If I won the lottery I'd....

If I won the lottery I'd buy 19 bags of crisps. But if I won more than a tenner and more like a few million I would certainly invest a good chunk of it in reviving Tonbridge High Street. I'd back businesses who had a passion for setting up another traditional bookshop, a family bakers, a green grocers, a farm shop, an independent boutique or whatever the idea may be. I'd help them set up, part finace them, pay a large percentage of their business rates for the first few years and offer advice as and when they required it. I'd do this because I understand how hard it can be when up against big store groups and internet traders. I'd do all this if I could because I think it's vital that the High Street stays fresh and is full of thriving independent shops. The thing is I'd love to do all these things and can't and the local government is in a position to do some or all of these things but chooses not to. The council should tell us what their strategy is to revive Tonbridge High Street with real measures which will make a difference in the short and medium term and tell us soon?  

Sorry to bang on about Parking Wardens/Parking Attendants but....

Actually I think that they go by the name of Civil Enforcement Officers these days which sounds like something futuristic in a Clint Eastwood directed film about town councils having taken over the whole district and being able to do whatever they like so long as they pay their hench men enough danger money. All of which is laughable as I doubt that they're empowered do much more these days, and certainly not to make arrests, so it might be that the only difference between what they used to do, ie. issue parking tickets, and what they do now is that they can impose an on the spot fine or, more likely, call for back up when a dog owner fails to pick up their dog's crap from the grass near the swings at The Slade. So what's brought this sudden onslaught on then? I hear some of you thinking. Why's he banging on about Parking Wardens again then? Well I'll tell you why. It's because only last Friday I was attending the Angel Centre Flea Market, as I quite often do, combining it with a trip to the Post Office. As I'm sure you all know you can buy a half hour parking ticket for just 50p which is just about enough time to do both PO and Flea and open up Mr. Books by 10am. I went to the PO and then to the Flea where I had a quick look around and then got talking to one of the stall holders about this and that. Aware that my half an hour was running out I had to cut the conversation short and got back to my car with about 4 minutes to spare. Of course by this time there was not one but two of said Civil Enforcement Officers hovering, that's the only word for it, hovering menacingly over my car like hyenas around a recently killed carcass. I actually felt slightly threatened and more than a bit sickened by this and, at the time, was just glad that they'd missed their prey. The disappointment was etched all over their faces as they edged away on seeing that the owner had had the cheek to return on time. We could simply laugh these things off or say that they're only doing their job. Well I, for one, no longer find this funny, they've over stepped the mark. I cannot believe that this approach is doing Tonbridge shoppers, residents and indeed traders any good whatsoever. Time to get rid of these Goons and bring in traffic wardens/attendents, actually I don't care what they're called, just so long as they want to keep the main roads from being blocked but aren't interested in the easy pickings in the public car parks which, no doubt, keep their quotas up but, at the same time, help drive shoppers away from Tonbridge....

Anthony Horowitz'sVisit to Mr. Books....

WOW! That's the first word that springs to mind. Anthony Horowitz arrived at Mr. Books pretty much dead on the arranged time of 3pm. Even then there was quite a long queue forming up the High Street towards the Bank Street corner. (Almost to the old Mr. Books shop in fact.) After a quick cutting of the ribbon ceremony and a few pics for the local newspaper Anthony sat down just inside the back room of the bookshop. I'd arranged it so that everyone would have a brief one-on-one moment with the famous author, they deserved that after, in some cases, a two hour wait. Just about everyone posed for photos alongside him and many people brought their old favourites with them, as well as the books and graphic novels they bought on the day, to be signed. There were as many people in my shop yesterday than there would be in about two normal weeks. It was probably a shot in the arm for Tonbridge and certainly it was for Mr. Books Bookshop. Of that there can be no doubt. Of the nine or ten large boxes I ordered from my book wholesaler for the event only one small box, and that only half full, is being sent back as returns. In short it was amazingly successful. I think it demonstrates very much that real, tangible books with covers printed on real paper are far from dead. There wasn't a Kindle in sight. After all what would have been the point in Mr. Horowitz signing the Kindle down load edition!  The reason I wanted Anthony Horowitz in particular to do my 'Grand Opening' was because yes he is popular; but also he's an inspirational writer particularly to young people (and especially boys) between the ages of around 7 to 14 years. Precisely the age that they should be discovering books, reading new stories, working out complex plots and expanding their minds. Yesterday's event just goes to show how a great writer can still capture he imaginations of literally millions of readers. Long live the real book....

