Latest news with #BobStevenson
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular farmers market opens for summer season
CANANDAIGUA, NY — The reaction from customers and vendors to the most recent Winter Canandaigua Farmers Market season — one that saw a move from its traditional winter home to the Mill Street market pavilion — was universally positive, according to Bob Stevenson, who manages the market. The pavilion, of course, is where the market operates throughout the summer and fall season, which opens June 7. 'People have gone out of their way to say thanks for the move,' Stevenson said. The market will add three new vendors this year, but customers can expect many of the same faces and vibe as previous markets offered. Yes, there will be a music series this year. And yes, there will be family-friendly special events throughout the season. 'Over the last few years, the market has become much more than a place to purchase healthy, fresh local products,' Stevenson said. 'It has become a community that is an integral part of downtown Canandaigua.' Here's more of what you should know. The market is located in downtown Canandaigua on the east side of South Main Street in the parking lot between Lafayette Avenue and Mill Street. Signs are posted to direct visitors to the market, 167 Mill St. When you've found the pavilion, you've found the market. Opening day is 9 a.m. to noon June 7. The market operates Saturdays through Oct. 30. The market boasts 35 vendors who represent a wide variety of locally grown and locally produced fruit, vegetables, meats, meals, honey, maple syrup, mushrooms and other food-related products. Vendors and customers are very loyal and over the years have gotten to know each other. A varied mix of familiar faces include Seasons of NY, which Stevenson's wife Anne runs and offers soups, entrees and pastries; Seneca Vegetables, an original market vendor; Riedman Happy Hives, with honey and honeycombs; Ms. Linzy's Mac-N-Cheese; Howell Farm, for garlic, peppers and tomatoes; and many others. Two award-winning breweries in the Finger Lakes region, Brewery Ardennes of Geneva and Keuka Brewing Co. of Hammonsport, also will be there. See the complete vendor list at 'We are a true farmers market. That is, our vendors grow or produce what they sell,' Stevenson said. 'They don't buy and sell products from other producers." Black Sheep Distillery, from Prattsburgh, Steuben County, produces a small, yet diverse selection of handcrafted spirits that represent the terroir of the Finger Lakes and New York state. Spirit and Abundance, from Rochester, crafts plant-based, artisanal cheese that is free of dairy, gluten and soy. Amazing Grains Bread Co., from Fairport, uses fresh ingredients and traditional methods to produce artisanal breads. For more information about the Canandaigua Farmers Market, which has been selected as "Best in the Finger Lakes" three years running, visit or Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Canandaigua Farmers Market opens for summer 2025 season
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former postmaster offers advice after compensation
A former sub-postmaster, whose life was "destroyed" in the Horizon computer scandal, has been offered just over half a million pounds in compensation thanks to "proper legal advice" Bob Stevenson, 81, from Gateshead, was initially offered compensation of £51,000 after losing his family home and business more than 20 years ago. He now stands to receive a settlement of more than £500,000. Mr Stevenson said all he ever wanted "was to make sure that my family was OK" and urged others affected by the scandal to seek professional help. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again, if you're still involved in it, you've got to go and get proper legal advice." Lawyers are seeking compensation for hundreds of former sub-postmasters who were caught up in the scandal, maintaining some cases have been "grossly undervalued" by the Post Office. "The benefit of doubt should be given to people that put forward credible accounts of what they've lost, rather than a forensic examination," said Mr Stevenson's lawyer, Neil Hudgell. He said almost all the cases his firm had seen had been "worryingly undervalued", with examples of compensation offers being increased from £4,400 to £133,700, or £17,700 to £253,900, after legal representations. It comes as the government is set to open a new appeals process – managed by the Department for Business and Trade - for people compensated through its Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), with many sub-postmasters having concluded their cases and accepted settlements with no legal advice. More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing because of incorrect information from the Horizon computer system. Many sub-postmasters went to prison for false accounting and theft, and many were financially ruined. It has been called the UK's most widespread miscarriage of justice. Mr Stevenson had just refurbished his shop, where both his wife, Carol, and his son worked. Profits were high. But the installation of the Horizon accounting system in 1999 changed everything. "We pressed the button - £800 down, the very first week it was installed - and that was happening two or three times a month. "I used