The price of beach huts in Beer could go up by nearly �25 a year in plans to cover the cost of winter storage. Read this and more.

FESTIVAL: Next year will mark the 15th year of the Beer R&B Festival and organisers say they want to make it as memorable as possible. To start with they are selling 50 ‘Early Bird Weekend Tickets’ which cover entrance to Friday and Saturday gigs for only �20. They are available on a first come first served basis from www.beerblues.co.uk

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CHRISTMAS: The special services this Christmas at St Winifred’s Church in Branscombe include a Christmas Eve carol service and a Christmas Day communion. To start with this Sunday there is will be the traditional ‘Service of Nine Lessons and Carols’ at 11.15am. On Christmas Eve at 10pm there will be a Holy Communion service with carols and an address, and on Christmas Day at 11.15am there will be a ‘Christmas Morning Service’ suitable for all the family. After this service, there will be a shortened form of Holy Communion. On New Year’s Day there will be a service of Holy Communion at 11.15am.

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GARDENS: Organisers of the Hospiscare Open Garden programme are looking for residents in Branscombe to open their back garden up to raise money for charity. Last year the scheme raised �20,000 for Hospiscare, and the seventh incarnation in 2012 is hoped to raise even more. If you would like to support the charity by opening your garden to visitors or for more information contact Tracey Skinner on 01392 688063 or email t.skinner@hospiscare.co.uk

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PLAYERS: The Branscombe Players say their next planned venture will hopefully be a panto in early December next year, and even at this early stage would like to hear from people who would be interested in taking part, helping with the directing, assisting backstage or in any way to the production.

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BEACH HUTS: The price of beach huts in Beer could go up by nearly �25 a year in plans to cover the cost of winter storage for private huts which are required to be removed but are kept all year round. The recommendation is to increase the cost in April next year to �185 from �161.57 for the 44 huts at the Beer East and West site, and to �275 from �269.33 for the 12 on the East Shelf sites. The district council said the private huts at Beer are left on the sites all year round even though they are required to be removed each winter, so the increased charges could be considered extra rental for winter storage. Ian Chubb, portfolio holder for environment at East Devon District Council, will decide whether to approve the recommendations, which the council say will assist it ‘in continuing to maximise its income levels whilst maintaining realistic rental charges that are affordable to the general public’.

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CHRISTMAS PARTY: On Thursday, December 22 the Beer Arts Group and Beer Film Society are holding their Christmas get together in Steamers Restaurant on new cut in the village. For more information contact Martin Cox on mcoxbeer@gmail.com