So, I had lunch with some of you people this week.
As part of a group-wide “know your reader” campaign, editors of various publications in the stable are meeting their readers outside of the confines of their workplaces to chat and get their opinions.
I took Independent on Saturday readers ‒ chosen from the list of long-standing subscribers ‒ to lunch at Turkish restaurant Sofra Istanbul in Florida Road.
Over a delicious meal and Turkish-equivalent lemonade we got to know a bit about each other, and I was delightfully surprised to learn that one of my guests was the mom of staffer Frank Chemaly (relax Frank, she only had good things to say).
It was fascinating learning people’s different relationships with newspapers; one was introduced through helping distribute them to farmers from her dad’s Nottingham Road general dealer some years ago (can’t give away the good lady’s age!). She still uses clipped articles today in coaching students, and makes the paper last the whole week by reading only a portion at a time.
Like yours truly, this group of readers was particularly keen on history, meaning our “Then and Now” and “On This Day” features are firm favourites.
You can read more about their views on this page.
Here’s hoping the feared fourth wave of coronavirus infections does not materialise, and I can meet more of you in person soon.
The Independent on Saturday