Can a car change a town? This, not famine, flood or pestilence, is the pressing issue to be addressed by the Menton/ Gisburn Experiment (sounds like something sinister masterminded by Josef Mengele). I’ve never been to Gisburn but it seems like a decent enough place: solid stone cottages; ye olde inn serving Lancashire hot-pot; the comely Ribble Valley on tap; whist AND dominoes int’ village hall. I have been to Menton, however. Bonjour Front National-voting fat toads; hatchet-faced Parisian harpies too grand to pick up their poodles’ poo; flats smaller than my loo for € 850,000 and taking out a mortgage on dinner. I tried a Mégane. Didn’t much fancy that either. Cloth caps; whippets; driving rain and an ’82 Austin Allegro: now, there’s grand! Reportedly, the car manufacturer has raffled a Megane for £6,000 and donated the proceeds to Gisburn's festival hall and playing fields committees. Gisburn may wish to respond in kind by sending Renault their local delicacy , tripe, in retaliation for these er, offal ads.
