It's Basingstoke not Boringstoke the Guestbook
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	11 Dec 2011 some comments from the first half 2010 have just been added, which I though were lost, but have now been found. APOLOGIES to anyone who submitted one of these comments, but they're there now . . . .
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	here's what previous visitors have had to say . . . .

2012

		ronald gregory, 18th January 2012
	found	you told me to go on it
	from	BASINGSTOKE
	email	noooo mwhahahahaha
	comment	i find your website really interesting and im now going to move to basingstoke coz i'm old and have nothing better to do, yeeeehaaaaaaaaah (im a cowboy from texas:D)

2011

		JAYDO, 21st December 2011
	found	GOOGLE
	from	UK MANCHESTER
	comment	I heard about the Woke St Willy, so I took a look. Can you tell me what it is supposed to be? It doesn't look like any penis I have seen, but then it doesn't look like anything in particular, at all. What is wrong with people who commission these things? We had a giant structure called B of the Bang, it represented an explosion. It was great, but it was huge and bits fell off in the wind, so it was taken down. Bad idea from the start, other sculpture in Manchester seem all to be made of metal, to represent out industrial past, get over it, let's have something beautiful instead of something useless or made of metal with a rusty surface like the Angle of the North. We are sick of stupid senseless ugly and expensive street furniture. We also had a collection of things which looked like railroad boogie wheels, these were supposed to be benches to sit on, but no one recognized them as such, and no one sat on them. Another ugly and useless bit of expensive street furniture. Cheers. === Can I make a constructive comment about the site in general. I think it's a bit colourful. And a bit ugle. The background of this page for example is quite nice, and the dots are ok in small doses. But the opening page is a bit in your face with the very bright blocky red lettering, could do with toning that down a bit and changing the thickness of the font. And, the bright blue background with the once again very bright lettering, is eye watering. Perhaps that could be toned down a bit too, to make it easier to read. Thanks [I'll have a think about it, but I quite like the 'in yer face' look: Ed]
		bob, 19th December 2011
	found	browsing
	from	basingstoke
	comment
		clark, 28th November 2011
	found	looking for infor on Basingstoke
	from	LaGrange, GA, USA
	comment	Just sent a message and realized I meant to ask why there is so little about Sports in Basingstoke on your site. I know you have a Rugby Club that has produced several rising stars in that field, and some once famous athletes have lived and do still live there. [If you've any further info about who, what, where, when drop me an email and I can try and rectify the omission . . . : Ed]
		Clark, 28th November 2011
	found	looking for info on Basingstoke because I know people there.
	from	LaGrange, GA
	comment	Absolutely Fabulous (no pun intended) site .... so much knowledge so interestingly posted and just fun to read .... I can't wait to come see your town. [Thanks for the kind comments, and hope you enjoy the visit . . .  I've spent quite a bit of time over the last couple of years working just the other side of Atlanta from you, around the Norcross and Duluth area which I enjoyed: Ed]
		Lou, 11th November 2011
	found	...internet
	from	Basingstoke
	email	ketch_003 AT hotmail DOT com
	comment	...Do you ever see a Chinook fly over Basingstoke....Did you know that one of the Pilots lives in Basingstoke ....has a Award from the Queen and has written a book. Did you know a village in Basingstoke had the most successful Half Marathon run through it and the most succesful Firework Display this year [Thanks for the info, I'll look into doing a bit of research: Ed]
		Astrid, 7th November 2011
	found	Via Radio Basingstoke
	from	Originally W.London now Basingstoke
	email	astridhaighsmith AT virginmedia DOT com
	comment	I was so surprised & delighted to find this website, it is very interesting. I have only lived here just over 9 years, but it's the longest I have lived anywhere, previously I moved approx every 3 years, so goes to prove how much I like this town! It has so much going for it, great shopping centres, Leisure complex, restaurants, lots of live music, parks, close to motorways & the countryside & an hour to the sea. What more do people want!
		Basingstoke Ghost Hunters, 9th October 2011
	found	Recommended
	from	Basingstoke
	email	basingstokeghosthunters AT gmail DOT com
	comment	Hi - please feel free to join our group, Basingstoke Ghost Hunters that can be found on facebook.
		Thomas Hearne, 23rd September 2011
	found	Google
	from	Basingstoke
