Reasons why regional media must never die, #2: nit-picking letters.

Having returned to my native Teesside for the festive season, it was with customary zeal that I threw open the pages of ‘Now&Then’, a micro-regional local interest magazine delivered free to 78,000 ’selected homes’ in towns and villages across the area. It’s always a delight to skim through this particular A5-sized pleasure pamphlet in search of oddball contributions from lay members of the community. The latest issue contains a wonderful example of what happens when local people get indignant but channel their frustrations into something entirely worthwhile.

It all started with an article in the previous edition of Now&Then (No. 61, for the enthusiasts out there) attacking ‘psuedo-safety signage’ in public areas. This example of BONKERS BRITAIN was included in the piece:

It seems the author was so enraged by the purpose of the sign that they failed to notice the obvious ‘past’/'passed’ confusion.

In addition to providing a handy reversal of my recent Curb Your Enthusiasm-themed post, this extract also prompted a wonderful letter to the editor in issue no. 62. I love the opening four words the most. I may be wrong, but I’d say this has to be one of the most unapologetic and least remorseful cases of nit-picking I’ve ever come across. Hats off.

You just don’t get this kind of stuff in The Times letters page, more’s the pity.