to go home after work and go in the kitchen and cry looking at the bills," he remembers. "And it's in your contract: you repay the money. So you just kept repaying the money. "It was really hard. I just knew if we couldn't pay the bills - and just didn't - what was going to happen. "We lost everything." In 2002, when Mr Stevenson could no longer plug the financial holes left by the faulty IT system, he was suspended and made bankrupt. "We were in Sunderland Court for the bankruptcies - and then they just basically tell you you've got to get out," he said, describing losing his home. "Horrendous is the only word to describe it. You just feel as though you're a failure." "The retirement plan was to see the world. That was the plan. "Horizon destroyed our lives." After details of the scandal, which found the Horizon system had been incorrectly reporting losses in Post Office branches, were made public, Mr Stevenson and his family were offered compensation of £51,000. After seeking legal advice, they rejected the offer. They have since been offered more than half a million pounds. At 81, having acquired a new home, and with the final settlement impending, Mr Stevenson and his family have a chance to pick up where they left off 23 years ago. "Obviously my son will get it," he says, of the financial settlement. "That's why you feel such a failure - because you haven't done what I thought was my job, you know, to make sure that my family was OK. That's all I wanted." Why were hundreds of Post Office workers wrongly prosecuted? How do the Post Office compensation schemes work? How Post Office drama shone light on scandal
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Gateshead former sub-postmaster urges others to seek legal advice
A former sub-postmaster, whose life was "destroyed" in the Horizon computer scandal, has been offered just over half a million pounds in compensation thanks to "proper legal advice"Bob Stevenson, 81, from Gateshead, was initially offered compensation of £51,000 after losing his family home and business more than 20 years ago. He now stands to receive a settlement of more than £500, Stevenson said all he ever wanted "was to make sure that my family was OK" and urged others affected by the scandal to seek professional help."I've said it before, and I'll say it again, if you're still involved in it, you've got to go and get proper legal advice." Lawyers are seeking compensation for hundreds of former sub-postmasters who were caught up in the scandal, maintaining some cases have been "grossly undervalued" by the Post Office. "The benefit of doubt should be given to people that put forward credible accounts of what they've lost, rather than a forensic examination," said Mr Stevenson's lawyer, Neil said almost all the cases his firm had seen had been "worryingly undervalued", with examples of compensation offers being increased from £4,400 to £133,700, or £17,700 to £253,900, after legal comes as the government is set to open a new appeals process – managed by the Department for Business and Trade - for people compensated through its Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), with many sub-postmasters having concluded their cases and accepted settlements with no legal advice. More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing because of incorrect information from the Horizon computer system. Many sub-postmasters went to prison for false accounting and theft, and many were financially has been called the UK's most widespread miscarriage of Stevenson had just refurbished his shop, where both his wife, Carol, and his son worked. Profits were the installation of the Horizon accounting system in 1999 changed everything. "We pressed the button - £800 down, the very first week it was installed - and that was happening two or three times a month. "I used to go home after work and go in the kitchen and cry looking at the bills," he remembers."And it's in your contract: you repay the money. So you just kept repaying the money. "It was really hard. I just knew if we couldn't pay the bills - and just didn't - what was going to happen. "We lost everything." Made bankrupt In 2002, when Mr Stevenson could no longer plug the financial holes left by the faulty IT system, he was suspended and made bankrupt."We were in Sunderland Court for the bankruptcies - and then they just basically tell you you've got to get out," he said, describing losing his home."Horrendous is the only word to describe it. You just feel as though you're a failure." "The retirement plan was to see the world. That was the plan. "Horizon destroyed our lives." After details of the scandal, which found the Horizon system had been incorrectly reporting losses in Post Office branches, were made public, Mr Stevenson and his family were offered compensation of £51, seeking legal advice, they rejected the offer. They have since been offered more than half a million pounds. At 81, having acquired a new home, and with the final settlement impending, Mr Stevenson and his family have a chance to pick up where they left off 23 years ago."Obviously my son will get it," he says, of the financial settlement."That's why you feel such a failure - because you haven't done what I thought was my job, you know, to make sure that my family was OK. That's all I wanted."
