mercuryg

I have a desire to buy a pub simply so I could rename it 'The Otter and Parsnip', a name sadly lacking among the pantheon of traditional inns.

Indeed, it's a mad, mad, mad, made world

Thank you very much Keith and Malcolm for the helpful advice you have sent me by PM. What is odd is that I initially replied to Keith as Malcolm, before Malcolm had even sent me a message; it must be a subconscious understanding of who is likely to respond! As it happens the avenues you both suggested have been investigated - some with some success I might add - but information is always welcome. As someone who set up his own business a few years ago with the help of local enterprise agencies (NBSL and the now defunct Wansbeck Works, for whom I was the last customer) and who has worked closely with Go Wansbeck in the past few months on this latter project it saddens me to see the government claiming that it will help small businesses when Go Wansbeck, for instance, is 95% certain to be shut down in the very near future. My particular business needed little capital investment - I am a freelance copywriter mainly dealing in website content, and all I needed was a laptop and a desk and chair - but when you look at the empty retail units on Bedlington Front Street and consider the many hoops that we have had to jump through - some seriously tinged with fire - for my friend to get even close to realising her dream it is no wonder the town is in the state it is. Once again thank you gentlemen for your advice; we are, at least, a little further step forward.

Keith Thank you very much for the reply and for the PM. I will keep your number in case I need to talk to you. It was in fact NBSL who helped with my business start up, and they were indeed extremely helpful. The problem my friend has (she, I might add!) is that she has no collateral, and the banks are not interested in forwarding loans secured on a start up business. It is extremely frustrating as she really does have an excellent idea. That we are having trouble finding a suitable loan is getting her down. If any of the contacts you have might be able to discuss a loan suitable for these circumstances I would be interested to hear. Good luck, meanwhile, as starting my own business has changed my life.

I'm reaching out to the local populace here; helping a friend with a business start up in Bedlington and having trouble getting over the final hurdle - funding! Anybody have any experience of getting a loan for business start up in the region? I would be interested in any advice. We have Go Wansbeck on board but need more, and there seem to be large brick walls in the way all over the place. Let me know....

Do we actually have that sort of money to throw around? I must say when I watched the moment when London was awarded the Games I'm sure I heard a collective sigh of relief from the 'losing' candidates.

I'm not sure about that; the BBC will be showing all the races, albeit some in highlight form - the details of which are yet to be explained - and not live. Given the time difference to the asian races - which will be among the non-live offerings - many people watch the re-run nyway rather than get up in the middle of the night. I can't see this deal lasting until 2018, however.

Couldn't agree more Malcolm. On the news yesterday, broadcasting from the 'wonderful' new Aquatics Centre, they seemed very pleased to keep telling me it cost £269,000,000 (written in figures to emphasise) to build. Surely there are international spec swimming pools already in this country? Surely, I would have thought, there is one in London, somewhere? £269,000,000 is, I remind you, just for the Aquatics Centre. What's the total bill? How are they going to recoup it? I didn't agree to paying for it, can I have my share back?

I think I shall join you good folk in this venture.

While the sentiment of this post is spot on - the Norway event certainly was a tragedy - I think the opening sentence needs a little more thinking about. Not disagreeing with you Keith - I have no sympathy for those who choose to ruin their lives in such a fashion - but I would hasten to add that had Amy Winehouse NOT been in the public eye, and led a simple ordinary life like the rest of us with a boring, mundane nine to five job, the chances are she would not have been in the situation that ended her tragically short life. I agree with the original poster who commented on those who, in her immediate circle, did nothing; nearly always it is those surrounded by the wrong people who end up dead like this. Yes, she had a choice, but so did all in her close circle.

What would they expect anywhere? Such a limited scope business will never be sustainable. It's a waste of a useful shop unit.

