The Blog...

Where there's a wheel, there's a whey.

I've been meaning to interview James Fowler for so long. I love this guy and love what he does, and how his love for Southbourne has meant he chose to build up his little empire of diverse foodie business along our high street. The #sobomile is so much better for it.

James also gets very involved with community events and local issues. During the ice cold Beast from the East, James was on Southbourne Grove digging out the thick layer of ice to make the path safer, and then drove his 4x4 pickup truck all day, ferrying nurses to and from work at Bournemouth Hospital. A true gentleman.

I was supposed to interview him early one night, but he was busy so five cocktails in I began a fun filled interview. It has taken a while to transcribe but I hope it is worth it. As you can imagine, with James' hospitality and a Martini cocktail or two, I had to decipher and de-ramble a lot of the ramblings!

The pun "where there's a wheel, there's a whey" is a play on his new Cheese and Charcuterie shop that will open, called Parlourmentary.

I have posted the whole interview on my Southbourne Groove website: James Fowler interview about his life and new Parlourmentary cheese and charcuterie shop.

This was my first visit to the festival.

It was the fact that there was a day dedicated to Cyber Security and that the Malvern area has many associated businesses in that space due to close proximity with Cheltenham, was what made me want to go. The day before also had slots about innovation and about startup businesses so I went a day early to take those sessions in as well.

I hope we can create something of the same feel and not have the compulsion to go large all the time right here in Bournemouth.

After the absolute success of Southbourne Revival in the summer we stormed forward to organise our Halloween theme family fun day called Frankenfest.

The organising went a lot smoother a quicker, through our new found experience. Music acts booked, children's rides, activities, food and drink stalls, and other traders all ready for the day.

Although we had families coming out to support the event, children in wellies, the wind and rain eventually made us reluctantly call an early close for 4pm.

We felt really disappointed, disappointed for the stall holders who graciously support our endeavours and for the families that didn't get to make it.

There were many families that did come out and had their own little magic show with the three magicians we had lined up. Hearing the laughter does spur us on.

All wasn't lost as two of the music acts ended up playing in a shop on Southbourne Grove. The amazing Chris Payn rocked #SoBo indeed.

Oh, what have I done?

I've only and agreed with Mark to do a talk called "The Worst Business Entrepreneur Presentation, Ever!" at the last You Are The Media lunch club of 2019.

<< Now that I have done it, you can see it here: The Worst Business Presentation Ever on YouTube. >>

It is a bit tongue in cheek the title, maybe a bit click-baity, but I'm not good at presentations and certainly don't relish standing up in front of a load of people and doing a talk.

I'm doing it for a few reasons: it will be fun, for me in the end; it pushes me way beyond my comfort zone, but at least it's in some sort of safe space with the YATM crowd; and I want to put back in as I've taken a lot out of the Lunch Clubs in terms of the people I've met and I think I have a few good things to say.

No need to wish me luck, I've got this.

Also, with that title, I literally can't fail. If it turns out to be the worst, then job done. If it's deemed not so bad, then I have exceeded expectations, good job. This isn't a clever double bluff either.

If for some odd sadistic reason you want to come along then book your lunch club ticket.