Riverport Radio Podcast
Latest news, interviews, discussions & what’s happening where in St Ives Cambridgeshire.
Riverport Radio Podcast
Episode 8 - The Oliver Cromwell reopens, The Flea On The Quay returns & the story behind the Hyperian Auction House.
The Quay, The Pub & The Auction House: St Ives Stories That Matter!
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I'm Ron and I'm John and I'm Paul, and welcome to Riverport Radio.
Speaker 2:Riverport Radio. Riverport Radio.
Speaker 3:Coming up on this podcast. We catch up with Tom Bledsoe, the new landlord of the Oliver Cromwell, just before his big bank holiday reopening of this much-loved St Ives pub. Our intrepid roving reporter, ron Westrip, is out chatting to people on the St Ives Quayside during the first of this year's Flea on the Quay market. And finally, john interviews Rod Best, the owner of the Hyperion Auction House in St Ives. Rod talks about events that led up to him buying the business and about the success he's enjoyed and is still enjoying since he became involved.
Speaker 2:Riverport Radio. Riverport Radio.
Speaker 1:We're going down to the pub and we're going to go and have a pint with our old mate, and I'm going to leave Paul to explain exactly what I mean by that, while I go to the bar.
Speaker 3:Off we go. Okay, ron, mine's a pint of Moretti, thank you. Oh you've got it in there. Two, no, it's two. Three, then Right, okay, three. So welcome Tom. How are you sir?
Speaker 4:Thank you.
Speaker 3:I'm really good, thank you. So for our listeners, obviously you'll have the amazing task of reopening the extremely popular Oliver Cromwell. That's been shut for quite a period and you've decided to grasp it and take it on. So how's all that going for you?
Speaker 4:Quite stressful at the minute, I suppose Very stressful at the minute my big beaming smile probably suggests otherwise. But there's a lot of things to get done and get sorted. But I'm very fortunate that I've got a very good group of friends and family helping with the things that I'm not very good at, like painting and sanding and all of those things. I'm much better at putting pints than any of that handy stuff, so I've been very fortunate to rely on a lot of those. But yeah, it's going as I keep saying.
Speaker 4:It's fine, it'll be absolutely fine as soon as the stock arrives and as soon as we've got customers in there, everything will be brilliant.
Speaker 3:So what stage are you at at the moment? I mean the furniture, you've just given it a bit of a of a revamp. Have you a bit of redecoration?
Speaker 4:Yeah, so in terms of what we've done inside. All I wanted to do was just lift it up a little bit. I felt that it was a little bit dark in there before. Some of the wallpaper was quite divisive. Some people loved it, some people didn't love it.
Speaker 4:I'm in the second camp, so we've stripped back some of the wildness, things like the artwork. Um, a little bit of a fresh coat of paint throughout just to warm it up, but lighten it up a little bit as well. Um, the bar has been totally sanded back and re-varnished so it almost looks like a brand new bar, but it's not cost me that much. And, yeah, just freshening it up a little bit. All the furniture, as you mentioned. I'm fortunate that a lot of the furniture was put in only a few years ago and I've got a very good contact who does upholstery cleaning and he's come in and given everything a really good deep clean, so it's all just been refreshed. If I'd had months and months and months, there's a lot I would have probably done, but I made the rather impulsive decision to open for Good Friday and I've had to stick to it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it's a good decision. It's worth bearing some pain for, I think, to get over that weekend.
Speaker 4:And the sleepless nights. It's like having a child, people tell me sleepless nights, I'm spending a fortune but it'll all be worth it in the end.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah so so winding back a bit just again for our listeners. Obviously we know, um, I certainly know you from there, from the tap room, yeah, previously.
Speaker 4:Just give you a little snapshot for the listeners of um kind of your background in hospitality and and and generally you know, yeah, well so generally, I've always been a St Ives boy born and raised and, you know, went through Eastfield, westfield, the Ivo, all the best St Ives schools Well, they were back in the day, I don't know about now. And then when I was 18, I had the pleasure of being elected as Britain's youngest councillor on the town council here. So that was quite an eye-opening experience. And then since then I've always worked in and around St Ives. For almost 10 years I worked for an insurance company which has an office just on meadow lane, and I started off as a junior sales exec and ended up being a brand manager looking after 14 of our brands and all their marketing.
Speaker 8:Was that MG insurance?
Speaker 4:Initially it was yeah, mg insurance. You didn't get an MG out of it. I did not, no, no. I didn't get anything out of it apart from a little bit of experience. What?
Speaker 8:year were you elected as a town councillor 2011. Ah, that's why I wasn't here. Yes, I was off-broad at the time Because you helped me deliver leaflets for me when you were younger, and I should have returned the favour, but I couldn't. I was in France, sorry.
Speaker 4:I still won the election, isn't it? Yeah, it's good. I never thought I'd win the election and you know, I thought it would be good for a bit of character building and experience. And then I won the election. I never thought I'd get the pub and here we are. So I need to think. I don't think I'll ever win the lottery. See what happens.
Speaker 8:But then yeah so after have you won the lottery ticket?
Speaker 3:then no, but I might go and get one this afternoon.
Speaker 4:Regroup some of those in-going costs.
Speaker 10:You're listening to Riverport Radio.
Speaker 2:Riverport Radio Riverport Radio. Riverport Radio Riverport.
