Farewell to a Formosa favourite

As residents may already know to their cost Hiten & Darsha Patel sadly put up the shutters at Dhigs on Monday July 31st as they headed off for a well-deserved break after a hard-to-credit 44 years running the convenience store in Formosa Street. During all that time the couple have been not just shop-keepers but a friend & support to many, particularly during the Covid lockdown when they were a vital source not just of supplies but of human contact.. They even made time to take the local RAF veteran Peter Brown, whose funeral at the age of 96 drew hundreds back in May, to some of his hospital appointments.

There's a chance to bid the Patels a formal farewell on Sunday September 3rd when they will be hosting a drinks do at the Prince Alfred pub, just opposite the shop in Formosa Street. All are welcome after 7.30 pm.

Rain fails to dampen spirits on Family Fun Day

Things did not start off terribly promisingly for this year's event on Saturday July 8th when torrential rain between noon & 2 pm meant that the bouncy castles had to be taken down. However three gazebos were hastily erected in time for Magic Mikey the entertainer to begin his magic show,

& with the arrival of Raimondo the Ice Cream man the sun came out & numbers began to steadily pick up. Pizza chef Massimo managed to shift £400 worth of pizzas despite the weather & bubble-blowing & biscuit-decorating organised by residents were also a big hit.

Over the course of the afternoon there were probably a hundred children in attendance plus accompanying adults, which considering the inauspicious start was judged to be a definite success, with many people choosing to stay on & picnic late into the evening. Our thanks again to the generous sponsorship of Jack Graham-Lindsay of local property consultants Harding Green.

The Night Rain stopped Play

In all its illustrious eight-year history (with two years out for Covid, admittedly) the independent theatre company Shakespeare in the Squares has only ever once had to cancel on account of the weather -- & unfortunately that turned out to be the night of "our" performance, on Tuesday July 4th! This season's choice, the suitably bucolic Twelfth Night, had been due to be staged in the Crescent Garden at 7 pm but an ominous forecast earlier in the day of cloud & heavy rain turned out to be all too accurate. Refunds were speedily arranged but with only three further performances to go it made for a slightly downbeat end to what had been a spectacularly successful & largely sell-out season, specially extended to run from June 7th--July 7th. Anyway here's to next year, when it will be Formosa Garden's turn to host once again!