For those of you not familiar with Maid Marian and her Merry Men, It turned the Robin Hood story on its head in a 1980s children’s comedy show by Sir Tony “Baldrick” Robinson. Maid Marian turned out to be the brains of the outfit and Robin Hood was an effete, vain twit. It also had […]
It’s pancake day. It’s pancake day. It’s p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day. Read More »
It could almost be a parody: “London based arts chief takes seaside town to task for being too much like a seaside town.” (I know we’re a city now…) But it’s real. Read it all here. Julian Caddy is the MD of the Brighton Fringe Festival and he thinks Brighton needs a better class of
He hates the Palace Pier and Julian Caddy just doesn’t love Brighton and Hove Read More »
Since the middle of July I’ve been blogging about Doctor Who for the Metro online and I wanted to share a few choice cuts for your delectation. Obviously it’s a busy time at the moment for Doctor Who fans as the 50th anniversary on 23rd November is keenly awaited. These are happy days for Whovians,
My Doctor Who blogging for Metro Read More »
Having a clear-out recently, I found a talk I gave to the GSCE leavers from my old school Priory in Lewes in November 2011. It was for their certificate evening, where they celebrated exam success and general all round good eggs. They asked me to give a short talk before the Mayor gave out the
My talk to Priory School Leavers, November 2011 Read More »
Last year, as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival, submissions for short stories were sought on the theme ‘Brighton: past, present and future.” Selected stories would be read to an audience by actors. Here’s my submission, and it was most gratifying to hear it read. Pier Review The West Pier spangled brand new in the
Short story: Pier Review Read More »
I remember the great storm of 1987. The letter box rattled all night and my mum decided we had to go to school. Oh innocent days. No internet or text messages. We’d listened to the radio, listing all the schools that were shut, and St Luke’s wasn’t mentioned. So off we went. It was chaos
After the 1987 storm, Queen’s Park in Brighton Read More »
Watching the tweets from the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce Big Debate on the motion “this house believes that Brighton’s night time economy is tarnishing the city’s brand” was interesting. But I was very surprised to see people praising “responsible” firm Brighton Holiday Homes, represented on the night by Managing Partner Michelle Stonehill. Apparently
Brighton Holiday Homes: a neighbour reflects… Read More »
What was a Whovian with a few hours to spare in Glasgow to do, but have a tootle around looking for police boxes? The second city of the Empire is home to a several of the Gilbert MacKenzie Trench designed beauties and I managed to find two as part of my sight-seeing. Reports as to
Tardis Police Box Spotting in Glasgow Read More »
Two very reasonable parents discuss the tattoo their student son has just got on his arm. You get the sense the parents have had some wild days themselves and are hardly prudish. Mother is doing most of the talking. Mum: It is very big though, isn’t it? Boy: No, it’s not. Mum: And well, it
HOVErheard*: The Tattoo Read More »
I’m embarassed to say the Prime Minister and I share Eton College as an alma mater. But unlike David Cameron, I had the greater privilege of learning more than a thing or two in the state sector. If Cameron had been to a comprehensive like me, he’d know that Eton just doesn’t have what it
Eton couldn’t run a state school Read More »
I picked up a thing the other day in a charity shop and I can’t really find anything about it online. So I throw it over to you. Do you know anything about this glass jelly mould with the images of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose on it? I intend to sell it on
Royal Jelly Mould with Princess Elizabeth and Margaret Rose Read More »
Sue Bailey was buried on Thursday. She was a close and dear friend to me for many years and I was privileged to attend her funeral. Let me share some reflections, for those who weren’t there. It was a small gathering. Eleven people. Mostly family. It was raining. In woodland, near London, there is a
Sue Bailey’s Funeral Read More »
My friend Sue writes at London Cemeteries and described her visit to Epping Forest Burial Park recently and how it changed her view of burial. Like her, I previously favoured cremation (or even burial at sea, in my more eccentric moments) until I visited a natural burial site. Cremation strangely felt less gruesome. I felt
The peaceful, natural burial ground at Clayton Wood Read More »
It’s astonishing that New York has only just legalised gay marriage. There are some very touching pictures in the Guardian. The word is right though: marriage. And changing the law in this country does, to a very large extent lie with simply changing a few words. I’m pleased that we have civil partnerships in Britain
The language of civil partnerships matters Read More »