:00:00. > :00:07.Welcome to BBC Channel Islands. These are Thursday's headlines:
:00:08. > :00:09.Flight and passenger numbers continue to fall
:00:10. > :00:24.Final call to claim these abandoned cars.
:00:25. > :00:26.The glitz, glamour and speed of powerboat racing
:00:27. > :00:38.And we have another cold, bright day tomorrow; all change though as we
:00:39. > :00:39.head into the weekend, but milder air. The details later in the
:00:40. > :00:41.programme. New figures show the number
:00:42. > :00:47.of people flying between the Channel Islands has continued
:00:48. > :00:49.to drop in recent years, with last year seeing the biggest
:00:50. > :00:56.decline of nearly 10%. The airline Blue Islands
:00:57. > :00:58.says it's regrettable , but that the fall in demand
:00:59. > :01:00.is outside its control. However, many in the sports
:01:01. > :01:02.and holiday industry Lizzie has just flown
:01:03. > :01:08.into Jersey from Guernsey. She's not impressed
:01:09. > :01:10.with inter-island travel. We think everything's running
:01:11. > :01:16.smoothly, then all of a sudden we get phone calls quite a lot
:01:17. > :01:19.saying it's cancelled or they've moved the flight times,
:01:20. > :01:24.and it's not ideal. And it seems she's not
:01:25. > :01:29.the only one being put off. Over the past three years,
:01:30. > :01:31.the number of people flying between the Channel Islands has
:01:32. > :01:34.continued to fall, with a 4% drop Last year the decline
:01:35. > :01:41.was even worse, at 9% - The airline Blue Islands says it's
:01:42. > :01:48.partly due to unprecedented weather disruption in 2016,
:01:49. > :01:51.and to businesses increasingly using tele-conferencing rather
:01:52. > :01:55.than inter-island travel. But many in the sport and leisure
:01:56. > :01:58.industry are blaming flight The prices have gone
:01:59. > :02:02.up quite considerably to what they were 12 to 18 months
:02:03. > :02:13.ago, and people are looking at the cost of taking
:02:14. > :02:17.children, not only teams, at the cost of taking children,
:02:18. > :02:21.not only teams, but also... across the board, choirs,
:02:22. > :02:25.you name it, everything that affects the two islands is costing a lot
:02:26. > :02:28.of money to do a ten-minute flight. The airline points to the increase
:02:29. > :02:31.in airport fees it's faced, and insists it provides enough
:02:32. > :02:34.choice, with up to 16 flights a day. Although some islanders
:02:35. > :02:36.may hark back to a time With the plane sizes now, they're
:02:37. > :02:39.definitely bigger than they were. Those of us that remember
:02:40. > :02:41.the Trislanders hopping backwards and forwards,
:02:42. > :02:46.it was like a bus service. Now, the airlines use 40-plus seats
:02:47. > :02:48.and therefore there can't be the number of flights
:02:49. > :02:50.that there were. Blue Islands operates
:02:51. > :02:53.the Jersey-Guernsey route with Flybe as its franchise partner,
:02:54. > :02:55.after Aurigny withdrew last year - a deal that's currently
:02:56. > :02:57.being investigated by And the outcome will no
:02:58. > :03:00.doubt watched closely by passengers like Lizzie,
:03:01. > :03:02.who feel inter-island flying has The Channel Islands
:03:03. > :03:11.are going through one Rainfall has been so rare that
:03:12. > :03:15.in Jersey it was the second But as Mike Wilkins
:03:16. > :03:20.reports, some are more These are probably the happiest cows
:03:21. > :03:24.in the Channel Islands today. It's the first time these calves'
:03:25. > :03:28.hooves have ever touched grass. The farmer who owns them told me
:03:29. > :03:31.it's much easier to introduce them to the outdoors with the sun
:03:32. > :03:34.on their back, rather He says the good weather
:03:35. > :03:51.is helping his farm. We are not collecting as much slurry
:03:52. > :03:58.because the rain isn't as much. So that saves a bit of haulage cost. So
:03:59. > :04:01.it's just nice to not have to walk around in the rain, really.
:04:02. > :04:03.And in Jersey, the arid weather's helping its world famous
:04:04. > :04:13.At the moment we're not too worried, clearly we do need rain at some
:04:14. > :04:21.point. If you look at reservoirs, they are half empty. But from the
:04:22. > :04:24.perspective we are now back with ideal conditions for planting.
