Monday, July 5
AMID cost-cutting announcements, at least the Government is leading by example. While at the House of Commons visiting the local MP Richard Fuller, one of the reporters is handed a guide of who’s who. Inside is a ‘message from the speaker’ Michael Martin, who incidentally stood down in June last year. Who said the new Government was wasteful? BOS editor Chris Gill is back in the office full of the joys of having had a week off – but groaning about the price of beer in Paris. He headed down to that little part of the French capital that could forever be Bedford in search of his favourite tipple Bombardier at one of Charles Wells’ foreign pubs, also named the Bombardier. Nice pint but he nearly choked on the cost – a cool £6.
Tuesday, July 6
IT’S official – Christmas is less than six months away as if we need or want reminding.
However, Wilkinson feels the need to do just that. Today group editor Steve Lowe receives an invitation (below left) to its festive show… taking place on July 22.
Oh goody.
Wednesday, July 7
I THINK the Christmas elves have been spying and now want to punish us for our ‘Bah Humbugness’. Today we receive a wonderfully festive booklet from Jaeger showing off the products it’s selling this winter. Thanks very much Jaeger, I just hope I come into some pennies before Christmas. The absence of any prices is a bit of a giveaway that I may not be able to afford some, if any of the gifts.
Thursday, July 8
LAST week I mentioned that the borough council had refused to take the rubbish from the back of our Bedford office, as, according to them we had not paid the bill.
We had paid the bill, which they now accept, and came along today to take the rubbish. The council workers emptied the bins but did not take the sacks by the bins, which had built up while they were not collecting our rubbish.
Apparently it is a health and safety matter. So a couple of volunteers from the office had to load the sacks into the bins, call the council again, who came along and emptied the bins.
Memo to MP Eric Pickles, Local Government Secretary: ‘You might have a point.’
A READER sends us this rather ‘end-of-termish’ picture (above) featuring what looks like staff from Bedford Prison. We are not sure what occasion they are marking, maybe it is the completion of works outside the jail in St Loyes Street, the ones the Ministry of Justice steadfastly refuse to elaborate on. Whatever, it seems the moment warrants the presence of two policeman (to make sure they don’t escape the lens?) but as one wag said, who is minding the lags?