Speaker 4:Radio. But yeah, after all that corporate world of insurance and marketing and all that fun stuff, we had the pandemic and things changed with the business. Just the culture changed a little bit and I didn't love it as much as I had done previously and I thought I'd get out and I had a little bit of money in the bank to be able to work out what I wanted to do. And I still didn't really know what I wanted to do. So I picked up some part-time work at Doritos, an Italian restaurant, because I fell in love with their food and their ethos and just a lovely little family and they needed someone. Three or four hours a day for four days a week. I thought I can do that while I work out what I want to do. And the longer I spent there doing that, the more I thought oh, I actually quite like this work.
Speaker 3:Well, that's why we remember seeing you, my wife and I, the first. That's where we first saw you, yeah, and we were really impressed with how you reacted with people in front of house and how you looked after everyone, and so now you took that obviously to the tap room, and now you're going to bring that, of course, to your own establishment.
Speaker 4:I think that's the thing I enjoy the most is. Hospitality is definitely not for everybody. It can be tough. It's not just about pulling pints. You know you've always got to be game face on big smiles all the time, which can be a little bit draining sometimes. But the reward that you get from that, and that I get from that, is knowing that I've made a positive difference to someone's day, even if they've popped in for a quick drink or if they've been in for a sit down hour meal, rather for a few hours. I always want people leaving in a slightly better mood than when they came in, and for me, yes, it's great to make a lot of money or some money, but that's the impact that kind of drives me more and what's your vision for the pub?
Speaker 3:what do you if people go there? We'll get them out of the opening in a minute, but what is your vision for the pub and what are you going to bring to people when they come in a beautiful building?
Speaker 4:a couple of hundred years old. It's got a huge amount of history in there as well which I've been digging into, which is really interesting. I know previous landlords in the past. I know Jerry was very popular when he owned the pub and he just ran it very much as a pub, and that's kind of what I'd like to get back to with. We will be looking to open the kitchen in the middle of May and the menu is going to be very traditional English pub food, nothing fancy. We're hoping to work with a lot of local suppliers. I'm quite keen to buy local and support local where I can, because I want it to be a locals pub for locals supporting local, and as far as I'm concerned it's. You know, the Olly Cromwell is a massive part of the town, always has been. I'm probably a little bit biased, but I think it's probably the favourite in the town and I'd like to be able to get it back to there again. I will be having live music. I'll be having events, quiz nights.
Speaker 4:I will let you in on a little secret as well, actually, because the living accommodation above the pub is quite substantial. Uh, it's three bedroom, big living room, nice bathroom. I don't need all that space because it's just me. So the huge, the very good size living room at some point, I hope, in the next six months, I'm going to totally refurbish and that will be an additional either dining area or little function space for birthday parties, business dinners and all sorts of things like that. So I don't think many people are aware of the room that's up there, but it is a little hidden gem up a gorgeous staircase. How many will that hold? I think comfortably, I could probably get about 20 in there, oh cool. So it's a really good sized space and I'd configure it differently depending on the requirement. You know, if it was a big family get together, we could have one big table. If it's smaller groups or if it's busy downstairs but the kitchen has capacity, we'll seat more people upstairs, you're listening to Riverport Radio.
Speaker 10:Riverport Radio, riverport of capacity, we'll see more people upstairs.
Speaker 2:You're listening to riverport radio.
Speaker 4:Riverport radio but other things I see that quite popular at the moment with you know, because you can't really just run a pub as a pub anymore. You need to diversify a little bit. So I see things like painting and proseccco or wreath making workshops around Christmas. I think they're all great. They can all pop upstairs in the function room, doesn't impact the bar, but hopefully it brings me an additional revenue.
Speaker 3:Okay, so could be the next Riverport Radio studio.
Speaker 1:Well, it's always a spare studio yeah, I mean, well, we might even extension. Yes, it could happen, yeah.
Speaker 3:So let's get back to the opening time. So you're talking about opening on Good Friday? I believe yes. What are your plans for kind of that?
Speaker 4:opening weekend, so opening opening weekend, so opening weekend. We. Yeah, I thought good friday would be a good time to open. Be in the bank holiday. Lots of people are off work. Um, it might even be sunny, that would be nice. So I'll be opening at midday. Friday will be midday till midnight, with last orders at half 11, because I'd like everyone to be out by midnight. Same again on Saturday. Possibly the same again on the Sunday, as it's a bank holiday. And then Friday will be Sorry, not Friday.
Speaker 4:Monday comes after Sunday, doesn't it? My mind's all over the place. And on the Monday it will be 12 till 10pm and that will be the initial weekday hours. Monday to Wednesday will be 12 till 10. Thursdays will be a little bit later till 11. Fridays and Saturdays will be until midnight and then Sundays will be till about 9 or 10. Again, I am planning at some point in the near future to I've got a variation on the license going in at the moment with the local district council so that I can open the premises from 9 in the morning, because I know that in St Ives there's there are a lot of people that like having a coffee and a pastry or something that's not necessarily a pint. I'm going to be there anyway. I might as well open the doors and let people in and enjoy.
Speaker 8:I think you're going to be busy, tom, if you're opening all those hours, mate. I think, I'll be very, very busy.
Speaker 4:I wouldn't buy a dog if I was you no, no, not planning on buying a dog, not planning on finding a wife will you allow dogs in?
Speaker 8:that's the question. I will allow dogs in.
Speaker 4:I absolutely will. Yeah, I think once we've got the kitchen open, the the main dining, people will be able to eat wherever they like in the pub in the courtyard, wherever I think the main dining area will be the bit towards the back of the building and I'll probably ask that dogs are kept out of there, but all around the front bar in the courtyard. Yeah, because sometimes dogs are much friendlier than your customers. So it's nice to be able to give them a little stroke. Well, that was odd. Much nicer than this.
