Surf spectacular
National championship at Druridge Bay

A Dog's life
We have the best dog beaches - it's official!

Affordable housing
Dreaming of your own house?

Deer Ambler
Spring surprise

Everybody's talking
Community forum promotes our interests

Hedging bets
Doing what comes naturally

Saving wildlife
Making a river change its mind

RNLI station shop
Spend money and save lives

Amble slimmers
Get thin and save lives

Editorial
Supermarket snags and what's in this "life saving" issue.

Have your say
Letters and email, including photos

Improving Queen Street
Grants can give you an uplift

National 'Elf
Dress up as an elf and save lives

Veggie basket scheme
Disadvantaged people help community

Neighbourhood watch
Keeping an eye on your neighbours

Coquet High School Partnership
Expected drop in pupil numbers

Women's house building project
The house that Jill built

Artograffi
Easter fun

David's Diary
News from Amble Development Trust

Town council report
News update from the Town Council

Confessions of an addict
Harry gives up the weed

Age Concern Northumberland
...need people who are concerned

Chinese freeze affects Welfare
Snow stops take-away

Child Trust Fund
Invest in your child's future

Penny
New year Resolutions

Amble Churches Together
Thoughts for New Year

County Councillors report
Future developments

A tale of two thefts
You have been warned

The Peer Mentors
Students help each other

Residents get the hump over bumps
Calming the traffic?

Dirty wellies in a wine bar
Rural romance

Small skinny latte
Toddlers make their own coffee shop

Poetry corner
Safe to shore

Paddlers Paradise
New look play area

Snippets...
Local food, recycling, school numbers, welfare update

What's On
Including live music, Easter services, volunteering at Warkworth Castle and more.

Greetings from Aglaia
Message from a tall ship

Ray King column
Kevin Keegan takes over. "We all eagerly await"

You can get it here

Coastal Colour will be celebrating its first anniversary in January. Owner Mark Shipperlee is upbeat and happy about his first year as a trader on Queen Street. Coastal Colour not only sells stationery, card making and office goods, but also offers a design and print service.

“It’s been a good year,” he told The Ambler “It’s never entirely as you plan it – I never anticipated that the card making side of the business would be so popular, but the design and print side has really taken off.” So much so that Mark has been able to take on one part time employee. “Mike Jones came in to have his CV photocopied, because he was looking for work. I read his resumé and realised he was just the kind of person I was looking for to help me. So I offered him a job! My aim is that eventually he’ll be able to go full time. And I’d like to be able to open up another shop somewhere else. Three shops would be nice!” Mark and Mike outside the shop in Queen St

Coastal Colour offers so much within its four walls. Inside is a well stocked shop with any number of stationery and office supplies. Tucked away in an inner room is the print and design area, while upstairs, Mark rents out space for a photography studio and another venture of his with two other local businessmen. Called ‘We Supply IT’, they offer computer sales, repairs, upgrades, networking help, backups and data protection advice.

With all this on offer and with being in such a prominent position on the corner of Queen St and High St, Mark is still surprised that some people don’t realise he’s there. “I’m still surprised that people don’t know what we can do for them,” he said. “In our commercial catalogue we can beat Viking for price on over 90% of products. There is also a habit in Amble – maybe it’s true in any small town – that you can’t get it here. But we’re slowly chiselling away at the business sector – and also accessing business in Alnwick and beyond. Recently posters that we printed were displayed in New York and California at a film festival!”

Have there been any disappointments over the last year? “I’ve got a problem with certain schoolkids shoplifting. It’s human nature I suppose, but it’s a shame. When we started I didn’t want shutters etc – we wanted to have an awareness of openness, I believe in the street brightening up.Look at the street now. In February when the Co-op closed, everyone’s takings fell, but look at it now. People have new colourful shop fronts, new businesses are moving in. It’s encouraging and I’m very positive about the year ahead. It would be great if there could be some co-ordination to market our very unique Amble to the outside world!”
Anna Williams