Return of the chimes

All Saints’ Church chimes will make their long anticipated return to village life this month, My News can reveal. More than a year after the church’s bells were first silenced they will ring out once again – marking the start of the All Saints Christmas Market at 11am on November 23. The event will put an end to a year-long saga to reinstate the chimes, which were first muzzled by a noise abatement notice served by Three Rivers District Council. This came after a single complaint over night-time noise of the tolls. The instating of the chimes has come due to the generosity of Peter O’Grady, managing director of Watford-based TF Toll Ltd, who has paid for the installation of a control mechanism to regulate the striking of the bells.  The chimes will now peal over Croxley Green each day from 7am until 10pm. Mr O’Grady told My News that the donation was a “small gesture” to see the return of the chimes. He said: “I’ve always lived in Croxley and was married at All Saints Church. It was a good cause and I wanted the bells back. I felt it was part of village life that should be brought back. We (TF Tull Ltd) are project managing it all and doing the electrical instalments. It is all on target at the moment.” The Christmas Market will not only mark the return of the chimes. It will also feature a Santa’s Grotto and other activities for children; craft stalls, adults and children’s tombolas, a Fairtrade stall, cakes, sweets, cards and music in the Church provided by the Night Train Jazz Band and music combo The Dicemen. The church’s new kitchen will serve sausage rolls, burgers and drinks throughout the day and winning tickets will be picked out for the grand draw, which has a first prize of £500 cash. Second prize is a lunch for two at London restaurant Simpson’s-in-the-Strand and third prize is tickets for Chessington World of Adventures. A meal for two at the Coach and Horses is also up for grabs.