Threshers Lose Their Bottle
Sad news that Threshers have gone into administration – especially for the employees, 81 of whom have already lost their jobs.
It seems to me the only people who ever do well out of administrations are the administrators, in this case KPMG. Shops will close, more staff will lose their jobs, suppliers won’t get paid, shops will go empty and KPMG will pick up hundreds of thousands of pounds for “administering” the process.
There’s government help around to save high profile banks and big businesses like Rover; why can’t we help people like First Quench (owners of Threshers) BEFORE they go bust, putting 6,500 jobs at risk? Why not fund restructuring and save peoples’ jobs rather than pay out a lot of dole and give a private company a big dollop of dosh for breaking it all up?
The hope is that the business will be sold as a going concern. I really hope it is, but so many times the administrator “fails to find a buyer” and the whole concern is lost for ever.
10:10 and All That
KAREN BUCK AND 10:10
I was very pleased to see in the local papers that my local MP Karen Buck had signed up for the 10:10 climate initiative (by which people promise to use 10% less energy than they did in 2009) and therefore very disappointed when she voted against the Lib Dem motion in support of 10:10 in the House of Commons.
I criticised her for this, and we’ve had some lively debate since. She’s tried to justify it by stating the government’s green intentions, but the message the vote sent out is that the government just doesn’t care enough. Ultimately the whips win, the political process obscures and common sense loses out. Shame.
BNP
Everyone’s had their say on it, but I think the Daily Mirror’s Kevin Maguire put it most simply and strongly: “free speech should not include the right to spread hatred on national TV”. I don’t think Griffin should have been on the programme – when I was selected as a Lib Dem PPC I stated that “individuals should have the freedom to express themselves and live their lives as they wish, as long as they are not infringing the ability of others to live their lives as they wish”. That’s why I’m a Liberal, that’s why I’ve started all this and that’s why I’ll fight the BNP at every opportunity.
“BARRACKS PLANS DO NOT APPEAL TO RESIDENTS”
Have had a letter published in today’s Wood & Vale expressing my views on the tokenistic changes offered by the developers of the St John’s Wood Barracks site. The Eyre Estate is still planning to erect over 130 properties on this unique site in a conservation area. If you too feel strongly about this, let me know.
St John’s Wood Barracks – 4 Years of Bulldozers…
ZEROES & HEROES
St John’s Wood Barracks – Latest Plans
Interesting that our local councillor Lindsay Hall seems to have changed her mind so quickly about the proposed development of St John’s Wood Barracks. In last week’s Wood & Vale, it states how she was previously opposed to the plan, but now she apparently believes that the Eyre Estate have gone away and taken on board all of the concerns of local residents. That’s funny, because the revised plans only came out the day before the Wood & Vale went to press, and that’s not what residents are telling me.
Granted, the visual impact of the building on the Ordnance Hill side has been improved by architects Russell Taylor, but there’s an awful lot which people were unhappy about before which still hasn’t been addressed. The main issue was the sheer scale of the development. The Eyre Estate claim that they have reduced the size of the development by 10% but they are just tinkering around the edges – there are still going to be 16 individual houses, 58 private apartments and 59 affordable housing units on the site. In addition, while the Ordnance Hill aspect has improved, the rest of the flats and houses remain bland and uninspiring, hardly suitable for a conservation area.
Another aspect which people were unhappy about was the length of the building programme – four years, from 2012 until 2016, with a whole year spent digging out the basement level. In fact the excavation period could take even longer. Residents were unhappy about extra cars being parked on local streets, but in solving this problem the developers are creating another one – even more digging for the extra underground parking.
Also, the development plan only achieves a modest level 4 according to the Government sustainability codes – why isn’t a landmark development like this going for the top rated zero-carbon level 6?
Overall, there seems to be very little changed about this development apart from some sugar-coating around the edges, which our councillors seem to be swallowing far too easily.
Today’s Hero: Jenson Button – when the going got tough, so did he. Zero: Lindsay Hall – my favourite Tory (?!) but such a quick volte-face, Lindsay?