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Post Office scandal victim's compensation offer rises by almost 900pc
A Post Office scandal victim has seen his compensation offer rise by almost 900 per cent after he rejected a payout of £51,200. Bob Stevenson, 81, and his wife Carol, 72, have spent the past two decades living in a council house after he was suspended over a £10,000 shortfall which was recorded incorrectly in his branch accounts in 2002. The pensioner has now been awarded £502,000 – almost 10 times what he was offered in 2023 – when he attempted to apply for a payout without legal advice. On Tuesday, Neil Hudgell, his solicitor, told The Telegraph that his client would accept the offer as an 'interim payment' but he would be 'fighting for more' and that he believed Mr Stevenson was entitled to a further £100,000. More than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully prosecuted between 1999 and 2015, when Fujitsu's faulty Horizon software incorrectly recorded shortfalls on their branch accounts. A public inquiry into the scandal finished hearing evidence in December 2024, and a full report is expected to be published this year. In the meantime, victims of the scandal are still fighting for financial redress, with campaigners and lawyers arguing that some of the clients have died while waiting for payouts. 'We deserve something to look forward to' Mr Stevenson's suspension from his position at the East Fellgate branch led to the loss of his family home and eventual bankruptcy. Mr Stevenson said: 'We lost our business which we'd bought for more than £100,000, we'd lost our house, and my son lost everything as he'd given up a managerial position to come and run our shop, which we also lost.' He added: 'We've had to scrape by the best we could ever since, but this compensation has enabled us to go out and buy our own two-bedroomed bungalow, having spent the past two decades, since this all happened to us, in a council house. The money landed in my account at midday, and I'd spent most of it on a new home for us a couple of hours later. 'I'm 81 and my wife is 72, and we deserve something to look forward to and somewhere to enjoy the rest of our days. We're now moving back just around the corner from the house we had, and had to sell, when we lost the Post Office.' 'He will be fighting for more' As of April 30, approximately £964 million has been paid to more than 6,800 claimants across four compensation schemes. Last month, the Government launched a new independent appeals process for those claiming through the Horizon shortfall scheme (HSS). However, the HSS scheme and others have continued to attract criticism from unhappy victims and lawyers. Earlier this month, The Telegraph revealed that Post Office staff who pursued victims in the Horizon IT scandal were still working in departments handling the falsely accused sub-postmasters' compensation claims. Sir Alan Bates, the former sub-postmaster who played a leading role in the campaign for justice for the Horizon victims, described the staff's involvement as ' without a doubt a conflict of interest '. It is understood Mr Stevenson's offer was increased following the inclusion of additional information in his application. Speaking to The Telegraph about his client's claim, Mr Hudgell, of Hudgell Solicitors, said: 'It's a fairly common problem. What we see is that people who have settled directly have been undercompensated and I don't believe Mr Stevenson is an exception to the rule. 'I actually believe his experience is likely to be replicated across many other people.' Mr Hudgell added: 'He will accept it as an interim payment, but he will be fighting for more because it's just not enough. 'I would not be surprised if there was another additional six-figure sum – at least another £100,000 in my view.' A Post Office spokesman said: 'We, like everyone else, want to see full and fair redress paid to victims of the Horizon IT Scandal, and are doing everything we can to ensure this happens as quickly as possible. 'Post Office recommends that applicants take independent legal advice before accepting their offers in the Horizon shortfall scheme, and we will pay for this advice. 'We welcome Mr Stevenson's increased redress offer and would like to encourage those eligible to come forward to apply for redress if they have not already done so.' The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will formally take over responsibility for redress for postmasters with overturned convictions on June 3 2025. A DBT spokesperson said: 'We recognise the suffering that Bob and other victims of the Horizon scandal have endured and we welcome his increased redress offer. 'We recently launched an appeal mechanism in the Horizon shortfall scheme for postmasters who are unhappy with their offer, which will include providing free independent legal advice to help them challenge their offer and reach a final outcome.'
