00:00Hello, I'm James Akerovich and welcome to Cheslin Hay, a leafy village on the edge of Canagh.
00:06We've been around today speaking to people about what makes this neighbourhood for them.
00:10A lot of people have spoken about the idea of community and people being really nice to each other around here.
00:16It's just generally a nice place to live. Here's what they have to say.
00:30OK, so what is it about Cheslin Hay that you like, first of all?
00:35Because it's quiet. Yeah.
00:38It is?
00:39Well, it is quiet, yeah, and it's very neighbourly, yeah.
00:42Is there a nature of the neighbourhood that people well talk to each other and get to know?
00:47I'll tell you the story. You get people coming, it's got nothing special.
00:51As you drive around as a stranger, once you live here, they never leave.
00:57People that leave, come back.
01:00It's got that sort of map.
01:01There's something about the village that you can't put your finger on, but it's got a magic.
01:06Well, it has all the amenities.
01:08The library.
01:10Yeah, well, it used to have a lot of shops.
01:12It used to have a lot of shops, but, yeah.
01:14Power, OK, it's expensive, but, you know, they can use.
01:18There's a lovely park, which is just refurbed.
01:22And it's, I like, it's a nice community.
01:24Yeah.
01:25And there's obviously something about it that you've wanted to operate your business with, isn't it, as well?
01:28Well, I'd got the business before I was married.
01:30So, yeah.
01:31Getting married is just the bonus of staying here, then.
01:34Yeah.
01:35Well, we've never been house hunting, either.
01:37I think you've found the first perfect place.
01:39Because that, yeah, that went up for sale when we got engaged.
01:42End of.
01:43Late, late, wasn't it?
01:44Yeah.
01:45On the other side, I mean, everywhere's got areas that people think could be improved about where they live.
01:49What do you think could be improved about Chessinghoy?
01:51The only thing, don't build so many houses.
01:53Because now it is getting ridiculous.
01:57The amount of houses they've built.
01:59Yeah.
02:00And the fact that you've got, we can hear it going past right now with the cars, have you?
02:02Yeah.
02:03I think the Hussis will show a moment.
02:04It's a quiet moment, so.
02:05Yeah.
02:06And we've lived here for that long.
02:08How many years?
02:09Forty.
02:10Forty.
02:11Forty.
02:12Forty.
02:13Forty-four.
02:14Forty-four.
02:15But it's been a gradual increase.
02:17You've seen changes over time, but it still feels like home to yourself.
02:20Yeah.
02:21Well, our house, the kitchen's on the front, so once you get in the lounge, there's no noise.
02:25It's really so quiet.
02:27And if you're in the kitchen, you can be very nice and watch everything going on.
02:31And watch all the curings on.
02:38Okay, so tell me what it is you like about living in Chessinghoy or working in Chessinghoy?
02:43Yeah.
02:44I've lived here for four to six years.
02:46It's a nice little village.
02:49What's the sort of things that people look at when they come here?
02:53What are the intangibles that make this place such a nice place to live?
02:56It's a quiet area.
02:58People lovely, friendly.
03:00I don't know.
03:03I could just go through here, so obviously I know quite a few people.
03:06It's the sort of place where people know each other and they know what they're doing.
03:09Yeah.
03:10Flying rates are quite low.
03:13Like I say, you're in the middle of everywhere, so transport's pretty decent.
03:18And it's got a nice mix of stores.
03:20I mean, we're inside the sweets shop and people obviously love sweets, but there's a lot of options out there, aren't there?
03:25Yes.
03:26So I'd say you've got sweets shops, you've got barbers, you've got local stores, you've got some nice pubs that do good food, so it's pretty much something for everyone.
03:39But obviously on the flip side there's going to be things that people think can be improved about the village.
03:44What do you think about things that could be improved about this place?
03:47I think there should be more things for children, although they have improved the local park down the road.
03:53There's definitely not enough for kids to do.
03:57So again, a lot of people travelling out the area, which is worrying.
04:02My big buses, the buses again are a bit of a problem.
04:07There's a lot of traffic around there, isn't there?
04:09Yeah.
04:10Other than that, I was happy to be good in there.
04:15All in all, it's one of those places that you find that when you live here, you like living here.
04:20Yeah, I do.
04:21And like I say, there is more people from out the area moving into the area, because it's a nice place to bring your children up as well.
04:37Okay, so what is it about Cheslin Hayes that you like, firstly?
04:41Community spirit.
04:43If you come to our Poppy Day Remembrance, you'll understand why I'm saying that.
04:47It's absolutely fabulous.
04:48Two and a half billions.
04:51Locality, it's local to everywhere.
04:53The people who live here.
04:55Silk of the earth.
04:56I would say more than anything, the community spirit.
05:00It's one of those places where, if you live here, you're going to be made welcome, I'd be.
05:03You're made welcome anyway.
05:05Even as an outsider, you become a friend.
05:07There's a foot up the road called his arms, and it says,
05:09come as a stranger and leave as a friend.
05:11And that's the motto really, the village.
05:13Okay.
05:14How long have you lived here for?
05:1631 years.
05:17What have you sort of noticed over time?
05:19Has it changed in any way?
05:21Well, everything changes, doesn't it?
05:23I mean, I would say it's expanding, as places do.
05:27But not a great deal.
05:29The community spirit and the people, they've got older, but they're all the same.
05:33Do you think there's anything about the village that you would change?
05:36Erm, yeah.
05:37I've stopped it being used as a rack run, because that's unfortunately what it's used for, in
05:43a lot of respects.
05:44School travel time, and particularly even time people finishing work, trying to cut through
05:49because there's been an accident on one of the roads close or something.
05:53The problem with Chessnais is smack in the middle of four main roads.
05:56Well, including the motorways.
05:58It's a nightmare.
05:59That's one of the things we're going to change.
06:01It's become more of a, even though it's a village, it's got a lot bigger over the years.
06:06It's now, it's turned into, like I said, a rack run.
06:10It's got a sort of transitional feel to it.
06:12Yeah.
06:13People, I mean, the roads round here were built for Orson Trap.
06:17You know, now they're houses with people who've got two or three cars, and there's not
06:20the sort of infrastructure for it, you know?
06:23And that's the only book better, really.
06:25Parking in the vehicle.
06:26But if people ask you about Chessnais, you would say, it's a great place, it's full of community.