:04:25. > :04:27.But whilst it's been good news for some farmers, it's not so great
:04:28. > :04:34.The water levels behind me at the reservoir look lower than they
:04:35. > :04:42.should be at this time of year. We have approached Guernsey Water for
:04:43. > :04:47.the latest figures, but they haven't been able to talk to us. But it
:04:48. > :04:48.shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering that this December has
:04:49. > :04:50.been the driest since 1879. It's unclear what impact a dry
:04:51. > :04:53.summer and now a dry winter could have on water reserves
:04:54. > :04:55.and prices, but for now, many are happy to enjoy
:04:56. > :05:00.this unseasonal weather. It's a New Year clean-up that many
:05:01. > :05:04.say has been needed for a long time. Tomorrow, nearly 30 vehicles left
:05:05. > :05:06.unused or abandoned on a Jersey trading estate will be towed away
:05:07. > :05:10.if not claimed. Businesses on the Rue des
:05:11. > :05:13.Pres Estate in St Saviour welcome the move, but are also concerned
:05:14. > :05:15.that stricter measures due to be brought in have not
:05:16. > :05:24.been thought through. Alison Moss is there now,
:05:25. > :05:27.and can explain more. It's quite clear this
:05:28. > :05:29.van is going nowhere - and nor is that one,
:05:30. > :05:34.or that car. These are just some
:05:35. > :05:37.of the 28 vehicles published in the paper last week -
:05:38. > :05:39.which, if not claimed by tomorrow, will be towed
:05:40. > :05:42.and possibly destroyed. Rue des Pres is a busy trading
:05:43. > :05:45.estate for people in Jersey, it's probably best known
:05:46. > :05:48.for being the home of Jersey Post - when you need to pick up
:05:49. > :05:51.a parcel you come here - and anyone who has done
:05:52. > :05:54.will know how busy it is. all with employees and customers,
:05:55. > :05:58.so space is at a premium. These abandoned vehicles
:05:59. > :06:00.take up precious room - and that means legitimate visitors
:06:01. > :06:03.to the trading estate are parking on roadsides, corners etc,
:06:04. > :06:12.and that's become a safety issue. People can park anywhere they want
:06:13. > :06:17.to. There are no designated spaces. There are a lot of people but have
:06:18. > :06:22.got no business interests on the estate that are using it for free
:06:23. > :06:26.parking during the day, and it's obviously leaving a lot of employees
:06:27. > :06:35.and businesses on the estate without any safe parking.
:06:36. > :06:38.The States say they're taking the action to try and improve
:06:39. > :06:41.parking road usage around the Rue des Pres Trading Estate -
:06:42. > :06:44.and this is the start of that - but there is wider parking reform
:06:45. > :06:46.about to take place, which is proving contentious.
:06:47. > :06:48.The Infrastructure Department, which is to take over the roads,
:06:49. > :06:51.wants to charge for parking - the same charge as in
:06:52. > :06:54.the centre of St Helier - but that potentially has a huge
:06:55. > :06:57.impact on businesses, and traders are so unhappy that
:06:58. > :06:59.they're meeting with the minister Deputy Eddie Noel next week
:07:00. > :07:10.A tax office worker accused of stealing hundreds of pounds
:07:11. > :07:12.in Jersey has been cleared of all charges.
:07:13. > :07:15.40-year old Carl Robert Frankum, who worked at Cyril Le Marquand House,
:07:16. > :07:17.denied two counts of stealing from the States of Jersey
:07:18. > :07:19.between June 2012 and August 2014.The prosecution claimed he took
:07:20. > :07:22.tax cash payments for himself, but a jury acquitted him
:07:23. > :07:29.after a two-day trial in the Magistrates Court.
:07:30. > :07:31.Pressure on hospital beds in Jersey is said to be "easing",
:07:32. > :07:35.after being on red alert before Christmas.
:07:36. > :07:37.During the holidays, bed capacity at Jersey General Hospital varied
:07:38. > :07:42.A hospital spokesman says this was due to a "planned reduction
:07:43. > :07:45.in the number of operations over Christmas and New Year",
:07:46. > :07:47.plus new measures which help make beds available
:07:48. > :07:56.But flu and norovirus levels are still high.
