17th October, 2003

At the bottom of Murrayfield Gardens, where my brother lives in Edinburgh, there's a row of what I had previously thought of as pretty non-descript, fairly grim shops. So I was pleasantly surprised earlier this week as I walked down to the bus stop to note that one of the shops had a Tissot sign hanging outside which I hadn't seen before. Swiss watches?? There? But the possibility that the terrace was attracting some more upmarket retail outlets was briefly confirmed by a shop on the corner which I glanced at and noticed a sign above the front door. "LA NDRETTE", it read. You've got it already no doubt, but there I was at 7.00am, slightly bleary eyed and convinced that this was some new chic pattiserie opening up, dreaming of pain au chocolats and cafe. Sadly not. The U had fallen off and it's still just somewhere you used to go laden with 50p bits, a copy of the Daily Mirror and a packet of Embassy Red in your back pocket.