h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Bourne, Lincolnshire - A3052270
Author: big_dave_2004 - U782934

This is a guide to Bourne, in Lincolnshire

Greetings, big_dave!

Welcome to H2G2. Your entry is a good start for a Guide entry, but it really cound use a little 'fleshing out.'

For example:

In 'Shopping' - what about shops that are _not_ among those we'll know? Are there any that are uniquely Bourne? What's at the leisure centre? What college is it joined to?

In 'Other areas' - maybe do a little digging (well, not literally) into the mounds and telling us something about the 'remains of a castle'? A little research here will add a lot of substance. (You'll find phrases like 'I think' don't usually bode well for an entry being admitted into the Guide!)

In 'Anything else' - what, with Bourne's lack of nightclubs and cinema, do the local residents and college students do for entertainment? Is there a place they gather? Are they resigned to either a quiet night around the hearth or leaving town for an evening out?

That's just a start, but you get the idea.

(For some really helpful, umm, help with style, content and other miscellany, try these links: Writing-Guidelines and PeerReview.)

Anyway, welcome again, and thanks for joining in the fun.
I hope you enjoy your journeys here.

m

Hi Big Dave,
As someone who used to live very near Bourne when growing up and used to go there most weekends in the 90's I hope I can offer some useful comments.
What about the history of the place? Lots of lovely old limestone buildings, local oddities like the by-law banning charging for council car parks (all are, or were, free).
Ah, many a drunken weekend spent there.
Fairly quiet place, lots of middle class housing estates. Nice town actually. And it may not have nightclubs (which is good) but that does mean the party scene is pretty good (or was anyway!). And there was that pub in the centre that had a late licence upstairs which makes it an almost nightclub.

I'am starting to add bits on bit by bit, as well as altering the layout and heading.

It may not be complete but I'm getting there.

No, don;t get us wrong, it's a good start.
Have a look round some of the other place name entries and see what you find that might give you some ideas.
And do read the links provided above!
If you feel you have a lot of work to go on it then you may want to move it out of Peer Review temporarily until you feel it is ready for public gaze again.
Then again you may not

I'm starting to put down abit the history of Bourne, as well as historical figures associated with the area. But there is more to be added.

Hi big_dave!

Nice review, it's always nice reading about the place where you grew up over many years :-S.

I think you've missed some key stuff though:

Shops:

Hereward Discounts: A unique store to Bourne, and a surreal one at that. On entering Hereward Discounts you really feel that you've entered into another time, although it's one that really should have been forgotten. It's one of those places that sells everything, like a miniature department store, but bizarrely it sells nothing that anyone could possibly want. There are clothes that have been there longer than I've been living in Bourne (20 years at the last count), toys that even my father would have been embarrassed to play with when he was a kid and a really bizzare stuff, which no-one can work out the purpose of. It's not all bad though... they sell fireworks all year round, seemingly.

Jessie Bellamy: This is another slightly strange place, and it was where I had to go to get my school uniform when I was a kid. It's one of those really old tailors that doesn't seem to do any business, but then just fails to disappear.

Education:

Ummm... well done for finding 3 of the 4 schools in Bourne... but how can you neglect Bourne Grammar School?

One of the few 'proper' Grammar Schools left in the country (ie state owned) it, again, was a slightly odd place to have had an education. In fact there are so many elements of wierdness in that place that I'll probably write an article to give it the full embelishment it deserves.

Oh yeah, and Bourne Abbey is a primary school, giving it the amusing acronym 'BAPS'.

Anything Else:

No nightclubs ?!?!?! How wrong you are my friend. You've clearly never been to Lesters (the worst nightclub in Britain according to FHM) which is situated above the Nag's Head in the town centre. Enter at your own peril is all I'll say.

That's all I can think off of the top of my head, I've not been there for a few months, but I'll be back soon!

Stay with it, dave!

Just hang on to something during the ride 'cause the hints and tips are flowing in like mad. Keep on writing, refining, then writing some more and this thing will make it to the Edited Guide yet. (Who knows, maybe it'll even get picked up by the Michelin Directory to Worldwide - although, next to a spot in the Guide to the _Galaxy_, I suppose 'worldwide' rather pales by comparison!)

Don't lose your momentum.

m