Response to a Guardian article about us

Although this journalist had very positive comments to make about my cuisine, the mechanistic way in which such a young writer broke down a very complex business to fit her own notion of style and chic was disturbing.

I sent the following comment to the Guardian which they have not published. Although people who will read this blog comprise a minuscule proportion of the Guardian readership, my blog is my platform to respond to views that are one sided. My belief is to engage and dialogue about peoples experience here, without which communciation could become skewed.

Reference: Article on Bonchurch Manor- September 9th 2006 by Isabel Choat

My comments:
We seldom accept travel journalists to our establishment but made an exception on this occasion, assuming that your journalist would reflect the values of the newspaper - of being liberal, free thinking and socially aware.

You sent an inexperienced journalist who seemed to be a mere puppy in the realm of understanding the underlying components of a global business aimed at families. Her rigid and populist thinking (suited to the formulaic rags such as Hello and Tatler) was apparent in her comment on "Style". She naively presents “style” and “chic” as fixed concepts, having some kind of a recognised formula and as a prescriptive solution precluding individuality or uniqueness. Strange that you should send a journalist with such views to an establishment that is precisely the opposite - quirky and individual.

She also stated that I appeared “shell shocked”, a perceptual judgement she made after conversing with me for 5 minutes. My breadth of life experience, fortunately, renders me unable to be shocked by small life changes, a perspective she would have gained if she was more mature or indeed had the humility to be open-minded. That she could not see beyond the superficial is to be expected from someone so young and with so much ascribed power. She should perhaps stick to commenting on youthful and trendy experiences rather than on family oriented businesses.

Owner and Chef