Kenilworth's 2023 in 12 stories and photographs
By James Smith
6th Jan 2024 | Local News
Having published over 1,500 stories about Kenilworth last year, we have picked one story from each month to help summarise 2023.
The news locally this year has been dominated by Abbey Fields, community events and new businesses opening.
But we have tried to reduce each month to just one story and one photograph.
January
The year started with a number of stories about developments around the town, but the story we have chosen was a crash which forced residents on Stoneleigh Road to evacuate their homes.
Houses along Stoneleigh Road were evacuated after a blue Saab crashed into two cars and then ruptured a gas main.
The driver, from Oxfordshire, had already failed to stop for police on the A46 and reached speeds of 150mph before "trying his luck" on the smaller roads and heading into Kenilworth.
Staff at the Engine Inn were thanked for looking after the residents who were forced out of their homes.
February
In February, Kenilworth Rugby Club announced a "major step forward" in its relocation plans.
Confirmation that the necessary rights over Network Rail land will revert to the rugby club following the acquisition of the new site off Warwick Road was announced.
Meanwhile Bloor Homes - which has now submitted plans to turn the old site into 220 homes - said it would provide upfront funding to complete the necessary agreements with Network Rail.
The club said it was hoping to be at its new ground for the 2025/26 season.
March
March's pick was an easy choice, with our best-read story the news that Darren Nicholas was appointed the new head of Kenilworth School.
Later in the year we sat down with Mr Nicholas to find out about his background and his plans for the new school on Glasshouse Lane.
Read our full feature on him here.
April
April came with sad news for the town as long standing Kenilworth shop Buyrite closed for the final time as Talisman Square was set to be redeveloped.
This was met with even sadder news weeks later, after it was announced shop owner Arthur Harrison had passed away.
Tributes flooded in from across the area for Mr Harrison.
The plans which would have seen Buyrite demolished and redeveloped were then rejected later in the year.
May
May was dominated by the local elections which saw a huge shake up at both Kenilworth Town Council and Warwick District Council.
The elections - which were followed that weekend by the coronation of King Charles III - saw major losses for the Conservatives.
The Greens became the biggest party at the district and town levels, although they did not secure a majority at the former.
Our live coverage on the day was read by thousands, as we kept readers up to date with the results of every ward as they came through.
June
Community events came aplenty in June, but none were surpassed by the Kenilworth Lions Grand Show which was lucky enough to feature a flypast by a Spitfire.
Having travelled west across Warwickshire to reach Kenilworth, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's (BBMF) fighter did a couple of laps of the castle and Abbey Fields just after 3pm on Saturday 10 June before heading off again.
We published a gallery of images taken by Richard Smith from Kenilworth Castle.
July
Kenilworth Food Festival cooked up a storm in July - despite it raining all day!
Around 10,000 people descended on Kenilworth for the festival held in Warwick Road and Talisman Shopping Centre with many coming prepared for the inclement conditions.
Several of the traders sold out of food, and the arts and crafts traders in Talisman Shopping Centre also saw excellent footfall throughout the day.
August
August came with less positive news for local community events, with the organisers of the Kenilworth Show announcing it will not return in 2024.
In an open letter to locals, the directors of the show said they have "with great sadness" decided not to host next year's event having been "unable to secure the same site" they have used for the past two years.
Despite having hailed the 2023 event a "great success", the Kenilworth and District Agricultural Society (KADAS) will instead host a number of smaller events throughout the year.
KADAS said it is committed to finding a new venue in time for 2025.
September
Kenilworth School features on the list for the second time, as in September 2023 the new multi-million-pound facility opened for the first time.
When the school opened Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust CEO Hayden Abbott said: "This has been a significant investment enabling many to learn and develop their leadership skills.
"Students for example have been inspired through consultations and active participation to develop their advocacy to improve the facilities in the school and the infrastructure around the town.
"To give an example of this a student galvanised the student body and the local community to sign a petition to improve the infrastructure around Kenilworth School to provide safer cycling."
October
October's highlight was perhaps the strangest news story of the year - 'South Warwickshire road closed to investigate human remains which turned out to be life-size doll'
Following a call from a member of the public, Warwickshire Police cordoned off a section of Lighthorne Road near Kineton to investigate what was believed to be human remains!
However, a forensic pathologist called to the scene quickly announced the body parts were actually those of a "realistic life-size doll".
November
The penultimate month of the year saw a number of announcements for local businesses, including the news that the Virgins & Castle needs a new owner.
The brewery behind Kenilworth's oldest pub launched an advert looking for new tenants to create "a new chapter in its 460-year history".
Leicester-based Everards is on the lookout for someone to take over at the Virgins & Castle on High Street.
The pub was taken over by hospitality firm Caviar & Chips just weeks before the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
The company's website currently says the pub is 'under offer'.
December
As with the year before, the community were out in force this December to see the hundreds of tractors make their way through South Warwickshire.
This time finishing at Balsall and Berkswell Rugby Club, the tractors left Stoneleigh and made their way through Leamington Spa, Warwick and then Kenilworth, with thousands of people lining the streets to see them.
The event raised lots of money for WFYFC and The Myton Hospice.
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