:07:57. > :07:59.Guernsey is stepping up its efforts to become a firm fixture
:08:00. > :08:03.Many of us can remember the heyday of the Formula 1 offshore
:08:04. > :08:06.racing in the '80s - and now plans are under way to bring
:08:07. > :08:08.the glitz and glamour back, albeit on a smaller scale.
:08:09. > :08:18.The sound of engines will resonate around Guernsey's shore this summer,
:08:19. > :08:21.as Powerboat Week makes a return to the island.
:08:22. > :08:23.Guernsey is just such a fantastic nautical place.
:08:24. > :08:25.If you look back, we've got the strong currents,
:08:26. > :08:27.we've got the navigational challenges, we're got
:08:28. > :08:34.Certainly for us we've got the spectator's view,
:08:35. > :08:36.because we're going to put two of the races...
:08:37. > :08:38.Two of the races are going to be inshore.
:08:39. > :08:42.With 17 local boats set to take part too, it's got all the ingredients
:08:43. > :08:43.to be a memorable week, planned to coincide
:08:44. > :08:46.with the Red Arrows, Proms on the Pier, and the visit
:08:47. > :08:55.This will be the race headquarters for a whole week.
:08:56. > :08:58.Castle Emplacement will become a focal point -
:08:59. > :09:01.not only for competition, but for the celebrations and social
:09:02. > :09:06.The event has been part-funded by the States.
:09:07. > :09:09.Tourism bosses hope it'll help showcase the island as a vibrant
:09:10. > :09:10.sports-loving destination - promoting Guernsey to
:09:11. > :09:17.It is spectacular, and the world is looking in to try to bring these
:09:18. > :09:21.events back to Guernsey, and if we can make this a success -
:09:22. > :09:28.then who knows what the future holds?
:09:29. > :09:32.Organisers are hoping local businesses will now come on board,
:09:33. > :09:38.to help make the event a roaring success.
:09:39. > :09:40.Well, as you heard earlier, we've been experiencing a dry
:09:41. > :09:43.spell in the island, and it's been a bright
:09:44. > :09:59.Yes, change to perhaps milder conditions, no real change in terms
:10:00. > :10:04.of rainfall though because the rainfall amounts are again likely to
:10:05. > :10:08.be pretty small, pretty dismal. The forecast for the day tomorrow and
:10:09. > :10:13.into the weekend I think is for us to continue on a dry theme. We
:10:14. > :10:17.haven't quite yet got the milder air, so some sunny spells through
:10:18. > :10:20.the morning but still quite cold, and then some patchy drizzle and the
:10:21. > :10:27.milder air arrives overnight. You can see the cloud starting to
:10:28. > :10:30.approach the more western parts of Ireland, couple of weather fronts
:10:31. > :10:36.heading towards us, slow progress as them with -- get closer and closer,
:10:37. > :10:40.and we still have the influence of the high pressure so we can't expect
:10:41. > :10:43.too much of a change for much of the day tomorrow. This weather front
:10:44. > :10:48.however will be a featured tomorrow night, and into the start of the
:10:49. > :10:53.weekend, but it is trapped within an area of high pressure so it will be
:10:54. > :10:57.a wee creature and little if any appreciable rain. The detail for
:10:58. > :11:05.overnight tonight, the sky is clear tonight. Temperatures will get lower
:11:06. > :11:09.I think than they were last night, two or three degrees, cold enough
:11:10. > :11:14.for some frost to fall first thing tomorrow morning, so we are going to
:11:15. > :11:18.be cold, dry, bright, with some sunshine, but through the afternoon
:11:19. > :11:25.the cloud will continue to stream in. Not overly warm, you will need
:11:26. > :11:36.to wrap up. Birth at times of high water. -- there are our time of high
:11:37. > :11:46.water. Any surf on west facing beaches are likely to be choppy.
:11:47. > :11:52.There is a reminder of the forecast as we head into the weekend; it is
:11:53. > :12:04.warmer, but also, at times, rather cloudy. C. -- back to you, Charlie.
