The festive season is upon us – confirmed for me yesterday when Santa rocked on up on the vintage steam train we were on. Albie is obsessed with his trains at the moment, to the extent that he’s climbing atop his train table and taking apart the track like a Gozilla figure (climbing not so…
Category: Headlines
Pitch, Worthing: Review of our night out at MasterChef champion Kenny Tutt’s debut restaurant
Masterchef has showcased the wondrous world of delicate dining to the mainstream millions. It seemed fitting, therefore, that our first foray into the world of higher-end cuisine was in the capable hands of Worthing’s own MasterChef Kenny Tutt, champion of the 2018 BBC cooking contest. Reality TV often delivers precious little; the spark fizzles out…
Love Island: why are my papers covering it?
There’s plenty of things in this world I don’t like – and ITV’s Love Island is firmly on the list. The programme divides opinion. Of all the ways to find love, it must be among the more questionable options. At one time, though, internet dating struck me as an odd concept and I can no…
A milestone for Headline Spews – and an update
Just over a year ago I set up Headline Spews as a way of providing a family scrapbook, informing people about Albie’s allergies and shining a light on the world of local journalism. Some 86 posts and thousands of views later I think we’ve generally hit the mark on all three – and thanks so…
Life as a journalist: behind the scenes on election day
Such is the political climate at present, precious little comes as a surprise. But after more than six years of covering politics in the traditional Tory heartlands of Sussex, yesterday’s local elections results really did go beyond the predictable. One of the councils I’ve spent many an evening at, Arun, has been under Conservative rule…
Consumed by illness, while Brexit consumes others
Apologies that this blog has not been updated for a few weeks – it’s increasingly felt like our household has been gripped by the Black Death. It’s no secret that babies and toddlers are magnets for illness. And while Albie has yet to master walking or consuming milk, neither has he got to grips with…
When confusion is sometimes the only thing you can write about
However hard you try, sometimes the angle of the story lies in the fact that ‘mystery surrounds’ whatever it is you’re writing about. That concept rang true this week both at home and at work. It’s partly why I’ve not written anything for a little while – I’ve been trying to make sense of Albie’s…
Minister’s goal of every pupil learning to read music – should it be a priority?
A Government Minister wants all children to be able to read music by the time they leave primary school – but being someone who can, I fail to understand the importance. Nick Gibb is an MP on one of my newspaper’s patch, who also happens to be Minister for School Standards. Writing in the Times…
First shoes lead to fascinating trip down memory lane
When the battered old suitcase comes out and your other half and mum are present, it’s usually a signal for the dust to be blown from those pictures of you in the bath. It was therefore a relief to me (and readers of this blog, no doubt!), that a post-Christmas visit to my home town…
Why we are caught in a vicious social media circle – and negativity won’t solve anything
Used well, social media can be an incredible force for good. But too frequently it descends into a playground to kick around the same old complaints, aimed at the same old targets. Retail is a regular recipient of fault-finding. Just days before Christmas, a Worthing Facebook group debated a deserted evening high-street scene. The majority…
