WHISPERING SMITH: Princess Marina and memories of Leonard

Last week I went along to the Princes Marina with another old RAF friend and booked up for their lunch club meal. Peaceful tranquillity with a lovely sea view setting. All around pristine comfort, a small bar, we partook of a couple of Spitfires, rather fitting don’t you know. Good company in the lounge, a three-course meal and a very nice cup of coffee in the dining room and regular afternoon entertainment followed by tea and cake, all served by a very smart and friendly staff. Unusually for me, I can’t fault it in any way – even the price was extraordinarily reasonable. You do need to book as space is limited and you must be either a guest of someone who has served, or has a strong connection to someone else who has served in the RAF. - MY favourite quote of the week came from my daughter: “I liked the world better when Obama was the US president and Leonard Cohen was alive.” How could one not agree with that? Cohen was a firm favourite of mine and very much an influence on my writing back in the day when I believed myself to be a bit of a writer, poet and romantic. Well why not? - GOOD news regarding Winterwatch, Martin Hughes-Games is set to appear albeit in a different role but one he seems quite happy with. Perhaps the Beeb does sometimes hearken to the wishes of the viewer. - ANOTHER e-cigarette shop opened, this time in Beach Road. Am I missing something here, is this a winner, should I be getting in on the ground floor while there is still a heap of vacant premises in the town or will it blow itself out? --- Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage at www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LittlehamptonGazette 3) Follow us on Twitter @LhamptonGazette 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Littlehampton Gazette - always the first with your local news. Be part of it.