Village life at risk as Milfield school faces axe

Nov 1 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

FEARS were last night voiced for the future of a small Northumberland village which faces losing its school and post office.

People at Milfield, near Wooler, are reeling from the news, reported in Mondays Journal, that governors at the village first school have asked Northumberland County Council to begin consultation on its closure.

The proposal follows the decision of Post Office Limited to close the village branch, despite massive opposition.

And last night, people at Milfield described the school news on the back of the loss of the post office as another blow to village life.

Milfield has an ageing population of around 200, who aside from its school and post office, are served by the Red Lion pub, Milfield Country Cafe, a reading room, a catering business and a church.

Nearby are a Tarmac quarry and Borders Gliding Club users of which have helped keep the post office and pub going.

The community has faced proposals to close its school twice before.

A local protest campaign saw it survive a county council attempt to shut it in 2000, and in 2005 governors did a U-turn after initially proposing its closure.

They now say Milfield is at the edge of financial viability with pupil numbers consistently low for a number of years and only seven currently on its books.

Future projections are just as bleak and the governors say this will make it difficult for the school to maintain enough staff to offer a full curriculum in years to come.

They want to relocate pupils to other schools in the area, such as Wooler and Ford, around five miles away.

Coun Alan Rogerson, whose Berwick Borough Council ward covers Milfield, last night said: The post office has been closed and now the school, it is another aspect of village life which will be lost, if it does close.

Iain Burn, landlord of the Red Lion and a member of Milfield Parish Council, agreed, saying: It is just another nail in the coffin of the village.

Tony Finch, clerk to the parish council who lives on Limetree Drive, fears the loss of the school would mean people with young children would not want to live in the village.

Postmistress Brenda Brodie last night said she has been told her branch will close on January 5.

Mrs Brodie has previously voiced fears that the loss of the post office could mean the village store, in which it is based, having to close. She said of the village: It does seem to be falling apart and I really do not know if there is very much we can do about it.

The county councils executive will meet on Monday to consider the governors request to close the school. If agreed, consultation will last for six weeks.

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