	comment	Basingstoke is a great place to live, great schools and shopping including festival place and we are currently waiting for wates construction to finsish the Malls refurbishment, search the malls basingstoke and see the artists impression pictures, it's going to look great once it has finished.
		David Gahan, 10th September 2011
	found	Wanted to know more about The Shrubbery
	from	born London, Live in Gozo (Malta)
	comment	Fascinating! Many congratulations on your enterprise. I worked at Farleigh House School, Farleigh Wallop, for ten years in the 1960-70 period, so B'stoke was our home town. Both my children were born at The Shrubbery. Interesting to learn that it was the home of (built for?) the founder of Burberry coats. If I am right in thinking that Timothy West and Prunella Scales lived there, post-hospital and pre-demolition, this is worth a mention. BNHCC (Basingstoke and Noth Hants Cricket Club) is surely worth a mention, since it is (was?) used for county cricket and many of the world's best players have played there. Basing House should have a mention too, since it held out for years against the Cromwellians during the Civil War, before being slighted.
		Chris, 31st August 2011
	comment	I was delighted to learn recently that a group of school children from BASINGSTOKE have written a special three-minute episode of Doctor Who, to be broadcast in the not too distant future on, I believe, BBC3. Congratulations and, needless to say, I am sure it will be absolutely BRILLIANT!
		louise, 7th August 2011
	found	looking for an old friend looked up queen marya
	from	Basingstok of course!!!!!
	email	louisebailey69 AT yahoo DOT com
	comment	love the site, avnt lived there for ages but am basinstoke born and bred!!!!
		B.B., 2nd August 2011
	found	GOOGLE
	from	Basingstoke
	email	khorrigan AT btinternet DOT com
	comment	What was the name of the disco at the top of town up the alley opposite the Co-Op? Did anyone ever go to the Angel Nigtclub and not see or get involved in a fight? Does anyone remember an old guy going about in a massive blue wheelchair (usually in the area round the Memorial Park) that he moved by pushing and pulling on two levers on either side of the chair? A mate of mine reckoned it weighed about a hundredweight and the guy was a war veteran.
		B.B., 2nd August 2011
	found	By chance
	from	Basingstoke
	email	khorrigan AT btinternet DOT com
	comment	I lived in basingstoke from 1959 to 1982. My Mum and Dad still live there and we often visit. Went to school at Fairfields infants and juniors, then to Cranbourne. I recall all the old places in the town quite clearly,the A.B.C. cinema and the one next door, Brinklets Youth Club, The Bass House, the King of Wessex (which some wag altered to read King of Sex and made the local B.B.C. news), the opening of the M3 and countless old large houses in the area which made great playgrounds for me and my mates. I moved for no other reason than to work in the Hotel Industry. Of course, we all chanted the teenagers mantra from time to time, "there's nothing to do, it's boring", but looking back I had some great fun and have many happy memories.
		Tom, 22nd July 2011
	found	Searched Basingstoke in Google
	from	Basingstoke
	comment	Basingstoke is a great town, Festival Place is nearly 10 years old since it's opening in 2002. The Malls Shopping Centre is currently going under major refurbishment works including a new roof, toilets, new entrance at Alencon Link. I am very proud to live in Basingstoke as it is home to one of Hampshires best colleges BCOT. Rock on Basingstoke
		Chris, 31st March 2011
	comment	Although I don't believe he actually ever lived in Basingstoke, I see that former Shadows bassist Jet Harris is due to be cremated in the town later today. Jet was a legend, still is, and was one of the true pioneers of British rock 'n roll. Could he, therefore, be given a mention on this great site.
		Andy.ps, 28th February 2011
	found	Looked up basingstoke
	from	Basingstoke of course
	comment	Amazing site, found loads of great info, just shows Basingstoke rocks!!!!
		Sam Roberts, 31st January 2011
	found	met the owner
	from	Basingstoke
	email	king_arf2003 AT hotmail DOT com
	comment	David Cameron's brother in law is a heart surgeon at Basingstoke hospital Source: David Cameron, BBC news broadcast, today. Cheers, Sam.
		pooooo, 18th January 2011
	found	i typed in Basingstoke into Google
	from	Mars
	comment	i love basingstoke
		Mick, 5th January 2011
	found	Lookig for points of interest in Basingstoke
	from	Basingstoke
	comment	I moved from London in 1974,apart from a few friends I miss nothing about the place.Basingstoke has given me and my family a good living.There is the mixture of a modern town centre with the rural aspect anyone in london would give their right arm for.So....if you don't like it here,just go to a better place and moan about it when you get there.

