Whispering Smith Column published in the Littlehampton Gazette November 12th. 2015

BIT off piste for a moment or two this week. Very interested in the amount of social media traffic of late referring to Martin John Alderton’s Arundel Historical Tours and the fact that the powers that be seem to be giving him such a hard time regarding his A-boards, forbidden, ‘lost’, stolen or last seen floating down the Arun. I walked the streets of Arundel and counted dozens of A-boards, blackboards and even a lad on a skateboard, have they all been given permission by the council to display? I enquired about his popular tours in the museum and was met with a blank stare and very little information regarding contacting the man himself. Apparently the notice to remove them followed ‘a complaint’. I wonder if this is the same serial complainer who did not like Abby Jocelyn Wilkinson’s lovely swan on the wall of the Swan public house or the sculpture on the roundabout? Martin has taken a new tack and is planning to display an A-board on the roof of his parked car, the only complaint should be from a low flying duck! Comments I have heard make it clear his tours are entertaining and enjoyed by all who take them. So why the hostility? Perhaps someone from Arundel will enlighten me, so that I can pass the information on to those as puzzled as I. Although local press reports suggest Arun are not overly helpful where progressive new businesses are concerned I think we in Littlehampton would mostly welcome any entrepreneur who can improve business, entertainment and interest in the wellbeing of our town.

IF walking along the High Street last week and you happened upon the wonderful scent of crushed apples you should have nipped around to the new brewery in The Tap and Barrel where they were preparing their first batch of cider. If the finished drink tastes anything as near as good as the lovely unfermented apple juice they are on to a winner.

A MOMENT at the well-attended Remembrance service at the war memorial. I saw a lady weeping and watched as, I assume, her little girl asked her what was the matter. I guess the mother told her and then reassuringly hugged her as the little girl puckered up at her mother’s distress. A sad but also a beautiful moment I will treasure.