WITH less than 365 days to go to the biggest New Year party in 1,000 years, Addingham Civic Society is anxious for millennium momentum to keep building.

Both the civic society and Addingham Parish Council are keen the village should find an appropriate way to mark the occasion.

Don Barrett, chairman of Addingham Civic Society, said: "The end of the year is, of course, the end of the millennium but how will we mark it? Well we still don't know, but there is a lot of support for re-surfacing George Street ."

He said: "We have a sub committee discussing the proposals and the parish council is doing likewise."

Mr Barrett has made several appeals for villagers to get their millennium thinking caps on, but is reluctant to make too many suggestions, for fear of stunting the imaginative ideas of others."

Mr Barrett and his civic society colleagues would like to see

something more permanent than just a street party of firework display to mark the occasion.

He told the Gazette in November: "We want something lasting which will improve the village for future generations."

At last month's meeting of Addingham Parish Council, several millennium ideas, from street parties to a clocktower were put forward.

Stephen Crossley-Smith, chairman of Addingham Parish Council, said: "I think the idea of having a monument of some sort, perhaps with a history of the village, is excellent. I don't see why

we shouldn't take on several things."

Councillors agreed to discuss the matter further at the next meeting and to look at the possibility of using council funds and any

available grants.

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