We published around 400 stories during 2015 – which has been, incredibly, our tenth year of publishing bitternepark.info. Here we look back with a month-by-month selection of just some posts that captured attention this year.

 

January

As we headed towards a general election, the thorny issue of whether traffic lights would ease car journeys through Woodmill re-emerged.

The Bitterne Park Hotel also closed for a six-week refurb.

February

This month saw a packed meeting at the Ascension Centre not only with members of the public but also with politicians of almost every hue, all apparently concerned about the threatened Cobbett Road Library. We interviewed a range of attendees in this extended audio.

A robbery was also reported in this month at the Cobden Bridge Co-op store.

March

As repair works kicked off to restore the Victorian listed St Denys Church, which was designed by the celebrated architect George Gilbert Scott and consecrated in 1868, we were sent these lovely pictures, courtesy Dr Badcrumble, of St Denys and Bitterne Park taken from the church roof.

And spring showed its colours at Riverside Park.

April

Pic under CC2 by Zoli Erdos  

There was a furious reaction to the 'news' that Cobden Bridge would have to close for around six months as modifications were made so luxury craft could sail up the Itchen as far as Woodmill.

Meanwhile we asked all the general election candidates to tell us what they'd do if they were elected.

And The Butcher's Hook came over all ale fresco.

May

Conservative Royston Smith took the Southampton Itchen ultra marginal constituency in the May general election, winning it from Labour by 2,316 votes. Labour had held the seat since 1992, but were defending a majority of just 192 votes.

There was also a plea in May not to feed bread to ducks.

June

Just after the election, the NHS trust consulted over their plans to shut the Bitterne Walk-in Centre after it won a reprieve the previous October. It finally shut in October 2015 despite protestors arguing 73% of those taking part in the consultation wanted to keep it open.

In this month Bitterne Park Primary School also won approval for its plans to enclose part of Riverside Park for the school's use – a hotly debated topic since 2007.

July

Pic from 2008 by Ann MacGillivray

In July it was apparently confirmed that the Ekco Radio advertising sign facing Cobden Bridge won't be visible on completion of the retirement apartments.

Also in this month, Bitterne Park Secondary revealed impressions of its extensive new development.

And the Co-op announced the closure of its Midanbury store.

August

The council voted to withdraw funding for five Southampton libraries, including Cobbett Road, at a heated summer cabinet meeting, which we filmed.

Also in August it was announced a group of local home brewers had created a beer that would go on sale across a string of local outlets later in the year.

September

Over 400 people queued to unload donations at St Denys Church to be sent to refugees. The church was overwhelmed by the scale of inbound goods! We reported from the church and interviewed organiser Nicola Walters.

Also in September, Bitterne Park said ciao to Sandro as Triangle café Il Picchio changed hands.

October

In October we took a video trip behind the scenes at Charlie's chippy at the Triangle, which was purpose built in 1931, and under new management during 2015.

We also quietly celebrated ten years of bitternepark.info: if you missed it, here's an interview with the editor marking the occasion.

November

November saw The Veg Shed re-emerge under new management at the Triangle.

We also reported on the council's plans to introduce Public Space Protection Orders giving it new powers in parts of the city.

And we've been following the progress of a black swan couple and their five cygnets on the Itchen this year. Here's how they looked in November.

December

Churches, traders and community came together in perhaps the most elaborate Christmas celebration in recent times. Here's our short video and report to give a flavour of proceedings.

We also reported on the five businesses people who took this year's reader survey said they'd most like to see start at The Triangle – and gave an update on those five cygnets.

And then of course, there was our Year in review: stories from 2015!

Here's to many more local stories, photographs, audios and videos in 2016. But it does all take an enormous amount of time, and advertising only covers a proportion of this, so if you can help with a modest voluntary 'subscription' to help sustain the site next year, from just £1 a month, it would be appreciated. Click here if you can help. Thanks!