The Royal Deer

The Royal Deer

The Royal Deer press cutting from Farnham Diary

We are losing 18 pubs a week. They are not dying, they are being killed by greedy pubcos (pub owning companies) that are screwing pub landlords with extortionate rents and drink prices often double the market rate, with the net result the pub goes bust and is then put on the market for redevelopment.

• Pubs screwed by greedy pubcos

For a pub to be brought back from te dead is a rare event, a cause for celebtration.

One such pub is The Royal Deer in Farnham.

But this will be more than a pub. Marios, who runs The Barn, a highly successfiul arts centre, plans to do the same with The Royal Deer.

Like The Barn, The Royal Deer will be a cultural centre, live music, theatre, films, excellent food, art exhibitions, yoga, art classes.

It is a development The Tumbledown Dick in Farnborough (currently earmaked for destruction for a Drive-hru McDonald’s) will be well advised to follow closely.

The earliest recorded publican or licensee for The Royal Deer is Henry Jouning in 1878.

The Hobo Co

The Hobo Co in Gostrey Meadow in Farnham

If I arrive in Farnham by train (the more scenic route) I walk through Gostrey Meadow and up through Downing Street into the town. If by bus, I get dropped off in the centre of town.

As I had not walked through Gostrey Meadow for several months, and as I wished to be in Downing Street, I decided to go on a detour, walk along the River Wey, and come back up into the town through Gostrey Meadow and Downing Street.

I am pleased I did, as I came across a battered old Citroen van (maybe they just look old and battered, the type you see in France and Italy) selling coffee and tea and cakes. Not that they had much left when I looked. A few biscuits that almost broke your teeth. An Italian delicacy, I was told, though I did not see in Italy, though I note Italy is very regional food wise. Very tasty.

I walked over and had a look and a chat. It turned out it was their first day.

The coffee was sourced and roasted in Winchester, their home-made lemonade was made from lemons sourced from the excellent greengrocer in Downing Street (where I was on my way if I caught before he closed).

Note: Coffee supplied by Winchester Coffee Roasters.

I was offered coffee, but I did not try, as good coffee is not at its best in take-away cartons, which they were at pains to stress could be fully recycled.

I learnt something new, Street Food.

Problem if they had glass, vital for freddo cappuccino. They have to be self-self-sufficient, limited water and risk of breakages as they travel around.

We need more little businesses like this, not Costa and Starbucks and tacky ice cream vans.

Parents with their kids preferred the coffee van to the ice cream van.

I suggested Guildford farmers market (first Tuesday of the month), Staycation live music festival in Godalming and the Alton Food Festival.

It looks like this battered old Citroen van, they always look to me like dustbins on wheels, could be a regular feature in the locality.

A recent study in Totnes shows that recycled in the local economy, accounts for £5 million per annum, and yet still local councils do not get it, the importance of encouraging local businesses.

We need more little businesses like The Hobo Co with their little battered Citroen van and Milk & Honey in Guildford, and less like Costa and tax-dodging Starbucks with their poor quality coffee, factory cakes and cloned corporate cultures.

Afternoon in Farnham

Not as warm as yesterday in Guildford, but still a pleasant afternoon in Farnham.

When will Oxfam learn not to rip people off? A book on sale, more than its cover price, almost double what it can be obtained new from Amazon post free, and approximately three times the going rate second hand.

If arriving by train, I would walk through Gostrey Meadow by the River Wey. Not having done so for a some time, I went on a detour to walk through Gostrey Meadow, and had a little walk along the river.

I was pleased I did. A battered old Citroen van, or maybe new they look battered, selling coffee and cakes. But why park on the grass, and why allow a tacky ice cream van in the park (also parked on the grass)?

Sat in the church yard for a while. A cool breeze blowing, but the sun burning.

Late lunch in The Barn.

The Barn is a distribution hub for the Transition Free Press. This excellent newspaper is well worth a pound.

Afternoon in Farnham

Farnham Parish Church

A pleasant day in Farnham. A marked contrast to last week.

Last week was cold and miserable and wet. Today, in the shade was actually much colder than last week, but in the sun, very warm.

I sat in the churchyard of Farnham Parish Church. Clear blue sky and the sun was quite burning.

I then had a long chat with the verger whilst he was waiting for a singer who was performing that night.

I suggested they put their Parish Magazine on their website. As he was the editor, he thought an excellent idea. Last week I had picked up a copy of the Parish Magazine because of an article on Occupied Palestine. He the same article was now on the noticeboard in the porch, plus pictures.

Late lunch in The Barn.

