Royal Victoria Place Popup Update

Hi 

Thank you for your feedback on the shopping centre. I have taken it all back to the centre and renegotiated the terms with the management and I'm extremely excited to let you know that we have been provisionally offered a unit inside the shopping centre on the top floor. 

It used to be Optical Express and was more recently Dassie Artisan. This is a huge unit in an extremely popular location. The shop will be branded and kitted out ready for a six week period. I am still working on figures but we are looking at £250 for the six week period at the moment. Spaces will be limited and subject to conditions but if you are interested please drop me an email and I'll add your name to the list

Kind Regards

Hope Marshall

                                                        ****

                                                                                    

               

My reply:

Best bet is to wait 'til Christmas.

The footfall will be non-existent this time of year, Hope.  We've been trading in the Royal Victoria Place since 1994 ~ two years after it was opened by Princess Di snipping a cord.  Back then the aisles would be packed on a Saturday.  But that's a distant memory now.

  

Grenville Allen

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Pop up project with Royal Victoria Place

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Grenville Allen
Date: Sun, Jun 10, 2018 at 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: Pop up project with Royal Victoria Place
To:  Hope Marshall

Michael ~ a good aficionado (left of pic) ~ me on the right

#HazeltheMallMoll (left) & an old friend of hers (right)

Our days in Ely Court
where we rarely saw a customer.
The café was almost next door and was one of the last to go.

I think you could be flogging the proverbial dead horse, Hope.  It's clearly a terrible last-ditch attempt by the management to make something of this debacle.  Was a lovely mall until Westfield took over a few years back and wrecked the place.
It's been downhill ever since.
All the best 

​

Grenville Allen

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On Sun, Jun 10, 2018 at 4:28 PM Hope Marshall wrote:

Hi

I hope you're well. I had a meeting with the management from the shopping centre in Tunbridge Wells today and I have been given the opportunity to take nine units for a six week period to hold a six week long pop up. 

At the moment I'm looking for a bit of feedback as to who would be interested. I would be taking over the whole of Ely court, all the shops will be repainted white with our branding throughout along with large window vynls on the street facing shops promoting the project. We also may potential have the opportunity to run a cafe aswell.

The project does come with a few conditions which is why I'm emailing you all to see if this will work. Ive listed bellow a few points I took away from the conversation and I'd love your feedback on them if you have time. At this point I do not have prices worked out as I don't know what the rent, insurance, electric and staff costs will be.

• The shops will need to be open the same hours as the centre so seven days a week 9-5.30 with late night opening on a Thursday evening. This is great for you all as your products will be available for a long period however theres only one of me so it will involve me hiring nine members of staff to run each shop. One thought is whether you would be interested in volunteering to work in the shops in exchange for having your products in there for free. 
• I would not take any percentage of sales however you would need to sign up to a minimum of three weeks. (The project runs for six)
• Part of the agreement with the centre is that I am in charge of the appearance of every shop. So it would involve dropping your stock into me rather than setting it up yourself. We will have shelving units rather than tables. 
• If the project goes well I am told we have the opportunity to take over a larger shop in the centre of the shopping centre, and we may also be allowed to come back at Christmas for another six weeks.
• Lastly I need to get a rough idea of how much you are willing to pay, Support Local is a community and for that reason I am always trying my best to keep prices as low as possible for you. However as I said above I do have rent, insurance, electric and staff to consider. staffing costs alone would equate to a minimum of £18,000 for the 6 week period.

Please do let me know your thoughts, this is a fantastic opportunity which I hope you'll all be excited to be part of

Kind Regards

Hope Marshall

Fwd: Article request for Summer Newsletter - DEADLINE Wednesday 23rd May 2018

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, May 10, 2018 at 6:21 PM
Subject: Re: Article request for Summer Newsletter - DEADLINE Wednesday 23rd May 2018
To: Jo Gurr <jo.gurr@producedinkent.co.uk>

100 word article for Summer Newsletter

Thanks to a power cut I had no social media distractions one day so was able to get on and finish a painting I began at 17. I found the artwork in a cupboard where it had been languishing for 45 years. That's my father's Jag on the drive and our postie Bill with cap

and long trousers. NB half-drawn blue curtains to my teenage bedroom, creating a moody ambience. Behind those curtains would have been Bolan, Zeppelin, Bowie et al playing away on a record player! Now miraculously we've been able to take ltd edition giclées from this painting that was almost lost forever.