:12:05. > :12:15.I'll be back at 8pm. Traders in one Cornish town
:12:16. > :12:17.are warning that a major shake-up of their business rates could be
:12:18. > :12:21.the final straw for many of them. From April, some shops in St Ives
:12:22. > :12:24.will have to pay hundreds But while the changes will leave
:12:25. > :12:29.some paying extra, others Tamsin Melville has been to meet
:12:30. > :12:37.some of the winners and losers. Packed out for the New Year,
:12:38. > :12:40.but there are some stark warnings from shop owners in St Ives,
:12:41. > :12:42.facing bigger business-rate This will be the straw that breaks
:12:43. > :12:49.the camel's back for an awful lot of businesses in the town that
:12:50. > :12:51.are struggling already. The tax is based on the yearly rent
:12:52. > :12:55.for which a property could be let and the so-called rateable value
:12:56. > :12:58.is reviewed by the government every five years, to reflect changes
:12:59. > :13:01.in the property market. In St Ives town centre,
:13:02. > :13:06.it is leading to some big rises. Neil has owned this fish
:13:07. > :13:08.and chip shop just back His business-rate bills will be
:13:09. > :13:15.going up by around ?400 a month. They perhaps see that St Ives
:13:16. > :13:17.is the jewel in the crown of Cornwall and so it's
:13:18. > :13:19.buoyant and rich. It's very quiet in the
:13:20. > :13:22.winter months still. A lot of businesses, you know,
:13:23. > :13:26.will struggle to survive. And at this restaurant just down
:13:27. > :13:29.the road, it means finding The people owning these
:13:30. > :13:33.properties are not having It's the business owners
:13:34. > :13:38.that are paying them, so it's a win-win situation
:13:39. > :13:41.for the owners of the properties and a lose-lose situation
:13:42. > :13:45.for the business owners. Businesses here in St Ives
:13:46. > :13:48.are losing out, but it's definitely In fact, the government
:13:49. > :13:54.says three-quarters of businesses are either
:13:55. > :13:56.going to stay the same Like here in Torquay,
:13:57. > :13:59.where a general fall in the amount businesses are paying
:14:00. > :14:01.is being welcomed as a John's rates bill should be
:14:02. > :14:07.going down by ?300 a month, meaning he can keep price
:14:08. > :14:09.rises in check. But he has got every sympathy
:14:10. > :14:14.for those facing increases. It's the one tax you
:14:15. > :14:16.have no control over. It does not link in any way,
:14:17. > :14:19.shape or form to your performance, so your business performance,
:14:20. > :14:21.and so it is a cost. The government says there
:14:22. > :14:28.will be transitional help In St Ives, there are plans
:14:29. > :14:42.to oppose the changes. It may not be on the scale of some
:14:43. > :14:46.parts of the UK, but the South West has a long history of welcoming
:14:47. > :14:48.families from countries In the 1960s, Spotlight reported
:14:49. > :14:52.on a small group of people from Poland who had made a new life
:14:53. > :14:55.at a camp near Newton Abbot, having been deported from their
:14:56. > :14:59.homes during World War II. In the late '70s, families
:15:00. > :15:01.fleeing the Vietnam War We followed some of them,
:15:02. > :15:04.as they got used to And now, as John Danks reports
:15:05. > :15:27.from Bude, the South West is The war Syria in has been going for
:15:28. > :15:34.more than five years and claimed more than 250,000 people. The images
:15:35. > :15:40.of suffering have travelled all over the world. And no Greek community in
:15:41. > :15:44.Cornwall is hoping to help some of them. Seeing these awful pictures
:15:45. > :15:59.last year of all the migrants droning that really made me feel we
:16:00. > :16:04.must do something. Merely runs a refugee support group. They are
:16:05. > :16:09.helping to resettle to community families under the community
:16:10. > :16:17.sponsorship scheme, launched by the government last year. The people
:16:18. > :16:22.they do not all of them towns and cities. We think it is one of the
:16:23. > :16:28.most beautiful places to live. It is a very healing place. The people are
:16:29. > :16:33.nice here so they will get a warm welcome and be well supported. Like
:16:34. > :16:38.always god knows how desperate the situation can get for those fleeing
:16:39. > :16:47.war-torn countries. He recently volunteered on a boat helping to
