Yesterday Santa himself came to Torquay. Yes, this was the real Santa, not one of those phonies you get elsewhere in the world. So Fleet Street was shut. Well you would shut the main bus route through town for such an important visitor wouldn't you, I mean Torquay is renowned for it's good maners? Now it has been know for several weeks that Santa was coming, months really, the first sign I noticed proclaiming Christmas was once again on it's way was in the first week in September, a hotel urging patrons to book early for Christmas.

All this notice gave everyone plenty of time to get ready. From the buses point of view this mean working out the diversions for the 6 services that use Fleet Street. I mean it can't be hard can it? Santa came last year and the year before and years and years before that. Just copy the diversions that were in place then. And the other thing of course is to let those of us who couldn't care less that the great man is paying the town a visit is that buses will not be risking running down the man in red or his little helpers by driving up and down while the parade is going on. And how do the bus company inform us there are no buses for 6 hours on Saturday afternoon? They stick really prominent notices on all the bus stops in Fleet Street, there's only 4 of them so expense does not need to be spared to make sure their valued customers aren't left standing in the cold wondering how late the buses are going to be today. Well the notices were there but someone must have had no concept of 'PROMINENT' because.... well look at the photo and ask yourself is that notice 'PROMINENT'? I even made it bigger so you could notice it, that's what notices are for, to be noticed. Notices shouldn't cower in the corner like a wallflower at the local dance, the should announce themselves like a horny peacock looking for a mate. If you have ever seen a horny peacock looking for a mate you might think that is going over the top a little. True, but a bit more effort would have been appreciated thank you.

Actually I knew the road was closed and no buses would be running. I was down there looking to get a photo of the Big Man from Lapland and while I was waiting I kept myself busy explaining to a fair number of hopeful people standing at the various bus stops and sending them to somewhere more likely to be touched by a passing bus.

I didn't get a shot of Santa, it got a little cold and wet and I gave up and went home early, I live walking distance so I didn't have to wait hours for a bus.

Fortunately there was a Controller on hand to give assistance to those who never noticed the notice. Well would you have noticed it?