Christchurch with Talking Pictures TV

Saturday 14 October 2023. We motored down to Dorset for a fascinating and enjoyable weekend with Talking Pictures TV at one of their fabulous Festivals of Film.

This was being held at the art deco cinema on Christchurch's High Street, The Regent Cinema.

We had a bit of a walk down into the town centre but there was still a while before the doors officially opened so we had a wander around to take in the centre of Christchurch.

It is well served with tea shops and cafeterias, both large chains and of the family owned variety. I do prefer the family owned shops really. Give someone a posh title such as barista and it seems to result in coffee taking ten times as long to make as it should really need. I never thought there was anything wrong with a spoon of instant coffee and hot water (or preferably hot milk) being poured over the granules.

The High Street again looking up towards the Regent which is well up on the left.

We took a side street turning, seeing a signpost that read "The Castle". It brought us to this thatched building and then, peeking from behind, a Norman castle on a high motte mound.

A set of steps led up to the somewhat scant remains. I didn't attmpt the steps, doddery old chap that I now seem to have become...

Walking past the mound brought us to another set of steps that were just as easy to ignore!

On a green opposite the castle and on the banks of a narrow offshoot of the River Avon were the remains of a Norman house. That must have impressed the locals a bit when it was first built!

And finally I'll get around to the TPTV event. It was quite simply fabulous. Our lovely friend Caroline Munro was unable to be there which was a disappointment but the equally lovely Madeline Smith stepped in to co-host the event with Mike Reid. I hadn't met up with Maddy since 2006 so quite a long while, but she took one look and said "Oh, I do remember you!" which was very nice, or as Miss Franny would say: Once seen, never forgotten... I've no idea what she meant... Good to see and speak to the TPTV regulars, Noel and Sarah Cronin, comedian Mel Byron and I got to chat and exchange a bit of banter with glamourous singer Lola Lamour which earned me a flurry of blown kisses from the stage towards the end of the event. Gratefully received Lola and the black eye Miss Franny gave me is already fading...