Thursday 4th June, 2009 was an election day in Cocking.  Not a General Election perhaps, but polls were being held for both the European Parliamentary - South East Region and the West Sussex County Council, Fernhurst Division contests.

Seasoned Cocking voters will remember voting in the Blue Bell Inn, but as this has been closed or some time the venue has moved over the road to the Moonlight Cottage Tea Rooms.

The County Council list of candidates was fairly standard, but the list of parties on the European Parliament ballot paper was the longest ever and included some odd organisations such as the Roman Party. Ave! which is really a French bus driver called Jean-Louis Pascual, who has been running for local elections in Reading under this party banner since 2006.

With the current political situation as febrile as it is, perhaps we won't have to wait long before the Tea Rooms once again act as Cocking's Polling Station, but next time for a full scale General Election.