OUT IN THE FIELD: Scotch eggs and sausage rolls get the thumbs up

Last week I lamented at my lack of knowledge about who I could and couldn’t mix with in my Christmas bubble in the coming weeks ahead and for a few days of festive fun and frolics from December 23-27. This week I have become an expert on Scotch eggs and sausage rolls. It takes 14 minutes to cook a Scotch egg and 20 minutes for a sausage roll. My reason for expanding my expertise is of course due to the fact you can only – now that we are in Tier 2 since lockdown ended – have an alcoholic drink in a pub with a substantial meal. And Scotch eggs and sausage rolls meet that criteria apparently. While I am not a fan of the former and can only eat the latter hot with a helping of salad cream, my recently discovered inner Nigella does not stretch to baking them at Chez Field. However, I am reliably informed the best homemade ones this side of the M25 are the ones sold at one of my favourite farm shops, Chilly Farm.

File: The Beacon in Eastbourne 3/12/20

Topshop/Topman SUS-200312-124925001 — File: The Beacon in Eastbourne 3/12/20 Topshop/Topman SUS-200312-124925001

As if it wasn’t bad enough that Eastbourne lost its Laura Ashley branch earlier this year, there was more sad news for the High Street this week that Edinburgh Woollen Mill is closing its doors along with Bonmarche, which has seen a drop in footfall thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. And what will happen to Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins and Burton? Between them they have a sizable property within The Beacon and it will be a devastating blow if they have to vacate not to mention the upset for all the staff who are having to carry on working while not knowing what the future holds for them. While administrators begin a mop up job of Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group’s highly publicised collapse, there is at least something we can do to help our local independent traders which are just as an important part of the High Street. www.madeineastbourne.co.uk is a great place for Eastbourne sellers to showcase their goods and for buyers to shop local. And there’s more. One lucky shopper who has a trot round the shops in Eastbourne town centre between now until Christmas Eve will win prizes worth more than £2,500. All you have to do is spend £40 in a town centre shop or business, exchange a copy of your receipt for a raffle ticket and you could walk away with overnight hotel stays, tickets to all the major events in town, £300 in shopping vouchers at the Enterprise Shopping Centre, a free coffee every week for a year at Coffee Republic, gym membership for two at Anytime Fitness, a flat screen TV from Leos Leisure, cream teas, a round of golf and much, much more. The draw will be made on Christmas Eve. Further details are at www.eastbourneherald.co.uk and good luck.

As all non-essential shops reopened this week with many shoppers hitting the high streets to make up for lost time in preparing for the Christmas period, we were told that shop workers have already borne the brunt of some people’s anger and frustrations during the pandemic with 76 per cent of those responding to a recent survey experiencing more abuse, threatening behaviour and even physical assaults. On the whole most customers show respect and kindness to shop workers. Those who don’t should be thoroughly ashamed and take a good hard look at themselves in the mirror.