Sarah Sturt's Blog

Conkers and Admirals

Had the most bizarre dream last night - and boy, can I do weird dreams - which involved our leader, Suzanne, finding out that I had a horse chestnut tree at the end of my garden and getting terribly excited about the possibilities this opened up for inter-magazine conker fights. I'm sure my psychology graduate daughter would have a great deal to say about what on earth that means about my mental state, but all I can say is chaps, better get practising - never mind sales figures, come autumn, you will be judged on just how good you are in a conker fight!

Talking of sales figures, team Kent is terribly excited about the latest sales figures for our June edition, an all-time best-seller for us and, more importantly, up a massive 28% on last year's figure. Not bad in a climate of doom and gloom when so many magazines are facing falling sales. Well done to all involved and fingers crossed for our July and August results: we've just got our August editions on sale today and we've all been praying for good weather, as we've got a really lovely, pure summer cover showing a mouthwateringly lovely beach scene - and it really wouldn't have done for it to be pouring with rain (pyschology again, and all that). So, thak you, weather gods!

As for the 'Admirals' bit of my blog heading - I spent a wonderful morning on Monday at Chatham Historic Dockyard with Admiral Sir Ian Garnett and his team having a tour (in brilliant sunshine) of the dockyard and learning all about the work that has been done in revitalising this area and turning it into a terrific tourist attraction for hundreds of visitors, which in turn has brought in new business and residents to previously neglected, redundant buildings. It's a wonderful story of regeneration and I look forward  to developing our relationship as the voice of the county with Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.

Have a great day,

Sarah