Life in a sleepy corner of Tonbridge Old Town....

Work, work, work and more work this week and, unlike most of you, I'm still at it. Yes I'm in my bookshop in a sleepy little corner of Tonbridge Old Town beavering away serving customers, pricing up books and, hopefully, flogging a few. I did manage to finish Lady Chatterley's Lover in between all this work and it's probably among the top ten books I've ever read. Quite apart from the fact that, in reading it, you are reading a part of publishing history with the court case in mind and all the controversy over the book, it is a literary masterpiece. If you want to read about a type of love (mostly physical) defined then you'll be hooked and, even if you don't, the book is a piece of poetry in prose. In a nutshell I liked it, it was a hit and I'm amazed it's taken me all these years to get around to reading it. I've hit a quiet spell in the shop and it's only 11am; has everyone gone away for the weekend? Everyone come back, especially if you got paid yesterday; Tonbridge needs your money more than any other town! Keep the comments coming in; I'm in for an exciting weekend so more on that next time; tell everyone what you're up to....

PS. I like the idea of the castle area of Tonbridge being called Tonbridge Old Town, might be a good marketing ploy if you are listening at the council.... thought not you are all probably off to your holiday homes on the coast by now....

A woodland walk, lovely food and a cooling swim....

Flippin' boiling hot weekend wasn't it! Shouldn't complain really but that's what us Brits do best after all. But come on though it was a bit too sudden and a bit too, well, hot. I always think that if it keeps you up at night then it's just too warm. It was my birthday on Sunday so I got to decided that we were all going out as a family. Only thing was, what do you do on a scorcher of a day like that? Didn't want to go that far so opted for one of the 14 walks from the Tonbridge Civic Society's aptly titled "14 Walks." We plumped for a shortish one, because of the heat and so the kids didn't get too fed up, Going from Bidborough village to Southborough and back a slightly different way. The walk is supposed to start from Southborough but, hey, I'm just a rebel like that and decided it would work just as well, being a circular walk, from any point you liked. The 14 walks all have pretty clear instructions and a handy map on the back of each sheet; and you even get a useful plastic sleeve in case it's raining (not bad for £2.50; incidentally available in Mr. Books!) I didn't care what I looked like as I tramped off wearing my long shorts and carrying my walkers staff which I'd had made at the Penshurst craft fair a few weeks back. Off we trundled up the footpath rising steeply at the back of Bidborough Common, which I think is part of the Wealdway; when you look back from there you get some wonderful views, like a picture postcard shot, of Bidborough Church High up on the next hill. I won't go through the whole walk but it's certainly worth doing if you like the shade of woodland on a hot day, we took some pictures of a twisted, half-subsided tree route, which was like something out of an Arthur Rackham illustrated fairy story. It's amazing how out in the wild you can feel and yet be so close the the main roads and the towns. The rest of the weekend was a lovely meal cooked by my wife, using some of the fresh veg i'd bought from the Shipbourne farmers market a couple of days before, rather a few too many glasses of wine (well it was me birthday!) and then, on Monday, finding that I had a free day, doing gardening, washing the car and other jobs around the house. As a treat in the afternoon I went along to cooooool off in Tonbridge Swimming Pool. What a great facility that is to have a open air pool on a day like yesterday; actually, believe it of not, the water temperature was noticeably cooler in the inside fitness pool than in the outdoor one. My God it could have been an August day in the summer holidays instead of a normal work day in May; the place was pretty packed, and who can blame them. Mind you the inside pool was more or less empty so I did most of my swimming in there and sat and read under the shade of a parasol outside the rest of the time. Ah the simple pleasures in life, who needs computers when you've got fresh air and a good book?!..

Feeling hot hot hot....

It's official. The hottest day of the year at 500 degrees C. Shake out those shorts, get those linen short sleeve shirts from the back of your wardrope, dust off your sandals, turn the air con to maximum, wipe down the sun lounges, get down to Homebase for your barbeque charcoal, Sainsbury's to stock up on cans of coke and ice cream, buy a season ticket for Tonbridge outdoor swimming pool, stock up on paperbacks cos Summer here we come!!!!

