NIMBY

Firstly, I should make my position clear. I’m not a fan of the Olympics. No one asked me if I wanted them inflicted on me. No one asked me if I wanted to be paying for them for the rest of my life. No one asked me if I was happy to put up with the disruption. No one asked!

This morning the 70 day Torch Relay kicked off from Lands End and the news coverage sparked the following text conversation………

Friend: What is the point of this torch thing? Why why why? And why are so many people enthused by it? What am I missing?

Friend: They are just talking about it but I have seen no actual footage of any actual torch carrying. Oh I am confused. It’s a PR exercise.

Me: The point is to try to drag in the needy, the misguided, the provincial and the indifferent into the Olympic Party. To unify the nation behind the Olympic ideal and to induce councils to spend money they haven’t got to prove what a great deal we are all getting out of this event. I think propaganda would be an appropriate word.

Mind you, the best thing about the last Olympics was Konnie Huq and the Torch Relay being attacked by Chinese dissidents in Ladbroke Grove. I can’t remember why the torch was in Ladbroke Grove in the first place but then again I DON’T CARE!

To be honest, my tongue did venture into my cheek during this statement but only to the extent that I wouldn’t have wished this  experience on Konnie Huq, or indeed anyone else, she seems to have had a tough time from both the Pro Tibet protesters and the Chinese torch guards. The rest of it really does reflect my opinion.

These are troubled times both with regard to the economy and the political situation. We are spending vast amounts of money on a few weeks of  “fun” and we are inviting those with an axe to grind to treat this event as a stage on which to forcefully present their views.

I’m not convinced by the legacy arguments. On the sporting front, history has shown that events like this do stimulate some people to take up some of these activities. Sadly, history also shows that it doesn’t take long for the vast majority of those people to fall back into their naturally lethargic state. As far as the social legacy is concerned, the basic fact is that if  “they” wanted to revitalise the East End, then “they” should have spent the money that has, suddenly and miraculously, become available for the Olympics directly in the area.

Of course we have gained a great deal from the Olympics.

Disruption to public transport.

Large payouts to transport staff for extra duties.

Disruption to local businesses.

Postal delays and surcharges on Parcelforce deliveries.

A proliferation of rather tacky imported Olympic souvenirs.

A confused and vastly overpriced ticketing system.

Sponsorship deals that are seemingly restricting the publics personal freedom to wear what they like, eat what they like and drink what they like.

Sponsorship deals that are seemingly in conflict with the spirit of the Olympics (burger and chips anyone?).

Sponsorship deals with organisations that some consider to be socially and politically incorrect.

Huge increases in private security including, according to many reports, the use of heavy handed and seemingly poorly trained operatives.

More armed police on the streets (and the river!) with heavy military backup..

Typhoon jets on standby.

Surface to air missiles on the roofs of residential and commercial premises.

Snipers on the ground and in helicopters.

The opportunity to pay through the nose for something many of us didn’t want.

The worst Olympic logo of all time.

……….and so much more.

Finally, I consider myself to be a tolerant person. If people want to support the Olympics, that’s fine by me, but tolerance goes both ways. I am tired of “personalities” and “celebrities” telling me to get off of my backside  to show my support for the whole show. I do have a mind of my own (after a fashion!) and am well able to form an opinion without their assistance and, although it’s too late to do anything about it, my opinion is……..

…….Not In My Back Yard!

I have no Olympic photographs to accompany this post.

No sportspersons, celebs, personalities, security operatives, military personnel, sports fans, games officials or politicians were harmed in the writing of this blog.

Other opinions are available.

I dedicate this post to the Grumpy Old Men of this fine nation.

That’s it, there is no more.

I've been grilled.

The guys over at Radio Cabs (the best cab company in the world, according to their site) have a blog that is authored and edited by David Styles.

In addition to regular London related posts on a wide range of subjects they run a weekly article called the London Grill. This comprises of a series of questions about London put to a Londoner! The victims of the Grill, so far, have included cabbies (naturally), bloggers and politicians, specifically Boris Johnson (I think he qualifies) and Jenny Jones.

This weeks victim, for reasons beyond my understanding..............is me!

Check it out here and, while you are there, take the time to look at the rest of the site.

Getting to the Point

It seems that the sanitisation of St Giles continues. Plans have been announced to transform Centre Point and its immediate surroundings.

Centre Point, built by property tycoon Harry Hyams and designed by Richard Seifert, has had a rather chequered life. From its completion in 1966 it remained empty for many years, Hyams, for reasons of his own, apparently holding out for a single tenant. There was even speculation that he was being paid a large subsidy by the government to keep it empty.  You can create your own conspiracy theory for the reason behind this story!