It is now a restaurant only. I would say that more people are eating there, but have noticed that those who tend to drink there have simply migrated from their previous bars primarily for the cheap beer. He's worth a look as he's incredibly handsome. As for the attitude of the staff I have no complaints; they are - to a man/woman - pleasant and helpful, if a little lacking in urgency. I have come to the conclusion this is a Wetherspoons trait rather than one relating to the specific staff at the Lion. When busy, the problem of delayed service is due entirely to teh food being ordered at the same stations as the drink. If they instigated a specific area for ordering food there would be no problem.

I speak from a personal level mate! Yes, young Danni is an asset to the Lion. Absolutely, couldn't agree more.

The ones that made it worthwhile are no longer there!

This is something I have raised with the - very pleasant - management. It seems to take just as long to get served when the place is empty as it does when it is packed; I'm at odds to explain it to be honest, although must say it is somewhat improved now over before.

It's not, I must say, me that's looking at this proposal but a friend, and she is pretty far advanced in her plans. Watch this space.

As one of the fiercest pre-opening critics of our much loved Red Lion Wetherspoons I thought it about time to revisit the subject. Now that the dust has settled and things have become more routine I have to confess, wholeheartedly, to being converted. The Red Lion (use the name please, that's what it is) is clean, tidy, staffed by pleasant people (the initial policy of employing everyone and weeding out the chaff has worked, it would seem) and is an altogether comfortable place to be. I speak, I must say, as someone who frequents the place in the late afternoon and early evening, so have no idea what it is like on weekend evenings. While not entirely convinced of the value or quality of the food I can say the beer is always on the mark, and if it's not there are no complaints about changing it for you. A pint of Ruddles best at £1.55 simply can't be beaten. I still support my local landlords/landlady's when I can (although one such has not enamoured herself to me of late with her attitude, and has lost a lot of my custom as a result) and see Wetherspoons as a corporate monster intent on killing the local pub trade, but cannot faulty the provision of free wi-fi access, good beer and a pleasant atmosphere thus providing me with what must be the biggest and most convenient office in the world. If you see a grey haired bloke with a laptop working away at between three and five on a weekday afternoon it's me.

Dear All, A simple question: would you, or your wives/mothers/family members, use a shop along the lines of the late lamented 'Spend n Save' (aka '!*!@# Hat') if one were to be opened in Bedlington? I mean, where can you buy a washing line these days? regards Everyone's Friend MercG

Cats are problematic when it comes to birds in the garden. I have three who all hunt - rodents usually - but my previous cat, a large tabby tom, would routinely bring me rodents, snakes, stoats or whatever from the woods but would ignore birds entirely. I used to watch him sitting next to a flock of starlings with a complete lack of interest.

My cat celebrated it by bringing one home.

And I thought you were talking about The Sun.......

How, pray, does a piano repair shop exist there? I mean, it's not as if the town has a surfeit of Baby Grands needing fixing.....

Indeed, I got the joke. My response wasn't an attempt at stirring, however, but a genuine challenge. It amuses me when people bang on about how 'unethical' it is to wear fur while happily sitting down to feast on bits of animals raised specifically so we can kill them to eat.

You reckon otherwise? Here's a challenge for you; without resorting to the very modern and rather twee conception of wearing fur being 'bad' that has been foisted on us by people who want us not to have our own opinions, can you tell me why wearing a fox fur hat is any more controversial than eating a lamb chop?

I think you'll find 'the Royals' are paying towards it. I'm no monarchist but I have great respect for the Queen, who must be the most dignified and respected figurehead of any country these days. She carries out what must be a pain in the !*!@# of a job very well and certainly sets an example. On that note, a little story: many years ago, when I lived in Cheshire, some friends of I decided for a laugh to attend a major Horse Trials even that was taking place at a country park nearby. We spent a goodly proportion of the event in the beer tent, naturally, then went out to watch the action. I was standing at the rails and professed to not having a clue what was going on; a well to do lady behind me stepped forward and began explaining the points system, the faults and all that, and gave us good insight into horsemanship and so on. In fact, she talked to us young lads for a botu half an hour before being called away, and she was utterly charming and, it must be said, a great laugh. It was only after she'd left that one of my friends pointed out it was the Princess Royal, Princess Anne. Great girl, welcome for a pint with me anytime.