Our art deco dilemma

HELP!!!! There are antiques lovers all over our immediate vicinity and beyond who simply don’t realise we sell beautiful art deco and 20th century furniture immediately below the tea and cakes (ie downstairs).

Some of them probably even visit the shop regularly for a hot drink and a read of the papers.

So we’ve made this short film, which we hope will show off our wares while providing some soothing, yet uplifting, background music.

We’re writing this to ask for your help. We’re having a think about how we can solve the problem of telling people exactly what we do (is it the signage? …maybe the layout?) and we’d be very grateful for suggestions after you’ve watched the film. You can comment below this blog or by contacting us through our website. Anyway, if you like 1930s, 40s and 50s furniture and small items please take a peek – it’s less than four minutes long!

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Does it ad up? A guide to Brighton’s advertising industry

Eva and THAT famous advert

Yesterday morning, I woke up in terror, my heart thumping like a bass drum. Don’t worry, there was nothing wrong with me; I do this most days. You see, I have an alarm clock that could wake the dead. And when it goes off, I never remember that it’s the alarm clock, rather than the end of the world, making all that noise.

I own this seemingly unmarketable object – Brighton’s loudest alarm clock – because a magazine advert, not dissimilar to the famous one on the top of this page, caught my eye. I don’t remember it well but it probably had one of those catchy little slogans that adverts have: “Don’t live a little, live an alarm clock”, for example, or “If you like a lot of alarm clock on your biscuit, join our club”

Bear with me; I’m coming to my point – but first I must brief you about two other events yesterday that bring me to write this blog.

Metrodeco’s sleep of faith

Sleep is hopelessly underrated.

In fact, it’s as important to your well-being as eating, breathing and not drinking petrol.

That’s why I’m missing it so much. You see, we’ve decided to open the tea shop early. This is an utterly selfless enterprise designed to avail the good people of Upper St James’s Street of caffeine, croissants and toast from 8.15am (also known as ‘the dead of night’).

There are newspapers for those who don’t feel too exhausted to read and some gentle music to steel customers against the horrors of the day ahead. There’s even cake for those who need to be jump-started. So, as I’m sure you’ll now agree, it’s a mercy mission. A veritable field hospital in the enemy territory that is the early morning.

Nick Griffin and me: Question Time at the tea shop

Hateful Nick Griffin

Very recently, BNP leader Nick Griffin strolled into Metrodeco, quite the thing.

He nodded at some of our regulars, leaned nonchalantly back into his armchair and ordered a smoked salmon sandwich and a Chrysler Breakfast Tea (“White, please love. Not black, definitely not black…”).

He could have been any other customer. His unfashionable Hitleresque barnet was, perhaps, a little unusual in this voguish part of Brighton – but he was, well, normal. In fact, despite recent publicity, I didn’t even recognise him until he unfolded a copy of the Daily Mail.

Stephen Gately and the Daily Mail: What the PCC says

Nikki Bayley ( @nikkib on Twitter ) was the person whose Tweet on the Daily Mail’s homophobic attack was first reTweeted by Derren Brown today. Nikki was also was one of the first people in the country to log a complaint with the PCC.

This is what the PCC said about columnist Jan Moir’s spiteful attack:

Metrodeco’s first blog – not about Jordan or Peter Andre

Ahem! Hello and welcome to Metrodeco’s first blog. There, I’ve said it…20 long weeks after I first hoped to utter those words. You see, 20 weeks is about the length of time since we opened our art deco tea salon and antiques shop so I suppose you could say it’s taken us a while to get round to this online/blogging shenanigans.