News junkies shut out

It’s the party of free enterprise but, sadly, no one thought to open a newspaper stand.

Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives held a weekend policy convention at a hotel in Niagara Falls and — despite a lobby containing two gift shops, a Starbucks and a jewelry store — there was nowhere to buy a newspaper.

With more than 1,000 politically active Tories and a media entourage, newspapers would have sold briskly.

The best advice from the hotel concierge was "go across the street and there’s a row of newspaper boxes in front of the duty free shop if you have exact change."

Now that’s hospitality!

At least the view was good. The hotel overlooked the American falls, including floor-to-ceiling views from the press room windows, a rare treat for media hacks used to being stuck in the basement at such conventions.

And if you think Toronto prices are bad, get a load of this: Starbucks in the hotel lobby was charging $3.39 for a muffin.