Something to read Y'Ladyship?...

I'm reading Lady Chatterley's Lover at the moment. It's amazing that I've never read it before now but then you can't read everything can you. I've seen the film of course but that's not the same thing as seeing the actual beautifully structured words of DH Lawrence. It's all the better for not being a bog standard Penguin paperback; in fact I feel quite decadent reading the copy I have which is the 1929, privately published, edition. If you don't know it was printed in Florence first and then Paris; not because it was cheaper to have books printed in Italy or France but because it was banned from being published in Britain. Amazing when you consider what a literary legend it has become. In fact the book wasn't published in Britain in it's unexpurgated form until as late as 1960 after the famous court case to decide its fate. The copy I have has plain brown cloth-covered card covers with no title lettering on them. Nothing to reveal its identity so that a gentleman, or a lady, could sit on a train or a bus without giving the game away that they were reading pure, unadulterated filth! Almost as seedy as drinking cheap wine concealed in a brown paper bag! I haven't got to the real juicy bits yet but, when I do I'm sure that I will only be mildly shocked by the goings on between 'er Ladyship, Connie, and Mellors the gamekeeper which are of course tame in comparison to what we can now watch every night on TV. What I can say already though is that it's quite clear that the book is as much about observations of the changing relationships between the upper and lower classes as it is about, and I quote, "this sex thing..." So if you walk in to my bookshop and see me deeply engrossed in an innocuous looking little book you'll know that I'm reading one of England's literary masterpieces and, if I don't give you my immediate attention, you'll know which bit of the book I've reached!...

Retro 66 Barbers turns Blue....

I see that Retro 66 Barbers at the North end of the High Street in Tonbridge is no more. I hasten to add that it hasn't actually closed but merely changed its name to Retro Blue. They have had a paint job inside and a new shop sign erected with Union Jacks replacing the Modish targets. It all looks very nice and fresh but what was the point of all that then? I'll leave you all to ponder on that one as I don't want to start wicked whispers....

Quiet before the storm?...

Not alot going on this week in Tonbridge. Someone mentioned a fire but I must have missed that one; so do tell more if there's anything to say on that subject who ever it was. Other than that a very quiet week. Maybe the quiet before the storm! I get the impression that there's uncertainty in the air as people wait to see what kind of effect the new Government will have on the country and, more importantly, them individually. People are slightly worried about their jobs and what the intended cuts in spending and services will mean. Seems to me that there's more talk than action at the moment as all the new ministers start to blame the outgoing government for all the world's woes. It is unsettling but what can you do? Probably my best advice is to get on with life till we know more and, of course, you could always lose yourself in a good book till it's all settled down!...

Go and see Men of the World....

I went to see an absolutely brilliant play last night at the Trinity Art Theatre in Tunbridge Wells (yes even I stray over the border sometimes!) It was The Hull Truck Theatre Company's "Men of the World" written by John Godber, about drivers from a fictitious, and very northern, coach company. It was full of typical Godber observations of the lives of northern working class folk as they endure a long coach trip to the Rhine with old folk from Yorkshire on, as one of them put it, "the crinckly run" seen through the eyes of the drivers. There are only three actors in it and very few props (mostly suit cases, hats and scarves) but they play about forty people by the use of clever switches of head gear and instantly changed facial contortions! Maybe it's because I'm a northern lad me self that I thought it was superb and laughed out embarassingly loud on several occasions throughout the two hour production. If you have ever seen Godber's most famous play, "Bouncers," you'll enjoy the gritty atmosphere, the one liners and the darkness and the sadness of it all; but also the happiness, the sense of cameraderie and the uplifting spirit underlying the play. Yes it was sort of "Bouncers" but with coach drivers doing the observing but, nevertheless, it stood out on it's own and was still fabulous. For me one of the best lines of the night is when a clapped out older character, during a spat with one of the younger drivers, says in a defiant tone: "Wallis Arnold came and told me they wanted me to work for them!" In other words his version of "I could have been a contender!" Ok not funny at all out of context so you'll have to go and see the play yourselves; and you can because it's on for the next two nights as well....

