Name: Giles Paley-Phillips
Profession: I’m a musician and poet posing as a shop manager. There’s not much money in the former, so I do the latter to help pay the bills. I’ve been working in the toy shop on School Hill, which is sadly soon to close, for six years, five as manager. I’ve self-published two poetry books in the last year or so, as well. My mother died of leukaemia when I was six, so all proceeds from the book go to the Leukaemia Research charity.
Are you local? I was born and bred in Seaford, where I live now. But Lewes keeps dragging me back. I went to school and college here, too. I have a lot of connections with the place now. A number of good friends, mainly.
What do you like about Lewes? There’s a good independent spirit and a lot of social diversity. It’s very welcoming to creative people. And there’s always something interesting going on.
Anything you don’t like about it? I hate the way the independent shops are closing down, one by one. Parking is not entirely to blame. Greedy landlords have had a lot to do with it.
What’s your favourite pub? I’m a teetotaller. I drank until I was 21, but my father was an alcoholic, which made me give it up. I sometimes go to the Ellie with friends, though. Or the Lewes Arms, now that’s not a dirty word.
What’s your poison? I’m quite a connoisseur of pop. Lemonade in particular.
Waitrose or Tesco? We get the essentials - toilet paper and stuff - using the Tesco online service. And we get the nice things, like vegetables, in Waitrose.
What do you think of traffic wardens? Over-zealous. I can’t see any evidence of their new campaign to liaise more with the public.