The formal launch of Rondellerie Vineyard on the island’s west coast took place on Monday. (0973642)

IT’S been the busiest week of the year so far in Sark and it will reach its climax on Sunday with the annual cricket and showbiz extravaganza, otherwise known as the visit of the Lord’s Taverners.

The hectic activity began on Monday evening, albeit at a leisurely pace, with the formal launch of the Rondellerie Vineyard on the island’s west coast – a location which everyone I spoke to at the event found absolutely stunning.

With the promise from Bordeaux wine expert Dr Alain Raynaud that he had been charged with producing the best of the best, the venture seems at this stage to be one that will produce nothing but positives for the island’s economy – but only time will tell.

It was a shame that someone – one can only assume it was from the anti-Sark Estate Management faction – saw fit to place a couple of not very funny notices at the entrance to the La Rondellerie tenement. It really does beg the question as to when this puerile nonsense is going to stop.

Tuesday saw another formal launch, with the centenary edition of William Toplis’s Book of Sark – another venture that promises a hatful of positives for the island and a publication of which those involved in its production can be justly proud.

As someone whose newspaper career started in the days of hot metal printing, the process of producing the book from the original 100-year-old plates was of particular interest and for those who perhaps cannot afford to acquire the centenary book itself, the accompanying volume detailing that process will make fascinating reading and can be purchased separately.

As several people involved remarked at the Island Hall launch – the room in which the event was held will become a permanent memorial to the life and work of the great artist and both editions of the Book of Sark – most of the processes involved in the production are no longer part of the publishing trade.

Towards the end of the reception, book number one – the centenary edition will be numbered, as was the original – was signed by the artist’s great-granddaughter, Fiona Kelly, and presented to Conseiller David Melling who, with his fellow Chief Pleas member Paul Williams, started a public subscription so that one of the books could be owned by the people of Sark and placed on public display in perpetuity.

A note – while I think of it and by way of a reassuring update on the situation – about the Sark visitors’ moorings. I am told that moorings are available at both Havre Gosselin on the east coast and Greve de la Ville to the west. In addition, the Brecqhou Warrior was used earlier this week to lay some new moorings at Dixcart Bay.

These will be particularly welcome for visiting boat owners because hitherto those using the Dixcart gateway to the island had to rely on ‘dropping a hook’, as one regular visitor told me.

‘A mooring brings much more peace of mind and we can enjoy weekend lunches and dinners much more as a result,’ he said.

Chief Pleas meets later this month and many people are puzzled by the General Purposes and Advisory Committee’s ideas on splitting the role of the Seneschal.

I actually have no problem with matters being left as they are, but when the Department of Justice in the UK says jump, all we’re allowed to do is ask: ‘How high?’

What is puzzling, however, is why more money – and a warning of higher taxes as a result – is needed to employ two people doing an identical amount of work to that done currently by Seneschal Reg Guille.

Such unsupported statements amount to unnecessary scaremongering and we could do without them.

l The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net