Speaker 8:All three of us have got dogs. You know we're a water crew.
Speaker 11:absolutely, We'll have treats, we'll have water bowls.
Speaker 4:If you look after the dogs, the owners will follow.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly right, mate. So all the best with your plans, mate. It sounds fantastic. We will certainly be frequenting it, won't we, ryan? We?
Speaker 1:absolutely will, Because it's amongst other things. I understand you've got a piano in there. I do indeed.
Speaker 4:It does need tuning. If anyone knows a tuner?
Speaker 8:Well, it's alright, a piano man can play anything Perfect, and will we notice if it's in tune or not, as long as one or two notes are in tune he'll just use those ones, we'll make up the rest.
Speaker 3:The middle C is definitely in tune.
Speaker 4:It's everything either side of it. That's a little bit.
Speaker 1:I've got to actually throw the plug in as well, because I think I mentioned this to you when we bumped into each other on the quayside the other day. But on the 26th of July, oliver Cromwell himself is coming to town and he's going to blow up the bridge and he's bringing quite a lot of his mates somewhere around 400 of them so I think it's probably a good idea if they actually pop in there for a pub. Yeah, absolutely, I think you're going to have to do something a bit special for that day.
Speaker 10:You're listening to have to do something a bit special for that day. You're listening to Riverport Radio, riverport.
Speaker 2:Radio Riverport Radio.
Speaker 8:Yeah, the publicity's just about to hit the streets.
Speaker 1:They're just doing the posters A few cavalier serving leagues or something like that.
Speaker 8:And what are the beers? Is it the Conehead beer? The Cromwell beer? Yes, so Patworth Brewery are doing Conehead Bitter, which is obviously the image is Ollie with his cone on his head. There's been a lot of debate about this. Some people have said that's disrespectful and it doesn't have a good image to the town. But I was fortunate that it's the town team who were doing promoting this and of the sort of seven or eight members of us who were looking at it couldn't agree anything. So I simply said to Chris at Patworth Brewery can you make the decision? And he's decided that Conehead was the best thing. He said anything with a bit of humour in it will help. So he's going to be producing that. And then the Snug are going to be having Prince Rupert Ale on tap. You know a draft ale on tap, you know draft ale. So we're covering both sides of the parliamentary royalist equation there Excellent, yeah, it's good fun so that'll be good.
Speaker 1:So there's a definite opportunity there for you for the Olly Crumb there I might even dress up myself, absolutely. Well, there's the talk. And then, moving on from that, of course, john will no doubt touch bases with you, but you are the opening act for the.
Speaker 8:No, no, he's not the opening he used to be, but because he wasn't up and running when we were doing the programme. I think he's third or fourth, but he's definitely there.
Speaker 1:He's on the first, he's on the opening day and, for those wondering what I'm talking about, it's for Jazz and Blues Festival. Yes, so returning back to the Olly Crom.
Speaker 8:Yes, so indeed, which is great news, I have to say. Originally they were booked to go in the White Hart but of course, with the White Hart having its difficulties at the moment, we couldn't wait to find out a new venue. And then you came along and said you're opening. So you've got Claude Vauban come into play now. He's unusual, he's from Belgium, he's probably the most different of all the acts, but a superb guitarist, tremendous entertainment, and I think that's 7.30 on Thursday, the 11th September. So you've got a Belgian guy to put up there.
Speaker 4:I'll see if I can find any Belgian beers.
Speaker 8:And you've got this nice upstairs, you might be sleeping on your settee.
Speaker 6:I'll get a little blast there because he's touring the UK yeah, I'm very excited to be part of part of the it's jazz and blues, not blues and jazz it's the jazz and blues, the old report, jazz and blues and, interestingly, I've been, because I've been working away in the pub the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 4:Everybody who's walked past is very interested to know what's going on and I would probably say about 60% of the conversations I've had with people have started with are you getting involved with the Jazz and Blues?
Speaker 8:oh, excellent, oh, that's great news.
Speaker 3:So people, very fondly remember the involvement there before and yeah, we used to love because we try and go to as many acts as possible and my wife and I normally manage there's. Normally there's about 29 is it?
Speaker 8:there's times? Yeah, there's 28 actual gigs and a dance session which I don't think you'll be going to.
Speaker 3:No, I won't be going to 28 free gigs 28 isn't mandra and I usually try and get to about 19 or 20. We normally succeed doing that and we always used to start at the Ollie of course that was where it always started, so by the end of Sunday. You'd have a flag in a bit, but it's just such an amazing festival, of course, but yeah, so that would be great to have you back on the circuit there you're listening to Riverport Radio.
Speaker 10:Riverport Radio.
Speaker 2:Riverport Radio.
Speaker 8:I discovered an interesting fact the other day, because I was I don't know why, but I was watching something and they said, oh, I know what it was. It was that programme on the television where you want to move to the country and this couple were moving to Norfolk and it was somewhere near Kings Lynn and they went in to look at Kings Lynn and the chap in the arts theatre at Kings Lynn said they host the biggest free festival of music in the country. So I thought, well, I've never heard of that. So I looked it up and I have to tell you that it's less gigs than we have and all ours are free. So I think they got that bit wrong. I think ours is probably the biggest free festival of music in the country, if they're claiming that.
Speaker 3:Wow, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, that's something worth building yeah it is and to actually sort of have so many venues in town here as well doing that, I think it's amazing. But it's great to have you back on board, tom, with the Olly Crumb.
Speaker 4:It's great to be back on board.
Speaker 1:I'm really looking forward to you getting open and, yeah, we'll be down there and Paul will come down and tinkle your ivories Perfect, you can come and break us any time, as it were.
