Limavady Market yard is up for auction, the sign was put up today, Wednesday the third. For new readers who are unfamiliar with the machiavellian shinanigans surrounding this piece of real estate there follows a short resume.

A regular cattle market has been held here for a very long time. This provided socialising and income for the farmers and gave many a cuddly sheep a last chance to escape down Main Street.

Then one fine day the council decided to sell the yard to an approved developer. There was a lot of opposition from the small traders who feared the competition of the big boys, and the farmers held tractor demonstrations to try and get their market yard back.

As there was so much disagreement, an independent expert was called upon in 1999 to settle the issue. But he advised to leave the place the way it was. This pleased the farmers but as they didn't have the real money the independent advice was quietly ignored.

One developer was finally given an option to develop, and he started to buy up additional land all around the Market Yard, but fell flat on his face when Miss Hunt decided that her garden was not for sale at any price - not even for 250 000 pounds.

So many long faces all around hadn't been seen here for years and it was back to the drawing board. At the beginning of this year it was decided to sell the place to the highest bidder and trust to luck as to what was going to be built. The Newsbrowser's advice to convert the place into a park and open a nice little restaurant was understandably totally ignored.

The last and final chapter of this tale will be held at Radisson's hotel on the 3rd of October at high noon.

We suggest that before it starts the contestants hold hands and sing: "Do not forsake me oh my darling" together in loud and hopeful voices. One can't help wondering though who will finally ride into the sunset.

 
May we assure those readers who have noticed a distinct lack of fresh news that all will possibly return to normal in the forseeable future. Currently the entire staff of the Roe Valley News Browser is busy painting our new premises - that includes newshounds and all. Normal services will resume as soon as the paint runs out or the walls are covered.

Oh yes. We are painting the place white!

 
The bypass-builders are putting in a no holds barred final spurt of energy to get the thing finished by the end of September. You are looking at the Windyhill roundabout or - if you like - the Murderhole pothole.

The uphill roundabout is already in operation though you have to drive very carefully to avoid various kinds of road-building machines that all have the same thing in common - they are aiming for you and they are bigger than you!

 
This month saw the last show and sale of crossbred lambs to be held in the Market yard - which is soon to be sold to the highest bidder.

We are pleased to reveal that the News Bowser's own agricultural expert Arnold Douglas won first prize for his ewe lambs - one of whom can be seen on the right - every bit a winner.