More on Farmers Markets....

The reason Tonbridge Blog didn't mention the fact that Tonbridge hasn't got a farmers market anymore is because I have mentioned it many times in previous posts and, to be honest, I got a little bored of hearing myself say it. The commenter who mentions it is right though; it is a crying shame that someone on the council can't help instigate one. In my view it would have to be weekly because there lies the success of Shipbourne's wonderful little market. Quite apart from the fact that it is in a lovely rural setting, which probably helps, if the market is weekly it loses the novelty-shop status and becomes part of your weekly routine. Fruit and veg, meat, bread and cakes for the weekend, every weekend. What could be better? It's about time that someone from Tonbridge and Malling Council went along to Shipbourne to see what's possible. As a footnote to this I also understand that Rev. Mark Brown, the Vicar of Tonbridge parish church, is keen on the idea of something similar around his church. Now that would be a nice setting....

Farmers markets....

Called in at the Shipbourne Farmers Market early on this morning. Every time I go there I'm reminded of how wonderful it is. Stalls across the church pews and spilling out into the path ways leading to the door. In season, and bought by me this morning, are sprouting brocolli, spring onions, raddishes, spring greens and lovely fresh asparagus. What could be better! Then there was the mushroom magic man with his punnets of mixed fungi for my risotto this weekend, the cheese from local Penshurst farmer, the fresh baked bread from Rusbridger's of Southborough. I didn't buy any meat or fish this time because it would have had to have sat all day in my car but I could have had some beautiful steak and ale pie and freshly made sausage rolls. I could see them there beckoning me to take them home. You go to Sainsbury's if you want to, I'll stick with traditional local produce. I love that kind of shopping....

Twittering...

Just about to have a cuppa. Tired and bored. When will something happen.... er sorry I thought I was on twitter!

Two Baby faces in charge of our nation. Gulp!...

During the run up to the election I did come out and say that I agreed, for the most part, with Nick. So how do I feel then seeing him actually take the office of Deputy Prime Minister in a historic alliance of the Tories and Libs? Well pleased from one point of view; it is, after all the first time the Liberals have held any kind of cabinet post since the last coalition government which was during the last world war. But I am mightily pissed off that Cameron has been given the keys to Number 10. Not because he's a Conservative (which is bad enough) not because he's a toff, an old Etonian, a backward step to the 1950s and before perhaps, not even because of his smugness and emphasis on the sort of dark ages back to basics view of the country. No none of those things; and not even because he's so arrogant that he could end up harming our special relationship with the USA or bringing about a nuclear threat by standing up to countries like China, the emerging world super power. So what is it about him that's really made me wake up feeling low low low this morning then? I'll tell you and it might anoy many of the rest of you: he's the first Prime Minister in my life time who's younger than me. Now that really hurts! Time will tell whether the baby faced upper class prick (no offence Dave) is up to the job or not. With Clegg's help he might just pull it off. These are very interesting and uncharted waters. Hang about. Nick Clegg is even younger than Cameron? Now I'm really in a bad mood!...

Bargains and great cakes in Tonbridge....

On a totally different and, more importantly, totally unpolitical note, I went to both the Angel centre Flea market and the old lady, er I mean Country Market in the scout hut this morning. I have been a bit naughty this year and haven't been able to make it along to them as often as I'd like but it was worth it. I had a chat with the delightful ladies on the cake stall who always charm me and make cheeky comments, flirt with me and flatter me. They'll do anything to sell their Victoria sponges! Actually I bought a chocolate cake, some flapjacks and some sausage rolls; all home made of course. And I picked up some lovely smelling fresh bread which is supplied by Rusbridge's family bakers of Southborough. Then I picked up some damson jam (because they didn't have any strawberry) and tried to buy some fresh, in season local asparagus but, alas, it had all been sold earlier! Instead I went along to the Bishops greengrocer and bought two bushels instead. That's tonight's meal sorted out then. If you get time it really is worth going along to both these traditional style markets because, as I've said before in this blog, if we don't support the local traders then they won't be local traders for much longer. The Flea market, in the Angel Centre every Friday, is a dream if you're into browsing old treasures and especially if you like to buy antique jewellery. Once I bought a 2,000 year old Roman coin there for £3 which I thought was a bit of a bargain!...