Speaker 11:I have made sure the piano is now a feature.
Speaker 4:So beforehand it was a little bit tucked in the corner, but we've. They used to be, you may remember it rather.
Speaker 3:A garish sign.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you've said it, not me but there used to be quite a large fake plant wall with an almost neon Oliver Cromwell sign one of the first things I did when.
Speaker 5:I got the keys was take it off the wall and the piano is there.
Speaker 11:Pride of place with a lovely big mirror on the left yeah, I want a big mirror about it.
Speaker 3:That's cool. Yeah, because otherwise you're playing the piano of looking at a wall. Oh, that sounds like Ron's phone.
Speaker 8:Yeah, did you turn the phone off then, ron, or not? Yeah, well, I thought they did.
Speaker 11:My apologies to listeners everywhere, so I know who's who's taken that off your hands that garish neon sign.
Speaker 6:Yes, colin and Helen have got it in their courtyard.
Speaker 3:It's not made it far down the road, so they love it.
Speaker 8:Will you be putting the band that side? Do you think? I'm not sure.
Speaker 4:I'll see what works.
Speaker 8:I think you need to sort out where's the best place, because I've never, although it's the obvious place to put them. What was the fireplace? I don't think it was. I mean, yes, it was put there because you could hear the music down the side and across, but it always created a very small area for people to get to the bar. Yes, I think it could be looked at slightly differently.
Speaker 4:I think there'll be a little bit of trial and error. Yeah, We'll see what works. I mean as long as there's still a clear passage to get through to the bathrooms, which I don't know if you remember the bathrooms, they were a bright orange colour before, very garish after you've had a few drinks.
Speaker 3:I've toned that down a little bit too. Excellent, excellent, right, well so best of luck. Tom.
Speaker 4:Thank you very much, looking forward to having you there.
Speaker 3:We'll be down there and good luck with the opening weekend and obviously we'll be there to see you and support you.
Speaker 4:Amazing, and feel free to collect some glasses off the tables while you're there, no problem.
Speaker 3:Thank you. You do our best. We'd love to hear from you. Please get in touch with us if you'd like to feature on our Riverport Radio podcast, whether you're a business or an individual, and you've got something to say or something to share. Please contact us using the following details. You can text us direct from our podcast. You'll see the Send Us a Text prompt just under the play button. You can message us direct from our Facebook page search on Facebook for Riverport Radio Podcast or write to us via email. Editor.
Speaker 10:At theriverporteruk, we look forward to hearing from you.
Speaker 1:Well, here I am. I'm down on the Quayside, it's May, the 4th Sunday and bank holiday weekend, of course, and here I am sort of wandering along the Quayside for this year's first Flea on the Quay organization, which is run by the St Ives Town Team. Good turnout, lots of people here, sunny day. Not really it was going to be, but the sun's let us down a little bit. But here we are. There's still plenty of people milling amongst the stalls and tables and it really looks like a nice event. This is something which hopefully they're going to carry on for the next few months on the first sunday of each month.
Speaker 1:Well, as I walk amongst the table holders here down at the actual flea market, I come across a gentleman selling well, vinyl records. Absolutely brilliant, because I just love all this stuff. Um, paul will as well. I know if he's been listening to us. He's sitting beside me at the moment and, uh, yeah, let's have a look. So so sorry. So you are my name's neil, neil, neil, brilliant, so the weather's not been too kind to you today. But what sort of thing are people looking for these days?
Speaker 3:Usual classic rock stuff Beatles and. Bowie, pink Floyd can't go wrong.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've got to say I got rid of my record deck years ago and I really regret having not got it still to hand. Yeah, you can't beat a turn on the final. I just saw a lady there collecting a copy of Dark Side of the Moon from you. Are these sort of things still readily available, are they?
Speaker 3:Yeah, you get reissues and different versions, obviously, and the first pressings will be more expensive than a reissue.
Speaker 1:So is this your main business, or is it something you?
Speaker 3:It's just a sideline. Yeah, I work for Mind. I work on the suicide phone line.
Speaker 11:Oh right.
Speaker 3:So yeah, people phone up when they're in crisis and try and help them.
Speaker 1:Well, that's a different sort of yeah. I need some time away from that. Yeah, absolutely so. I can see you now sitting with your headphones and some of these LPs playing in the evening.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, you need something to calm down after that.
Speaker 1:Chill yourself down. You must hear some horrible things. You do indeed. Maybe that's something we'll have to talk to you about on Riverport Radio another time. Yeah, it'd be a good thing to promote. Okay, alright, thanks. Well, I hope it goes all right for you this morning.
Speaker 11:Thanks, nice to meet you. Thank you.
Speaker 1:As I walk through here, the sun is starting to come out, which is rather nice. There's all sorts of things going on, and I've got Gilly Jackson here. I'm just having a look at her table. Had any luck, gilly? Have you been selling anything?
Speaker 8:I have actually I'm really pleased. So I believe everything's gone already and people seem to really enjoy coming down and wandering around our beautiful town.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, that's it. I mean, this is what it's all about. There's a town team event and it's just brings people into town again, so it's like lively they'll all be doing this and they'll be. We've got a coffee machine here this these days now so they can sit out. He's even doing bacon sandwiches Brilliant.
Speaker 8:Oh brilliant, I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:Three pounds, he said oh excellent. So there you go, A bargain.
Speaker 9:Right.
Speaker 1:I'm moving on then.
Speaker 10:Thank you very much. Good morning. You're listening to Riverport Radio, riverport.
Speaker 2:Radio Riverport Radio.
