The Windsor area is seeing a slow shift. The council pushed through the pedestrianisation of part of the High Street last month. Traders are split. Footfall is up on Saturdays but down on weekdays. The usual complaints about access for deliveries and disabled parking have not gone away. The new bus gate on Thames Street is still causing jams at peak times. Locals are learning the detours but visitors from Slough and beyond are not.
The castle is still the draw. The State Apartments are booked solid for the next three weekends. The tourist office says numbers are holding steady despite the weak pound. The Long Walk is getting resurfaced next spring, which will mean closures for six weeks. The local running club is already complaining about the alternative route through the deer park.
The biggest local story is the row over the new flats on the old bowling green site. The planning committee approved 48 units last week. The residents' group is threatening a judicial review. The main argument is the loss of open space and the height of the block. The council argues it meets housing targets. Nobody expects a quick resolution.
The farmers' market on Saturday was quieter than usual. The apple grower from Cookham said it was the worst September in a decade. Too much rain, not enough sun. The honey stall sold out by 11am. That tells you something about local tastes.
Paul