I was thinking today about how times have changed in retail since I bought my first Harrington and docs as a 15 year old back in 1978. I then recollect a year or so later having my first job (16-year-olds with jobs, well some things definitely have changed) and buying my first Crombie, then a tonic suit, followed by a boating blazer.

It’s called Saltdean, and I presume the derivation originates from the sulphurous air that permeates the atmosphere from the sea. It’s about five or six miles outside of Brighton, and unlike its celebrated neighbour, it’s bereft of any of the trappings that you’d expect to find at the seaside; no pier, no cafe, no illuminations or smell of fish and chips. In fact, aside from an imposing hotel that wouldn’t be out of place in The Shining, there’s very little here in Saltdean that one could call memorable.