Your correspondent is a little late this week having spent the weekend on the West Sussex/Hampshire borders. You can see what Gene Hunt means about hoity-toity Southerners - no one so much as says 'Hello' to you. Two theories to explain this: long memories mean that the fear of invasion (Vikings, Normans, Nazis) leaves people a little cautious of strangers and there is a general concern that given the chance you'll rob them of their money. The second theory - and a more convincing one probably - is that people in so many of these towns and villages are fairly rootless and therefore don't feel all that connected and expect not to be acknowledged. Anyway hope some of them enjoy a visit to Buxton this summer.
While in Hampshire we stopped off at Selbourne (home of Gilbert White and Captain 'Titus' Oates) and Chawton (home of Jane Austen). These are two small villages - just 5 miles apart - and you can't help but be struck by the fact that such small communities produced strong-minded, inquisitive and enduring characters. People who will always be part of whatever it is to feel English - if not British.
If that is one aspect of small is beautiful, then our own dear Festival may well be another. By this weekend there should be 20 shows registered for the Fringe - a further reminder of the dates: Wednesday July 9th - Sunday July 27th. Go the website for all the news and latest entries:www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
by Keith Savage - Published 13/02/2008
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