THERE’S a bit of a rumble going on in Bainbridge about the annual visit of travellers who stop on the village green before and after Appleby Fair.

They make a mess, last year the public toilets got vandalised and their children hog the playground equipment apparently, except when there’s a community support officer around.

This year, there are concerns some travellers will stay on in Bainbridge on their way back from the fair to watch the Tour de France pass through.

You can hardly blame them.

No need to worry about road closures and where to park, just pull your caravan on to the middle of the green and wait for a month.

Best seats in the Dales.

It’s possibly not the image tourism chiefs were hoping the television audience of 3.5 billion people would see, but at least it shows what welcoming and inclusive communities we have. Bin bag anyone? Anyone?

This information comes from my friends at the Upper Wensleydale Ladies’ Luncheon Club, so has to be true. They also told me that among the group of travellers who stopped in the village last year was a postman and a fireman who tagged along to take advantage of the free camping.

Rumour has it they’re hoping a Native Indian will visit this year.

On an unrelated issue, after discussing Crimea and the disappearance of Flight MH370 at length, the big debate raging in our house is whether water tastes different from the upstairs taps to those in the kitchen.

On one side is myself, who argues that you are clearly crazy if you think that there is any difference.

On the other side is everyone else in the house who all refuse to drink upstairs water because it “tastes a bit funny”.

If anyone has some kind of expertise in this area and could settle the argument once and for all, I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Finally, I’ve been asked to point out that Redmire has an average number of aggressive drunks and the use of the word “aplenty” was unfair.