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A la Colthard/The Permit Room

The Permit Room on Brighton’s Lanes is part of the successful Ishoom chain with a funky makeover. I went there yesterday, treating my ex-doctor whom I have always liked and dispensed good optimistic advice. In particular, he holds to my own view that – as we approach old age – zest [...]

March 13, 2024 // 0 Comments

Football finale

It’s the most exciting Premier finish in years but are the public really engaged? High ticket prices, VAR – and the rarity of a key match on the traditional kick off time of 3 pm –  have all estranged the public. In the week I saw my optometrist, a visit with his son and friend to [...]

March 11, 2024 // 0 Comments

Thoughts on the India/England Test series

The critics of Bazball – whatever that might be -are out in force as England lost the series 4-1. In my opinion they could have lost 1-4 with a more cautious approach. I go back to the 2017 tour which ended in similar defeat – which I attended – when two Surrey spinners were [...]

March 10, 2024 // 0 Comments

Six Nations review: England 23 Ireland 22

Well, that was a pleasant surprise! A full-bloodied, dynamic performance by the England matchday squad as they went toe-to-toe with Ireland at RFU Twickenham yesterday on this year’s penultimate Six Nations weekend. These days rugby union is a something of a game in crisis as it struggles to come [...]

March 10, 2024 // 0 Comments

The rise of M & S

After many years in the doldrums M & S are now doing really well and their rise in status and appeal is based on their food hall. Traditionally M & S had valuable freehold sites and a reputation for quality goods. They paid suppliers within 7 days which ensured excellent supply lines. They [...]

March 9, 2024 // 0 Comments

AS Roma 4 Brighton 0/Europa League Round of 16

Brighton’s courageous Europa campaign has surely ended last night in the hostile atmosphere of the Olimpico. Some will attribute the 4-0 defeat to poor recent form and crass defending but, whilst this is true, the reality is more that the squad was not strong enough to sustain the combined [...]

March 8, 2024 // 0 Comments

More Daphne du Maurier/Radio 4 drama

The second Daphne du Maurier dramatisation by Paula O’Shea on Radio 4 (broadcast yesterday) was not an adaptation of one of her stories but rather a chance meeting late in Daphne’s life on one of her coastal Cornwall walks between her – played excellently by Helena Bonham Carter – [...]

March 7, 2024 // 0 Comments

The welcome rise of Ipswich Town

The cliche ‘back where they belong’ is too often bandied about, but no club has a divine right to the top table. However, I am so pleased that Ipswich – promoted from Division One – are now challenging for automatic promotion to the Premiership. They have had a torrid time in [...]

March 6, 2024 // 0 Comments

All The Light We Cannot See/Anthony Doerr

For those who do not enjoy reading, or may be intimidated by a 500 page book, you can start – as I did – with the Netflix film starring Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie. I was sufficiently engaged – and thought the film may not have done justice to the novel – to read the book. [...]

March 5, 2024 // 0 Comments

Don’t Look Now/Radio 3

Many a well-known film or play has started life as a radio play – Bill Naughton’s Alfie being an example. Don’t Look Now, the 1973 film directed by Nicholas Roeg starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie, is so well-known that many may not be aware that its source was a short [...]

March 4, 2024 // 0 Comments

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