On Thursday, having played two hours of tennis in the heat and feeling like a frazzled rag, I went down to Cafe Kin where there was an invitation to have a Cuppa with a Copper.
I have written an article about this for the next edition of my Hethersett Herald e-magazine. Norfolk Police are upping the presence of officers in villages and towns as a deterrent. I have spoken to our new beat officer PC Stu Barnard who has told me about the main areas of concern in Hethersett and you will be able to read about these in the next edition of the magazine which will be online at the end of the month.
Whilst I was down there it seemed rude not to have a coffee and a sausage roll.
On Friday I wandered down to home Farm Gin to take some photos of the start of the work on the barn. Eventually this will be turned into a tasting room with bar and toilets and seating areas. Again a full article on this will appear in the next Hethersett Herald.
On Saturday wandered over to Old Hall School for their picnic. Former staff and pupils were returning to have a look at the changes made by Norfolk Police who now have the former school as a training centre for police officers.
It was an enjoyable couple of hours. Had a look round part of the school which didn't leave a huge impression as it was the first time I had been in the buildings and so I couldn't make any comparisons with the past. For many of the former pupils, I bet it brought back loads of memories - some good and some perhaps not so good.
Met up with former Hethersett resident Vic Redington who for many years was a much loved principal of the school. She has had one of the classrooms named in her honour and she unveiled the plaque that will go on the classroom. Her name will live on.
Other classrooms are being named after the Wulugu project charity in Africa which was founded by former Old Hall School teacher Lynne Symonds; and former Norfolk Chief Constable Ken Williams who oversaw the purchase and building of new headquarters at Wymondham (two miles up the road from Hethersett for those who don't know the geography of Norfolk).
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Being our 45th wedding anniversary on Saturday, I wanted to book somewhere special for an evening meal. Many people have recommended Bawburgh King's Head to me and so I duly booked a table. We have eaten there many times in the past but not for some years. I seem to remember the pub had squash courts at the back and I played there a number of times. They have now been pulled down after the game dropped in popularity. I remember when you couldn't book a court, they were so popular. My how times change.
We are lucky enough to be able to eat out quite a lot. The thing we have noticed since the relaxation of lockdown is how prices have increased. Bog standard meals like fish and chips are now regularly £16 or £17 whereas in the past they would have been more like £12. Other dishes have moved into the £20 plus bracket which is beginning to make an evening out expensive.
Sadly I have to say we were disappointed with the King's Head. I had burger and chips, but the chips were fries and were bullet hard. Stupidly we didn't point this out when we were asked whether everything was ok. We should have done but I really don't like complaining. So I ate as many as possible but had to leave a load and we pointed out the problem when the plates were collected. The waitress apologised but that was all.
Now my feeling in this matter is that the condition of those chips should have been spotted when they were put onto the plate and they shouldn't have been served up as part of a meal costing £16. To my mind there isn't enough quality control on food. Sometimes it is clear to see that something is wrong but that no attempt has been made to put this right.
I remember many years ago when I was on a training course in Leeds I went with other members of my group to a restaurant and asked for a pizza. When it came it was virtually cremated and quite obviously inedible. It shouldn't have been served up. When I complained I was informed that the usual chef was having a night off as if this excused them. The usual chef was off but the prices being charged didn't reflect this of course.
On another occasion in a Norwich restaurant that shall go unnamed I had the worst meal I have every experienced and didn't even receive an apology. Hey ho. Most places are excellent and thankfully bad meals are few and far between. Our meal at the King's Head wasn't bad, just disappointing.
I think I've gone on long enough. Tomorrow I will tell you about the 1970s icon we spotted in Wymondham.