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INTERVIEW: Village butcher of 39 years becomes new Lord Mayor of Bare

Monday, 12 June 2023 13:51

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Chris Mount, the new Lord Mayor of Bare, with Beyond Bear

A village butcher who has worked in his local community for 39 years has swapped an apron for robes by becoming the new Lord Mayor of Bare.

Chris Mount was officially inaugurated into the role in a ceremony on the green on Princes Crescent, Bare, at the Barefest festival on Saturday.

Mr Mount has worked at Bare Butchers on Princes Crescent for 39 years.

The role of Lord Mayor of Bare carries no official duties or obligations but dates back to 1910, when villagers of Bare rose up against the-then Morecambe Corporation and formed their own council.

It was revived as a ceremonial role in the village after the Barefest festival began in 2010.

After the ceremony, Chris spoke to Vanessa Ramsden from Beyond Radio.

"It is very warm in these robes, and I know what an oven-ready chicken feels like now!" he said.

"Whatever I'm asked to do (as mayor) I'm sure I'll crack on and do it.

"I've been asked once or twice (to be mayor) and I've turned it down, but I thought after 39 years of working in the community that it was about time that I gave it a go."

Mr Mount is the 13th Lord Mayor of Bare.

Previous Mayors of Bare have included the very first mayor, James Preston, and also James Shand, John Driver, Harry Crawshaw and Jack Mulroy, and in recent years, Gerry Farrell (twice), Susan Bray, John McKenzie, Derek Morgan and Cameron Seddon.

Also taking part in the ceremony were outgoing Mayor of Bare, Susan Potts, who held the role since the previous Barefest in 2019; town crier, hairdresser and town councillor Russell Walsh; Bare councillors Gerry Blaikie and Martin Bottoms; Stuart Gibson, president of Bare Village Club; and Chris' grandchildren AJ, Daniel and Olivia.

Bare is one of three villages which made up the original town of Morecambe, the others being Poulton and Torrisholme.

The Barefest event, a celebration of the village, included a mayoral parade, stalls, live music and the Beyond Radio roadshow.

Marisa Seddon, chair of organisers the Bare Community Association, said Chris "did everyone and the village proud" and "entered into everything with total community spirit".

As part of his first duties as mayor, Mr Mount presented the Bare Local Hero Awards to Henry Davis, Happy Mount Park and Winter Gardens volunteer, and Brenda Williams, who raises money for animal rescue charities (pictured below). He also presented the award to owner Kate and doggie Pip for the Dog with the Waggiest Tail!

He also took part in the 'No Pea in the Pool' game on the green, where people climbed into a ball pool to find small plastic peas! This was a fundraiser organised by Haley Aspey and her children Lucy, Jack and Luke, from Morecambe, to raise money on behalf of the Huntington's Disease Association for a trip to Mount Everest.

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