A personal message from Nick Clegg....

Dear Mark,
Last night was a disappointment for the Liberal Democrats. Even though more people voted for us than ever before, even though we had a higher proportion of the vote than ever before, it is of course a source of great regret to me that we have lost some really valued friends and colleagues and we have returned to Parliament with fewer MPs than before.
It's clear that many people were excited by the prospect of doing something different. But when it came to the vote, they decided to stay with what they knew. In a time of great economic uncertainty I can understand that.
But that's not going to stop me from redoubling my efforts and the Liberal Democrats efforts to show that real change is the best reassurance that things can get better for people and their families.
Now we are in a very fluid situation with no party holding an absolute majority. It's vital that all political parties and all political leaders act in the national interest and not for narrow political party advantage.
During the election campaign I said that whichever party gets most votes and the most seats, if not an absolutely majority, has the first right to seek to govern either on its own or by reaching out to other parties. And I stick to that view. It seems this morning that it is the Conservative Party that has more votes and more seats though not an absolute majority.
I think it is now for the Conservative Party to prove that it is capable of seeking to govern in the national interest. At the same time this election campaign has made it abundantly clear that our electoral system is broken, it simply doesn't reflect the hopes and aspirations of the British people.
So I repeat again my reassurance that whatever happens in the coming hours, days and weeks I will continue to argue not only for the greater fairness in British society not only the greater responsibility in economic policy making but also for the extensive real reforms we need to fix our broken political system.
Thank you for all your wonderful support and work through the campaign. It has been a privilege to lead such a magnificent team and we will carry on the campaign for a fairer Britain.
Best wishes,
Nick CleggLeader of the Liberal Democrats

Ah, wasn't that nice of him to find the time to write to me personally!...

Mor on election....

I'm not sure what this says about the people in Tonbridge and Malling constituency so draw your own conclusions. Hard working and dedicated local candidate for the Green Party, Steve Dawe, got 764 votes. Mike Easter wasn't that far behind with 505 votes. Who's Mike Easter? He was our National Front candidate who was openly calling for no immigration and forced repatriation; on his election leaflet he complained about how many of the current government ministers have an eastern European "look" about them. Was he trying to say Jewish? I'm still not sure because obviously he couldn't spell it out. Thank God and Winston Churchill that we will never find out quite how he would have executed his policies....

Liberal Landslide....

What the heck happened there then?! All that hype, all those hopes and expectations riding on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems. What do we get in Tonbridge and Malling? An increased majority of over 18,000 which is 35.4%. The Liberals did take over the number 2 slot from Labour, who have been in that position since 1997. See the result here on the Telegraph site. So will Liz Simpson have gone home to her bed happy in the early hours of this morning? I doubt it because, like me and many others, I rather suspect that she was hoping for a major upset in this True Blue consituency. But it just wasn't to be, in fact the vast majority of people up and down the country vote the same at every single election throughout their whole lives. Even sadder it's usually what their parents voted before them; that's just the way things are and that's why it is so difficult to cause a massive upset. Clegg did his best and, let's face it, we all thought that he'd started a huge bandwagon. It still might prove true as his party does now hold the balance of power and he's now in a position to push for electoral reform as a condition of who he supports in the important Commons debates to come. Interesting times then but it could have been so much more so....

I agree with Nick!...