Most annoyed the bus drove off earlier, leaving me behind. Nearly an hour wait for the next bus,. I caught a different bus. Nearly half an hour wait for next bus, which was then over ten minutes late.

Clear sky, which gave strong sun during the day, meant it was very cold once the sun dropped.

Cold wet afternoon in Farnham

falafel and Greek salad

Last week sunny, though cold in the shade, this week cold and raining, a marked contrast to last week.

Midday, I manged a little more lawn repair, which I started a few days ago, spike with a fork, sprinkle compost, then sow grass seed. Two robins came to inspect the work.

Then came the rain.

A cold, wet, miserable afternoon in Farnham.

In the Parish Church, a lot of candles burning, no spare candles. Then I noticed all exactly the same length, all seventeen of them. I guess kids, though could could have been someone with seventeen candles to light.

Prayer card writ for Annie. But no candle lit, as no spare candles.

I picked up the Parish magazine. The April issue has an interesting article on a trip to Occupied Palestine. It is pleasing there are some churches who are keeping these issue alive, not like many that do not give a damn.

WHSmith now has several copies of Manuscript Found in Accra on display, now that is no longer at half price. I was going to raise with the manager, but did not see and from my last encounter finding to be as thick as tow short planks, thought why bother.

Waterstone’s has three on display with new books as walk in the door.

Late lunch in The Barn, falafel and Greek salad. No piano, but may be possible to obtain a keyboard.

WHSmith a failing bookshop chain

Manuscript Found in Accra – Lebenon bookshop

Manuscript Found in Accra – No 1 Barnes & Noble

When a best seller is released, it is not only eagerly anticipated by readers, it is equally eagerly awaited by booksellers who see the opportunity to shift a few books.

Manuscript Found in Accra has proved to be a best seller across Europe. It has been met with critical acclaim, the rare exception a pathetic infantile review in the Gruaniad by a failed writer.

Knowing this the behaviour of failing High Street chain WHSmith can only be see as perverse.

Waterstone’s and a few indie bookshops jumped the gun and had Manuscript Found in Accra on display, on sale, before publication date.

As it was already on sale I enquired in WHSmith in Aldershot. I did not expect much joy and I was not disappointed. They had not a clue what I was talking about. They suggested I try again the next day, publication day.

This I did, Thursday 28 April 2013 I walked into WHSmith in Aldershot not expecting to do much better than the previous day. To my pleasant surprise, not only did they have a copy, to be exact two copies, it was on offer at half price and at No 28 in their hardback charts.

I asked was this all they had, two copies? No, they had three copies, the manager went off in search and found a third copy.

I took two, leaving the third on prominent display. I also expressed my surprise to the manager, that they have an international best seller at half price on day of publication and all they have is three copies. I suggested he ordered more.

For the two copies I bought, I was insulted by being given a voucher for McDonald’s.

What I did not notice until later, I had been given a voucher for 20% off on further purchases. Why did they not tell me this before I bought two books? I could have bought one book, then got the other one at a further 20% off, or maybe made some trivial purchase, bought a few envelopes, then got a further 20% off.

Two days later (Saturday 30 March 2013), WHSmith in Farnham, two copies of Manuscript Found in Accra, half price, plus 20% discount with my till voucher. I take both copies, I am given another till voucher giving 20% off. I ask why only two copies in stock? I draw a blank.

After the weekend, Tuesday 2 April 2013, I buy the one and only copy of Manuscript Found in Accra in WHSmith Aldershot. Why only one copy, why have they not restocked? Again I draw a blank.

Tuesday 2 April 2013, Manuscript Found in Accra is published in the US. It shoots straight to No 1 in Barnes & Noble (biggest book chain in US).

Thursday 4 April 2013, one week on from publication, I try WHSmith in Aldershot. Not a single copy. An international best seller, that has shot straight to No 1 in Barnes & Noble and they have not a single copy! I ask why no copies in stock? They tell me they only get deliveries on a Thursday. Today is Thursday! And, have any copies come in? They do not know as they have not looked. When was the delivery? Morning. It is now late afternoon. I asked does their computer system not tell then what has been delivered. Apparently not. I walk out of the shop in disgust.

Thursday 4 April 2013, WHSmith Lincoln. Two copies in store.

Friday 4 April 2013, I try WHSmith Aldershot again. Maybe they have got off their backsides and unpacked their delivery. No copies of Manuscript Found in Accra have been delivered. An international best seller, that they have at half price, but they do not bother to restock their shelves when it sells out and customers are asking for it.

This time I get a girl who seems in possession of a brain, a small miracle for WHSmith. She offers to check nearby stores. Same story, one or two copies, Guildford is the exception they have six copies. I decide to try WHSmith in Farnham the next day, which allegedly has one copy.