Anthony Horowitz is Coming to Tonbridge next Wednesday

Anthony Horowitz will be coming to Mr. Books Bookshop for the (okay somewhat belated) Grand Opening next Wednesday February 20th from 3-30pm to around 4-30pm. After a very short cutting of the ribbon type ceremony Anthony will then be signing his latest book, Oblivion, which is the final thrilling episode of his Power of Five series. On sale at the shop there'll also be a selection of his other popular books and graphic novels aimed at both children and adults. Recently I read his Sherlock Holmes book, The House of Silk, and was mightily impressed. The whole idea of Anthony coming to Tonbridge was sparked off when my family bumped into the man himself in a bookshop in Hay on Wye just before his talk at the town's annual literary festival. On and off, I've been badgering his marketing people ever since and that chance meeting was about four years ago. Social networking also played quite a big part as my recent cheeky comment on twitter asking AH to come and do my Grand Opening seems to have been what finally swung it. It seems that persistence and patience really can pay of sometimes! It's all happening next Wednesday at Mr. Books, 142 High Street. I can't wait.... Find out more about the event on Mr. Books website and about his fabulous books on Anthony Horowitz's 

Collectibles? Are we Yanks?...

I know this is really nit picky but I can't let it go. The new show case in the Post Office to help sell their many collectable coin and stamp first day covers looks lovely and I'm sure will catch the eye of many a collector. But you see the thing is it reads: "Collectibles" That is to say the American way of spelling it. Should it not read: "Collectables" since we are in England. Doesn't matter you say? The English language is evolving anyway, you cry. Poppycock, some of you may say, we should protect the English language from a slow demise into creeping Americanisms and hip hop, gangster slang, alrite. If only Inspector Morse were alive he'd put them straight! I'm not the only one to have commented on their linguistic error according to the lady who served me today and The Post Office has got some explaining to do....

Driving me potty....

If I ask very nicely can someone at the council or Highways or Sainsbury's or Beales or who ever the hell's responsibilty it is please fill in the two huge pot holes which are right in the front entrance to the Sainsbury's carpark. (Actually, come to think of it, which is the front and the back of Sainsbury's these days?) Anyway I mean the entrance with the mini roundabout opposite the store's petrol station. Three times now one of these pot holes has nearly taken my front axles off and I can't be the only one. If you don't respond to this kind request someone will sue very soon. Privided that they can work out who they should sue of course. They've been there a few weeks now and really there is no excuse for not getting them repaired quicker than this....

New Independent Butchers in Tonbridge....

It's absolutely marvellous that a traditional butchers has decided to open on Tonbridge High Street. They've been very industrious in telling people up and down the High Street that they are now open. Not just shoving a leaflet through the door but actually coming into my shop to talk about it. Actually I had noticed them already and had wondered what the shop was going to be just before they opened; thought it might be a poncey deli actually but rather pleased it isn't. They are situated right next to McDonald's but I'm hoping that their burgers are alot tastier and more generous than Maccie D's! I really really really will try to support them but I did say that about the greengrocers and look where that got them. Being married to a pescavegetarian (that's a new word I've just made up which means someone who eats fish and vegetables but definitely no meat from furry animals) I don't have a weekly meat shop but I am rather partial to nice meaty burgers, home made sausage rolls, and fine pork pies. I've already had me lunch and yet my mouth is watering at the mere thought of all this lovely food.  I've been saying for sometime that it's incredible that an old market town like Tonbridge can have a High Street with no butchers but I'm pleased to say that Ian Chatfield's have now put that right and good on em....