Well at least I think I do. On the other hand is it a wasted vote in Tonbridge and Malling? Aren't the Tories going to get in anyway however I vote? Aren't Labour number two in this constituency? Do I even know what Proportional Representation is? Can I even spell it correctly?! Shouldn't I be getting on with selling books rather than writing this drivel? Oh dear, it's all so confusing. Actually I've already cast my vote and it was all a bit of an anticlimax as the act of voting always is (excepting maybe the first time you do it. (The exciting part comes in the early hours of tomorrow when the picture of the likely victors starts to develop.) And yet as I said in the last posting it is so vital. No you can't force people to vote; that, in itself, might seem like a good idea but it is totally undemocratic. No, all you can do is sell your party's ideals and policies and hope that this will persaude the electorate to go out and vote for you. I didn't vote specifically for Nick Clegg any more than I might have voted for Gordon Brown or David Camoron, I voted for Liz Simpson and, more improtantly, the Liberal Democrat principals of fairness and freedom. To be honest I would have liked to have met Ms Simpson as I didn't feel that she was all that vocal in the most closely fought election of the last fifty years. Then I don't suppose that they consider Tonbridge to be a key marginal seat. Should that matter though as it's unlikely she'll be standing again, assuming she doesn't get in that is? Tactical voting. Who cares? Vote for you principles I say! So I don't agree with all that Nick Clegg says or does but his party is the closest to my political and social convictions. I'm a centrist, I believe in balance, and if that means a coalition of all the best from the various parties working together then so be it. Even the picture above is right smack in the centre, just like me. There you go I've come out. I'm a Liberal and I never thought I'd admit it!...

Put a X in the box....

I can't remember much about what my old marketing director said when I worked in newspapers not so very long ago. In fact, for the most part, I thought he was a bit of a burk and, to be absolutely honest, I can't even remember his name, but one thing he said during a presentation struck a chord with me and stuck in my mind. He said that if we, as a newspaper could capture the zeitgeist then we'd be onto a winner. I'm not sure that we ever achieved it but, nevertheless, it was a great goal to aim for. Capturing the zeitgeist, or spirit of the age, is what politicians try to do at election time and, for me, Nick Clegg has managed to achieve this. Who the hell would have thought that there'd be young and old people in the streets chanting "I agree with Nick!" as the Lib Dem leader meanders through the crowds up and down the country. Ok the TV debates have had a big impact on this and some people don't think that Clegg should even have been allowed in them at all. But he was and he seized his opptunity to try and change the political map. TV has, afterall, effected much of the rest of our lives and now it's at last managed to engage a largely turned off population into politics again. I really hope that something dramatic does happen at this election, whether it's a hung parliament and the parties are forced to cooperate more closely with each other; or whether it's an outright Liberal victory the outcome will be concessions to the voting system towards proportional representation and a shake up of the old establishment. It won't destroy the established order (it's too strong for that) but it but it will prune it and allow for new growth. Now I'm back talking about the Tonbridge garden show! I'm not at all sure that my vote will make any difference in Tonbridge and Malling but I've pretty much made up my mind which way I'm voting. If enough young people, that's mainly 18-25 year olds can actually be bothered to go out and exercise their democartic right there could well be a major upset even in this Tory stronghold of a constituency. Who knows. But to not vote at all I just cannot understand that when, not so long ago, people in this country died for the right to vote, woman of all ages, especially, were denied the vote as little ago as 85 years. People around the world are still coerced to vote a certain way or else their votes are fiddled and deliberately miss-counted. So go and put a X in the box on Thursday; it's as easy as that but it adds up to so much....

Spring Tonbridge into life....

There was something missing last weekend in Tonbridge and I think I know what it was. The May Day Bank Holiday w/e seems to always have a buzz about it in the town. But why not this time then? Well, I'll admit, that book lovers were catered for with my own little effort the West Kent Book Fair (in case you missed the plugs;) post card collectors were in Seventh Heaven at the Post Card Fair at the Angel Centre. But, that only a tiny proportion of the overall population. I never thought I'd say this but there was still something missing: I think that something was The Tonbridge Garden and Home Show. People who have lived in our fair town had, in truth grown a little tired of it and had stopped going altogether; at it's height the event used to attract around 15,000 extra people into Tonbridge. If the previous organisers are honest they would admit that they had grown weary of laying on the event year after year. It needed the fresh impetus of the new show organisers; so it was a bit of a curious decision not to go ahead with the show this year recession or no recession; surely they don't want anyone to sneak in there and set up a rival event. I even thought about putting the word out and latching the event onto the book fair so it must have crossed the minds of other more seasoned organisers. That said it's their shout really so lets wish them luck for next year and bring some life back to the town centre next May....

