Afternoon in Petersfield

One Tree Books

William III

Yesterday afternoon I hopped on a train, well actually two trains, and spent the afternoon in Petersfield, a small market town at the foot of the South Downs.

I wandered into One Tree Books, Independent Bookshop of the Year 2010 and official bookseller for the Guildford Book Festival 2011.

I had lunch in the little cafe at the back of the bookshop. The cafe seemed to be very busy and I was lucky to find an empty table. More than can be said for the bookshop, as I ate my lunch I noticed the bookshop was dead.

After lunch I looked to see if I could find Aleph, latest book by Paulo Coelho. I could not, all I could find was a single copy of The Alchemist. I asked. They did not have a clue what I was talking about, and I had to spell it for them twice.

I had hoped an independent would at least be better than Waterstone’s, sadly not!

– Paulo Coelho in Waterstone’s and the author the publisher forgot

The Bran Tub was a disaster, an inferior version of Infinity Foods in Brighton. Why I wonder, if you are selling healthy foods, why so many pills and potions? If you have a healthy diet and suffer from no chronic condition, they are not necessary.

Service was abysmal. I was expected to carry my shopping home in paper bags, suitable for a handful of apples. But, I could buy one of their cotton bags, regular shoppers apparently knew to bring their own bags.

In the local chuch occupying one side of the market square I left two books: The Shack and The Alchemist. Both books are registered on BookCrossing.

In the market square William III astride a horse dominates the square.

A lovely find was the Physic Garden, a traditional garden of herbs used for medicinal purposes within a walled garden. Thanks to the lady who showed me around. Delicious apples off one of the trees. I suggested they grew traditional vegetable varieties and held a seed swap in the spring.