Published in the Littlehampton Gazette March 21st. 2013

OVER THE next few weeks you have the opportunity to contribute to the neighbourhood plan. Read it on line or wait for a summary copy to come through your letterbox. Failing either, pop into the town hall and ask. Pay particular note to the bit about the leisure facilities of the town and the future of the swimming pool and The Windmill Theatre cum Cinema. It is true that the Town Council have been very supportive of your efforts to keep both operational and left in situ with some members actually joining the marches. However it becomes clear that whatever support they give will be to no avail if the ADC decide to go ahead with their big plan as they, our very own elected town council, appear to have very little final say in what goes on in our town and what the ADC want, the ADC get! Something for you to think about…

A ‘FRIEND’ told me that there was a horse running in last Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup named ‘Captain Chris’ a sobriquet I earned as leader of a cheery pub quiz team playing weekly at the now defunct Lemon Tree Restaurant. Worth a bet, he said. Easier said than done, I thought. I am somewhat of a virgin gambler never having been into a betting shop in my life, my gambling kept to a minimum apart from a weekly couple of quid wasted on lottery tickets. Need not have worried though, the cheerful and helpful young couple at the desk in one of LA’s High Street betting shops, Betfreds, led me through the procedure with a minimum of eye rolling and I felt quite at home there. Come Friday afternoon I was hoping to pop back for my winnings but, apparently, Captain Chris is either still running or is on a supermarket shelf somewhere disguised as a lasagne. And if you think that remark is in bad taste, you should try the lasagne!

IT IS EXACTLY one year ago today that Whispering Smith first appeared in the Gazette that makes fifty two weekly rants, some personal and many on your behalf, reflecting your views about and around LA. Thank you for your many comments, support, for providing me with things to write about and for bringing me a smile or two!