Sarah Sturt's Blog

Kent Life readers rule

It's been a busy old day - enjoyed a media lunch at Buss Murton solicitors in Tunbridge Wells,  a great opportunity to meet the senior management team and to discuss the firm's expansion in Kent, in what must rank as one of my favourite office spaces in town - modern, airy and stylish and right opposite Trinity Theatre in Church Road. Good to see fellow journos Trevor Sturgess and Rex Cooper, too, around the table, where the talk ranged from football and county cricket to Ebbsfleet and beyond.

Later that afternoon, Monkey and I set off a tad nervously off to Eastwell Manor for our second Reader Forum evening. It wasn't the readers we were scared of, rather what awaited us on the M20, thanks to Operation Stack causing mayhem - and shutting the motorway between Jct 8 and 9. Yup, just where we were headed. Would it put our valiant panel off, would everyone cancel, would we ever get there?

Needless to say, nothing stops a KL panellist on a mission and we ended up with virtually a full house - a good mix of familiar and new faces -  plus Monkey and I, designer Kerry and brand and promotions manager Steph, who organised and orchestrated the whole thing beautifully. We were missing one VIP, however: boss Suzanne was valiantly attempting to get to us from Norwich, but alas was only at Dartford by the time we started our meeting - not a chance of getting to the meeting with the massive queues ahead.

It was a shame, because this was one great evening, loads of really positive comments about the changes in the magazine since our last get together (we really do listen and take action!), much praise for the design and high-quality of photography as well as the content - I particularly liked the comment "I buy Kent Life to plan my days out."  And of course we discussed new ideas for features, two in particular I will be following up with great interest. I also hope we have gained a few new visitors to our website, and maybe even to read these words.

So, well done to all our panel members for not giving up on us and making light of the horrendous road conditions tonight, and for all their excellent feedback - and of course to the staff at Eastwell Manor for looking after us all so well. We're already talking about a winter version - mince pie, anyone?

Sarah