Saturday 5 April 2013, I find one copy of Manuscript Found in Accra in WHSmith in Farnham. Or to be exact, I cannot find, I ask, they do not have a clue what I am talking about, they check their system, then show me where it can be found. I speak with the manager and ask is this all they have? She scans the book and says no, we have eight. I query this, as only the day before I was told they had one, and one is all I can see. She tells me they had a delivery that day. Where are they then? No one has bothered to unpack the delivery and put on the shelves. I ask why a book that is an international best seller, that is No 1 in Barnes & Noble in the US (I explain what Barnes & Noble is), is not out and on the shelves. She points to its position in their charts at No 28 and says it is a book that is not selling. I look at her in disgust, and say maybe that has something to do with not having stocks available. She tries to tell me they are a successful High Street chain. I walk out of the store in disgust. But not befpre buying their one and only copy. I am agiven a till voucher for 20% off ink for inkjet printers. Why, I query, what use is it when I have a till voucher (which I have just used) that gives me 20% of everything?

Monday 8 April 2013, WHSmith Godalming. One copy on the shelves. I ask. They do not have a clue what I am talking about. They check their system, and confirm, one copy. I ask when they will have more in. They do not know. They do though advise me that prices change on a Wednesday, and warn me may no longer be available at half price.

Tuesday 9 April 2013, WHSmith Aldershot. No still no copies. Deliveries on Thursday. No, they do not know what the delivery will contain. They suggest I order a copy. And how long will this take? One week. They advise I buy a copy on the internet. I ask will it be half price, how do I uses a 20% discount till voucher? I draw a blank. I say it will be quicker to go to Guildford.

Wednesday 10 April 2013, I try WHSmith website. Not half price, nearly a pound more than Amazon. Why would anyone order on-line from WHSmith?

Thursday 11 April 2013, WHSmith Aldershot, delivery day. No, they do not have Manuscript Found in Accra. This is the second delivery where they have failed to restock with an international best seller, that they do not have in store. They check other stores, I have to ask, they do not offer. Each would appear to have several copies, a marked improvement on when they checked last Friday. Maybe the message is getting through. I bought a local newspaper, 70p, I was given a till voucher that gave me £5 off a purchase over £12. Thus if in stock, but were not, I would have got £5 off two copies of Manuscript Found in Accra at half price, considerably better than my other till voucher giving 20% off. WHSmith must have very serious cash flow problems. This is fire sale prices when a chain is in liquidation.

Whilst in Aldershot, I decide to try Aldershot Library. No we do not have. Yes, it is on order but it will be six months before it is on the shelves, and we will not have a copy. Why six months? Cataloguing. I point out it is an international best seller, to be told that is my opinion! Err no, an international best seller across Europe, published last week in US and shot straight to No 1. Library staff not a clue Paulo Coelho. Not a reaction I would get in Guildford Library, but then this is Aldershot.

WHSmith appear to employ staff who are Asda rejects, with notable rare exceptions (it would be unfair to tar all WHSmith staff with the same brush). Their shops are shabby (like walking into a pound shop).

If you work in a bookshop, it is reasonable to assume know something about books, know about authors, know when new releases are coming out. But it would appear not.

If your are employing people in a bookshop it would seem obvious at the very least to brief them on new releases. It would appear not.

If you are running a bookshop chain, it would make good businesses sense to have best sellers on prominent display, especially if at a substantial discount. It would appear not.

It is difficult to comprehend how a business can perform this badly and remain in businesses. We have seen Jessops, Blockbuster, Comet, HMV and others go spectacularly bust. WHSmith cannot be far behind. If I held shares in WHSmith, and I am pleased to say I do not, I would be on the phone to my stockbroker with strict instructions to sell.

It is easy to see why people turn to Amazon, which now controls just under 50% of the book trade in the UK. It not price that forces people to buy from Amazon, though that clearly plays a part, it is lack of service. If you cannot get service from a High Street shop, if the staff are ignorant about what they sell, then why take the trouble of visiting such stores, when you can buy at a lower price from Amazon?

How then has Waterstone’s fared? The two bookshops I have visited, both small bookshops with knowledgeable staff, in Farnham and Godalming, had Manuscript Found in Accra on prominent display with new books as you walked in the store. Both stores had three copies. But this may not be typical. Lincoln and Bromley, both large stores, had single copy of Manuscript Found in Accra shelved with other Paulo Coelho books, it was not on display. And a newsletter from Waterstone’s, recommended April reading, astonishingly has no mention of Manuscript Found in Accra.

For service we have to look to the few remaining indie bookshops.

