Meetings in the Street

Half the business in Hay happens when you bump into people in the street.
Today, I was picking up gossip.
I was standing outside Spar with one friend, laughing about the day when we would both be mad old ladies careering round Hay in our bath chairs, with speaking trumpets pressed to our ears, when another friend (who would also suit bath chairs and speaking trumpets) came by. She's a neighbour of the Wheatsheaf, and said that the pub has lost its licence, and been closed since Friday! Apparently, there was a fight, and it was the final straw. She doesn't know, though, whether this is a temporary or a permanent thing.
Further down the road, I met the lady who is trying to buy the Castle to keep it in the public domain. She was sticking up posters asking people to pledge money to the cause.
And she was talking to Goffee, who is organising a piano bar in Booths Bookshop from 9pm to 1am over the Festival.
According to another friend I met today, the jazz pianist who lives on Bridge Street will be playing there, at least some of the time.
And finally, I was given a poster to put up for the Africa Market, which will be in the Parish Hall on Sunday. As the Parish Hall is a bit off the beaten track, he'll be giving out flyers on the Saturday at the Fair on the Square. Lots of good stuff going on organised by Hay2Timbuktu and Medics4Timbuktu and others. I'm still a bit worried about those goats and that giant crocodile, though!