Kings Head Pub Re-Opens

December 2010


The Kings Head pub in Maldon Road, Great Baddow re-opened on 22nd December 2010. The pub had been closed since the beginning of November.

Great Baddow Hit By More Snow

December 2010

On the afternoon of Saturday 18th December more snow arrived in Great Baddow causing terrible driving conditions. Most of the UK was affected in the same way with widespread traffic disruption including the closure of Gatwick and Heathrow airports.



Baddow Road


Blue Lion pub

The Vineyards


Maldon Road

Christmas Carols At The Vineyards

December 2010


Great Baddow celebrated Christmas at the Vineyards when over a hundred parishioners braved a cold, damp night to sing carols with the Salvation Army band. 

This event was organised by the fellowship of St Mary's Church and was supported by the Vineyards owners, the Co-op supermarket and the card shop (Congratulations). The Co-op kindly provided mince pies for everyone as they sang. Even Father Christmas put in an appearance!

The evening was a great success and provided a wonderful Christmas atmosphere. Let’s hope it can become an annual event on the Great Baddow calendar.

(Apologies for the quality of the photograph)

Great Baddow Hit By Snow

December 2010


The first snow of the winter arrived earlier than expected. Great Baddow residents awoke on the morning of 30th November 2010 to discover that there had been considerable overnight snow.


This was the scene in the park.



Local radio advised people to stay at home unless it was absolutely necessary to go out. Roads were treacherous, pavements icy and dangerous.


Fortunately, the buses were still running.


New Furniture At The Great Baddow Millennium Centre

November 2010


The Great Baddow Millennium Centre (better known as the Baddow Club) recently purchased new furniture for the bar area. The club is a members only club situated in the recreation ground. It is particularly popular with sports fans. Football, cricket and other major sporting events are often screened on the club's two TVs.

There are also two large function rooms that are hired regularly for weddings, parties and other social gatherings.

'Junior Zooky And The Freak Flags' At The Kings Head Pub


October 2010 


The Kings Head pub, Great Baddow was full to the rafters to see local band Junior Zooky And The Freak Flags play a 'Halloween Special' on Friday October 29, 2010.

Check out the the bands line up here:

Tom Copson - lead vocals, guitar
Tom is a full time musician from Cambridge, and is signed to Chiwawa Records as a solo artist. 

Graeme Tunnock - guitar, keyboards
Graeme is the head tennis professional at Great Baddow Lawn Tennis Club - and is Dylan Tunnock's dad! 




Matt Hope - trumpet, harmonica, percussion, vocals
Matt Hope moved in next door to Graeme two years ago and while listening to the rest of the band rehearse 'Superstition' (instead of complaining) stuck his head out the window and played the trumpet parts for the band. 

Peter Evans - bass, backing vocals
Peter is a professional photographer from Coggeshall.

Dylan Tunnock – drums
Dylan is just 12 years old and currently studying for his Grade 8 in drums!



Junior Zooky

Junior Zooky And The Freak Flags play something from every decade - from dance classics to indie anthems.

Take a look at their set list:



Junior Zooky And The Freak Flags are now available to book for your party. 
 Tel: 07833 144233 or email: thetunnocks@btinternet.com

Dates Set For Great Baddow To Go Digital

October 2010

Dates for the shutting down of the old analogue TV signals affecting Great Baddow have now been released as broadcasting goes digital only from March and April 2011.

The Sudbury transmitter covering Essex and parts of Suffolk will stop analogue transmission in two stages on March 30 and April 13, 2011.

After these dates only TVs which are equipped to receive digital or are connected to a digital set top box will be able to receive programmes.

The government have set up a help scheme where you can find further information at http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk

A Brief History Of Great Baddow Fire Station


October 2010


Most Great Baddow residents will know that the Great Baddow fire station is located on the corner of Maldon Road and Longmead Avenue but many will be unaware that it was previously in, what can only be described as, 'a green hut' (opposite Shepherd Motors) in Brewery Fields. This hut used to be part of Galleywood race course and was donated to the Fire Brigade when the course closed. The hut has now been removed to make way for additional parking spaces but the sign at the entrance to Brewery Fields still refers to 'The Olde Fire Station'.

The shift system at the old station was retained. This is still used in rural areas and personnel crewing the station would have lived or worked in the local area and would be summoned to the station by a siren in the event of fire or other emergency. This would have been heard all over Great Baddow.

The present fire station was opened on the 28th October 1967. It then changed to a “day crewing” shift system and that is still operating today.

The shift consists of two watches of seven firefighters. Each watch covers a normal day shift (09.00 to 18.00) at the station. The watch that is on duty then provides fire cover from their homes between (18.00 to 09.00).

Eight of the firefighters and their families live in service provided houses in Tyrells Way. The other firefighters live in their own houses in the local area within 4 minutes of the station. Each firefighter does 42 hours at the station and 42 hours cover from home per week.

