philmayfield

Just thinking back, there did used to be a traditional English restaurant on Mansfield Road, on the corner of Chatham St. where you turn up to go the Arboretum on Sherwood St. I think it's a bookies now. It was called the Old England and they served proper English Food. We went once and had something like steak and kidney pie. I don't know how long it survived.

I believe there was a large bus station underneath the Vic Centre on Milton St. originally but I'm not sure when that was built. The station I was referring to on York St. was much smaller and replaced the original which became extra shopping space for the Vic Centre. I live out of Nottingham and haven't been on a bus in 50 years. There will be others along who will know much more.

I bet you can't pop out to a proper 'English' restaurant like we can go to an 'Italian'. Do other countries have 'English' restaurants - you know - roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, Lancashire hot pot, battered fish and chips?

No, I think this one is contemporaneous with the Vic Centre building although it has seen some changes over its lifetime. The previous nearby bus station was on Huntingdon Street.

My wife and her two sisters all have the same initials VA but different names.

Yes there still is a bus station at the rear of the Victoria Centre behind York House.

I've been twice. Once for funeral purposes and once to eat. Very good fish and chips. Mr. Haddock also had a branch in The Ossington building on Beastmarket Hill in Newark opposite the castle. The funeral was to do with an uncle. As I recollect I was the first to turn up at his house (I was 21 at the time) and then the funeral director arrived alone and I had to act as his assistant. I helped carry the body out to the van. All very strange!

As long as you washed your hands afterwards I'm sure you would have been O.K.

Just looked at a 'photo of Mr Haddock's and that did have arched windows. Perhaps they were a later embellishment when it was converted from the funeral parlour?

Perhaps it didn’t have arched windows. Can’t see them on the old ‘photos.

The building with the arched windows was Clowers/ Mr. Haddock.

Clowers were the undertakers. It was also a restaurant called Pengellys.

I remember the restaurant in the former undertaker’s. When I last ate there it was called ‘Mr. Haddock’, an upmarket fish and chip shop. It was the left hand side of Canning Circus going out of Nottingham. Ben Bowers was diagonally opposite on the other side of Derby Rd.

I remember that gent's and its alleged reputation. I only used it for its designated purpose though and was never propositioned!

We hardly use salt at all in cooking. Haven’t done for many years. The only exception is sprinkled on broad beans! I do realise that salt is a seasoning and a flavour enhancer and can be part of the ‘chemical’ cooking process but when you get used to going without you don’t miss it.

Filled with spaghetti and melted Stilton.

Yes, but it’s spelt Haydn.

What about Haydn Rd. Basford? Is that pronounced after the composer? Was it named after him?

I wasn’t trying to be brave - I was my usual flippant self. Never think before speaking!

Just a horse’s head on my pillow that night. I accepted the caution!

I once made a lighthearted remark about the Mafia over lunch with some Italians in Naples. "In Naples we don't make jokes about the Mafia" I was told.

Italians with table manners. Which part of Italy do you frequent? (just joking Brenda!)

I always dread my 'phone going off during a funeral service. Fortunately I don't have a jolly ringtone!

I remember being in a toilet cubicle at Heathrow airport and listening to the man in the next compartment saying on his mobile 'phone "I'll have to ask my secretary but she's not with me at the moment".

I wouldn't think washing hands with soap and warm water destroys all the bacteria. Look how surgeons scrub up before an operation and even then they wear surgical gloves. Possibly not a good idea to live too clinical a life.