Fakenham Thoughts

I've been doing some council stuff this evening, visiting Fakenham to look at a site that might be developed, spoke to a couple of residents who contacted me over an issue and called in on a friend.

It's odd visiting the place where you used to live and it makes you look at a place in a new way. Fakenham, to my mind, is actually an extremely nice place. I loved living there and was sad to move, but a change of jobs really forced it on me, but on each of my regular visits the place I realise some of the little gems there are in the town.

Here are my top ten Fakenham things.

1. Hollywood Cinema - How many small towns have a cinema with the latest films and all for just £3 a visit. An absolute gem of a place which I think some local people overlook.
2. The local shops - Nigel Benbow in his fruit shop, always ready to give his opinion on the world and always worth listening too, the wonderful butchers, the bakers and the great card shop in Millers Walk.
3. Fakenham Sports Centre - A really good facility recently provided by the council with a lot of backing from local people who campaigned for it for years. Another great facility often under used.
4. FADLOS - Fakenham Amateur Dramatic and Light Operatic Society. They put on the most amazing productions a number of times each and every year, not just a local show but real event.
5. Fakenham Rugby and Football Clubs - Some really dedicated people run these clubs and help put the town on the map.
6. The bowling alley - Again, how many towns have a bowling alley ? Another unique selling point for the town.
7. Eating out - From the wine bar to the pubs, you can eat well in Fakenham, but my favourites are the Thai in the centre of town and the "Hot and Cold" Chinese on Norwich Street.
8. Highfields Car Park - As a councillor I have, with my fellow Lib Dem colleagues campaigned long and hard to save this particular car park. Now, as a visitor to the town, I am forever using this car park AND the toilets there, which also, thanks to a lot of work have also been saved within the latest review of toilet across the district.
9. The Gas Museum - How many gas museums are there in the UK ? One, it's in Fakenham and is another under used asset.
10. The people - It might sound slightly "twee", and I am most certainly not saying it to improve my electoral chances (I'm not standing again), but the people in Fakenham are great. There is a real sense of community, lots of local interest groups, genuinely friendly and welcoming people.

And before someone criticises me for not including the Racecourse, it is actually in Hempton, not Fakenham.

Still, I am there usually twice a week and still have the right to be Councillor for Fakenham North until the beginning of May but will be regular visitor to the town for many years to come to see how the town grows and develops and to visit all the gems, but not Tesco - That's another story for another time.