Many friends were delighted to see Peter Stubbs, landlord of Teesdale's most unusual hostelry, the Brown Jug,

appearing with Luke Casey on The Dales Diary on TV last week.

Mr Stubbs is a busy chap as a farmer, councillor and farmwatch leader, so he has little time for serving drinks.

He has only occasional customers at his small inn near Barnard Castle, and would rather not see any more.

"Now and again we get a few friends calling for a social half hour, but rarely get strangers because so

few know about us," he told me.

In fact at his request the TV show did not give the exact location of the Brown Jug, which is owned by Raby

Estates, for fear it might encourage a lot of viewers to head for it. "We would not welcome a host of

newcomers," said the jovial publican, who runs the adjoining farm with his wife Gladys.

The inn is around 300 years old and has been in his family for over a century since his grandparents ran it.

His mother, Mrs Sally Stubbs, was the landlady for 66 years and was known for her fund of comical stories.

"When I took over Lord Barnard told me he wanted to keep the licence alive but that I could run it just as I

wanted," added Mr Stubbs, who keeps some cans of beer and bottles of spirits for his few customers.

John Hussey, a great great grandson of Richard Watson, the Teesdale Bard, called to see me this week

with a selection of songs he has written, and which are being set to music by his wife Kathleen.

He descends from the poet's daughter Margaret, who married Christopher Shield and moved to High King

Street in Witton Park, where she lived to the age of 75.

Mr Hussey, who lives in The Baltic, Witton Park, seems to have inherited his kinsman's talent for

writing but insists his inspiration comes from "up above" rather than down through the family. His works

all have a religious theme, and he hopes they will eventually be sung in churches.

One of them, entitled That City of Love, begins:

There's a beautiful city in the sweet bye and bye/Adorned with such riches where my treasures will lie/

The glory of Jesus I'm longing to see/That beautiful city is waiting for me.

Harry Dick and his team are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the independence of their co-op project,

Teesdale Garden Crafts, and are still doing as well as ever. Examples of their excellent woodwork can

be seen all over the dale and far beyond.

The scheme was run by Durham County Council for seven years before it withdrew support. It looked like

closing until Mr Dick decided to go it alone with his men, who have some disabilities. Many people rallied

with support in the shape of orders for garden seats, gates, fences, bird tables and the like.

"We are thrilled with the way it has gone," said the hard working director, whose team includes John

Emmerson, Stephen Wall, Sam Long and John Lowes -- as happy a bunch as you will find.

Recent orders have included six picnic tables for GlaxoSmith Kline, a circular seat to go round a tree

at Barningham, a card stand for Charles Dickens Lodge and an oak bench for a holiday spot in the

Lake District. "We are willing to tackle anything," said Mr Dick, who can be contacted on Mondays,

Tuesdays and Thursdays on 01833-631772.

Kathleen Cosgrove, a staunch supporter of St Mary's RC Church in Barnard Castle, is busy again on one

of her annual tasks, raising funds for the upkeep of the church's own burial ground.

She is organising market stalls on two Wednesdays, August 10 and 24, and is gathering home made goodies for them. Anyone who can offer cakes, jam, bric a brac (or money) to help the cause can give her a call on 01833-637398.