I learnt from a friend Manuscript Found in Accra was available ahead of publication date, as she had a call from her local indie bookshop, Beckenham Bookshop, telling her a copy was in awaiting her collection. I then checked with Waterstone’s Farnham, for them to say yes, they had out on display and had it for about a week. They had decided to put it out, as the publisher had not embargoed (which is unusual).

I let my friend know about special limited editions of both The Pilgrimage and The Alchemist. Beckenham Books was able to get these hard to find books within days (sooner than I had a delivery from Amazon) and again she had a call to let her know they were in.

Another indie bookshop I would recommend is P&G Wells, hidden down the back streets in Winchester, behind Winchester Cathedral.

• Why bookshops are failing
• Failing bookshop chains

Pleasant spring afternoon in Farnham

Farnham Parish Church

Farnham Parish Church

Manuscript Found in Accra new books in Waterstone’s

falafel and Greek salad

Two days ago it was snowing, today it was pleasantly warm. At least it was in the spring sunshine, in the shade it was still very cold.

March 2013: The coldest March since 1962. March was colder than December, January or February. Easter Sunday was the coldest on record.

As it was a lovely day, I only wish I had got out sooner and made the most of the day. I did not get to Farnham until until late afternoon.

I did not expect to find the Parish Church open, but luckily I did, and met the new vicar (he said he had been in post for about four weeks). I mentioned about the Easter paintings. He said there was now some information on them. I also found what I thought was the Last Supper. I learnt that none is the Last Supper. I also learnt there are 14, though I have only found 12.

WHSmith had one copy of Manuscript Found in Accra. I asked the manager was this all they had? She checked, and said they had eight. This I queried, as another store the day before said they had only one, and one was all I could find. She told me they had had a delivery that day. An international best seller, and they cannot be bothered to put out on the shelves. No wonder WHSmith is a failing High Street retailer when they have staff like this.

Watersone’s had three copies of Manuscript Found in Accra and they were on prominent display with new books as walk in the door.

Very late lunch at The Barn, falafel and Greek salad.

On leaving The Barn, gone seven o’clock, it seemed strange still lightm the clocks having changed to summer time last weekend.

Waiting for bus, luckily on time, already getting very cold.

When I alight from second bus, now gone eight and getting dark, very very cold.

Easter paintings in Farnham Parish Church

carrying the cross

taken down from the cross

I came across these painting last week, but the church was too dark to see them properly.

Today it was much lighter.

They were not originals, which I would love to see. There was no information on them, or if there was, I did not see any.

I suspect they are Stations of the Cross, but if so I only saw eleven and there should be twelve, but I may have missed one.

Note: There are twelve, one is of the Last Supper.

I have always been impressed by Stations of the Cross in churches, as in each church, they are different.

Today there was a large wooden cross, which is not usually in the church. I assume it appeared yesterday, Good Friday.

• Crucifixion or Corpus Hypercubus

Very cold day in Farnham

Farnham Parish Church

prayer cards for Paulo and Annie

candles for Paulo and Annie

The Alchemist special edition

Unlike last week in Farnham, no snow, but still very cold.

On the way there the sun came out for a brief spell. I thought just like spring, only it’s winter, then I thought no, it is spring, only just like winter.

Around the church, I though it is not that cold, no wind. But I think it must have caught the sun for a while and been out of the wind. As it was very cold when I left the church.

Inside the church, it was not as cold as last week, and much lighter. I tried photographing the Easter paintings they have. I tried last week, but too dark. It is a pity they are not originals, and no information about them.

Two candles lit, one for Paulo Coelho whose new book Manuscript Found in Accra has been released in time for Easter and for my lovely Greek friend Annie. At least, unlike last week, there were other candles to light from, and so I did not end up putting out the flames. Strange, all the candles appeared to have bene lit before. Two prayer cards writ.

On leaving the church, now very cold.

Last week, I picked up Manuscript Found in Accra ahead of publication. I wondered, would they change it for a special limited edition of The Alchemist. I saw it last week, and was thinking it was the special limited edition of The Pilgrimage which I had seen before Christmas. Yes, they would change it. Was The Pilgrimage available. No. Both it seems are rare limited editions, and so very pleased I did go back and change.

Late lunch in The Barn. Very sorry to hear they are moving, as a lovely building, but no one ventures down the alley, even though it is in the centre of town.

On leaving The Barn, even colder. Bus waiting, no long wait at the bus stop.

Falafel and Greek salad at The Barn

falafel and Greek salad

Excellent falafel and Greek salad at The Barn in Farnham.

The Barn is a cultural centre in the centre of Farnham.