Sprucing Times

Had a chance to see the new-look Gul website yet? With easy links to Gul's range of surf hardwear, fashion, sailing kit and much more, even Tom (who actually lives in a cave) was able to use it. There's a cracking Gul Apparel testing flick with Mark 'Egor' Harris putting Gul gear through it's paces in many locations, some of which, and I'll be frank here, would set me running to the high hills.

Go have a peek.

Tom, cave-dwelling, yesterday.

Cai Hamilton....

Cai charging at Teahupoo on a small day in his GUL wetsuit a week last Tuesday.

Eliza-pallooza

Less than 2 weeks now until North Cornwalls' fastest growing festival breaks cover. It's set in a lovely little valley somewhere between the quiet land-locked village of Week St Mary and the roaring seas and towering cliffs of Crackington Haven. The very contrasting line up this year consists of, amongst many others, The King Blues and their distinct brand of punk polemic and the increasingly starward-bound Eliza Doolittle, who is currently Number 3 in the Official UK album charts and Number 8 in the singles chart.
I've been to every single one since Leopallooza started 5 years ago. In the slightly less 'legitimate' days, stories would abound of 'incidents'. One involved a hotwired tractor. Another involved a girl stuck in a hole for 6 hours until she was found by a man having a wee-wee. Fortunately, since then the tractors have been removed, portaloos introduced and the holes filled. Strict safety guidelines are now followed to the letter. What it lost in mortal danger it has totally made up for in feelgood factor.
I'm going again this year (I kind of have to, I'm part of the crew...) but I'd recommend it to anyone - young, old(ish), rockers and ravers, surfers and emos. It's a cracking party. Tickets are still available online or from us here at the Bude Gul Store, or from our colleagues in Padstow, Newquay, Truro and Plymouth. £20 a pop.

Mature Shredders and Fondudes.

On initial impressions, you'd (quite understandably) assume that Gul International and The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills had nothing in common. Gul International is, if we do say so ourselves, a distinguished producer and supplier of high quality surfing and sea-faring outfits and trappings, steeped in a fine regional heritage. The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills is most obviously famed for it's selection of hundreds of cheeses. However, it also stocks and peddles such epicurean delights as Austrian Pumpkin Seed Oil, French Butters and, most notably, Golden Imperial Osetra Caviar. And who doesn't like a spot of that on their chips.
What, I hear you ask, could these two fine pillars of surfwear and cheese possibly have in common? Well, asides from having high quality staff who know what they're talking about, and supplying very distinguished clientele (Gul: The Olympic Sailing Team. Cheese Shop: Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore...probably) both were founded in the grand year of 1967.
Pondering what else occurred in this year? Well, The Beatles released 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'; Will Ferrell was born and Sesame Street was broadcast for the first time.

For us, though, it's all about surf and cheese.

So here's to you, our compadres in the cheese shop: 1967 was obviously a vintage year. Crack open a wheel of your finest smelly one, and lets celebrate. Tom's got the Ryvita.

Tee spoon

We're saying nothing.

Wednesday Guest Blog # 3

I think I've forgotten Guest Blog for 2 Wedenesdays in a row now. So could you possibly do me two favours? Firstly, forgive me for overlooking last Wednesdays Guest Blog. Secondly, please ignore the fact it's now Thursday.
There.
Perfect.
Todays Guest Blog is quite apt as the band are set to play Newquay this Friday (The Koola Bar - Tickets £6 each) and their debut album was released last Monday. The blog is not updated quite so often as their Twitter is but still worth keeping a peeper on. And the album is a Summer treat.

www.stringerbessant.blogspot.com

Going with the Flo

Team Gul are no amateurs. We know exactly how to throw dignity to the wind and face-plant ourselves into jets of water, and we're prepared to teach THE WORLD...

Loco and Meg

Loco and Meg are my dogs.

I think they love and hate me in equal measures......

Meet Sian

Sian is our work experience ferret. She's been invaluable here in Bude. So far, she's managed to get very acquainted with the hoover and the Pledge. Every now and then we teach her a nugget of learned wisdom that also involves a little more responsibility, an example being exactly how long to leave a teabag in hot water for the optimum taste experience. And from this fortnight she will also glean a range of valuable lessons concerning life in the workplace. Biscuit arranging being one of them.

Welcome, Sian.