The Formby Blog

Formby is an attractive town, it consists of different neighbourhoods, joined by a network of footpaths and open spaces. It has a magnificent beach, woods, a picturesque village centre and some architectural gems.

Here's one such view, where do you think a passer by might spot this?

No prizes just a stimulus to you to get out of your car, get on your bike or take a leisurely stroll and get to really know where you live.

This coming weekend Freshfield Bowling Club will host a Federation of Crown Green Bowls Cup competition. It starts at 2pm on Sunday 26 June. The match involves a game between West Lancs  and Ormskirk V Cannock (Staffs).

The Freshfield Crown green Bowling Club was established in 1894 and is known locally as 'Tin Tabs'. This is because the clubhouse is an old Tin Tabernacle Church. This was it is believed, on the site of the present United Reform Church and the bowling club acquired it when it was no longer needed.

The event has caught the imagination of local players from and around Formby and is likely to be popular. Residents of Formby are welcome to attend the game. If you want to know more about the sport contact the Freshfield Bowling Club in Timms Lane, Freshfield.

Sefton MBC will be holding a consultation event on Thursday 16 June at Formby swimming pool. The Core Strategy officers will be available from 2pm to 8pm. The document concerned sets out possible options about how much development should be accommodated in Sefton to 2028.

We will be holding drop‐in events across Sefton during the consultation period to give people the opportunity to make comments and discuss issues with the Core Strategy team.

The overall consultation across all of Sefton will be open from Monday 23 May 2011 to Friday 12 August 2011. You can submit your comments:- by email to core.strategy@sefton.gov.uk- in writing to the: Local Planning Team, First Floor, Magdalen House, 30 Trinity Road, Bootle, L20 3NJ- or a Core Strategy Options Consultation Response Form.

At the last count, there are seven café and coffee houses in the centre of Formby Village. Two of these are examples of national chain coffee houses, Caffe Nero and Costa Coffee, both with outdoor pavement seating.

The other locally owned and managed coffee houses combine the best traditions of café and restaurants together. These five local businesses each have a unique ‘take’. The modern furnishings of the Gallery and its outdoor seating contrast with the artistic nature of Café D’Art, which has a constantly changing display of paintings and photographs.

The Cafe Des Crepes is as the name suggests a specialist in French style crepes.  Finally, Woodwards and Quo Vadis reach out into Chapel Lane also with outdoor seating and lively eating and drinking spaces indoors. Cafe D'Art, Woodwards and The Gallery are popular places for live music events each weekend.

All of these places are rightly popular and well supported. They each serve their local fans and know you and your preferences. Together they all add to a unique cosmopolitan and lively atmosphere to Formby village, the heart of our town.

Have your say - Core Strategy Options Consultation

Sefton MBC have produced a paper which sets out possible options about how much development should be accommodated in Sefton to 2028. The paper takes account of the issues identified in the consultation undertaken in 2009, as well as on-going discussions with a wide range of people and organisations, and the findings of technical studies and government guidance. The Options Paper was approved by Planning Committee and Cabinet in February 2011 for consultation purposes. This will take place over 12 weeks between May 23rd and August 12th 2011. Sefton would like to hear your views.