Jan 11
Little Kingshill
The heavy overnight rain failed to wake me but everyone wandering round the house preparing to go to work succeeded.
After breakfast, I did some work and then ventured down Watchet Lane, which is narrow and pretty but too narrow to permit stopping for photographic purposes. At the lowest point on the road was a major flood. As I was approaching, wondering what to do next, I was able to stop to give way to three cars coming in the opposite direction. This gave me the opportunity to observe how far up their wheels the water lapped so that I could drive through the water with reasonable confidence. Yet again, unfortunately, photography wasn't possible.
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My first target was Beaconsfield Market. This was a bit of a disappointment. There was only one fruit stall, a bakers and a cheese and olive stall. The rest were selling clothes, trinkets and assorted bric a brac. Ten years ago, I could have done my week's shopping here. That would no longer be possible. The grasping supermarkets, allied to the apathy of the local population, appear to have won again.
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Bourne End looked the same as ever. The new café that was about to open when I was here in May had opened but had also closed. There were several letters from the bailiffs and the receivers taped to the front door. The Costa Coffee, which had opened in May but which I had not visited, was busy. The staff were welcoming and there was a general buzz about the place. I had a large black coffee, which turned out to be very large. Four shots and lots of water. Next time I will have to have the same number of shots and much less water. That should give me just about the equivalent of a long black. I also had a rather nice chocolate thingy. This is a reason for returning. |
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... Tesco or both? |
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The big debate in Bourne End is the application by Tesco to build a small supermarket on the site of the old police station. Given that Sainsbury's have already been given permission to build on the corner of my road, this seems like major overkill, particularly as the Co op already has two stores in the village. I'm sure the Council will look at whoever offers them most money into the rating pot and will not consider the interests of the local community. The greengrocer's looked much like it always has, the fish & chip shop has added an eat in section and the Thai restaurant, unfortunately, is in the throes of being converted into an Indian one. |
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My sandwich bar was as good as ever so I bought my lunch and drove into Marlow.
This is a real mix of the old and the new, with the old brewery having been converted into new houses. Some of the old buildings which line the main street are very fine and it is an aesthetically pleasing sort of place.
I spent some time in the bank, managed to sort out some financial issues and wandered back into the park. This is a pretty area and now sports a smart looking café attached to the public toilets.
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On the way home, I stopped to visit friends who run the computer shop, which has now decamped from the centre of Marlow into an unit in a farmyard in Little Marlow. Most encouraging of all was the farm shop on the main road, which has now spawned a butcher and fishmonger to go along with the fruit and veg shop. All of the essential food stuffs from proper shops in one place, enabling the locals to avoid the supermarket dominance.
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Back at Little Kingshill I did some more computer work and spent the evening in having another good dinner.