  

  Grenville Allen

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All Saints Church Staplehurst Summer Fête Saturday 4th August 2018 from 12-4pm to be held in the grounds of Staplehurst Manor

'Evening Julia

I am afraid that we won't be able to attend your fête as

1. we took absolutely no money (not a bean) at the one we did with the crooners singing merrily along

2. we're probably attending another fête somewhere else, it being no doubt sunny that time of year

Sorry to be so negative on this occasion but needs must when one is running a business.  It's a dog eats dog environment out there.  Last time at Staplehurst Manor all we saw were people sloshing back the Prosecco which rots the teeth and contributes greatly to alcoholism and type 2 diabetes.  Unfortunately my pictures didn't get a look-in ~ something to feed the soul was certainly not on the agenda.

Anyway, I hope you have a good day and raise lots of dosh for the church steeple etc.

All the best

  

  

​

Grenville Allen

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On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 3:05 PM, All Saints Church Office <allsaintsstaplehurst@enterprise.net> wrote:

Dear Grenville

We are writing to see if you would like to have a stall at our Summer Fete this year with your paintings and prints? 

For the first time we will be holding the fete in the beautiful grounds of Staplehurst Manor and are keen for local makers and suppliers to attend and celebrate Kentish flair and produce in the garden of England.

Do let us know if you would be interested and we will then send you out a registration form and further details of the event.

With thanks for your kind attention.

Best regards

Julia Page

Administrator

All Saints Church

Parish Office

The New Rectory

High Street

Staplehurst

Kent

TN12 0BJ

01580 891 258

www.allsaintsstaplehurst.co.uk

Jane Sterck's response re Firle Garden Show

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Info Garden <info@thegardenshowonline.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 19, 2018 at 11:19 AM
Subject: RE: Firle Garden Show
To: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>

Oh no! Such a shame ! Don't understand why at all!!

I think you are both just lovely J

Jane Sterck

The Garden Show at Firle Place 

20 – 22 April 2018

Tel: +44 (0)1243 538456 / 780000

Fax: +44 (0)1243 586968

jane@thegardenshowonline.com

www.thegardenshowonline.com

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Firle Garden Show

As much as we'd like to have joined you this year, Jane, we've been in effect deselected by Weald Crafts even though we'd agreed our booking at the end of last year's Firle Garden Show.

Don't think they like the cut of Hazel & my jib. 

Ah well.

  

Grenville Allen

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2018 starts on a high note....

There I am peering into a trough of despair

Actually it all came right in the end. Tim the sparky fixed the wiring so the Dimplex wall-mounted heater could be switched back on. There'd been an awful smell of fish which I kept telling #HazeltheMallMoll was coming from next door.  No, it was the smell of wiring scorching & just about to set the house ablaze.  

Pete Britt the car mechanic is sorting out the car which collapsed on a broken suspension spring which also punctured the tyre & broke the shock absorbers as well.  But heigh-ho.

Dave Stoodley the plumber has just left after sorting out the blocked sink.  Water now draining away nicely.  For now.

Chap coming on Friday to stop the shed roof leaking.

To be continued....

Fwd: Parting of the ways. (Hazel's abrupt departure from the vineyard.)

        Grenville Allen
www.grenvilleallen.com

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Grenville Allen" <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: 26 Oct 2011 08:32
Subject: Parting of the ways. (Hazel's abrupt departure from the vineyard.)
To: <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Cc:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Grenville

Date: Sat, Oct 15, 2011 at 7:23 PM
Subject: Fwd: Parting of the ways....
To:Frazer

Cc: Lucy, Retail - English Wines Group PLC

I am sending you this again twice (like BT do with their bills just in case) since you clearly didn't receive it first time.  Note when it was sent.  Far from being a 'petulant' reaction it was positively jubilant.  Already Hazel (ex-account manager up north & top PA @ Saatchis in London) has fired our own business up just like she did yours until she was well 'n' truly crapped on.

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Grenville

Date: Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 7:03 PM
Subject: Parting of the ways....
To: Frazer

Cc: Lucy, Retail - English Wines Group PLC

Frazer

Best news ever.  For some time now I've been unhappy about Hazel squandering her talents down at the vineyard.  Her taking the job on there was only supposed to be a temporary measure when all the shows kept being called off 'cos of hoof 'n' mouth disease, floods, etc.

Having my pics in the shop and promoting the fact on my leaflets which we hand out everywhere we go went some way towards making it more worthwhile — for both our ventures.  When you intimated that you no longer wanted pics in the shop it did come as a blow especially when I offered you my food-related pics which sell extraordinarily well at farmers' markets & the like.

Now apparently you've gone back on this and are putting pics/cards back in.  I used to sell many a mounted pic from a browser tucked away in a corner.  And in fact only a week or so ago at the Canterbury Eurofair a woman came up to our stand all aghast.  "Wow!" she exclaimed. "This is the first time I've seen all your pictures on display.  I used to buy them from a browser at the Tenterden Vineyard and get them framed at the Greyhound Framers in Tenterden."  Funnily enough she bought my 

     Free Range

Ironic innit?