Speaker 1:Right, well, here I am again moving along. So there's lovely ladies here actually selling all kinds of what we've got here. Well, I'll tell you what you tell me what you've got?
Speaker 7:What are you all doing? We have got lots and lots of things. So we're from dream glow down east street, just opposite the welcome chinese, and we sell lots and lots of different things quirky gifts, homeware, dog treats, incense, um different soaps, all sorts of stuff oh, brilliant, I'll go and get the dogs.
Speaker 1:Yeah, go for it. Our little, our little Geoffrey, I love all this. So it's weather's not been that kind today, but the sun's sort of trying to come out yeah, when the sun's out, it's lovely have you got a few people interested today?
Speaker 7:yeah, we've made a few sales already.
Speaker 1:It's been pretty good so do you do this sort of thing? Often it's our first one actually.
Speaker 7:Yeah, yeah, it's our first one.
Speaker 1:So I know we're going to be running this on the first sunday of every month, so, um, you're going to come along each time.
Speaker 7:Yep, our plan is to do every one um and we have got some little leaflets as well with a little bit of discount for the shop if anyone wants to come along and grab one?
Speaker 1:oh, brilliant oh, that's it cool, all right, thank you very much. Good luck, ladies. Yeah, thank you. Well, what course? The Flea on the Quay is actually on the quayside itself here in town, which obviously is stating the obvious. But while I'm actually sort of wandering around, of course, the quayside's also known for the Electric Riverboat Company and I'm just here with the lovely people that run it. Good morning, good morning. Good morning. It's Ron here from Riverport Radio. So we're just sort of seeing what's going on here this morning with the flea on the quay. How's things going with you guys generally on the river trips?
Speaker 6:We've had a busy morning. This morning we started at six o'clock with our early bird trip and we had a full contingency, which was lovely. We saw and heard over 30 species of bird this morning Amazing. And then we're just starting now on our trips. We've had our first self-drive go out this morning at 11 o'clock.
Speaker 1:We've already done a passenger trip at 10 o'clock and we have a nearly full boat at 11 o'clock this morning as well. Is that your new boat?
Speaker 6:You've got your nice new boat now is in the corner. She's actually out a little bit later, I think at half past 11, didn't you say, sarah? Oh right, brilliant, and I see you've actually refurbished all your nice deck as well yes, the old one had come to the end of its useful life, so we've gone with a recycled composite material which is also non-slip. Unfortunately, the ducks still like it.
Speaker 1:Yeah I'm afraid, living nearby, we've actually noticed over the years the actual constant jet washing of that.
Speaker 6:I'm afraid they're not going to go away with that, there was a hope, but I think we were wrong, so never mind well you know, we wish you well with the summer season, as it now kicks off thank you very much, and this flea on.
Speaker 1:The key, of course, is now going to be once a month for the next three months and it's just lovely to see the quay so vibrant and busy.
Speaker 1:Well, it's nice that they all get a chance to see you and see what you're doing here. But a great venue boat. I do recommend it to everybody. All you listeners out there, get down here and hire a boat. Well, of course, here I am. But everybody knows that Riverport Radio is not just Ron Paul and John and our famous dogs, of course, but John is himself here this morning and he's actually one of those people actually exhibiting the t-shirts for the Jazz and Blues Festival.
Speaker 8:he's even sitting there sporting one now this is the new slimming version of our t-shirts. And is that working? Yes, it is. It makes me look at least a stone lighter. I don't know how she managed it my wife designed it but it definitely makes me look slimmer, don't you think, ron?
Speaker 1:Well, yes, I do, and for listeners everywhere, I would recommend getting one of these as quickly as possible, absolutely In view in view of the fact that Weight Watchers is not doing so well for me. So get down here. Jazz and Blues.
Speaker 8:T-shirts now available at the Flea on the Quay. By the way, I had a conversation this morning that someone thought Slimming World wasn't doing very well. It's Weight Watchers that are in trouble, slimming World who. We interviewed the lady from our episode are doing very well so if you need help go to Slimming World is our advice. That's it. You heard it here first.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much.
Speaker 10:and moving straight on, You're listening to Riverport Radio, riverport.
Speaker 2:Radio Riverport Radio.
Speaker 1:Right moving along down the flea market here, I bump into Michael Sumner. Now, michael, I know he is the proprietor of the new bookshop on Broadway. And good morning, michael.
Speaker 11:How's things? Oh, good morning, not too bad. It's not a bad morning, is it?
Speaker 1:No, it's not too bad. The sun's trying to come through. So, michael, I know you run in the bookshop, but you decided to run a table here as well this morning at the Flea.
Speaker 11:Yeah, yeah, it's a nice idea, nice initiative. It's always a nice opportunity to meet new people. That's it, because, surprisingly, at the end of the day, sometimes people don't realise that we have certain businesses in town, so it's a good opportunity to promote that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we were just sort of talking to the electric riverboat company here as well, because he's doing new things here now with new hire boats and things. But for you as well, it's a good chance to get across for the fact that you are there on on broadway and yeah, yeah absolutely.
Speaker 11:I think one of the one of the strengths of the town is that we do do a lot of networking. Um, on my website I always I've put a load of stuff on there about. You know, if you're coming to say ives, it's not just the bookshop, it's come and have a trip on the riverboat, go to the cafes, go to the pubs. So the whole thing is kind of, you know, connected in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh well, I mean it is actually starting to become quite a touristy town. It always has been, to some extent because of the nearness to Cambridge, but nowadays people are coming here because they just quite enjoy actually spending time in St.
