15/12/2011 Spotlight

Aid that to survive: How the region's High Streets will have to

change to deal with a bleak outlook. Good evening. We have a special

report on how our changing shopping habits are effective in town

centres. An historic pub has been badly

damaged by fire. It was a major fire. I drove up the A38 and Agassi

the flames and smoke coming from Chudleigh.

A warning that a further 300 jobs may need to go at Dorset Police.

A new dean at Exeter Cathedral. Outside, anti-capitalist protesters

vow to stay for as long as it takes. When we have a achieved a fairer

system for everyone to live in, then we will clear off.

And a warning of flooding overnight it's followed by snow in some areas

tomorrow morning. We will have the latest on the stormy weather.

New figures out today show the region's High Streets could be

facing a bleak Christmas and New Year. Latest sales figures released

this morning showed a bigger fall than expected. Sales fell by 0.4%

last month, bringing to an end two months of growth. Consumers are

buying fewer luxury items like computers. Jewellery sales are also

down. Our correspondent looks at the way town and city centres are

suffering. High Streets are doing their best

to turn customers -- tempt customers. But competition from the

internet and out of town retailers is making it tough. If the

inhabitants of Rainbow Toys look and happy, it may be Fourie good

reason. The shop is closing next cheek -- week after 15 years.

have put all our resources into building his business and offering

the products and services we have over the years to some very loyal

customers. We are set to go and SAT to let them down.

Exeter saw today an interesting example of how the high street is

changing. But just a couple of doors at the street from Rainbow

Toys, the opening of a new and sizable charity shop. It is the

flagship store for Hospiscare in a prominent city centre location.

is better to have a shop which is open. It looks good that the high

street looks busy and it gives our supporters something to do. Their

money goes towards our hospice. Analysts say that town and city

centres need to broaden their appeal to thrive. No longer should

they rely on shopping, but instead make themselves destinations by

bringing in leisure facilities and visitor attractions. We need to

make sure it is more than shopping. That is part of our strategy. For

example, we need to strengthen cafe culture, ensuring that people come

here for a complete experience, a total day out. New government

figures found that sales fell by 0.4% last month, suggesting that

Christmas may be difficult for the High Streets. Within being such an

important trading time, many other shops rate -- risk suffering the

same fate as Rainbow Toys. As for the future, most forecasts predict

several more years of austerity, so retailers look like they will be

struggling with plenty of difficult times to come.

It is not only the city centres where times are tough this

Christmas. There is a real squeeze in the wholesale cess -- sector.

The owner of a catering Buchers in Ilfracombe e-mailed saying that he

had never had to work for so little so hard in his life.

Ivan Clarke's working life began when he was 11 years old,

delivering need as an Ilfracombe Bucher's boy on his bike. Now he

has his own business and says the last 12 months has been hard.

We are working hard for the same amount. We do not have the same

spending. We're doing smaller stakes. It costs the same to pack

and deliver for 20% less. Ivan cannot sell the Big portions of

meat because pubs and restaurants are not buying them. We went to the

manor house into find out why. The team at the pub had to rethink

their menus. We offer a two meals for �12 during the week and try to

offer specials over the weekend as cheaper cuts of meat. We're looking

at changing our menu to include a small stake. Why are Helen and Ivan

jumping through unfamiliar hoops? Customers can provide an answer.

You have got to count the pennies these days. You have got bigger

priorities. You have got mortgages and bills. Socialising and eating

out is different. It depends how much money I have left after rent.

Because they have the deal on, I usually come down and have that.

Something else makes life hard. Not only our customers paying less, but

costs for businesses keep rising. Power overheads and wage bills are

increasing because of women wage -- minimum wage. There is less profit

on the bottom line for everyone. You have to make sure they are the

same thickness. Item reckons he is paying 10% more than he was a year

ago to buy meat. We cannot pass it all on to the customers or else

they will not be up to sell it on to their customers. We have had to

absorb a substantial amount of that increase. From one end of the

supply chain to the other, these are lean times.

The A38 was closed for several hours today after a car overturned.

Five people were taken to hospital after the accident on the westbound

carriageway near lean will -- Lee Mill. Devon and Cornwall Police say

none of those being treated in hospital has life-threatening

injuries. Diva's nightclub on Plymouth's

Union Street has been closed. Its licence has been suspended by the

council after concerns that people using the premises could become

victims of crime. The club has not been available for comment.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a robbery at an Esso garage

in Portland. Four men armed with an axe, a knife and a baseball

backstroke on Monday night. One man of knife -- staff was kicked and

punched. People had to be moved from their

homes last night when a fire broke out in the centre of a Devon town.

