Whispering Smith Column published in the Littlehampton Gazette April 13th. 2017

There is a bloke who claims to be a self-styled ‘Grammar Vigilante’ who wanders the mean streets of  Bristol in the dead of night sorting out the muddled world of missing or wrongly placed apostrophes. Reading that, I wondered if there were many such errors on Littlehampton signs. I didn’t have to look far, I live only a few doors down from a whopper! Apostrophes are bad but hyphens are impossible and I am not going there – my mother told me people who live in glass house’s should never throw stone’s…Smiley face!

HE’S the new kid on the block, an enthusiastic young man, 23 year-old Nathan Wyatt and he is standing as candidate for the Green Party in Littlehampton East on the May 4^th Town Council elections. A late entry, he has a bit of an uphill task but he would not be the first late entry to run a good race. Having talked to this enthusiastic young man on one of his door knocking wanderings, I kind of like the idea of some fresh youthful blood in that hallowed hall. You can contact Nathan with your questions on local issues by ringing him on 07745 933652.

BIG day at the seaside with the reopening of the refurbished Buccaneer Bay Adventure Golf Course opposite the Putting Green Café. Pirates galore and, if you popped into the café you could have slice of Maggie’s Victoria sponge, so light you have to nail it to the plate to stop it floating away…

LEARNED today that my old chum Bill Merritt has passed away. Happy memories with Bill, Pete and Don, fishing at Burpham, trot lines on the beach, choc-ices and wet Sunday mornings, they were several years older but they let me tag along. We sang Wedding Bells are Breaking Up that Old Gang of Mine on stage at the United Services club one Saturday after a few too many brown ales. Another good man gone but not forgotten.

 Photo: Off the rails… the miniature  railway in a bit of bother but quickly sorted