Great Baddow fire station covers a large area extending from Rettendon Turnpike to the other side of Danbury, The Hanningfields, Boreham and into Chelmsford as far as the Army and Navy Roundabout.

Due to the busy road network, a great deal of their work now involves road traffic collisions. Parts of the A12, A130 and A414 covered by Great Baddow fire station are some of the busiest roads in the country.


This information was kindly provided by Ashley Drage, a firefighter at the Great Baddow fire station. Thank you Ashley.

Thomsons TV and Hi-Fi

September 2010


Thomsons TV and Hi-Fi is one of the most establised and respected businesses in Great Baddow. A family run business, it was founded by James Thomson and his son Leonard in 1959. James Thomson's grandson Alan took over the business in 1970 and still runs it today.

The shop permanently stocks major brands of television, DVD recorders, Hi-Fi's and many other forms of electrical equipment. They have a fine reputation for customer service and also provide aerial and satellite installation. Tel: 01245 471465.

St Mary's Church, Great Baddow

August 2010



The ‘Men Of Essex’ famously met in the grounds of  St Mary's Church in 1381 and marched to London in the ill-fated Peasants’ Revolt led by Jack Straw.

Tiffany's Cafe Bar

July 2010


Tiffany's Cafe Bar has proved to be a popular addition in the Vineyards, Great Baddow. Serving throughout the day it provides breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. The bar is fully licenced.

New Charity Shop In Great Baddow

July 2010



A charity shop has opened in the Vineyards, Great Baddow in support of the Little Havens Children's Hospice.
.
Little Havens Children's Hospice is located in Thundersley, just outside Rayleigh, Essex and cares for life-limited children and their families throughout the journey of their illness. They opened in March 1998 and were the first children's hospice in the south east of England. Since then the hospice has been able to care for over 1,000 families.

Plans To Demolish Marrable House Hit Setback

June 2010



Plans to demolish Marrable House and replace it with 60 extra care flats for the elderly hit a setback when Chelmsford councillors rejected their own planning officer's recommendations for the scheme to go ahead.

At the meeting, the public gallery was packed with Great Baddow residents who despite wishing to see the derelict building demolished are unhappy with the scale of the proposed redevelopment.

A final decision has been deferred to the council's next meeting.

Great Baddow Charity Race

May 2010





The 26th year of the Great Baddow Charity Race took place on Sunday May 23 starting and finishing at the Recreation Ground. There were two races, a ten mile race and a 2 mile fun run with around 2000 competitors taking part. It turned out to be one of the hottest days in the events history with the temperature reaching 29 degrees.

Ryan Prout of Chelmsford A C won the 10 mile race  in a time of 54.50. Kate Mills of the Springfield Striders was the first lady to finish in a time of 01.09.08.




Demolition Plans Rejected

May 2010


The Great Baddow Parish Council's planning committee have rejected a second attempt by developers to replace Marrable House, a derelict office block at The Vineyards, Great Baddow.

They voted against the developers revised plan to demolish the five storey building and build two blocks of flats for the elderly. Around fifty Great Baddow residents attended the meeting held at Baddow Hall School to protest against the application.

The application will now go before the planning committee at Chelmsford Borough Council for their decision.

Baddow Dental Practice, Maldon Road, Great Baddow

March 2010



The Baddow Dental Practice in Maldon Road, Great Baddow is run by Adam Copsey whose family have a long history in Great Baddow. The Copsey family owned the slaughterhouse and butchers shop in the High Street (where the Merry Go Round Children's Nursery is now situated).

If you are going to visit this dentist, look out for the signed photographs of West Ham players that adorn the walls in the waiting room area. Adam is a big West Ham fan and a personal dentist to many of their star players.

Baddow Dental Practice Tel: 01245 474555.

The Co-op Arrives At The Vineyards, Great Baddow

January 2010



The Co-op took over from Somerfields and after a brief closure for refurbishment the supermarket re-opened in the Vineyards, Great Baddow. The Co-op have two other stores in Great Baddow - in Beehive Lane and at Meadgate.



A Great Haircut - And Cheap Too!

December 2009 



You can't knock it. 'Graham's The Barbers' in Baddow Road, Great Baddow, takes some beating when it comes to getting a bloke's haircut. I stopped there a few minutes before 7.30am on Saturday morning. The ever cheerful owner, Graham, appeared from around the back of the premises having just parked his motor bike. 'The wife' he said 'has the car' (she runs the ladies hairdressers behind the shop).

Graham let me in and wasted no time in setting his razor to a number 4. I was out in under 10 minutes! Graham (who is assisted by fellow barber Mick) only charges £5 for a cut, OAP's just £4. You do a great job lads!

A little tip...the shop is usually busy but Graham tells me that the best time to visit can be when its raining or cold. The old fellas tend to stay away at these times and wait for the sunshine!