News in Maldon

A leading Maldon businesswoman has spoken out about how Black Friday is giving some of the large chain stores yet another chance to sweep trade away from local independent shops.

The chair of Maldon Business Board, Allison Gray, said: "When it comes to Black Friday, the small independents cannot compete with big chain stores, many of whom have been allowed to remain open.

Mugs with a picture-perfect village scene of your choice are being sold to help a great cause – Maldon's local hospice.

All profits and artists fees from the sale of village mugs purchased before 31 December will go to Farleigh Hospice. More than 50 Essex village and town designs are included, with four different ones available for Maldon.

Essex County Council (ECC) has agreed to give more support to help "one man bands" grow as part of the county's response in tackling the economic hurt caused by Covid-19.

Unemployment in Essex remains at its highest level for almost 30 years, following an unprecedented surge, with the claimant count for August of 71,290 still at its highest since the 1990s recession – up from around 30,000 from the period immediately before the virus hit.

A yellow warning for fog across the Essex and London area has been issued.

Fog and freezing fog patches are expected to develop quite widely on tonight (Thursday, 26 November), with some of these becoming dense in places with very poor visibility.

THE flu vaccination campaign has been a hailed a success in the Mid-Essex area, which includes Maldon district.

As of 24 November, 75 per cent of adults living locally aged over 65 had taken up the offer of the vaccine – reaching a national target early on in the campaign.

MALDON will be placed back into Tier Two 'High' level restrictions when national lockdown, it has been announced.

The news was due to be announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock in Parliament this morning (Thursday, 26 November) – but came via a Government website minutes ahead of Mr Hancock's statement.

MALDON is set to find out which tier of the Government's pandemic restrictions it will be placed in this morning (Thursday, 26 November).

It is now expected that the announcement will be made by Health Secretary Matt Hancock in Parliament at 11.30am.

THE new garden play area at Maldon's Promenade Park has been given final the go-ahead by councillors – as news emerged that there are early stage hopes for similar developments at Riverside Park in Burnham-on-Crouch.

Members at a special meeting of Maldon District Council's (MDC's) Strategy and Resources Committee yesterday evening (Tuesday, 24 November) agreed that the £100,000 project at the site of the existing Sensory Garden area at the Prom should go ahead.

Two Essex Police officers based at headquarters in Chelmsford have been sacked without notice following a fast-track misconduct hearing.

The hearing which took place at Chelmsford City Council offices yesterday (Tuesday, 24 November) found they had breached a number of the standards of professional behaviour.

IT may have been the strangest year that any of us can remember - but tonight there is a familiar sight in Maldon town centre.

The switching on of Christmas lights in Maldon more usually takes place when the bustling Christmas market comes to town.