A well earned Chinese takeaway....

Despite the Gods being against me the West Kent Book Fair went ahead on Sunday as planned. Mercifully most of the booksellers, some of whom had travelled two hours to get there, managed to set up before the Heavens opened up.... and stayed opened up all day until about 4 o'clock! I reckon that at least a hundred potential visitors decided not to bother because of the dreadful weather but, despite that, many of the serious buyers still turned out so most of the seasoned sellers went away reasonably happy. Personally I had a good day at the fair and in my shop, which I opened up on Sunday as well. I do know that it could have been alot lot worse; the Craft Fair at Penshurst, being largely and out door event may as well not have bothered opening at all on Sunday so I was told yesterday by some of the traders. (I think they made up for it on Monday though from what I saw.) How ever many people turn up to the book fair I always feel a little frustrated whether it's 30o, 500 or even a thousand I always want more and feel that there's alot there for the paltry entrance fee of 50p. But then I would say that wouldn't I! In all it was a great day and I went home happy, knackered and hungry. I certainly enjoyed my Chinese takeaway (from the Daily Rice, where else?!) that night and felt I'd earned it....

What's on in Tonbridge this weekend?...

Well quite a lot really. You've got the Book Fair at Tonbridge School (which I organise, so I had to mention that didn't I) the there's the scarecrow trail for the kids and, probably, one or two grown ups too! The Tonbridge Garden and Home Show, which is normally held this May Bank Hol w/e has been shelved till next year apparently, so don't go along to the park expecting to see that. Let's face it it does need livening up a bit doesn't it! If you fancy a bike ride or short drive to Penshurst there's the Weald of Kent Craft Fair on till Monday, expect to pay about a fiver though, which always seems a bit of a rip off to me when you're going in to spend money anyway. Then, a bit further afield, there's the new Kent Fair at the Hop Farm which, when I first saw the event advertised, I thought was the Kent Show and they'd gone and replaced the Detling venue but that's not true at all. Not sure what that's like but could be worth the short drive or cycle or even walk if you fancy it. Then there's the election. You could stay in and watch every development of the campaign trails or you could get out and do some canvassing and flag waving. Then there's shopping and all the usual things you might do on a weekend. Whatever you do this May Day w/e enjoy yourself and remember you won't get it ever again so in the words of someone clever: Sieze the day or, in this case, days!

Football Fever....

Never mind all this election fever what about footy fever. Just a thought but did you realise that the World Cup is next month!!!! Place you bets now on a England victory. When Capelo took over the helm I had a feeling so went to several bookies in Tonbridge to see what odds I'd get on an England torunament win. Even then the best was only ten to one. I doubt whether you'd still get that so there must be a heck of a lot of money riding on it. The bookies will no doubt be biting their nails a bit by now....

Election fever update....

I saw this morning that Sir John's mob were out in force on the big bridge with True Blue Balloons and blue leaflets with which to accost passers by innocently going about their shopping. Still at least they weren't Chelsea fans! Haven't seen any Labour or Libs, perhaps they go for a later start or have given up the chase! On a slightly darker note I had the National Front leaflet drop through my letter box yesterday. The photo of the candidate makes him look like a nice old gentleman but my God he must be bitter and twisted inside. Does he really think that he's fooling anyone with that right wing fascistic garbage? You'd think that someone the age of 75 would have seen enough of the world to know that these sort of policies are dangerous and deliberately provocative and, if they ever did anywhere, belong to a completely different age. The Dark Age. Still I guess that's the price of democracy that we allow people like him to stand and spout their racist spillage....