Someone up there was smiling on me last week, because the speaking diary worked out in just the right order. Usually, and it's probably happened to you too, there's a zig-zag effect, but my route of Leicester, London and then Bristol was ideal.

My hosts in the Midlands were the Ibstock Brick people who, it turns out, make more of the things than anyone else in the country. Over dinner, the conversation turned in a similar direction to that engineers' function recently when the lack of skilled workers was highlighted. Similarly apparently, there is a growing shortage of bricklayers, leading to more and more sectional buildings being constructed which need less skilled work. My own efforts at amateur bricklaying always cause great hilarity among the experts, but I must admit that I really enjoy watching a real tradesman at work.

Talking of expertise, appearing alongside yours truly at that event were the Three Waiters, and they were superb. These guys bring a lot of humour to a night as well as outstanding voices; their versions of Nessun Dorma and Tonight were particularly fine. If you'd like to know more, contact me through my website.

The next day I was off to London, and the perpetual problem of taking a car into that well-clogged city. My solution was to stay at the Heathrow Hilton, leave the car there, and let the Heathrow Express to Paddington do the hard work. It worked a treat and the system is operating very smoothly indeed (more in the travel column next week).

You'll see what I mean about the lucky diary when I tell you that next morning I was straight out of Heathrow to the M4 Westbound, heading for a hotel in Castle Combe near Chippenham, just short of Bristol.

This is a beautiful venue, being a manor house set in beautiful parkland. I was speaking at a dinner for the car people Daimler Chrysler, who were all keeping an eye for the resident ghost. The story was well spread by host Tom Johnston, and there were certainly plenty of spirits about during the limerick competition into the early hours of the morning!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

There's one TV advert running at the moment which leaves me feeling uneasy, and I wondered if you felt the same way. It's selling a computer game on the theme of the D Day Landings in Normandy, and, personally, I find the idea really tasteless. I've had the privilege of interviewing some of the people who landed on those nightmare beaches, and I was left with a mixture of awe and gratitude. Am I the only one who thinks that a GAME is scraping the barrel of insensitivity?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Finally, a fond goodbye (but not really) to Brian Dinsdale who's making the short trip from Chief Executive of Hartlepool Council to neighbouring Middlesbrough. He's done a brilliant job in his 14 years or so in my home town, and has been in charge during some amazing positive changes. I know that Mayor Stuart Drummond has found Brian an invaluable help in his new job, and he'll be a very hard act to follow. The happy news is that he's the ideal man to take Middlesbrough forward, and I'm glad that a man of such talent is not lost to our area altogether.

Published: 11/12/2002