Speaker 11:Ives. It's a great place to come to. I think it's really one of England's best-kept secrets. Very easy to come into If you want to go and visit Cambridge for the day. It's all very nice, but it's actually quite difficult to get in there. Park your car.
Speaker 1:St Ives is just your car. We have to use our magic bus don't we? Yeah, it's nice to see you here with the table and your books laid out and let people know that you are in the shop down on Broadway there, but you're pleased with how you've done it yeah, thank you, thank you before I hand back to you, paul.
Speaker 1:I just got to actually stop here because we've got a new coffee stall here at the roughly on the key from now on, and I'm just here with stan stan, who is the man here with all the nice fresh coffee good coffee, he tells me, and I'm just going to try one of those. But it's caught my eye because those of us that know uh, ron and john know we often travel with little dogs with us millie's here at the moment and I'm just going to order from her a Pappuccino. So tell us about that, ren Stan.
Speaker 12:So a Pappuccino is for all dogs and it's essentially just whipped cream into a cup. Dogs absolutely love it. They will lick it right down to the bottom and start chewing the cup. So just keep an eye out for that. But yeah, come along, order a Pappuccino and come down to the flea market.
Speaker 1:It's amazing, oh, brilliant, yeah, I know. So. We've been worth your while today, yeah.
Speaker 12:Yeah, absolutely yeah. It's nice to see a good stream of people coming through and enjoying the riverside, the quayside.
Speaker 1:Well, john and I are just going to sit here now and actually have one of your bacon rolls, looking forward to this. Yeah, absolutely, there we go. All right, thank you very much. Well, that's my little trip down here to the Flea on the Quay. So for listeners, please remember, it's on the first Sunday of every month and hopefully it will get bigger and sunnier as the year goes by. And of course you always get the beautiful flower displays and things from St Ives in Bloom people which will be setting up shortly, so brilliant. So with that back to the studio, over to you, paul.
Speaker 10:You're listening to Riverport Radio, riverport.
Speaker 2:Radio Riverport Radio.
Speaker 8:Good afternoon everybody, and welcome to another recording for Riverport Radio. It's John here. I'm on my own today as Ron has gone on holiday, taking advantage of the good weather, and Piano man Paul is probably rehearsing for a gig. But anyway, we're in the Whiskey Cafe as usual, our little studio, and I've got a very special guest with me today, rod Best, who is the owner of Hyperion. Good morning Rod, good morning John. How are we? We're fine, thanks, and I can see you're very fine.
Speaker 8:We bought ourselves a half of lager, so we're nicely settled Right. The reason we wanted to interview you, of course, was because of something we've just put in today's River Porter, which will be out immediately after this meeting. I've got to go and collect them the news that you have acquired the site of the hyperion, coral, etc.
Speaker 9:that area next to the bus station well, yes, the, the simple answer is yes, but what? It's kind of an end to a story um which I wouldn't mind, just if you're okay with you know you explain away.
Speaker 9:There's an interview, not me there's, a fact is, to me, me it was the end game. The start game is what might interest people and amuse people, maybe Excellent. So 25, 28 years ago I was in computers, believe it or not, in fact I'm completely computer illiterate. Having said that, I can sell anything. I mean my wife says to me if I could sell my grandmother well, I'm gossiping, fortunately anyway. So I was in computers, sold the company I had, and integrated in it was a company called nationwide computer auctions. So I was an auctioneer as well. So I was there in essex, uh, in st boys, where we lived, and for once in my life I bought a copy of dalton's weekly. I've only bought it once, right, um, and in there was an advert, just a box ad, saying auction house for sale, st Ives, please contact.
Speaker 8:So anyway, I thought Can I just explain for the listeners? Dalton's Weekly is a newspaper which I presume is still going. It's specifically for people who want to buy businesses and things like that. The train, Absolutely.
Speaker 9:But I bought one copy coffee one time in 64 years. But in it it said I said, bear in mind, I own the company called nature computer auction. So at the auction covered, I've always had a passion for antiques. My mum has been an antique dealer for years. So with that I rang the owners and said, um, very interested in uh, can I, can I come see you? But we're going to come for a couple of days, we're going to stay. Can you have somewhere where we can see the sea? And they said well, you'll have a job. It's about 100 miles away. I had no idea. I lived in Peyton Boyd, 40 minutes away. I had no idea at all that this society existed, 40 minutes away. I had no idea at all that the Cedars existed, which is Anyway. Judy went out to see them and posted it straight away.
Speaker 8:So the disappointment of not being able to see the sea didn't mind. Yeah, I did.
Speaker 9:I just felt so naive. But Judy the number of people who actually. I'm not alone.
Speaker 8:No, no, we just sold. We just had a concert for the Jazz of Blues Festival. Toby Lee, who happens to come from Cornwall, and eight people tried to purchase tickets to the St Ives Corn Exchange, thinking it was St Ives Cornwall.
Speaker 9:We had to reimburse them, of course, but there we go, happens all the time one thing I'd like to say before we go on. By the way, I'd like to give you some credit, because you really have St Ives in your blood and you do this. People may not know this, but you do this as a gesture. It's not a profit making organisation for you, and I do applaud you because St Ives has become special to me and my family. I didn't realise at the time and I was talking about the journey that was the start of the journey, and I inherited a company which was pretty much honest on his knees. To be fair, the only shining light it had was there's a young lad there, called less today, who has been with me now 25 years and is like my manager and I couldn't do without him. Good old Lester, yeah, good old Lester. Funnily enough, when I bought the building, I finally, after 25 years, gave him a contract. All the rest of the time it's been a handshake.