Whatever the reason, this prominent building came to be regarded as something of a white elephant until Hyams finally agreed to let it out floor by floor.

In 1995 Centre Point became a Grade 2 listed building and despite being described by Pevsner as “coarse in the extreme” it was given the Mature Structures Award by the Concrete Society. Yes, there really is a Concrete Society!

Love it or hate it (and I love it), it is a major London landmark and it is now about to undergo major changes. A year ago it changed hands for the princely sum of £120,000,000. The new owners now plan to pedestrianise and redevelop the area around the base of the Tower to include a new public space to rival Trafalgar Sq and Covent Garden with the intention of attracting “high quality” shops and restaurants. 

Although the 117 metre, 34 floor tower itself, described by the developers as a “flawed icon” is currently filled with business tenants, the new owners say this is not sustainable as the rents do not bring in enough income to successfully maintain the building. It will therefore be converted into 82 apartments, ranging from one to four bedrooms. Given that the project is expected to cost some £350,000,000, in addition to the original purchase price, I think that is safe to assume that affordable housing does not feature highly in the plans.

As an interesting aside, the first theatre to be built in the West End for over thirty years is to go up just across the road from the new piazza. It will be built on the site of the much loved Astoria which was demolished as a result of the Crossrail project. I’m sure it will be a glossy and accomplished building but it’s doubtful that it will ever match the scuzzy charm of its predecessor.

The Turks Head Café

  

 If you are wandering around Wapping, or passing just through whilst walking the Thames Path, and you fancy a little light refreshment, can I suggest that you drop into the Turks Head Café.

 Located within a former pub it is clean, bright and comfortable, having counters and stools around the perimeter, tables in the middle and even a couple of  sofas tucked in a corner. I called in on Saturday afternoon and indulged in an excellent full breakfast and a very decent cup of coffee but there was a large selection of other items on the menu. There is a small outside area overlooking Wapping Gardens and the staff were very friendly. What more could you ask?

The building itself was formerly and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Turks Head pub. A Taylor Walker house which, after a period of dereliction, was purchased by a local community who set  up a charitable trust  to restore the building and then let out the café space on the ground floor and some studio spaces on the upper floor. The rents raised from these go towards community projects.

The TurksHead Cafe can be found at 1 Green Bank (previously Bird St) on the corner with Tench St. It can be accessed from Wapping High St via Scandrett St, which is between the Town of Ramsgate pub and Wapping Police Station.

Scandrett St is also the location of the former St John school. Now converted for residential use, the building has a very fine pair of Blue Coat figures over the doorway.

There are some wonderful old photographs of Wapping on the Idea Store web site (the Turks Head can be seen just beyond S John's Church in the 1938 photograph). It is also worth checking the rest of the sites Digital Gallery for pics throughout Tower Hamlets

Foot In Mouth!

Politicians, what an extraordinary bunch they are. For some time now there has been the threat of strike action by fuel tanker drivers. The dispute, as is often the case, being about pay and conditions.

The press, as expected, has been stirring up concerns over fuel shortages which would lead to huge disruptions. Affecting personal vehicles and, more importantly, public services and  transport of goods, food etc. All of this whilst negotiations were still ongoing and with no strike date yet set. Potentially a huge problem but, generally speaking, the public seemed to be taking it in its stride and taking a wait and see attitude.

Until, that is, our great political leaders decided to offer some advice and it wasn’t “keep calm and carry on”. 

We were advised to fill our tanks and to stockpile (small) quantities of fuel . This, inevitably, has led to large queues at the pumps and petrol stations running out of supplies……exactly the thing that the negotiators were trying to avoid. This advice has since been toned down, but too late, the damage has already been done.

Some people are unable to open their mouths without shoving their feet a substantial  distance down their own throats!

Politicians……..don’t you just love ‘em!

Pit Stop 2012

Yesterday, in response to an ad that I saw in Friday’s Evening Standard, I trekked all the way to Queensway (OK, it was only a brisk 10 minute walk, but it was raining!) to take a look at a free street event. Pit Stop 2011 seems to have passed me by, but Pit Stop 2012 looked promising on paper, if you happen to be a petrol head. Offering, among other things, Dream Cars, Cult Cars from TV and Film, a Full Size F1 Car, a Giant Scalextic Track and even a VIP appearance by the original Stig.