The blaze damaged a historic pub in Chudleigh. 30 firefighters spent 12

hours fighting the flames at Old Coaching House. An investigation

into the causes under way. When firefighters got to the Old

Coaching House in Fore Street, they found flames leaping 30 ft into the

air. The roof and the top story were well alight. When I arrived, I

could see the roof was alight. It was starting to spread to the floor

beneath the roof. Flames were reaching out into the sky some 10

metres above the river. As I approached com -- from the A38, I

could see the flames and smoke. People were evacuated from nearby

homes while the blaze was tackled on two funds. Our plan was to do

what we are doing now. We have got to work on the roof. We have got

teams on the inside and we are alternating those. We are hitting

it from the outsize -- outside. Fire crews have been at the scene

for most of the day. An investigation is under way to find

out how it started. The building is one of the oldest in Chudleigh. It

survived the great fire of 18 07 which destroyed much of the town.

Much of the old coaching house is a burnt-out shell.

The met Office's warning of more severe weather over the South West

are tonight. Heavy rain and when Max -- winds are expected. It is

already looking wet. How bad we get?

We have been tracking the low pressure for a couple of days. It

has now arrived. The rain is coming down in Plymouth, because we are

right in the centre of the area of low pressure. The strongest wins

back on the other side of the English Channel, in France. It is

here we will see the strongest gusts of wind. We will see a change

in the wind direction. The rain continues overnight and by the time

we get to midnight, the winds will become northerly and then north-

westerly. On the other side of the area of low pressure, we will start

to see strong winds. They will be 50, 60 mph, and as the rain clears,

some of that will turn to snow. That will BAA is in North Devon and

in particular Exmoor. If you're heading towards Bristol, some of

that snow will be at low levels. I will have a forecast later on.

Dorset Police say 300 staff and officers could lose their jobs.

Cuts on needed to help cope with a �20 million shortfall in the Budget.

A report was presented to the Police Authority today saying that

an ongoing freeze in recruitment is likely to continue for two years.

The latest report says that the financial challenge facing Dorset

Police should not be underestimated. They are facing a shortfall of �20

million. The shortfall for this year is nearly 8 million. 300 jobs

have to go in the next four tears. There is a freeze on recruitment.

That will continue for a further two years.

How will they reassure the public they can continually -- continued

to effectually -- effectively police Dorset? Recorded crime has

gone up by 0.5% due to a rise in theft hands shoplifting. Burglaries

and violent crimes are down. Serious sexual violence is down.

What are the ideas of a looking at? Different ways of improving ways

they operate. They have improved a single streamlined system to you

integrate criminal intelligence. They are looking at cutting back on

marine police in -- policing. you very much.

You are watching Spotlight. Still ahead in the programme: A museum in

Exeter reopens after four years. Limbering up for the big day.

Sanders are under starter's orders. A senior church leader has tonight

told Spotlight that anti-capitalist protesters occupying a camp at

Exeter Cathedral should give it up and do more in the community.

Campaigners from Occupy Exeter say they have no intention of

abandoning their action. They say they are here for the long run.

They pitched up in Exeter four weeks ago to join other occupied

groups across the world campaigning against a -- economic inequalities.

Church are thought to raise -- authorities have taken any good --

lenient stance. Today they were called to refocus their priorities.

I still do not see what turning a beautiful green into a muddy patch

is doing to help the poor. I would rather they got on board with us

with things like raising issues about sustainability of banking and

investment. We work with the poor. I want to say, Packer and join in

with the action. There are more than 30 tents on the green. They

say it is a cause they believe in and they won the bishop to

understand they are prepared for the long haul. I guess we will have

to send them some more leaflets. We have been doing direct action for

the past week in the town. He probably just needs to come down

The focus was highlighted by the new Dean today. I introduced myself

and said I was good to be their new neighbour. I said that my hope was

that that when I arrive, that there would be a proper dialogue about

how we make the issues they have raised continue to be important in

a sustainable way. We have no problem with the agenda. Meanwhile

in a separate protest in Plymouth, those who have taken over the

city's former Jobcentre said they intend to stay there for as long as

they can. I would like to see this working rather than a squat. We are

trying to be in dialogue. We have ended dialogue to see if we can

have caretaker ownership of a place for six months or so. It is unclear

how long the goodwill and spirit of tolerance shown by the of parties

will continue. Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial

Museum has opened its doors to the public again today after a �24

million makeover. It had to close for four years while a

refurbishment took place. There were various problems, do they is,

and eight �9 million overspend. -- delays.

After 10 years of planning, four years of closure and eight �22

million bill, the museum is ready to show off its splendour to the

public. The changes are fast. The Victorian building has been

refurbished and extended and boasts state-of-the-art galleries.

