decision, and has already started a petition.

Marstons and Tesco had not commented by the time the “Chronicle” went to press last night (Wednesday).

Ms Townley added that if the deal went through, she had “no idea” how much notice she would be given before she would be made redundant and asked to vacate the property.

She added that the Waggon

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and Horses was the heart of the community, saying: “It means a lot to so many people.

“Tesco is soulless. This is home for many people. Regulars have been meeting here for years, decades even.”

She said hundreds of pubs across Britain were being turned into Tesco Express stores as a legal loophole allowed them to be converted to mini-markets without planning permission.

• —Turn to back page.

Road closures warning as Olympic torch nears

Commuters and businesses should plan ahead for Thursday’s Olympic Torch Relay, as many local roads will be shut for several hours.

The torch will be passing through Congleton, Crewe, Macclesfield and Knutsford.

In Congleton runners will carry the torch from Sandbach Road — near Congleton High School, down West Road, left onto Clayton By-Pass and up Rood Hill before ending on Manchester Road.

The relay begins at 8.50am and ends at 9.25am, but the roads will be shut from 7.45-10.25am. Cheshire East Council has advised those going to watch the torch relay to walk or cycle.

Before it arrives in Congleton the flame passes through Crewe, starting at Hungerford Road at 8am. It will go down Macon Way and Vernon Way, moving onto Earl Street, Market Street, Edleston Road, Nantwich Road and ending at Crewe Green Road at 8.30am.

Roads on the route will be closed from 7-9.30am.

The torch will pass Crewe Rail Station, so commuters using the station have been told to plan their journeys in advance.

On its journey through Macclesfield the torch will ass from Congleton Road at 9.35am to Oxford Road, Chester Road, Broken Cross, ending on Chelford Road at 10.10am. These roads will be shut from 8.35-11.50am.

In Knutsford the relay starts at 10.25am at the junction of Chelford Road and Parkfield Road, moving onto Chelford Road, Adam’s Hill, Toft Road and then Manchester Road until it reaches the 60mph signs at 10.50am. These roads will be shut from 9.25 – 11.50am.

Each town with have arts displays, activities and dance performances during the relay. For a full list of what is happening visit cheshireeast.gov.uk

For a list of events in Congleton turn to page 33.

The Olympic torch will also be taken to the top of the radio telescope at Jodrell Bank as it makes its way around east Cheshire on Thursday.

There will also be road closures and traffic restrictions in Stokeon-Trent on Wednesday and Thursday morning.

The flame will be carried to Shelton on Wednesday and arrives at Hanley Park for evening celebrations before departing from the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Hanley, on Thursday.

For those road closures visit stoke.gov.uk

Ready to light the way Congleton’s Olympic torch bearer Ailsa MacArthur is pictured with the town’s own Olympic stars Robbie and Ann Brightwell. The trio is encouraging all Congletonians to line the streets on Thursday morning to watch the torch pass through. For a preview of the events, turn to page 33. (“Chronicle” photo. 2122/12).

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