It's a nice day today ...

6 March 2012

Dorktown is the glow of the sun today.  It's very nice but a bit chilly.  I managed to get out down town and do some snapping as well as a bit of shopping we needed.  Now here's one shot I got ...   

It may look pretty harm less really but the important bit for Dorktowners is that there used to be a provisions shop half way down there on the left.  It was called Boffins and one of my brothers mates was the owners son.  As I remember it the shop was always busy and there was some fuss as to why it actually closed when it did.  But close it did - ah well.

The Dorktown Dibbles have been busy it seems.  Over 200 cars, vans and trucks have been taken off the road for various driving offences including no insurance and drivers driving while disqualified.  This is a county wide effort so it's not all down to the Dorktown Dibbles but they did play a large part in it.  The front page of the News has a photo of a red BMW that was seized during the operation.  I have no sympathy for the drivers at all.

Last year Dorktown's Market was voted Britain's Best Street Market and there was a huge banner across Queens road to tell the world about it.  It's a great shame that the contest wasn't held years ago when the market was even bigger and had a much better choice for shoppers.  There used to be a hardware/tool stall; a stall that sold everything for the busy needlewoman; another stall sold crockery and glassware while another sold kitchen supplies.  On top of that there were another 3 or 4 fruit and veg stalls.  

On the corner of Abbey Street and Stratford Street there was huge stall selling flowers and plants.  Stalls used to stretch a good deal further up Abbey Street on both sides, and not just on one side as it now is.  And of course on Queens road stalled began on the corner of Dugdale Street.  Of course things were done at a slower pace then which is perhaps why traffic used to be allowed to drive through the town during market day.  I'm not aware of any accidents though. 

Now here's the point, the Council is spending £24,000 for renew the market stalls plus another £5,000 to regenerate the town centres of Dorktown and Bed'th.    Perhaps they are looking to win the competition again?  I don't know but if they do then it has to be good news for the town.  I regularly here accents from the West Midlands in town and once met a couple who had come down from Manchester one Saturday to have a look at the market after hearing about the newly won title.  That couple were impressed with it too.

So then, another photo ... 

Another from this morning then.  This one was taken on Abbet Street not far from where the flower and plant stall used to be.

From the Red Book then ...

"I understand she married a struggling young man," said one man.

"Yeah, he struggled, but it do him any good - he couldn't get away," said t'ther man.