Possibly the least memorable song ever written about Frome...

Just a quickie. Here's the rather wonderful Bellowhead singing the slightly less than wonderful "On A Bus To Frome", recorded en route to their gig at the Cheese & Grain last week. If you don't know their music, please don't let this put you off... They're fabulous (usually).

http://youtu.be/HMr9xIlKvMs

Reclaiming the Streets

Last night's Christmas Extravaganza was perhaps less memorable for the entertainment on offer, than for the fact that only half the lights came on following The Great Throwing Of The Switch.  But what a pleasure it was to walk down the middle of a temporarily traffic-free Market Place, one of the least pleasant thoroughfares of this otherwise most pleasant town. I made a mental note to visit the library on my next trip to check out the Council's "Town Design Statement" which includes a proposal for this traffic bottleneck.  A neighbour tells me that the plan is for some sort of "shared space" where pedestrians and motorists would be placed on a more equal footing. A recipe for disaster with those on two legs at risk from being mown down by those on four wheels - or a civilised co-existence between man and machine? I look forward to finding out more...


http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk

Breaking The Chains

Frome has gained a reputation for its independent retailers. Even the so-called Queen of Shops, Mary Portas, has been to visit. And the privately-owned antiques, vintage clothes, CDs, crafts, books and gifts emporia are undoubtedly one of the town's great attractions. Venture a few steps away from the over-familiar brands of Market Place (Boots, Costa, Superdrug, Iceland etc) - up the steep, winding Catherine Hill or across to Cheap Street (with its rill or 'leat' running down the middle) - and you're in a different world.

But in the current climate, how much money are they making? When times are hard, "discretionary spend", we are told, is the first to go. A shabby chic table - or food on the table? A 1940s skirt  - or petrol in the Skoda? I do hope the unique retail mix that is here will survive the downturn. But I do wonder...

http://www.stcatherinesfrome.co.uk
http://www.maryportas.com

Revenge is a dish best served in Frome

Had our first encounter with Frome's amateur thespians this weekend - the Frome Drama Club has been staging Alan (sorry, Sir Alan) Ayckbourn's 'The Revengers' Tragedies' at the financially-challenged Merlin Theatre. And what a good job they did of it too. It's an unwieldy monster - two full length plays totalling  around five hours that combine to make up the one narrative. Part 1 was cracking - the production really capturing Ayckbourn's signature bleak comedy. If part 2 sagged a bit in the middle, that was mostly Sir A's fault as he seemed to be merely treading dramatic water in preparation for the famous dénouement on Albert Bridge...

The Merlin has a fine auditorium - good sight lines, comfy seats and plenty of room for the long-legged - though the front of house is looking a bit tatty (perhaps hardly surprising, given that they are currently suffering serious grant deprivation). Still, there was a tasty (veggie) supper to be had between shows, the bar prices were reasonable, people were generally friendly and, all in all, it was a fine advert for Am Dram.

At the FDC revenge is, indeed, sweet.



http://www.fromedrama.com
http://www.merlintheatre.co.uk

Opening gambit

So, here goes... we're Second Homers in Frome.

If the response to the recent proposal to cut 2nd Home Council Tax rebates was to be believed, Second Homers are loathed across the nation only slightly less than bankers and politicians. Certainly, if the 'weekenders' sail in and out, contributing nothing to their adopted community/economy, I can understand the objections. Thankfully, we're not all like that... More on this in future posts.

But why Frome? Because it's special. How trite a comment is that!? Well, if I may be so bold, it's both trite and profound. Profound because there are places that touch you in an often indefinable, but deep way. As the tourist office will never grow weary of telling you, Frome has more listed buildings than any other town in Somerset. And there's no doubt that, in parts, it's an extremely attractive place with narrow, winding streets and beautiful stone buildings. Its cultural life is something to be proud of too  - 2 theatres, a community hall/music venue, an art gallery/concert hall, a summer arts festival, a winter folk festival, loads of amateur music-making, its own radio station and so on. Remarkable for a population of, what, 25,000? But a "special" place is more than the sum of its parts. Architecture, the arts and specialist shops (Mary Portas approves!) are all well and good.  But we've found the people to be friendly and the buzz around the place most seductive. Sometimes it's difficult to intellectualise responses to people and places. So to us, Frome is just "special".

More anon...

http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk

Coming soon...

This will shortly be the home of musings on being a "weekender" in the delightful Somerset town of Frome. Please stay tuned...