Great, I thought, it sounds as if  we have a replacement for the now carless Connaught Village Festival. However things didn’t turn out that way. Of course, the weather didn’t help, Saturday was a fine day and would have been perfect for a street event. Sadly, on Sunday it was cold, wet and windy. Perhaps it was this that put off both the visitors and the owners of the promised vehicles, but that wasn’t the full extent of the problems.

The Cult Cars from TV and Film were represented by a replica of KITT from Knight Rider, the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo (was the Mystery Machine really a VW?) and the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard (an orange Dodge Charger with a bull bar and the necessary graphics). A slightly underwhelming selection. I assume that the late model Dodge Challenger (mildly and, to my mind at least, tastelessly customized) was there to represent Dream cars.

The Giant Scalextric Track wasn’t giant and the Full Size F1 Car was little more than a plastic shell. I suppose that the Stig was there, but I didn’t see him.

As far as the Classics were concerned, I made the mistake of walking past the whole show in order to have a quick bite to eat before returning to take a few photographs. In that short time 50% of the cars had disappeared. The owners of the two E Type Jags had clearly had enough and had departed for greener pastures, which left just an MGB and a Volkswagen Karmen Ghia, both worthy vehicles but they did look a bit sad sitting there on their own.

I have to say that having made the (admittedly small) effort to get there in the first place, there was nothing to keep me there. If I had been a family group, travelling in from another part of London, I would have considered that effort to have been wasted.

I accept that the organisers had no control over the weather but, in this country, the weather is liable to effect events throughout the year. In early March rain is always going to be on the cards. Weather aside, as a visitor, my impression was that the whole thing wasn’t that well put together in the first place.

 If the intention was to increase footfall (a loathsome expression) in the Queensway/Bayswater area at a quiet time of year then, this year at least, I'm pretty certain that it didn’t work.

I really hate to be so negative about this event because it did seem to have potential. Last year, apparently, it attracted somewhere around 3000 visitors. I don't know if that is considered to be a decent figure for a show of this kind but I would be surprised if they got anywhere near that figure this year. More importantly, it's not just about visitor numbers, it should be about how long they stay in the area. I'm sorry to say that there was nothing about Pit Stop 2012 that I liked.With a major rethink it could still be viable in the future. Sadly, after this years showing I suspect that it may be a case of once bitten, twice shy!

I hope that I'm wrong

A Table In The V&A

London’s V&A modestly describes itself as “the world’s greatest museum of art and design” and I, for one, am not about to argue with that. As a child, I found it’s neighbours in South Kensington, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, completely fascinating., but the Victoria and Albert always seemed a little dusty and, frankly, quite dull.

Luckily both the V&A and myself  grew up. It has moved on from just being a fantastic repository of the entire history of the decorative arts to a dynamic and constantly evolving, modern museum but, more importantly, it has done this without either dumbing down or losing its focus. As for me, well, I just grew older and slightly less stupid and I just love it.

It’s  impossible to pick a single favourite piece from a collection of this size, but there are several items that I am always happy to stand and look at whenever I visit. The one I have chosen for  this post is the Cinderella Table.

Designed and constructed during 2005/2006  it is the work of Jeroen Verhoeven. Conceived to explore the capabilities of CAD/CAM, that is, Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing, it is an extraordinary, complex and, importantly, repeatable piece of furniture.

Verhoeven took his inspiration from the classical forms of  the 17^th and 18^th century. In this case a commode (no, not the chair/chamber pot combo of this century) and a side table. After entering his simplified 2D drawings into a computer, he set about combining the two items into a single organic 3D form.

It took him 3 months to achieve the final shape which was then sliced into 57 virtual slices. These were then carved into shape by a 5 axis CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machine. Each of the 80mm thick, birch ply, pieces  was cut from the back and the front to copy all of the curves and undercuts of the original design. Finally, the individual slices were joined together and the whole thing finished by hand. The milling and final finishing were carried out by the Rotterdam company Demakersvan.

It truly is a thing of beauty. At the same it seems to be intensely complex and stunningly simple. There is no decoration apart from the lines of the birch ply which appear to swirl over the surface. It is sensational, sensuous and sexy…………..and I want one!

The V&A example is number 2 of an edition of 20.Several other museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, have examples of this table in their collections which is an indication of the importance of the design in the development of design and construction. An example was sold by Sotheby’s in New York in 2006. It went for $42,000.………so it seems unlikely that I’m ever going to get one!

Finally, this design has also been reproduced in white carrara marble. An edition of 6 were produced in 2008, they are a stunning technical achievement and wonderous to look at, but if I had the choice I would chose a birch ply example every time. Oh well, at least I can dream.

 

The Cinderella Table is in room 76, part of the Twentieth Century Gallery.