On The Buses But Not On The Telly
ON THE BUSES
While I think of it, bus routes 25 and 73 are among those to be reviewed during 2010, so if anyone’s got any input, could I have it by Friday please.
NOT ON THE TELLY So we can’t watch the England international on TV. That’s the free market for you. I can’t help thinking that the loudest complainers are probably the same sort of people who slag off the Beeb. Nonetheless, we should all be able to watch this sort of fixture, free, on terrestrial TV. This is just one symptom of the paradox of the modern age – increased competition certainly doesn’t always mean a better service!
SOMETHING SERIOUS TO GET UPSET ABOUT Back to the Beeb – BBC London have just done a survey which shows how many blocks of flats in each London borough have been fire-tested. Or should I say, not fire-tested. Westminster has an appallingly high number – 63 to be exact. Yet another example of the two-nation approach to society by Westminster City Council -the city’s a playground for the rich and fire hazard for the less privileged.
HEROES AND ZEROES I’ve been re-reading Flight to Arras by Antoine Saint-Exupery – he’s always been a hero of mine, admittedly for his flying exploits. I remembered this book as being about those exploits, but now I find it’s as much about the senselessness of what goes on in wartime. Anyway, I came across a great quotation for our times too, times of xenophobia and bullying the helpless: “He who is different from me does not impoverish me – he enriches me”. So Antoine St-Ex remains my hero, even more so. Westminster City Council are the zeroes – AGAIN – sort out those fire assessments, why don’t you.
My Server Hates The Sun!
I can’t download The Sun website! I can get football, Jordan etc etc but not the home page – I’m being warned it would be dangerous to open it!
Just as well really. I only wanted to get a bit of background into the paper that pretends to represent Britain at large, and yet is backing the Tories, self-seeking power freaks who keep the company of Russian oligarchs on superyachts. What are they going to do for Everyman/woman? Maybe there was some excuse 30 years ago when Britain was broken, but this time around the Tories and the short-termist free market policies they espoused (and which were so gladly taken on by Labour) have put us where we are.
If The Sun really was the people’s paper and if they really wanted change they’d be coming out now and supporting the Liberal Democrats.
It’s not too late guys, still another seven months until the election!
Today’s hero = Robbie Keane. Well, I didn’t do the blog on Saturday. Zeroes = The Sun. The lazy choice. And the wrong one.
Never mind the Barracks
The letter came through the door – the Eyre Estate are back with their latest plans for the St John’s Wood Barracks site. Third time lucky, they must be hoping. Let’s see if this time the development is lower, greener and more in keeping with the surroundings. We can all have a look at their offices at 25 Woronzow Road NW8 6AY on Tues 13th Oct (11-5.30), Wed 14th Oct (5.30-7.30) and Thur 15th Oct (11-5.30).
The local campaign to save the barracks doesn’t seem to have had much support from the powers that be, so it looks like this is pretty much a damage limitation exercise now. I will certainly be doing all I can to make sure this development is as low-impact, green and sympathetic to the local environment as possible.
Meanwhile I find I can’t forget about the mother and daughter suicides in Leicestershire. I usually stick to local stuff but I feel strongly that it’s not good enough to just blame the police and social services. They may have been at fault, but what about the culture that allowed this to happen? Happen again and again over a very long period?
I can’t imagine this happening elsewhere in Europe. We don’t have a gun culture but we do have a bully culture and a less caring society. Personally I think the Tory selfishness of the eighties has a lot to do with it – not only did they destroy society they destroyed a sense of community. The rise of the importance of the central state against that of local community under Labour has only exacerbated this marginalisation. The current crisis in economics and politics does give us a chance to redress the balance, and return to a more caring society – but when I look at what the parties are offering, it seems only the Liberal Democrats are genuinely capable of delivering this. No heroes or zeroes tonight – it doesn’t seem appropriate.
Back on the Blog
Holidays and work trips are over (well, holidays till after the general election, work trips for the time being) so it’s back to the blog, and hopefully regular dishes of it until May 2010.
