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Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
New lease of life for historic building; 78 Squadron rescue injured seaman from Kalatxr; FCO visitors; Elqui under survey.

New lease of life for historic building

AFTER narrowly escaping demolition, one of the oldest stone buildings in Stanley has undergone a life-saving transformation. Millers (formerly Dolphin Guest House) now offer a homely bar, restaurant and tearooms and are the only completely nonsmoking establishment in Stanley. The property at 46 John Street was built around 1864 by Thomas Jarvis. A tailor by trade, he also ran a pub in Stanley called the ?Persevering Hotel'. Government Archivist Jane Cameron, said it is thought that he intended to run the property at 46 John Street as a hotel as it is, "unusually large for a private house of that time." In 1865 he sold it to the Deans, one of the most prominent families in the Islands. They paid £645 for the building. Ms Cameron said there is little known of the building's use from then until in the later years of the nineteenth century when it became famous as ?Hardy's Bakery.' In 1922 the Hardy family bought it from the Deans - some of the older people in Stanley still remember Hardy's bread being delivered by horse and cart. Mrs. Mary Hills purchased the property in 1958 and ran it as a cafe for some time. Many will remember her famous toasted sandwiches usually consumed after the film show at the Parish Hall. More recent owners have been the Goodwins and a Moffatt and Hawksworth partnership who named it Warrah Guest House. Bruce and Jeanette Miller purchased the property from Gordon Forbes. There was a fear that the property was to be purchased with a plan to demolish the building, however a petition gained so many signatures that the application was withdrawn. Ms Cameron described it as a building that is held in "great affection by many people." Jeanette Miller said that phase one of the renovations has involved the rooms being "gutted out" with new floors laid and extensive decoration throughout. Phase two will include a hotel reception and office to the east of the main building with a public bar above. She said the renovations have been a "major task" with very long hours put in by her husband Bruce - who has worked through the night on occasion - and his team of Bobby Crowie, Len McGill, Gerard Jaffray and Carlin and Sarah Yon, who have all put in long hours. Miller is a family run business, welcomes children and has a baby changing area. Jeanette said the no smoking policy came about because she doesn't like being in a smokey environment herself and also because it is better for families with children. The new bar planned in phase two will however have smoking areas, but also large extractors to prevent any trace of cigarette smoke permeating the rest of the premises. Business has been "steady" in the first week of being open, says Jeanette, while feed back from customers is that the food is of "good quality" and "reasonably priced." Photo: L-R Serena Sinclair, Jeanette Miller, Chef Brian Harris, Sarah Yon and Angela Wastavino ready for the lunch time rush. Millers, the new bar and restaurant in the centre of Stanley.

78 Squadron rescue injured seaman from Kalatxri

A Search and Rescue helicopter was called into operation on Tuesday to go to the aid of a crewmember of a fishing vessel. Flight Lieutenant Adam Shipley of 78 Squadron said his crew received the initial call at about 8.30am as they were on the way to work. The brief was to rescue a 30 year old male crewman aboard the Spanish fishing vessel Kalatxri. Flt Lt Shipley said the man had suffered a "broken ankle and amputated four of his fingers." The initial position put the vessel about 50 nautical miles to the north of Stanley in a sea state five. There was a 400ft cloud base with about 2km visibility and wind from 050 degrees at 35 knots. Flt Lt Shipley, Co-Pilot Flt Lt Mark Randall, Radio Operator Sgt Andy Catterall and Winchman Andy Rowlands arrived at the vessel at 10am. The Winchman was lowered down to the bow of the vessel. Flt Lt Shipley said, "Unfortunately the casualty had been put right down in the lowest part of the ship so the winch man required a stretcher to carry the rather large man up to the top deck for recovery. Once that had taken place the stretcher was recovered and then the casualty and winch man at the same time." Winchman Andy Rowlands splinted the casualty's ankle, dressed his hand and, said Flt Lt Shipley, "put his missing fingers in ice." The casualty was safely in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Stanley shortly after 11am.

News in brief

FCO visitors.

TWO representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have visited the Falklands this week to learn about the Islands first hand. Sam Lones is the Assistant Desk Officer for the Falkland Islands in the Overseas Territories Department of the FCO and Ian Duddy is the Second Secretary in the British Embassy in Buenos Aires. They visited San Carlos and Darwin on Sunday, spent Monday morning at Mount Pleasant and the afternoon and Tuesday in Stanley. They travelled to West Falkland on Wednesday. Mr Lones left on Thursday and Mr Duddy leaves on the weekend. Speaking to the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station, Governor Howard Pearce said it has always been his policy to encourage colleagues from London and Buenos Aires to visit the Islands so they can, "understand our situation and people's views first hand," adding, "I very much welcome this visit."

Elqui under survey

A SURVEY is currently being conducted on the condition of the Elqui. The longliner has been berthed at FIPASS since her arrest in the South Georgia zone on March 2, 2005. A trial in April found the owners of the ship guilty and fined them for illegally fishing for Patagonian Toothfish. The Elquiwas consequently forfeited because the fines were not paid in the allocated seven days. First Secretary Harriet Hall said that Lyle Craigie Halkett is currently conducting a survey to ascertain whether the vessel is suitable to be scrapped or cleaned and dumped. The harbour dues for the Elqui were deferred at Friday's Standing Finance Committee for a revised paper to be put before the next meeting of Executive Council.

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