Chap with the wings there -- five rounds rapid.

Very sad to hear of the death of Nicholas Courtney known and loved by all Doctor Who fans for his role as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

My late brother David was quite a shy person, did not go to many conventions, and would never have dreamed of going up to one of his childhood heroes and introducing himself. But, I had a mutual friendship with one of Nicholas's drinking companions and astounded my brother, at a convention, by dragging him along to have a chat with Nick!

Nick, as always, was charming.

Sadly, another of our childhood heroes died this week. Alfred Burke played the role of Frank Marker in the TV series Public Eye which ran from 1965-1975.

Network Video released many of the existing episodes in a series of DVD's from 2004-2008 and my brother and I eagerly awaited each release.

Many of ths situations portrayed in the series conclude imperfectly, often with Marker leaving the status quo as it is, in comparison to modern television the stories unfold at a leisurely pace.

It is full of subtleties - one understated aspect is Frank's relationship with his landlady. She gives him a mug with his name on for his new office. Many episodes later, when most of the viewers would have forgotten where he had got it from,  his attachment to this mug becomes apparent.  Blink and you'll miss it, but in an adjunct to the main action of the episode, the mug gets broken and, rather than throw it away, we see him repairing it - perhaps revealing his affection for her?

I love a little restaurant...

There are a range of take-aways and restaurants, for guests to choose from, in Lydd.

Click on the map for a larger version showing their locations.

The Tandoori Cottage is in the High Street and the staff are very friendly and helpful. It is fully licensed and does take-aways as well.

There is a Chinese take-away in Church Road, and a Kebab Shop in the High Street - but I have not tried them yet.

 

At the far end of the High Street is a good Fish & Chip Shop.

The George Hotel has a restaurant but the best, in Lydd, in my opinion is 'The Moon & Stars'

'The Moon & Stars'  is located in Park street and is a quaint and friendly place.

It uses fresh local produce but does not have an alcohol licence so you can bring your own and they don't charge corkage!

The only problem is that it is advisable to book in advance - and some evenings are bookings only (see opening times below).

I love a little pub....

 

There are four pubs in Lydd to choose from when staying at the cottage.

Click on the map above to see a larger version showing there location.

 

The Dolphin is the closest pub to the cottage, at the end of South Street, and is probably the best and most civilised pub in Lydd. The staff are friendly, the locals are welcoming and the atmosphere is convivial. There are two conjoined bar areas, one a traditional public bar and the other a "comfy chair" zone with a tv. It has decking and a sheltered area at the rear, a large car park and it overlooks The Rype. It has recently come under new management so it will be interesting to see it it changes at all.

 

 The George Hotel is situated in the High Street and has two bars and a restaurant. At the back it has a patio deck for al fresco dining and for smokers! It has heaters, gazebos and parasols.

Quite nice but a little lacking in atmosphere.

 

The Royal Oak is situated at the southwest end of Lydd in Park Street. I have not had a chance to visit this place yet, but from all accounts it sounds like a friendly place. Originally this was two cottages that were joined together and extended .

I have not been in the Star, on Station Road, either - it looks nice from the outside but I have to say that I have not heard good reports on this one.

I love a little shop ...part one

When you first arrive on your holiday it is always good to know where you can buy the basic necessities, so I thought it might be useful to show the location of the local shops in Lydd. You can click on the map to see a larger version.

There are a surprising number for such a small town - and all within a short walking distance from the cottage. The photo below is of the newsagent and tobacconist by the church.

There is also another newsagent, Park Stores, in Park Street:

Just around the corner from the cottage, in Coronation Square, is a Mace store:

and there is a Spar in the High Street:

There is an excellent local award winning butcher in the High Street as well.

The sausages are particularly good!

Further posts will include take-aways and pubs!

Here's a toast. A Happy Christmas to all of us.

... happy Christmas, to all of you at home!

and a Happy New Year to all guests at the cottage, past, present and future!

Snow! Ah, real snow. Proper snow at last!...part two

As promised, here are some photos of Romney Marsh in the snow. This is the kind of snow that we all like - enough to make the place look pretty but not enough to impede the ability to go and have a look at it!

Much like the snow in the Doctor Who Christmas specials - not too deep, crisp and even!

Perhaps in future, once we have the Weather Control Machine as featured in "The Moonbase", and again in "The Seeds of Death", we can get it just perfect for Christmas!

 

 

Snow! Ah, real snow. Proper snow at last!...part one

Despite the weather we managed to get down to Lydd at the weekend...here are some photos of the Tardis in the snow!

 

Tomorrow, I'll post some photos of Romney Marsh in snow.