I got back to find plenty to encourage me, including finding a letter I sent published in the Wood & Vale and a lovely note from a local business whose name I won’t divulge here. Mind you, the letter is not something to rejoice at – it’s about the latest trial for local retailers (sudden and massive works by Thames Water) and could push many more over the edge. As I say in my letter, the shops need simple and speedy help from both Thames Water and the Council.
I finally got my chance to speak at Conference and although it was scary I did ok – I was speaking about giving independent retailers a chance against the big boys in the “Are We Being Served” debate and I was pleased to be able to support the pleas for a level playing field.
Meanwhile, although it’s my first day back at my desk, there’s no chance to settle in – it’s all going off here. Builders are back in, doing “snagging” – technical expression for sorting out the damp patches, and there’s family illness issues which have removed my wife to Essex for the foreseeable future. But there’s the West End ward by-election in little over a week and then the big one looming. I don’t think Gordon will be waiting for me to be ready.
I’m going to carry on with the hero/zero thing, if only because I like doing it – and I can now announce my mentor and friend Sue Baring as today’s Hero after her winning the Harriet Smith Award at the Lib Dem conference. Totally deserved. Sue is a good neighbour, a positive spirit, a real inspiration. Today’s Zeroes – Sue’s opposites – the bad neighbours and the bullies. Shame on you.
Happiness = Where Lancia meets Politics
Had an amazing evening last night at a remarkable house in the middle of Soho – an 18th century house with many of the original features, including the cesspit in the basement!
The occasion was a reception for Lancia Club Italia who are here with their beautiful cars on a rally, and the venue (this amazing house) was provided by one of our members, who is also heavily involved in Westminster politics (the borough, not the house). As the meeting was attended by the Lord Mayor, it was also an opportunity to meet another Tory councillor, Duncan Sandys, although he was at pains to point out that he is totally apolitical until his term comes to an end next May.
NOT SO HAPPY:
Very sad to walk down the High St today and see two more shops have gone while I’ve been on holiday – Rebeca Fernandes, a clothing store, and Itsu, a Japanese restaurant. Especially poignant was the sight of the bailiff’s notice in the window and the stock still present in the shop. Everyone loses when it comes to this – Rebeca Fernandes obviously, the customers, the high street, the council (no rates), and even the landlord, who now has no-one paying the rent.
It’s going to get worse on the high street before it gets better.
Hero = Rebeca Fernandes – she brought some colour and style to the bland mix of high street retail and she’ll be missed.
Zero = me – I’m off on a classic car rally burning fossil fuels. But I promise to cut down by 10% at least in 2010.
Happiness = 10:10 – Where Football Meets Politics
I just had an email from the 10:10 people saying that I’m one of the 9182 people who’s already signed up – but what really made my day was that there’s one football club that’s signed up – and that’s SPURS!!
10:10 are asking me to find 10 other people to sign up so if you’re one of the on-average 10 people a day who read this (ok, so I’m not in Iain Dale’s top 75 LibDem blogs YET!) then please sign up too and that’s my job done www.1010uk.org .
Meanwhile, the finances at 10:10 have apparently sprung a leek – so while they may be low on money, at least the should be in good stock of vegetables! Sorry.
Hero of the Day: Spurs – for 10:10 as well as being top of the league near as damn it. And Zero – me for BAD jokes
Developers vs Residents
I can’t help noticing a common theme in many of the big planning issues in Westminster right now. The Chelsea Barracks site, St John’s Wood Barracks, ‘Noho’ and now Luxborough Street – all precious pieces of real estate where essentially there’s a battle between the interests of developers (often with the support of Westminster City Council) and those of residents.
Post ‘Credit Crunch’, there has to be a change in our attitude to space, and its preciousness in London. Attitudes must change; greedy over-development has to become a thing of the past, our City and its people have to be allowed to breathe. So Westminster Council, I ask you do all you can to help make Noho “London’s Most Sought After Allotment” (West End Extra, Aug 14th), find a use for Chelsea Barracks which genuinely benefits us all, keep the other barracks in St John’s Wood for the horses and find a more suitable place for a new apartment block than the playground in Luxborough Street.
Today’s Zero: Westminster City Council. Hero: Nick Clegg – stop paying our Forces lions peanuts.
