No Marks out of Ten
Its not usual to see visitors from the Far East in Ber Wick and it is getting late in the year for foreigners (except Scots.) But to day I saw the old fashioned type of Japanese visitor, two cameras, eager and interested in his surroundings-such as they are around the Council Offices. I knew, once I saw him, what was going to happen next. He stopped me with a courteous little bow (and by blocking my progress) and indicated that he would like me to photograph him against a suitable building. So I moved with him towards the rather grim but photogenic Anglican Church (built, it is said, by Cromwell) . He was having nothing of it and indicated that I should take him beside a very small Toyota with an extensive view of the half empty car park behind him. 'My car' he said 'Hired at airport. Japanese. Very good' ' Good car park. Excellent facility' He added. I handed him back the smaller camera and asked if he liked Ber Wick. 'Lubbish' he replied. 'Rubbish? Why' 'Bad shops. No Marks and Spencers'

If I had known that earlier I would have had good news for him. I was told just now (by a prospective house buyer) that we are to have a Marks and Sparks opening next month. When the word spreads to the China Sea and beyond we will be inundated by eager retail tourists anxious to be snapped outside M & S, Argos, Homebase and even, on a slow day, Somerfields.

No longer Lubbish. But desilable. Putting the Yen back into

Ber wick. Shopping Magnet of the North

(The image is from flickr. Marks and Spencers? Yes. Apparently it is the kind of breakfast you can buy in one of their food stores-like the one to be opened here shortly. So we can look forward to organically eager Scottish tourists and caravanners munching away on these in their cars outside M & S. Can't we?)

Labels: Berwick, Japanese tourists, Marks and Spencers

  ¶ 11:18 AM