I can't wait to get home on a Wednesday night because Wednesday is the day that the local paper is delivered! "The Bromsgrove Advertiser" is your stereotypical local rag full of stories that could only ever be of interest to people who live in the town. Actually, I have to admit that some of the stories are probably only of interest if you know the people/school/shop etc. featured but I always scour its pages with a sense of excitement as I search for the latest piece to keep me informed and/or entertained.
If there are no stories that catch my eye then the public announcements in the back can often provide me with nugget of information that makes me feel like I know what's going on in the town. The planning applications are my favourite ("Oh, a new shop sign at 73 High Street"). In fact, it was through these pages that I managed to find out the much rumoured new pub that was to be built on the High Street was to be a Hogshead. This gem was buried in a notice entitled "Notice of Application for the Provisional Grant of a New Justices' Licence" and most people would have got bored with the legal mumbo-jumbo long before they reached the crucial phrase, "to be known as 'Hogshead'".
Whenever I visit friends around the country I always try and have a quick read of their local rag. I always feel disappointed - they never match up to The Advertiser, probably because the local news isn't local news for me.
The story below is one of my recent favourites. It was in the 21 February 2001 edition. And what page was such an earth shatterering story on? The front page!!!
If anybody from the paper is reading this please be reassured that this is not a piss take, it's not tongue-in-cheek, it's the truth! Ask anyone who know's me - I love The Bromsgrove Advertiser!
And now I love the Advertiser even more. Why? Because they printed my letter! Here's the evidence. Click on the picture if you want to read my ranting.
