Once upon a time Hemel Old Town was bustling with people and alive with shops selling everything from fruit and veg to furniture. Today it’s a ghost town, empty, desolate and looking like something out of The War of the Worlds or The Day of the Triffids. But on our daily walk this week I espied a glimmer of light. Up ahead was a colourful stall displaying apples, oranges, carrots and tomatoes to name a few. The man behind the Old Town’s newest enterprise turns out to be Danny Deacon. Danny has converted his barber’s shop Fifty-5 into a pop-up fruit and veg store. Helped by his son Jacob and daughter Olivia, Danny told me ‘he’s giving it a go’ while his barber’s shop remains closed. He’s even offering ready-made packs and a delivery service. The response has been so enthusiastic in his first week that he’s thinking of taking over an empty shop and making it a full-time job. If he succeeds it will be like the wheel turning full circle. I wish him the best of luck. The Old Town could certainly do with someone injecting some life into it. In fact I’m thinking of suggesting he also goes into the restaurant business. The Old Town’s never been the same since Alberto’s closed!