2010

		Cathy, 31st December 2010
	found	Always researching the town and always checking
	from	Basingstoke 50-odd years
	email	cthwlms AT hotmail DOT com
	comment	It's great that so many people like the mixture of old & new, town & country. Does anyone remember the OLD swimming pool, the High School, American Tan stockings from the old M&S? There's certainly a lot more choice now! But I hope we can hang on to our history too! The Shrubbery - I had a baby there too! History - I think it was built by a Burberry, probably a son of the founder. Fate - the grounds stretched just to the back gardens of Wallis Road by 1930 ( of Wallis & Steevens)There was a lodge on Cliddesden Road. Most of the southern grounds went under the Ring Road, and the access road & buildings of QMC.The house was last used by the Proteus Theatre Group. I could look other details up. Other big houses had lodges in Cliddesden Road - more another time!
		Sue Gibbs, 29th August 2010
	found	Internet
	from	Now MK - B/stoke
	email	Crkirk13 AT gmail DOT com
	comment	Hi all, Visited B/stoke for the weekend as mum still lives their, had the best time, it's changed a lot. Lived on Popley 2 and around from 1969 until 1981, did not miss the place until now. Not as bad as i thought,went walker about, and talked to lots of people. Nice peole, nice place. Did not see anyone i new from way back. Where is The Granny.
		Chris, 11th June 2010
	found	known about it for years!
	from	the Midlands now
	comment	As both a Doctor Who fan and someone who once lived in Basingstoke, can I just say how delighted I am to see the devine miss Sarah Sutton is now featured on your site. I shall continue to visit in the hope that there will be more little surprises in the future. And I fully intend to actually visit the great town again next year. Cheerio for now. [Thanks, pleased to hear that the site continues to hit the spot: Ed]
		Nathan, 16th February 2010
	found	searching
	from	Basingstoke
	comment	this was a really good site as io have seen the film get real, and now people beliove me because of what they haveseen :)!!
		Roger Early, 9th February 2010
	found	Google search
	from	Basingstoke
	comment	Outrage! Basingstoke has been nominated for Carbuncle Award consideration... http://bit.ly/bTDxbY
		Brian Taylor, 9th February 2010
	found	My daughter sent me the URL
	from	New Forest
	comment	Reading the threads I see there are some questions about the old Shrubbery Nursing Home. Before the new hospital was built (early 70's?) on the Park Prewett Mental Hospital farm site off of the Sherborne St John/Tadley road, this was the maternity hospital for all of Basingstoke and the surrounding villages. The Cottage Hospital on the corner of Southern Road opposite the War Memorial Park gates was the main one with the old Work House on Basing Road being the dumping ground for geriatrics. I believe that the Shrubbery was originally the family home of the Burberry family. The family home of the May's, brewers and benefactors of May's Bounty cricket ground was on the corner of Lower Brook St and Chapel Hill opposite St John's Junior school. The Rose and Crown was on the opposite corner.
		Brian Taylor, 9th February 2010
	found	My daughter sent me the URL
	from	New Forest
	email	brian.taylor001 AT ntlworld DOT com
	comment	I grew up in 'Stoke living in Sopers Grove, Elizabeth Road, St Michaels Road and finally on Brighton Hill before emigrating to So'ton in 1978. Our teenage days were not at all boring with 'Stoke still being a small town. We knew everybody some of whom I'm still in touch with. My memories of Queen Mary's are mixed but had great times at May Street Youth Club and Brinkletts before graduating to the Galaxy Club, Ticky Rick, Blue Room, etc. Last night of the old Barge pub with a band made up of Rob Young, who went on to write many of Status Quo's big hits, Paul Taylor and Mugsy May. Heavy nights in the Anchor with the Barkers. I still look for Town's football results,shame that Thorneys are no longer. Anybody reading this who knew me can find me on Friends Reunited and Facebook.
		Denise, 17th January 2010
	found	Search engine
	from	Basingstoke
	comment	I have lived in Basingstoke for 52 years almost and it used to be a nice little market town and had a fantastic, famous carnival each year with a week long series of activities in the War memorial Park, a Mardi Gras, dancing/discos in the streets. Its soul-less now, lost most of its interesting buildings and is frankly boring. I would bet the people that don't think of it as boring never knew it before when it had character. Who would know we are famous for being the home of Burbury? We have also produced boxers, pop singers to name but a few of our famous citizens. Oh yes, John Arlott too. Who? You may ask. Nobody would realise this as it's all got lost in the annals of history and now it's just another boring town, same shops, same everything.