:16:48. > :16:55.save migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean. I have helped these
:16:56. > :17:00.families out in the ocean and for them to be welcomed into my home
:17:01. > :17:10.community, I am very cloak proud and pleased. Enough money has been
:17:11. > :17:13.raised to settle one family Syria from. If all goes well, the family
:17:14. > :17:16.could be here by Easter. It is easy to forget that, before
:17:17. > :17:20.the days of television, the only way of knowing what Britain looked
:17:21. > :17:23.like was either to visit the towns and villages yourself or look
:17:24. > :17:25.at photos and artwork. But those still images can
:17:26. > :17:27.be just as revealing. Here is a very quiet Lyme Regis,
:17:28. > :17:31.nowhere near as busy as it is today. There are carts, not
:17:32. > :17:33.cars, here in Polperro. And what about a donkey
:17:34. > :17:35.ride in Clovelly - These are the works
:17:36. > :17:42.of a South West painter. John Shapland was prolific and, yet,
:17:43. > :17:45.forgotten - until now. Andrea Ormsby has been having
:17:46. > :17:47.a flick through a new book, Exeter's Lost Artist,
:17:48. > :17:50.which is the culmination of 40 years The life and work of John Shapland,
:17:51. > :18:03.recorded forever in this book. Shapland, his wife and their 12
:18:04. > :18:06.children lived in Exeter. What you're looking at is just
:18:07. > :18:11.a small collection of some of the items that was actually found
:18:12. > :18:14.in the John Shapland studio. Across the floor was paintings,
:18:15. > :18:16.etchings, picture frames, For years, the artist
:18:17. > :18:38.and his family travelled all over the country in an open-top
:18:39. > :18:39.car, painting hundreds and hundreds of scenes.
:18:40. > :18:41.He called them brunotypes. These are what you would
:18:42. > :18:44.really need to see. This was the end result
:18:45. > :18:46.of the family's work. What you're looking at here,
:18:47. > :18:48.with the brunotypes, nobody knows of their existence.
:18:49. > :18:50.This is a revelation. We are seeing scenes
:18:51. > :18:52.that will have changed beyond all recognition,
:18:53. > :18:54.some of them, so they are very nostalgic.
:18:55. > :18:55.They are also historic. The work will go on show
:18:56. > :19:03.at an exhibition in March at the newly-opened
:19:04. > :19:06.Exeter School of Art. John Shapland was the headmaster
:19:07. > :19:09.of Exeter School of Art back in the turn of the century,
:19:10. > :19:13.so rediscovering all the works and having all of the artefacts that
:19:14. > :19:17.Peter has unearthed and presented in his book and at the exhibition
:19:18. > :19:20.is going to be a really important and exciting connection
:19:21. > :19:22.with the past, as we look For those interested in art,
:19:23. > :19:30.the author says this book will be a revelation and can be considered
:19:31. > :19:48.as quite a coup for the South West. Good to see he is getting some
:19:49. > :19:52.recognition at last. Plymouth Argyle finally appear
:19:53. > :19:54.to have the funding for their It may please the fans, who rely
:19:55. > :19:58.on the increasingly out-of-date 1950s stand, and it could
:19:59. > :20:00.also help to transform But it is not the first time such
:20:01. > :20:04.an announcement has been made, as our business correspondent
:20:05. > :20:15.Neil Gallacher explains. Three saves a modern stadium, fourth
:20:16. > :20:22.side terracing which cannot be used understand from the 1950s. This area
:20:23. > :20:28.finally all accept that redevelopment which could transform
:20:29. > :20:36.Plymouth Argyle. Not just the bigger stand, but conference facilities, as
:20:37. > :20:39.well. We should bring income even on non-match days. Today's announcement
:20:40. > :20:47.is possible because of further investment from the most important
:20:48. > :20:55.overseas supporter. I first came here in 1966. I stood at that end. I
:20:56. > :21:02.left at the age of 18 to go to university. I have been following
:21:03. > :21:07.the mother since. This is a labour of love. This has been a long time
:21:08. > :21:11.coming. We have been planning this ever since we took over the club
:21:12. > :21:16.five years ago, so it is a very important day. The club chairman has
:21:17. > :21:20.not only been planning it, he is also announced that before. There is
:21:21. > :21:28.an aspiration to finish off the stadium. We will start work in
