Penn's Blog
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Get well soon Jon Boyce from Brixham
I got a total shock today when I picked up the local paper, there was a photograph of Jon Boyce on the front of the Herald Express. By all accounts him and a friend were out late last Saturday evening when Jon was attacked by somebody who may have either punched or pushed him. Either way, Jon hit his head on the wall and then the pavement and has now sustained serious head injuries. He is now down Derriford Hospital in Plymouth which is a specialist hospital for head injuries. I can only hope that Jon makes a speedy recovery and is back on its feet very soon.
Ironically, Jon was one of four friends who was with me when I had my accident back in 1986 at Shoalstone swimming pool here in Brixham. Jon jumped into the water and I dived over as head, that is when I had my accident. I haven't spoken to Jon and quite a few years, although I've seen them from a distance a couple of times. I first met him way back in the early 80s when I used to come over to see my two cousins, Nick and Matt, Jon is the same age as both myself and my cousin Nick and was a very good friend of Nick. What can you say about Jon? A really funny guy, always the first person to have a smile on his face and to crack a joke, he made me laugh and more than one occasion. I remember the first time I met him, I was going through my skinhead phase and I was wearing a pair of 14 hole Dr Martens boots and a pair of bleached jeans. In between the top of my jeans and the top of my boots you could see my white rugby socks which needed darning. As quick as a flash Jon asked me if my socks were "believers", obviously with a puzzled look on my face I asked him what he was talking about, he then said that my socks were "wholy" as in holy. That was the first time I met him and he made me laugh my holy socks off.
I really hope that he's okay very soon and I wish him and his family all the best -
An update on my recent parking fine
This seems to be the situation as it stands regarding the parking fine I received the other day. First thing I'm going to do is hold my hands up and admit that I was at fault when it came to display my blue badge, although I wasn't the person who put it back the wrong way around, I am the driver and owner of the blue badge so I am therefore responsible for it. I parked in the breakwater car park and I was under the impression that everything was in order, I was display my blue badge and valid parking permit. However, the traffic warden saw different and gave me a parking fine for "non-displayable of a valid parking ticket". Unfortunately for me it now seems that the ticket was issued correctly. People keep telling me that they have got to state clearly on my parking fine that the blue badge was not displayed correctly. Well it seems that this is not actually the case. I have a parking permit that I have to apply for every year. I am only able to use this parking permit alongside a valid blue badge. Therefore if the blue badge is not being displayed properly, the parking permit is looked upon as being in valid. Personally I think this is a little unfair as I am not able to apply for a parking permit unless I have a valid blue badge. However, this is the law, it's written down in black and white and there is no excuse for me not to display my blue badge correctly.
However, I do think that the reason given for me receiving the parking fine was somewhat misleading. At the time I was convinced that I had a valid parking permit, after all it's there in black and white on my windscreen. When I e-mailed the parking department they told me it was the inaccurate displaying of my blue badge which made the parking permit invalid. I absolutely think that this should have been made quite clear on by parking fine, however it wasn't and I've been led to believe that they don't have to do state the facts, they just tell you that you are displaying an invalid parking ticket/permit. I have made an appeal and I'm hoping that this very small misdemeanour will be overlooked and the parking fine will be cancelled, I can only hope for clemency.
So let this be a lesson for all of you who hold a blue badge, you must always display your blue badge at all times with the serial number facing outwards, if you don't then it might as well not be there, you will receive a parking fine. I must also add that it must be located on the passenger side just under the windscreen. Make sure it is straight as well, the traffic wardens will fine you if it is upside down, or even slanted to one side, they will categorically use any excuse to issue you with a parking fine so beware and don't take them for granted.. -
Fish Town, Brixham - entertaining if you can ignore the terrible poetry
We are now up to program three of Fish Town, a new series focusing on the people and businesses of Brixham in Devon. I wasn't particularly enamoured with the episode which focused on the annual pirate get-together that we have here in Brixham. The last program which was filmed in May was a lot more interesting, we looked at a 17-year-old lad who wanted to get a job on the trawlers. He had recently been kicked out of the Marines for getting a tattoo on his neck, silly boy :-) let's hope he's got a hairy neck when he is an old age pensioner.
I had to laugh, his first trip on a trawler reminded me very much of my first trip back in 1986 when I was working on Linquenda. All I can say is I hope he enjoys making tea and coffee, peeling potatoes and doing the washing up, because that will be part of his main duties for quite a while when he gets his first job as "dekkie learner"Skipper Sean Gibbs obviously likes to stick to a tradition of throwing money into the sea at the beginning of each trip. Can't say I've ever heard of that before, but it certainly makes sense, give back a little because you are taking a lot. I wonder if he throws the money in at the same spot every time? I can just imagine a scuba diver coming across a huge pile of money and thinking that all his Christmases have come at once.
Anyway, it was good to see a couple of the guys who I know from way back when I was just 16 years old, I still bump into them every now and then when I'm in town, I'll have to ask for an autograph next time I see them.
I am really enjoying this series, I just wish they didn't have that awful poetry all the way through the program, sorry producers, directors, it's rubbish ;) -
Fish Town - a new series filmed in Brixham Devon
A 10 part series focusing on the town of Brixham in Devon started this evening on Sky Atlantic. Narrated by Kenneth Cranham this series which will look at the various characters and businesses that are located in and around Brixham has been filmed in the spring and summer of 2011.
We saw Barry Young who is chief auctioneer at the Brixham fish market, actually I know Barry. We also saw a few other characters, Pat from the Maritime who certainly doesn't mince her words, especially when it came to the new fish market, I think "a load of crap" was basically the words that came out of her mouth regarding this £20 million development. I think some noses have been pushed out of place, especially the folks at the Rio fish Cafe, I don't suppose you can blame them really, a brand-new fish and chip restaurant has opened virtually 100 yards away from them, and it's probably in a much better position for the tourists.
All in all it was an enjoyable hour watching where I happen to live. I knew that they were filming here a few months ago as there were notices up all over the place telling people that if they didn't want to be filmed, then basically don't come downtown.I'm not so sure about the poetic narration by Kenneth Cranham that talks of tourists being washed up at the shores of Brixham, it is a little bit corny for my liking, anyone tuning in at that moment may have thought, Christ! the Brixham Bell has sunk.
If you haven't seen it, have a look, it's on for an hour at eight o'clock on a Friday evening on Sky Atlantic. I've certainly enjoyed seeing people I know and it will certainly put Brixham on the map, not that it's not already there already, after all we do live in a wonderful part of the world here in Brixham.
