You might have to put up with a bit of craic from the delivery man, but the Baynes Calor gas service here in the Allen Valleys is second to none in terms of efficiency, alacrity, dedication and cheerfulness. Come to…
Surveillance society
Today my little job is to create an instruction manual for a Closed Circuit Television system so that it can be interrogated handily by anyone who is responsible for the covered area. I know of at least four CCTV systems…
Same as it ever was
Dee Smith, local manager at The Golden Lion since the 1st of October of last year, is beaming at me, as I stammer my way through some obligatory questions about the transition which seems to have occurred, unexpectedly, as if…
Walking the circuit . . .
Yesterday I alluded to ‘the circuit’ and wondered if anyone might comment on that somewhat obscure reference. Maybe it’s one of those things that everybody knows about, which often feel like the most fun sort of things to comment on…
The traditional tea rooms
I’m sitting comfortably, chatting with proprietor Jane Stollery, sipping a delicious cappucino prepared so nicely by Emma Harrison, and feeling very cosy and expansive, after walking the long way around the circuit from Station Garage, as I survey the delightfully,…
A Valentine for local logistics
This is a kind of lateral-minded Valentine, but it still comes straight from the heart. Today I’m writing about the small, informal, unobtrusive, almost secret and yet perfectly open, logistics network that works throughout these valleys. It’s not the same…
‘My life as a farmer’
I was so hoping to be there, at last night’s crowded event in the Sinderhope Community Centre where Robert Philipson chatted about his life as a farmer in this valley, for the Allen Valleys Wildlife Group’s regular meeting. Unfortunately for…
Getting older with the Lions
Of course it was meant to be the first Monday, but every February the final rehearsals for the Pantomime take precedence for several members, shifting the monthly Lions Club business meeting on a week. So the 167th meeting of the…
Station Garage keeps us moving
If it weren’t for the perspicacity and patience of Howard Pringle and Thomas Robinson at Station Garage, early last autumn, we’d never have got away on our extended holiday in our ancient motorhome. First there was the matter of the…
I’m fixing a hole . . .
. . . where the rain gets in. The friendly gent organising the removal of the scaffolding around Trinity Methodist Church was happy to tell me what the job had been about. Apparently the very long lintel, which extends from…