Although �10 million came from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the City

Council had to fight �9 million in overspend. If you look around the

iconic things in the world, it is always a very expensive when they

are building it. Everyone is always glad they went ahead with it. What

has been delivered to the people of Exeter is well worth it. When they

come here they will be gobsmacked. Despite the changes in the cost,

entry is still free and it is open six days a week. This represents

just 0.01 % of the entire collection in the museum. The Royal

Collection have kindly lent us this collection of photographs. It

includes images of Victoria and Albert. We have been given special

permission to hang up and sold at first because of our connection

with him. They are now facing each other. The old favourites are still

on display. The giraffe's move was not the easiest. Gerald is now with

his friends! Chris Sterling, a high performance

manager of the Cornish Pirates, has announced he is leaving at the end

of the season. The pirates will be staying at the Mennaye Field

Stadium for another year, so they cannot be promoted to the

Premiership, even if they win the Championship. They will stay in

Penzance after delays to their proposed new stadium. A move to

Home Park is also off. That was an interim measure while the new

stadium was built. That is now planned for the 2013/14 season.

To their next of our sports awards and it is the special award. This

is given to a person or group of people who do panel considers have

done something outstanding. This year it went to the staff of

Plymouth Argyle. For 12 months they went unpaid. Many of them lost

their homes and their cars but they put their club first. Last week, we

took their award to Home Park. There's a number of individuals who

have taken plaudits for saving Plymouth Argyle Football Club but

none has ever francs more than the people in this room. In the darkest

hour, you were there. You stood up and did not let that happen. I

could stand here all day on behalf of the supporters and say what you

mean to us. What you have done will never be forgotten by Plymouth

Argyle fans. We are proud they you are our staff. We thank you on

behalf of all Argyle fans for saving the club. It has been really

tough the last few months but they are due to the supporters,

especially Mark Russell and Gary McGuire. Also to the rest of the

supporters, our families, and Peter Ridsdale and James Brennan, without

whom there would not be a club here today. We went through a hard time.

The staff deserve more credit than anyone. They were there day-in day-

out. They work for the club for no money. It is great that they get

this award and they can be very proud of what they have done. The

bond between everyone, the players and the staff, we have all touched

rock bottom and got through it. just did not want the club to fold.

That was the main thing, but most people stayed working for. I had to

move back to my parents' house. Things were tough but we are

getting sorted now, getting there. I am glad we succeeded. We could

not that this football club dive. - - we could not let this football

club die. The you have space for an exotic

animal? A giant rhino is looking for a home. It is perfectly safe

because this animal is made from paper and willow. He was part of

the annual City of Light Festival and now the organisers say he needs

somewhere to rest his hooves. We like the lanterns to have some

more of life after the night so people can't see them close up.

This chart was too big to fit in any of the doors! -- this rhino.

Where can he go. We were like him to go somewhere people can see him,

somewhere that has a big space. Something different perhaps, to

show people over Christmas. would be an imperative Christmas

decoration! Spectators at Exeter racecourse saw

an unusual sight today. More than two dozen Santas ran down the home

straight to raise money for Children's Hospice South West.

Donning their colours for the big race, these plucky competitors were

champing at their bit. -- at their bits. We have done lots of training

and so forth. It begins sandwich! After some warm-up exercises, the

race got under way. Trying to commentate on a race like

that is pretty difficult considering all 30 runners look

exactly the same. It was all for a good cause. It is a nice gesture. I

think some of them were getting tired! It was a to Xander race in

the end. -- it was a two Santa Claus race in the end. I let him

win. Not perfect running conditions but it was a lot of fun!

runners have been fantastic. They will have gathered sponsorship. I

hope it has made people realise there is fun stuff going on for the

children's hospice and to get involved with that because it is

wonderful. The cold weather kept some punters away but they hope to

hold the event again next year. And of course they had all the

grace and elegance of Black Beauty! I've been there might have been too

-- I think. Let's get the weather forecast.

Welcome to a very wet night here in Devon, as it is across the hall of

the south-west. The main story for this evening and overnight, low

pressure moving across us. The win will pick up later on. -- In the

wind. It will be wet and later on it becomes a windy. The wind is a

concern because of the frequent heavy showers we have had. There is

a word of warning for the next few hours, in fact for a good part of a

night. Numerous rivers are on flood alert. If you want more information,

contact the Environment Agency. There is cloud to the south-west of

Britain at the minute. That is the low pressure, developing as it

moves. You can see where it is. We can track its progress along the

English Channel and moving away towards the low Land's End far

south-east of England, developing as it goes. -- to be alone man's,

and far south-east of England. As it moves away week will get north-

westerly winds following it. Let's look at the satellite sequence. You

can see across the south-west, brighter colours and heavier bursts

of rain. There is no were escaping the rain. That will continue to

move eastwards overnight. Tonight's forecast, wet, and as the rain

clears, the wind picks up becoming northerly and then north-westerly.

There is also some snow appealing, particular over higher parts of

Exmoor and Dartmoor and towards the Bristol area. Temperatures close to

freezing the further east you are. In windy start tomorrow with

frequent showers, some of them wintry. Not a very warm day. By the

afternoon, sunshine with frequent showers and a strong wind and

Into the weekend, we are expecting more showers on Saturday, some on

Sunday and then it quietens down. The wing will drop through the

weekend but overnight temperatures will be very low. -- the wind will