Anyway, it's been nice knowing you and seeing your endeavours blossom.  I'm so grateful though I've got Hazel now totally back on board.  She really is a superwoman.

(Lucy, could you please sort out Hazel's holiday pay, P45 and all the boring stuff?  Ta.)

All the best

  

Grenville Allen
     f i n e       a r t i s twww.grenvilleallen.com

Fwd: September 17 Event

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Sep 17, 2017 at 9:31 PM
Subject: Re: September 17 Event
To:

Jane Clark

@saltwoodcastle.com

'Evening Jane

Just writing to express our disappointment with today's plant, art & craft fair. 

Firstly, for the lack of footfall the position of the pitch you allocated us was completely disadvantageous. There were three other artists to see right in the entrance before they even managed to see my display.  Indeed we overheard one woman saying "Not more art!" as she reached my stand.

Secondly, nobody had the courtesy to ask if we were all right.  I bet I was the only participant in this event who'd even read Alan Clark's memoir and avidly listened to the BBC R4 dramatisation of it.

In the above pic you see me with my wife Hazel attending a leaving do for Ann Widdecombe who'd just been given one of my cat pics (which she praised in writing).  In fact I showed many of my pics hanging on the walls of the Swale Borough councillor's house in which we're standing there.  And also incidentally in which we were made to feel very welcome.

Anyway, I'll put this down to experience.  As Roger Scruton, my favourite right-wing philosopher, is wont to say: "Life is full of disappointments".

All the best

   

​

Grenville 

​​

Allen

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On Wed, Jun 28, 2017 at 7:08 PM, Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com> wrote:

'Evening Jane

That's super!  As an avid Alan Clark memoir fan, this do will suit me to a T. 

I presume your single pitch plot size will accommodate our 8 feet wide by 6 feet depth covered display stand (imperial measurements):

Rest assured the booking form + cheque will be in the post to you tomorrow.

  

All the best 

  

​

Grenville 

​​

Allen

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Dear Grenville Allen, Not too late and we would love to have you, please note it is an outside venue so if you have a gazebo or similar or just hope its a dry day.!  Kind regards  Jane Clark

All about the late great Thora Beddard

[Commiserations to daughter Margaret....]

'Morning Margaret

Sad news indeed.  We were fully expecting to send the indomitable, ever-accomplishing Aunt Thora a 100th birthday card in October.  I spent much of yesterday re-reading all about her after following your comment to click here.  As one of my social media friends (now seventy-four herself) wrote after doing likewise: "Total respect, Grenville....What a gal!" 

You had a top-class mother there, Margaret.  One of a kind.

Good to see 14 Freeman Avenue will be still in the family.  I remember the kitchen and how all and sundry just popped in to pass the time of day with Aunt Thora.  It seemed like another world to me.  And then on one occasion there was some relative introduced to me as a seven-year-old who was ninety-two.  NInety-two! Way back then ~ in the sixties ~ I found that quite amazing. 

As regards the weather it can make or break a show for Hazel and me.  It's been lovely the last few days and now on the weekend when we'll be showing in Hythe it's due to turn nasty.  So already it's cost us as we'll have to fork out for one of the organiser's pre-erected stalls unlike our dainty little number:

Anyway, as Aunt Thora would say ~ and my father for that matter ~ "Man up!  Stop being wimps!"

All our fondest

  

 
Grenville Allen

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On Wed, Jul 19, 2017 at 3:14 PM, Margaret; wrote:

Hi Grenville and Hazel

Just a note with sad news that Thora passed away in her 100th year on 1 June.  She'd had a great life and had accomplished so much (you only have to google her name).  In February she had a fall in the house and had a new hip.  She seemed to recuperate well, but as the warm weather came, her breathing having fluid on her lungs and swollen legs and feet made life very hard.  She was in hospital for 3 weeks and passed away peacefully the day she was moved to the hospice.  

Fortunately my niece who has just sold her house is going to buy 14 Freeman Avenue, so it will be kept in the family.  Nanny Beddard bought it in 1935.

Hope you both are well and not suffering too much with the heat and thunderstorms.  We haven't had any yet, but it's very humid here.

Love from Margaret x

Latest testimonial

"You are looking good, Grenville, keeping in shape and a smart new haircut as well.  Sorry to hear about your nose!

I love your new work, the animals look gorgeous, particularly the donkeys, and the primrose looks very pretty."

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And here's a close-up of the aforementioned new haircut & damaged nose. Hair by top stylist Linda Franklin. Damaged nose by trip up a twilit low-lying step.