Dim Tim Sin

Holy green curries! Poor old Tim Garbutt - yes, he of the constant spamming of the comments on these jottings - has got himself in a bit of a Twitter pickle with top restaurant critic Jay Rayner!

It seems from a twatspat that's been twittering on over the past 24 hours that 'Mayor' Tim took on The Observer's foodie fanatic over a review of his Surin Thai restaurant in Ramsgate's Harbour Street. JR objected to his continuing use of the review, which is now something like a decade old.

But as we know from bitter experience, Tim is like a dog with a bone. Here's a slightly reheated and rehashed taste of the Twitter exchange:

Tim: Surin is 'one of the best Thai meals I have ever eaten', Jay Rayner, The Observer and BBC Food Critic. Ad inf.

Jay: Stop quoting (my review). It's out of date.... Every time you quote me I'll call you out for dishonesty.

Tim: Do not threaten.... How rude and childish... I'll contact the Observer to disown you... We can quote it as we wish.

Jay: Which bit do you not understand? I haven't been (to your restaurant) in ten years so I can't stand by that review.

Tim: Your ego is in overdrive.... Just stop the bullying.

Kevin Harris: (Who he? - Ed.) Best to avoid Surin it seems, the proprietor can't control himself.

Jay: I have no idea whether Surin is any good. But I'm sure that (Tim) is what my people call a bit of a schmuck... I don't expect people to try and promote through something a decade old.

Tim: After this nasty bullying you (Jay) are not welcome.

Jay: That will be the next quote Surin use: 'A Jay Rayner-free restaurant since 2014' :)

Tim: Your nastiness just silly.

Jay: I'm going to sit in the corner and think about what I've done.

Tim: It was a great piece of writing. Shame it's soured a bit.

Jay: TEN YEARS AGO. And do stop snivelling. It's unattractive.

Tim: Annoyed/ashamed of you. Expect better.

Jay: Restaurants change. Chefs lose their touch.

Tim: Bullyboy reviewer banned.

Jay: Does this mean you'll stop quoting my review? I mean, if you now hate me so much and I'm not welcome how can my review be valid...?... After this I can say I have no interest whatsoever in the restaurant you represent. Well done.

In my opinion, poor old Tim has just committed culinary hurry-curry there. My threat to come round and give the Surin an 'honest review' in response to him spamming my blog would now seem a trifle redundant!

Still, I don't expect we'll have to wait long for his perspective on it! Pip pip!

Right Mayor On Cecil Street?

Returning to politics and elections, I can exclusively reveal that an attempt to replace Thanet's cabinet of Dad's Army duffers has well and truly kicked off.

Malcolm Kirkaldie, Ramsgate campaigner and general thorn in the side of all things TDC, has thrown his fedora into the ring and started a mayoral petition. The aim will be to get enough signatures to force our beloved council into holding a referendum on whether to replace the current system with a Mayor of Thanet. Speaking exclusively to Thanet's premier blog, Mr Kirkaldie said:

I don't know what a Mayoral stalking horse is called (perhaps a talking horse) but I am it (for the moment at least). This has a number of functions:

1. To smoke other potential Mayors out
2. To get the help of Joe public
3. Engage with the public
4. Get the public involved with the petition
5. Find out if TDC will initiate a referendum
6. Get rid of the Cabinet system
7. Find out if TDC/the political parties are behind a Mayor or not

A Mayor would not be an extra burden on the tax payers, as the costs of the Cabinet go as does a number of staffing costs. With a Mayor you can vote them out, currently you cannot get the Chief Executive out, or any of the full time council officers. Hopefully in the end we can get a Mayor who will not take an overly inflated wage?

And he adds: 'Anyone up for the job of press and publicity?' Speaking as someone with close links to the Mayor of London (why, only last week I was standing merely yards away as BoJo rode his bicycle past me on Islington's Upper Street), I think I would be perfect for the job! And who better to stand outside Thanet Council's offices with a placard saying CHANGE than a former millionaire with a scruffy duffel coat and a dog on a string, who recently lost his shirt in Iceland-on-Thames (as they're calling the City these days)?

Who Wants To Be A Thanet Mayor?

I don't. But I see there's been some discussion over on Thanet? Streuth! to that effect. The idea appears to be to gather a petition forcing our Jurassic junta of Tory duffers to hold a referendum under the Local Government Act or something. Such a petition would only require 5% of the electorate to precipitate a referendum, which amounts to something in the region of 3,500 signatures. Not a difficult target if you ask me. If the subsequent referendum, which TDC would have to pay for, goes in favour of a having a mayor then BINGO!, we get our very own Boris!

I have no idea which side of the Thanetian bipolar political spectrum this suggestion has come from. I assume that, as Thanet? Streuth! is fast becoming the rightful heir to Councillor/Doctor Biggles' 'popular but beseiged (but now completely comatose)™' Thanet Life blog, it must be some sort of dissident faction within the Conservatives, keen to tug Sandy's chain and get their hands on his baubles. If it is, it's hardly surprising. The Tories used to be very good at stabbing each other in the back, if you recall, over Europe. It doesn't take much to get them at each others throats, so why not a game of mayor culpa?