Hello, you…
Almost four years to the very day since I last posted. I’ll admit, there were many times I thought I’d given this up. And yet, I couldn’t quite let the domain go.
When it felt that blogs had fully died, and the new blog content was, in fact, Instagram, I felt dejected. Bitter, at times. I’ve always been a writer, at heart, and my enthusiasm for social media has always come in waves. So, over the years I’d retreated a bit into the shadows. Algorithm changes, new content formats, trending audio… it’s a lot. And any contenty person will tell you how it feels like your stomach has dropped out of your butt when you post something that completely flops.
The cringe and shame of reaching out to best friends to ask them to like your silly reel. The irritation when friends tell you in passing they “saw your post on Instagram” and you want to scream WHY DIDN’T YOU LIKE IT THEN like a petulant child.
And yet, this local food blogging thing started for fun! For the joy of sharing my experiences with others and unashamedly taking dozens of photos every time I sit down to eat. In the grand scheme of life, it’s so unserious! And yet it can also be another way of feeling like you’re not winning.
We are so back
In some shape or form, I’ve bizarrely been lucky enough to keep doing this blog/Instagram thing for 10 years now. In that time, I’ve worked with brilliant restaurants, bars, cafes and food brands. I’ve shared in the heartbreak of institutions and cult favourites alike closing down for good. I’ve met amazingly passionate small business owners, hospitality teams and, of course, likeminded foodies – several of which I am so fortunate to call friends.
Even in those times where I wasn’t sure if I’d retired The Third Place or @thirdplacebtn, opportunities somehow still presented themselves. Amazingly, some people did (do?) still care about my thoughts.
Over the years, I’ve come to refine my focus more tightly around local. Brighton and Hove is a treasure trove of creativity and talent in every respect, but especially hospitality. So it really makes sense to continue to spotlight those businesses, brands, owners and teams that form the backbone of our beloved city.
But, that is not to say I’m ‘anti-chain’. We must be real. We must recognise their importance and place in any town or city – opportunities for employment, big names to attract further investment, sponsors and partners for local charities and community projects, as well as crucial providers of choice and affordability for their customers.
Now what?
Well, nowt really. I suppose that all of this rambling is to say that I will be doing more rambling on here again. For the grannies like me that prefer reading over video. And selfishly, this website will act as a little SEO project for me – I beg you don’t dig around too much right now, for the structure and tagging of this blog is quite embarrassing!