This month looks very different. After almost six years and 68 issues as The BV, here we are as Dorset Life. It’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly. The BV has been our baby, built from scratch in the middle of a pandemic on very little sleep but a great deal of stubbornness and caffeine. And it’s grown into something we’re immensely proud of.
Dorset Life is a title that carries decades of stories, photography and a deep connection to this county. When the opportunity came to take on first the archive and the history, and then the name, we felt a real sense of responsibility.
The digital archive alone is a record of Dorset life stretching back years, full of people, places and work that might otherwise be lost. Being trusted with that, and making sure it remains accessible and alive in a digital world, is something we take very seriously.
This is of course not the first time Dorset Life has seen a fresh start. But this time it’s us who are picking it up, preserving what came before, and building something new under that banner. This is not a continuation of the old business, nor are we starting from scratch with a new one. We’re bringing everything we’ve built with us.
And while our name has changed, we’re keen to reassure our readers that the way we work hasn’t. We remain committed to real journalism, asking questions and taking our time to report with proper understanding. We still champion the people, places and stories that make Dorset what it is. And of course we will always be the home of so much glorious Dorset photography.
Behind the scenes, this shift has been… a lot. New name, new look, new systems, new … everything … all while trying to keep the magazine landing on time and in one piece.
Which is where the amazing Beeson & Beeson came in. They took everything we’ve built over the last six years, made actual sense of it and reshaped it into something that feels both new and entirely right (we’re looking rather fancy, right? flashes a saucy ankle). More importantly, they’ve held our hands through the slightly terrifying process of changing … well, basically everything. Thank you, Gareth and Mel, we’re looking properly swish.
If you’re new here – welcome. You’ve picked a good time to arrive.
And to our regular BV readers – thank you for sticking with us through the change. We know we’re asking you to come with us as we turn a page. But honestly, we think it’s a really good one!
Laura & Courtenay
On the Ed’s letter
Why open an editorial with a negative opinion about our erstwhile ally, the United States of America? The fact is, that we cannot believe anything the mainstream or legacy media say, not just what the US President says. They do not report facts, just opinions. Don’t believe them. President Trump is trolling the liberals of this world with his news releases and commentary. Why would he disclose his plans to “the enemy within”?
Attacking President Trump is an easy populist maneuver, so that people never have to think for themselves. Here in America we laugh at you poor deluded folks, who have no idea what is really going on, because you read and believe the mainstream media, yes, even our beloved BBC.
I was born and raised in England and have watched my lovely country go down the tubes. Luckily I emigrated to the USA, where I now feel safe, but oh, how I miss beautiful North Dorset.
Jan Bender, California (and Sturminster Newton)
Thank you
On Easter Saturday, my motorcycle broke down at Lydlinch Common and I spent some five hours watching the residents of the Vale come and go, while waiting for the RAC to arrive. I am sure many of you might recall seeing me stood sentinel waiting!
I just wanted to say a huge Thank You to the many drivers who stopped to check I was OK and if I needed anything, especially the lady paramedic on her way to work who wanted to make sure I had not fallen off and hurt myself, and the gent from Kings Stag who tried to help diagnose the issue (yes – you were right – it was the battery!). It restores one’s faith that so many of you cared enough. I did arrive home eventually and the bike is soon to be repaired – Thank You all.
Kevin Parsons, Blandford Forum
Corallian Heights wishful marketing
I had a look at the marketing material for the Corallian Heights development in Sturminster Newton and, frankly, it would be funny if it wasn’t so infuriating.
Initially I just read that the development ‘falls under North Dorset District Council’. That authority ceased to exist seven years ago. If a developer cannot get something as the local council right, it rather begged the question: what else haven’t they checked?
It didn’t improve from there. The “weekly market” is described as a selling point – those of us who live here know it amounts to a couple of stalls at best. We’re promised “excellent public transport links”, which will come as news to anyone who has tried to rely on buses in rural North Dorset. And Gillingham station apparently serves St Pancras and Dover. Did anyone tell South West Trains that they’re not supposed to be going to Waterloo? The list of desirable local shops is actually a joke, and is clearly from a different town entirely.
I’m laughing at the nonsense, but this is the information being used to sell homes to people who may not know the area. If it’s wrong (and much of it is) then how trustworthy is everything else presented alongside it? Developers ask communities to trust them with large, permanent changes to our towns. The least they can do is demonstrate a basic level of accuracy about the place they are building in.
Name and address supplied
On the fire stations
Having attended one of the consultations I was appalled at what I was hearing. Using data from the covid period when less people were on the roads and accidents were at a low, not including other fire emergency vehicles only engines in the figures. Totally flawed. And asked what plan B was: they don’t have one!
Peter Morgan, Facebook
It’s madness to even start a closure programme. Mere station for instance os so close to the A303. They witness loads of serious RTC incidents. WTF who comes up with these NUMPTY IDEAS?
Taff Whitcombe
On the Grumbler’s rubbish
The disposal of rubbish should be centrally funded not by each individual council. Then people could go to their nearest recycling centre. It is a national problem so it should be up to central government to be responsible, really central government and the councils should have fluid relationships and not have the government leave all the separate councils to fend for themselves.
Lynn Close, Facebook
It was claimed that ‘22%’ of users (in the case of Sherborne tip) came from outside Dorset. When questioned by me, as the details were not public, Dorset Council said that the stats were based on a TWO-day survey of cars over a summer weekend, at the peak of gardening/house-moving season when everybody has more recycling. Perhaps it would have been fairer and more conclusive to have conducted a longer survey, across the seasons, to identify the real impact of our actual neighbours sharing our recycling facility? It’s all about transparency and the fact, despite objections before implementation, local residents’ concerns were not listened to.
Liz Murray, Facebook
On the assault on Rural England
Any moral obligation to provide safe, secure and pleasurable places to live with good quantities of social interaction for young and old are disappearing before our eyes. The little country village is becoming no more.
Money is the leader these days. Money for developers to buy land in areas they’ve only ever read about. Money to have their own teams of experts and solicitors who tear our county planners apart at appeals. Money to do what they want because national policy is on their side.
How do we get a voice big enough to mount a real challenge to this?
Paul Hancock
Our hamlet is now becoming a conurbation north of Fordingbridge which will have 2,000 additional houses …and NO additional surgery or schools. There’s NO affordable homes on the 400 near me because developers have to develop the land (26,000 tons of rubble/topsoil) in order to build on a FLOOD plain, so the Council have waived the Affordable Housing quota.
It will eventually mean another 2,000 commutes on the A338 daily. Madness.
Build vertical housing on brownfield sites near urban work. Study Le Corbusier – designs for no more than four stories high, with underground car parks, and resident-shared roof gardens with safe play areas for children. But NO. Profit for the big housebuilding companies instead. IT STINKS of stupidity.
Mike Etherington, Burgate
On the ospreys
Thank you so much for mentioning the Birds of Poole Harbour webcams – I am recovering from an operation, and housebound. These webcams have been an absolute saviour for me. So much better than the endless drivel of daytime Antique Bargain Househunt!
I have had them on all day, it’s been wonderful to watch and see the FOUR eggs! And so we wait …
Maggie T, Sherborne
(*find the webcams on birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk)
