I COULD write about the utter madness and injustice of the hike in business rates soon to be imposed upon many of Ludlow’s small independent shops that will, over time, surely put many of them out to grass.

I’ll just come across as a posh bloke with a fancy shop looking a bit sorry for himself.

And why would I want to do that for goodness sake?

However, it’s no trifling understatement to say that this is one of the greatest threats to the traditional market-town high street in generations. We can all (and should, shopkeepers or not) act now, or lose it forever.

It’s hard to be jolly about anything at this time of the year, least of all in the kitchen.

March has this horrible way of lulling one into the joyous belief that spring may finally have sprung, then the next moment biting one’s behind with icy rain and drifts of snow. There’s not much around by way of British produce, and really we have to sit tight and wait until May when things perk up a little.

There are Jerusalem artichokes around at the moment. Such a deliciously sweet and nutty little tuber, they make one of the finest soups and roast to sticky gloriousness, but the after effects are – I’ve finally come to conclude – probably not worth the bother.

After having put on a particularly velvety ‘choke soup for lunch at the deli a couple of weeks ago, I fear I may have been solely responsible for Storm Doris.

For that, I sincerely apologise.