:21:29. > :21:33.autumn this year. We will be in a position to do that and that is what
:21:34. > :21:38.we are certainly planning. I am not going to make the mistake of
:21:39. > :21:44.committing to another date. Their skin never took least because it
:21:45. > :21:49.relied on income from commercial outlets which never took place. This
:21:50. > :21:56.is being funded by additional investment. In other words, you can
:21:57. > :22:02.see where the money is coming from? Exactly. I am an investment
:22:03. > :22:07.professional by trade. The new investment today is clearly not been
:22:08. > :22:12.made on commercial terms. This is being made on soft terms. This is my
:22:13. > :22:18.contribution to Plymouth Argyle and to the city. A few years ago, all
:22:19. > :22:24.that matters was for it to survive, first as a business and then as a
:22:25. > :22:28.weak side. Both of these objectives have no been achieved and this could
:22:29. > :22:30.be the moment that opens a door into a greater future for the club into
:22:31. > :22:31.the 21st century. A new stadium is something
:22:32. > :22:34.for Pilgrims fans to look forward to in the longer term,
:22:35. > :22:36.but more immediately excitement is building for their FA Cup match
:22:37. > :22:39.against Liverpool this weekend. Tickets for the game are now
:22:40. > :22:41.highly sought after, so when one of the players,
:22:42. > :22:44.Paul Arnold Garita, decided to hide five of them around the city today,
:22:45. > :22:53.it prompted a frantic search. Here are the magic tickets. Good
:22:54. > :23:39.luck, everyone. And we will meet some of the winners
:23:40. > :23:42.lucky enough to find the tickets Did you know that was one head in
:23:43. > :23:55.here? I did not, as Charlie! Now, it might not be spring yet,
:23:56. > :23:58.but spring has certainly sprung This ewe has given birth to quads
:23:59. > :24:02.on a farm near Truro. Farmer Treve Gay knew there
:24:03. > :24:05.were four on the way after a scan. And it is not the first
:24:06. > :24:07.time, either. Last year, the same ewe had five
:24:08. > :24:10.lambs all in one go, Now, we can catch up
:24:11. > :24:36.on the latest weather outlook. Good evening. There are clear skies,
:24:37. > :24:43.and that means temperatures will be following.
:24:44. > :24:54.There is some cloak, which will bring in some outbreaks of rain.
:24:55. > :25:00.Although Weill, we have weather fronts trying to approach from the
:25:01. > :25:05.West. That somewhat takes the sting out of these areas of low pressure.
:25:06. > :25:14.The high pressure is pushed out of the way for the middle of the day
:25:15. > :25:17.tomorrow. At the time we get into the "Mother had a pleasurable
:25:18. > :25:27.re-establish itself. There will also be a lot of cloud with it. Quiet
:25:28. > :25:34.conditions going into the weekend. The wind will freshen going into the
:25:35. > :25:39.head of this band of rain. It will bring higher temperatures but a lot
:25:40. > :25:59.of cloud. You can see the structure of that cloud, thickest to Cornwall.
:26:00. > :26:06.We had a lovely sunset. Of course, it gets down pretty early at this
:26:07. > :26:14.time of the year. A lovely view of the crescent moon. The sun has set
:26:15. > :26:23.and the cloud will continue to approach from the West. Later in the
:26:24. > :26:35.night, the cloud just taking off from the odd bit of drizzle.
:26:36. > :26:39.Generally drive for most of us. High temperatures to the West 7-9 C. To
:26:40. > :26:51.the east, temperatures just dropping down below zero. A rather cloudy day
:26:52. > :26:55.tomorrow. That will produce a few sports of rain and drizzle.
:26:56. > :27:08.Temperatures finally inching up towards double figures. Here is the
:27:09. > :27:23.forecast for Scilly. He ran the water claims. Not much for people
:27:24. > :27:31.who like surfing. There are in the coastal waters forecast. The outlook
:27:32. > :27:36.for the weekend is quite and also slightly warmer. That doesn't sound
:27:37. > :27:38.too bad. We are back with headlines
:27:39. > :27:41.at eight o'clock and the late news at 10.30pm.
:27:42. > :27:54.Bye for now. We're looking for someone
:27:55. > :27:58.who can sing, someone who can move. Someone who can keep an audience
:27:59. > :28:01.on the edge of their seat. Something like this
:28:02. > :28:06.could change my life. When you're born to perform,
:28:07. > :28:27.Let It Shine... Magical new drama...
:28:28. > :28:30.The Worst Witch.