If asked what the most spoken language in the world is I would always say Mandarin Chinese. Apparently this is no longer the case as it's been overtaken by English.
As Michael Cain never said "not a lot of people know that." It was actually Peter Sellers who said it and all I can say is "not a lot of people know that."
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Sad but not surprised to hear that the Kings Head at Hethersett has closed yet again.
The announcement came on Tuesday via social media and continues the checkered history of the pub. It's particularly sad because it seemed to be picking up, but the demise of the Green Dragon at Wymondham threw the future of the King's in doubt as they were run by the same people.
Rumours about the shutting of the pub have been circulating in the village for a number of weeks but I had been assured it was staying open. I was on the verge of writing a story to that effect in the March edition of Hethersett Herald but decided against it as the situation seemed rather volatile.
Lucky I did as my e magazine was published the day before the pub shut and I would have looked rather silly reporting on a non closure a day before it actually closed.
It's difficult to comprehend that the building will once again be empty so soon after being decorated and having a new wood burner installed. It seemed to be really picking up with lots of events etc. But now we go on to the next chapter of a very troubled venue. I just hope it doesn't deteriorate as it did before when the building looked hyper shabby, weeds abounded in the front and grass grew high in the back garden.
Hethersett King's Head and the village deserves better. Thankfully the Queens Head continues to thrive and a massive thank you to Richard, Phillipa and all the staff for their hard work and can do attitude.
I caught a news item on television yesterday that suggested 2,000 pubs across the UK will close unless the Government gives them more help towards the ever spiralling cost of energy etc. This would be absolutely tragic. Pubs are the lifeblood of communities and they are one of the things that makes us what we are.
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I occasionally try to resurrect the past by going on various websites and this week I put out an appeal on a Lowestoft site for press cuttings from the Lowestoft Journal of 1972. When I was at college we were told to keep a cuttings book of our articles and news items. For some reason I never did although I do have folders of some of my regular columns about Norwich City FC and rock music written many years ago . I would love to re read some of the pieces I wrote for my first job on the Lowestoft Journal. I'm sure they would bring back some interesting and mainly happy memories.
As a result of my request on a Facebook page for Lowestoft Memories of the 1970s I was contacted by the daughter of my old sub editor Glynne Gwilliam (yes he was Welsh). It's so nice to come across people from the past, even if it's for the first time. I have a number of avenues to research of places that may have copies of old editions of the newspaper. A spring/summer visit to Lowestoft looks to be on the cards.
I did subscribe for a while to Local Recall, a site set up for cuttings from the Eastern Daily Press and the Norwich/Eastern Evening News but you couldn't view whole editions and I found it very confusing and some of the transcribing left much to be desired.
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And so to a fellow old fart who shall remain nameless because he begged me to name him on this blog.
Shan't so there. Anyway this old fart decided he was going to sing and play the Gordon Lightfoot Song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" when I was round his for a meeting. It came after I had mentioned the name Gordon Lightfoot. He actually did a very good job of it, but don't tell him I said that. Oh I forgot you can't because you don't know his name. Just a clue for those who live in the village. If you want to get ----- get a hat.
Lightfoot based a lot of his songs on tales from history and mostly from his native Canada. If you don't know him do look his music up. Writing about a man named Lightfoot reminds me of dear Pat Lightfoot who is sadly no longer with us. Pat and myself started the Hethersett Writers Group years ago and it is still going strong.
Enough, enough I hear you say
Well that's it for today.
Now I'm a poet but don't know it.