Speaker 9:It's been taking a lot of holidays.
Speaker 8:I don't think he took a holiday. Well, that shows an enormous trust Lester had in you. 25 years he's been working for me. I'm not sure I would have liked you for that long without a contract.
Speaker 10:Anyway, you're listening to Riverport Radio.
Speaker 2:Riverport, radio Riverport.
Speaker 8:Radio. So, anyway, the good news is you've purchased it. Just a little bit of history about it. I moved to st ives in the 70s. I have to admit I I was actually born, uh, outside of st ives and I lived in huntingdon as a child. But I moved to st ives in the 70s and from the time I've been here, I could remember that, uh, your premises, especially the courtyard area, was always the place of an auction, yeah, and in those days it was Ekins, dilly and Handley, and I think they it's from that organization. Effectively, you bought the premises.
Speaker 9:Well, this is interesting because that courtyard but it does the auction site there's been dating back over a well over a hundred years. Ekins, diggins and Hanley two out of the three are still alive, believe me. But what happened was that as they got older in the 90s, they decided to liquidate some of their assets, so the site came up for sale. Now I have to give a big shout out to Eins, deakins, hanley, their representatives in Edison's as well, because you know what I was very conscious of of my 25 years there. This is prime sight for doing other things. Obviously, you look around. You see the buildings elsewhere. So my son, my son and my and I work for me. I class Lester as a son. I've got an assistant manager, ruben's be with me seven years. So I a real responsibility. I felt them to try anyway. So I did write to. When I put my offer in, it was very much with the kit, with the caveat that I had no intention of doing anything else other than maintaining the auction as it is, and if
Speaker 8:their legacy has to be carried on.
Speaker 9:I was the only child.
Speaker 8:Yeah, because I mean, if they'd have been sold to a developer, for instance. Let's admit it, that is a prime site for development and who, who knows, in future years, your, who, if it's not you, or your son may decide that they want to develop the site. But the issue really is one of losing, uh, a business that has been integral to St Ives for so long, which is the antiques business. Entirely, uh, you, okay, you might have to relocate or anything under development, but it's good news that you're going to effectively retain its antiques business.
Speaker 9:Yeah, I think my wife particularly is very keen that I don't glorify this about me. It's not about me at all. This is about I've become very fond of this town. When I moved up here, my daughter and son were one and three. They'd been through the schools in New York. Yeah, yeah, they're working for me now and this is their. This is the only home they know um, so it was very cool. But I've got another extended family where I've got an antique centre in our courtyard, the antique centre. I've got two dealers in there who've been there over 35 years and they're still working for me today.
Speaker 8:I know, a few years ago, when I was speaking to you, you wanted to expand and the octagon came up as a particular district council this will be about 10 years ago, at least now and the district council who own the octagon, which is the, for people who don't know, that's the green octagon shaped building in in the car park there next to the bus station, um, and uh, it came up for sale, uh, and an organization called save the octagon tried to get a lease on it at least and use it for an indoor market and all sorts of things, because at the moment and it has been well since I can ever remember as just a store for bins and, um, I think you, you were interested in re using it as as the original auction room for the cattle market.
Speaker 9:You could use it as your auction room, but that, that sort of failed, didn't it that bit well it's a bit of a sore point with me because I spent a lot of time, uh, trying to to do that. My plan, which I submitted, was to turn that into an auction site with, uh, if you imagine, uh, you've got an above bit as sort of viewing ring yes, where I have a small cafe and we'd have that as the auction site and then the auction site that I have. I'll just increase the size of my antique centre.
Speaker 8:Yes, so it would make a really big antique. It would be the biggest in Cambridgeshire by far.
Speaker 9:But they turned me down on the grounds and this chokes me still to this day. I wasn't adding anything.
Speaker 8:The town didn't have already Anything new. Yes, I know that was a very strange response. I thought and we won't go there because those were previous councillors and fortunately none of those are still in power.
Speaker 10:You're listening to Riverport Radio.
Speaker 2:Riverport Radio. Riverport Radio.
Speaker 8:I think the good news there is there are ongoing discussions about it at the moment and the only problem with the future of the Otten is the fact that the district council, as I say, who own it are not sure what future they've got, because there's talk of reorganising local authorities and if the district council goes in a couple of years time, they don't want to be entering into contracts now because of that fact that they may disappear. I think that's actually a bit of a lame duck argument, because it's just sitting there not being used. It's such a shame.
Speaker 9:Well, the good news and I'll give Hyperion a bit of a plug here is that I would still be interested, because Hyperion, since COVID, has done really well and the reason is that the playing field has been sort of levelled down. It meant that we weren went on the internet, so we use the same platforms as Sotheby's, Christie's, Exactly, yeah, so whether if somebody's got a Picasso, it doesn't matter whether they sell with us.
Speaker 7:Sheffield or.
Speaker 9:Sotheby's. Yeah yeah, the buyer doesn't care. We have on average 15 different countries everywhere.
Speaker 8:I suspect that your charges are slightly less than Sotheby's.
Speaker 9:When he gets in. Listen, you should be my salesman At the end of the day. I tell people this. The buyer gets an awful lot better deal. Buy it from me.
Speaker 8:Well, I know this because Hyperion have advertised in the River Porter for quite some time now. They always put in an advert. It switches between what you're doing in the River Porter for quite some time now they always put in an advert and it switches between what you're doing in the courtyard and what you're doing with the Hyperion auctions. And I noticed that you put in there what has sold recently and some of the figures you're getting for things are amazing, aren't? They watches for thousands of pounds.
