Phil Groom writes:
They say a picture paints a thousand words. I guess that’s just as well because on this occasion, words almost failed me. Then I thought of a few captions: other suggestions welcome.
Anyway, this is the mess that the Charity Commissioners must now pick up from J Mark and Phil W Brewer’s so-called mission to rescue Britain’s Christian Heritage in Winchester. Pictures taken on May 16, 2009, by — well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it? You know who you are: thank you.
The door is open...
Let's see what's in the window...
Opening times: let's go in
Handle with care: stock may be fragile
I said, 'Handle with care - stock may be fragile!'
We really care about our stock (but we don't care about its history)
We practice a deep and sincere spirituality...
Around the Back: Strategic Planning Department, Brewer and Pritchard PC
Can they leave the previous name on stock after the permission to use the SPCK name has been withdrawn?
Wearing my pedant’s hat, can or should? But either way, apparently, they did.
So that is the new headquarters of ENC. All mail is to be sent there. Amazing how these images got onto this website.
So what’s happening at Chester for them to move the address from there? Winchester is not a success story as it was a flagship SPCK store, dealing with the majority of the 2nd hand trade, and was one that SPCK wanted to keep if other shops went independent. It was later a flagship franchise – with the support of the Bishop – yet even so the manager had to get out at huge legal expense because of the Brewers. Now it is a mess. I wonder what Winchester diocese has to say about this?
Well there isn’t really anything else to say but WOW is there! Love books? I don’t think so.
Er, that last picture. Is that where the documents sent to the shop are put?
Via this blog to the one who sent the photos, “well done.”
“A picture paints a thousand words”. Opening hours – that’s the sign the worker put up. The following sign has Phil Brewer’s finger prints all over it (punctuation sucks). The agency worker would not know about complaints to Trading Standards. It’s in the timing. Brewer probably visited that shop during the case hearings.
I echo Phelim’s comments and note that Winchester was a shop where staff were abused without most of the world realising it – one manager hounded out by despicable behaviour from the Brewers, and another, having been pushed from pillar to post, hassled and bewildered, was forced into one of the dubious “franchises” which was costly to exit. Many people, from all over the UK, put their own money up front to seek legal help against the Brewers, and these costs can never be recovered. Phil Brewer was in the country last week.
If Phil Brewer was in UK last week, perhaps we should request that him & his brother, be added to that list of undesirables, who may not enter the country!!
Phelim , I suspect the notice regarding ENC has something to do with Trading Standards!
Been listening to Bob Dylan’s latest album.
Anybody feel like a challenge?
Complete the first line of track 4:
“If you ever go to Houston….”
I did a search today on Chester Bookshops and under Third Space books is a review by PWB obviously
Phil Brewer saying it is a marvelous shop and he gives it a 5star rating under every heading if only people knew who had done the reviews
Don’t you just love the way ole Phil puts book reviews on that website. They aren’t even reviews. They’re just the blurb on the back of the book.
Didn’t find the 5 star rating. Probably looked at the wrong website. I was looking at the Third Space Books one. The staff at that shop in Chester are working under terrible conditions. Then again I guess that can be said of all the people working in Third Space Bookshops.
For Chester review try: http://www.accessplace.com/moreinfo.htm
or in google type in ‘bookshops chester reviews’ and look for Access Place. If we use the Third Space map of alleged bookshops and do the same around the country I wonder what we will find?
OK, that link doesn’t work properly, but use it, type in ‘bookshops’ and ‘Chester’ in the search boxes and it appears – you can then click on the ’1 review’ and see pwb’s masterpiece in brevity and enthusiasm.
Pax I wonder what we’ll find when Third Space Books no longer exists. Probably claims that they do. I actually will try to google the shops on that site – but there is football on the Telly!
ASB (how very retro) – perhaps you’ll find a link to the Space Between Brewers’ Ears.
As no one has taken up Raymond’s verse challenge I’ll get the ball rolling:
‘If you ever go to Houston
put your hobnailed boots on,
‘cos a Brewer in a stetson
will try to get you stepped on.’
Haven’t heard the music Raymond is suggesting so I’ll wager:
‘Don’t ever go to Houston
There’s a Brewer there,
And never go to Tucson
Another one is there.
Far better visit Africa
And see a Hippo’s plight
That python feels it’s poisened
Though it’s tried with all it’s might.’
OK I’m getting my jacket already.
Pax, ASBO – you’ve done better with the lyrics than the Brewer’s have with the bookshops.
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