RONNIE Barker is still with us in our hearts and our hardware shops.

Pextons hardware on Bishop- thorpe Road has seen a boom in sales of one particular item since the comedian's death.

Yep, you've guessed it. Fork handles. "They've been going like hot cakes," reports Pextons' owner Johnny Hayes. "It's odd really.

"I sold the first couple and I thought, 'this is a bit of a coincidence'. Then a few more went.

"They seem to be selling ten times faster than normal. I am convinced that it's just the fact that they're in people's heads."

The Two Ronnies' sketch set in a hardware store has been regularly repeated on TV in obituaries of Ronnie Barker, whose funeral was held last week in Oxfordshire.

In it, Mr B is the customer who becomes irate when shopkeeper Ronnie Corbett brings him four candles in response to his request for "fork 'andles".

No doubt Mr Hayes is now stocking up on Os, pumps and billhooks.

CURIOUSER and curiouser on Coppergate II. Our item last Thursday, pointing out that the council's Castle Piccadilly planning brief is riddled with the word "retail" (as opposed to "open space"), prompts some observations from an interested party.

"What seems not to have been noticed so far is that the results of the public open day of consultation last October have never been publicised," they write. "Nor have they been included as an appendix to the brief though the less clear-cut conclusions of the so-called Reference Group do.

"Would this be because the open day showed an enormous majority of those participating in favour of public open space between Clifford's Tower and the Foss to provide the setting for the Tower and the adjoining buildings?"

Perhaps someone from the council could explain.

AFTER our revelation that former York City chairman Douglas Craig escorted Margaret Thatcher on her first trip around York as Tory leader, reader Tony Eves has imagined their conversation...

Douglas: Hello Margaret, I hope you enjoy your visit to York. I must say you look magnificent in that ice-blue cloak and dagger combo.

Margaret: Well thank you Douglas, you look resplendent too.

Douglas: Could I congratulate you on your good work in stopping the waste of all those free pints of milk being given away in schools?

Margaret: Oh thank you again Douglas, so many idiots got uptight about it but democratic change is the way forward. The secret is to be inventive and creative in your money-making schemes.

Douglas: Absolutely Margaret, what other things do you have in the pipeline?

Margaret: Well Douglas, at the moment I'm busy looking into the best way forward for the coal mines, all those silly lily-livered liberals might not like my ideas but I know what is best so they'll just have to go along with it. Also, it might teach them a lesson or two.

Douglas: Wonderful Margaret, wonderful.

Margaret: ... and then there's the poll tax which I'm planning to impose on the masses. They won't like that one either Douglas I can tell you!

Douglas: Oh Margaret, Margaret.

Margaret: I'm really enjoying my tour of York, Douglas. Now tell me what's that funny-looking building over there?

Douglas: What, that? Oh, that's just a football ground of mine.

Margaret: Really? Let me tell you something Douglas - if that was mine...

Updated: 10:49 Monday, October 17, 2005