TWO Stonehaven men, who earlier this year – through force of circumstances – got themselves to pool their expertise and energies, are poised to launch a completely new and relatively inexpensive indoor game on, initially, the British market – but with an eye to worldwide distribution in the not-too-long term.
Thomkirk Enterprises Lrd. has been formed by Jim Thompson, 6 Ivy Place, and Archie Kirkhope, 41 Farburn Drive, to manufacture Jim's patented brainchild – Table Top Bowling.
After weeks of trial and error with prototypes and experimenting with different materials, as well as "sussing out" reliable suppliers, they reckon they've now got their product as right as can be, and hope to begin retail distribution in about six weeks time.
Price of the game, which is completely portable – it even has fold-away legs to take up minimal storage space when not in use – has yet to be determined, but is likely to be around the £70 mark.

50 YEARS AGO
Friday August 15 1958

"THERE is no reason whatsoever for hooliganism of this kind in Stonehaven on a Sunday night," said Mr William A. Agnew, fiscal, at Stonehaven on Monday, when two young Dundee men, pleaded guilty to two charges of having offensive weapons – two 5 in. long sheath knives – in their possession without lawful authority or good excuse and on charge of committing a breach of the peace.
They were Thomas McConachie, 27 Blantyre Place, and John Thomson Connelly, 7 Wedderburn Street, showground attendants, who were fined a total of £8.
David Warner Masson (17), 30 MacDonald Road, Stonehaven, was fined £2 when he pleaded guilty to conducting himself in a disorderly manner and committing a breach of the peace.
In Barclay Street, Stonehaven, on Sunday night, the first two accused were seen brandishing their knives at each other and cursing and swearing.
McConachie and Connelly then moved to Allardyce Street, where again they brandished their knives and swore at each other.
In reply to Sheriff William Hunter, McConachie and Connelly said that they needed their knives for their work with tarpaulins and in cutting and splicing ropes.
They carried them about because if they laid them down at their place of work they would be stolen.

100 YEARS AGO
Thursday August 13 1908

THE acquisition of ground at the Bridge of Cowie by the Town Council should in time prove a decided benefit to the community.
That the rent may be a bit stiff will be admitted, but then the situation goes for a good deal.
Except the square there is not at the present moment a piece of ground belonging to the town, and as a consequence they are sometimes derived of a bit of revenue.
As an example, Lord John Sanger's circus is coming shortly, and will be located somewhere about the station, which is rather out of the way.