Planning the Trial

I need a gavel - and possibly an egg-timer, so that the prosecution and defence counsels don't go on too long.
We met last night to plan out the rough shape of the trial, subject to improvisation on the night.
Richard has been invited, but if he doesn't choose to attend, there will be a symbolic empty chair.
"He should get Regal Aid," quipped Boz.
John Evans, from the Chamber of Commerce, came along, and had news about the new Tourism committee. I wasn't the only one to send them an email after they invited comments: the entire Chamber of Commerce came down on them like a ton of bricks. The brand image - the reason Hay is known all over the world - is Books. As John said, even if every bookshop closed down tomorrow, the town would still be known as the Town of Books for the next thirty years. It's something to build on, not ignore.
Yes, by all means say "We have Books - but look at all the other cool things we have as well," but the books always have to come first.
As was recognised by Private Eye this week, who have run another story. Paul has it on his blog Hay-on-Wire (see side bar for Paul at Oxford House Books).
Filled with enthusiasm for his new role as Master of the Commonwealth's Musick, Tim has written a poem, complete with Shakespearian allusions, and he plans to disseminate it round the town, after a rousing first performance in the Council Chambers.
Meanwhile, Haywire has been disseminated for the past week or so, and is really rather good, with the main story being King Richard's imminent beheading. Doug was so enthusiastic he's planning another issue, to come out a fortnight before the Festival. "I'll print 800 copies for that, instead of 500," he said.
It's not just about the King, either. There are a couple of letters from people complaining about the high cost of food in the pubs and restaurants around Hay - rightly so; eating out in Hay is expensive, and some of the beer prices...! There were comments at the meeting that, twenty years ago, the pubs catered for the locals as well as the tourists - but now they are not serving the tourists as well as they could, and the locals can't afford to eat out at all. The tourists and locals used to mingle in the evenings, but there is a danger that the locals will all congregate at the Con Club and the British Legion, and the two groups just won't interact at all, which misses out on part of what makes Hay special to visit.
Other news in Haywire concerns the building of a new theatre space with 70 seats in Booth's bookshop. Celia from Hay Arts told me that they have £2000 in their kitty, and they are thinking of giving it over to Elizabeth at Booth Books because she will be able to make the best use of it. (Booth Books now has nothing to do with Richard, who still owns the Castle - the new owners of the Limited kept the business name). Celia also has a book of her own out at any moment - another in her Civil War series.
And Doug is annoyed with Cusop Church for putting up "Private Parking" signs at the church car park, half way up the Dingle, a site which is convenient for walkers to park and use the various footpaths - except they now feel unwelcome there. He's hoping to get an unguarded comment or two from the retiring vicar about it.