"Save Bates!"

[marcelo]

I could not fail to remember this thread while watching this episode of J&W. The episode ends as Jeeves remarks to have taken the liberty of disposing of that article...

The fact that Bates is mentioned here, and probable also in Wodehouse’s original story, is certainly and indication of the role Bates may have played for successive generations of hat wearers.

[storeynicholas]

I am not entirely sure but I doubt that PG ever used real names of shops in the stories. I am also not sure whether it was to avoid free advertizing or to avoid complaints from the competition but this seems to have been a general convention - eg in Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga novels there is mention of 'Horridges' department store rather than Harrods or Selfridges. One of the first novelists to break this convention was Ian Fleming - who mentioned top brands and shops all the time - Peal & Co, Charvet, Dom Perignon, Floris and many others and some (such as Floris) sent him freebies as a result - as it did prove very effective advertizing.
NJS

[JRLT]

Bates's predicament in the London Evening Standard:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... article.do

[kilted2000]

I hope to go back to London this summer. If I do I will make a point to buy a hat from them as well as sign the petition. I am lucky enough to live in a city that still has a hatshop so I know how wonderfull the experience can be.