Speaker 9:Well, we've got a world record for the Martin Brothers piece we sold for £28,000 at the start of this year. We have a fine art sale today tomorrow, may 17th, which is the best we've ever done.
Speaker 9:And so, yeah, it is good. And I have to say, lester Day I'll give him another shout out retired me. The staff came to me a year ago and said look, rod, you've been here for 25 years. You're hanging around a bit like a bad smell, not quite like that, but that's the effect you want to go. So they pushed me into retirement, which I have to say I was not ready for no.
Speaker 9:No, but I have to say, since I've been gone-ish, we've met Lester and Ruben and the team and maintained and the courtyard has taken off brilliantly.
Speaker 8:Well, I can say that I contact them every fortnight for an advert and it's always great. Now I have a beef with businesses that answer the phone. Your phone is nearly always answered straight away, which is great. Barclays on the other hand you may as well go and get your sunbed out and your sunglasses and get yourself a tequila, because you can be on there for hours trying to get through to some of the Barclays. It's great dealing with Hyperion when I want to get some adverts out for you for the next issue yeah, which is great.
Speaker 10:You're listening to Riverport Radio.
Speaker 2:Riverport Radio. Riverport Radio.
Speaker 8:Well, that's really good news, Rod. Is there anything else you want to let our listeners know about the future?
Speaker 9:I give a big Well, the future, to be honest, is more of the same the Antique Centre, which many of you know. What I would say is that we have become, with the courtyard which we won an award for. Actually, I hope that in Covid times, what was that award?
Speaker 9:I didn't know. Yeah, I just looked at the yard and it just was a chaotic mess. And I looked at it yard and it just was a chaotic mess. And I looked at it and I had these storage pods which weren't really selling and I just thought, do you know what?
Speaker 9:we could have an eclectic mix of artisan dealers and, to be honest, I've got 40 dealers there now and it's almost like I call it like a gym for the elderly, because mentally these people are people who have been doing their little cottage industry, generally from home. They come here at a very reasonable price and I have literally had a hands off approach. They've taken it and they've run it is.
Speaker 7:they're all like little plates and you know, you see in the circus where people just spin plates.
Speaker 9:Now, yeah, that's all I do. I give them a bit of time and give them a bit of advice as to what they should sell, how displaying it, but that's done really well, real much. Um, so we've become a destination point. We've got more and more people from cambridge and coaches arriving because we have a free thing. Yeah, center caught the auction.
Speaker 8:Yes, yes, yeah, that's excellent. Um, I got a call from a bus company over in the midlands, somewhere I can't remember exactly where mountain mowbray or somewhere like that saying um, have you got that uh leaflet about st ireland? Well, you know, I'm wearing my other hat the town team. Yeah, we produced a leaflet of st ireland. It's got uh where to go for a walk to Hemingford. It's got all the details of all the important things in the town, like the buildings to see. And you open it out, it's A3 map and it's got the map. And they said we're bringing the bus load to St Ives and we'd like to give everybody a map so that when they get in there where are they going. So I was aware that it's know it's quite a destination, st Ives, for more and more for bus companies and people organising daily trips out. Yeah, and St Ives is a good destination, isn't it?
Speaker 9:No, it definitely is. I mean, and to be honest, the town, I mean we've had a lot of good openings. I sit here in the Whiskey Cafe doing this interview, which is fantastic. We've got the Ivo Ivo Land, we've got some really decent things, and there's others opening as well so.
Speaker 8:I think the future is bright eventually Barclays, which I can see from our studio opposite. It's taking a long time but hopefully when that is finished that will be an asset rather than you're going to have eight luxury flats there.
Speaker 9:Yeah, yeah, but, as I said, the auction isn't going anywhere. Well, hopefully it's going to go, but it's going to be half-witching and whatever.
Speaker 8:And we'll let you know. I'll let you know if anything transpires with these latest discussions on the Octagon.
Speaker 9:Yes, please do.
Speaker 8:What I might do is ask them if you can come and attend the discussions. I think we've actually got a meeting planned with our new MP regarding developments in St Ives that might be of interest for you.
Speaker 9:I would be keeping the impression of that, john.
Speaker 8:I would appreciate that anyway, it was really great to interview you. Thanks very would appreciate that. Anyway, it was really great to interview you. Thanks very much. I'm sorry we haven't got Paul here and Rod Ron. You're fine, John, but no doubt Paul will add a few Riverport Radio jingles in there.
Speaker 9:Make it all done. Thank you very much for your time. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Bye-bye, riverport, radio Riverport.
Speaker 3:Radio and finally to play us out this episode is the Solomon Smith Trio will be featuring at this year's Jazz and Blues Festival with a song called you Dig that.
Speaker 5:Thanks for listening and we'll be back again soon here on Riverport Radio, a bunch of words in my dictionary, hoping I won't get it, man, but I get what you mean. You dig that. You dig that. You dig that. You dig that. You wanna mess with history. You wanna rearrange the track, put another slant on it, cause it don't chime with where you're at. You got means, you got the method.
Speaker 5:I've seen a way you hang your hat, but the truth of the truth is you don't get where the truth is at. You dig that, you dig that. You dig that. You dig that. You dig that. You animate, you stick, you link. Your body language talks. Your face, man, it's a picture, a map of all your thoughts. I read just what you're gaming and where your compass points In every word you choose to use. I hear what's in that voice. I think I got your measure and your measure don't fit me. I think I got your measure and your measure don't fit me. You dig that. You dig that. You dig that you can run it down a rabbit hole and make it disappear. Let the online media Turn a half-truth.
Speaker 2:Riverport Radio. Riverport Radio.
