Morning in Melksham
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2011-04-23 09:03:38 - Graham Ellis
This morning, I walked around Melksham's town centre really early, popping reminders about next Tuesday morning though the letterboxes on the various business doors. I love these walks around - it gives me a chance to look, to observe, and to think. And it's quick - they say that an errand that takes 10 minutes in London takes 2 hours in Melksham by the time you've stopped to have a chat with everyone. And - much as I enjoy listening and learning from people, there's also a need to be fair and get around the whole town.Observations.
1. It's Easter weekend, the time when so many people are off work and able to get into the town, and yet so many shops have restricted hours. And it's so inconsistent ... "Closed Friday and Monday". "Reopening on 28th". "Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday only. Not open Bank Holidays". "Open Good Friday, closed Easter Monday". Do people go into town over the weekend? Well - that 70% of working people who do a 9-to-5 Monday-to-Friday job may want to, and what an excellent opportunity in the lovely weather for them to do so. To find - err - patchy availability. Would it be too difficult for the shopkeepers to club together and sent letters to the Melksham Independent News and Wiltshire Times (and perhaps Radio Wiltshire too?) to say "Everyone will be open on Friday and Saturday so COME INTO MELKSHAM! ... free bun with every coffee in all the cafes in town"
2. Times, they are a'changing. We can look at the town and feel depressed as we see businesses that have closed. But we can also look around the town and feel very positive indeed, as we see new businesses setting up, or recently opened businesses which seem to be making a real go of it. Such turnover in natural, and to be encouraged. If you're in an industry that's shrinking, supplying products that have largely been superceeded, then don't hang on - look for something new. And if you see an opportunity, go for it! I've been made redundant twice in my employed life, and both times it was such a positive step - it prodded me to moving away from a stagnating position and into a fantastic new start.
3. People who have letter boxes never put things through their own letter box. They're high, they're low, they're stiff. They have draught excluders that are so strong that they're also almost post excluders. And some businesses don't even have letter boxes any more - it's very much "if you want to say something to us, do so at the time we choose or not at all". I don't have time to go around town again (and again and again - see my note on differing hours!) so these businesses haven't got a reminder about next Tuesday's meeting on the future of Melksham via this route.
4. The light in the early morning is so different from the light later in the day. There are opportunities to take pictures that are very differrent. And people who are preparing the shops for the day - clearing up the morning after the night before, if you like, are so cheerful. A smile, a wave and a "Good morning. And - no traffic. Nice, but earie ...
It's still not even 9 a.m., but I have done so much already. Breakfast has been served at Well House Manor and partially cleared, and I'm writing as I await the opportunity to do the "room tidy" round. Unlike other accommodation in the area, we're busy during the week and quieter at the weekend - and that's something that we intend to balance out over the summer, but it does mean that I can "hotel sit" this morning while I catch up on paperwork. After a quieter that usual few weeks on training, I'm once again shoehorning courses in for May and June
It may still be quiet ... others may just be strirring, but I need to get on with my day - and to look forward. Komix opens for business on 21st May and we're looking forward to it. A new speciality store in a new market place for our town - a pointer to the future.