11March1998

11 March 98
My dear folks,

I shall be leaving the BBC at the end of this month. My departure is at my own initiative but as a result of the cutbacks that World Service Television is about to make.

When these were announced back in January, the bosses said that they would be pleased to entertain any inquiries about redundancy. I indicated my interest and have been in the process of negotiation ever since.

I had confirmation today that my application has been accepted. I have long intended to retire in my mid-Fifties and because this is a redundancy rather than voluntary early retirement, it means that I depart with a slightly enhanced pension.

Jonesy is very pleased and I am rather relieved myself. The uncertainty of the past few weeks has been a bit unnerving. Jonesy will be back in London on March 19 & we plan to take the ferry from Portsmouth to Spain at the start of April.

I intend to leave the car in Portugal and to return to London within a few weeks to make arrangements to rent or sell our London flat.

Depending on how quickly I can wind up affairs in London, I will join Jonesy down in Portugal again within a month or two. We are heavily booked for much of the summer and the idea is that we would move out of MCP towards the end of the year and into Casa Four which would then become our home.

As you know, I have been talking to a travel company about taking over our bookings from next year. If it does so, it will solve our bookings problem.

There are all kinds of questions that lie ahead but none that need immediate answers.

Sufficient, I think, unto the day.

Blessings ever,
T