The Lavender Hill Mob

The Ealing Comedies are amongst the best loved products of the British film industry. One of these is currently showing here in London, at the Odeon, Panton St. giving us the rare opportunity to see it on a (relatively) big screen.  After handing over an eye watering £11.45, I settled down to wait. Screen 2 at Panton St is typical of  any multi screen cinema and as such is comfortable enough but adds nothing to the cinema going experience.

As the lights dimmed we slipped into the seemingly endless series of trailers of “now showing” and “coming soon” films. These were a serious assault on the senses. Designed, as they were, to show off the power of digital technology. The sound, in particular, left me with the sense that there was blood trickling from my ears. I have no idea what any of those films were, except that one included rapping penguins and another featured Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher!

Eventually this madness stopped and the old familiar certification appeared on screen, assuring us that The Lavender Hill Mob was highly unlikely to offend anyone……….bliss!

Released in 1951, written by T.E.B. Clarke and directed by Charles Crichton, it is a beautifully crafted heist movie. Henry Holland (Alec Guinness) is a clerk in the Bullion Office  at “The Bank” who for twenty years has been responsible for the transportation of gold. His devotion to his job and his utter reliability make him appear to be the ideal man  for this position, but he has a secret. He has developed the perfect plan to steal a consignment and escape from the tedium of his life. The only fly in the ointment is how to dispose of the gold. Selling it on the post war British black market is far too risky but getting it out of the country seems like an impossible task.

Enter Alfred Pendlebury (the wonderful Stanley Holloway), the new lodger at the boarding house in Lavender Hill where Henry Holland lives. A frustrated artist, Pendlebury owns a small foundry producing cheap souvenirs for the British and European holiday trade. Put two and two together and you have the basis for a very entertaining 80 minutes.

Everything works in this film. The set pieces, the robbery, the wild run down the spiral staircase of the Eiffel Tower and the car chase are wonderfully handled. It is both funny and tense and all of the characters are likeable, how often can you say that!

The cast is brilliant, the two principles are well supported by Alfie Bass and Sidney James as professional thieves recruited to assist in the caper. There are many other well known names in the cast, such as John Gregson, Sidney Taffler and Michael Trubshawe and even more of those shamefully anonymous character actors from the period such as Marjorie Fielding, Clive Morton and Meredith Edwards. Blue Peter’s Valerie Singleton apparently has an  uncredited part although I think that I must have blinked while she was on screen, because I didn’t see her. There is even an early and quite brief appearance by Audrey Hepburn. But there is one star that hasn’t been mentioned yet.

London. This film is as old as I am and provides some wonderful footage of the Capital in the post war years. Surprisingly, Lavender Hill makes little or no contribution but there are some nice shots of Notting Hill/Dale. However, the real interest is in the City. The Bank, The Royal  Exchange  and most importantly the area around St Paul’s are very well portrayed. The amount of open space around the Cathedral, the result of wartime bomb damage, may well astonish some younger viewers.

So, this is not a slick, high tech, modern heist caper. There are plenty of those around and many of them are very entertaining, but this is something special. Seemingly old fashioned now, it was cutting edge in its day.

Go and see it.

From left to right - the former Bramley Arms, the site of the Old MacDonald police car crash - Lavender, you have to use you imagination for the rest of the title - St Paul's, not as depicted in the film!

L’Invasion

We are being invaded by the French! Well, it’s not really an invasion, it’s more of an infiltration……and it’s not actually the French, but it is something very, very French.

In recent years we have become much more of an outdoor society. Perhaps it’s global warming or possibly we’re just becoming more “European” in our approach to life, but whatever the reason we are enjoying outdoor socialising more than ever. This has led to the proliferation of outdoor eateries and pavement cafes. It has also resulted in a serious improvement in the standard of mobile food vendors. Of course, the humble burger van is still out there and is, I am sure, still doing very well, but it is also now possible to get a decent cup of coffee and a snack or light meal from a café on wheels.

Many of these are served from imported vehicles, such as Piaggio three wheelers (just enough room for a coffee machine, but little else) and Airstream trailers (I do love an Airstream!) but the subject of this rambling is the vehicle that seems to have become the current weapon of choice in the street food wars. It is, of course, the Citroen H Van.

Perhaps not the prettiest of vehicles, with its boxy shape, snub nose and corrugated panels, but it certainly does exude a certain Gallic charm. You can easily imagine it sitting in a shady corner of the car park, sipping a pastis and smoking a Gauloise. In production from 1947 to 1981, it is a slow but eminently practical van with its low floor and high roof (most people would be able to stand upright in an H Van), its square lines have enabled it to be converted to suit just about any purpose, without resorting to an expensive, bespoke, coachbuilt body........and it is perfectly suited to the mobile food trade.
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For many years they have been catering for the needs of French travellers, parked at the side of the road, surrounded by plastic chairs and tables sheltering under Pernod and Ricard umbrellas. Overseen by portly chaps in stained aprons, there never seemed to be a shortage of punters prepared to lay down their francs and euros for a generous plate of steak frites before continuing their journey.

Now, they are here and, to my mind at least, are a very welcome addition to London’s al fresco scene. Serving everything from booze to crepes, they are cropping up at popular locations all over the Capital and beyond and long may that continue.

Of course, not all H Vans are used for catering, the black, short wheelbase model below, is a (rarely driven) mobile advert, pointing prospective buyers towards the slightly off the beaten track Temperley store in Notting Hill.

More information on the vans can be found here and here.

Is the Westway Sexy?

In 1964 a monster came to London. It clawed and chewed its way  from White City to Paddington leaving a broad ribbon of grey behind it like an elongated concrete worm cast. The Westway  was making its presence known. The background story to the Westway is really quite simple. Even in those far off days, the problem of increasing traffic was an issue. The A40 was, and indeed still is, one of the major roads into London from the West, carrying traffic from the Thames Valley and beyond.  It thundered Eastwards, squeezing past White City Stadium,  before finally emptying into Wood Lane and that is where the problems really began.

 

 It should be pointed out that the A40 wasn’t the road that it is today. There were none of the underpasses and flyovers that we are now familiar with. All of the major junctions were roundabouts and congestion was already a problem, but all of this paled into insignificance compared to that final junction at Wood Lane.

This was a T junction leading South towards Shepherd’s Bush and North, ultimately, towards the Great North Rd. The real problem was the railway. Running parallel and to the East  of Wood Lane are both mainline and underground tracks, effectively blocking any easy way through to Central London and the East.

None of the existing routes from there were suitable to carry the ever increasing weight of  traffic so it seemed that the only way was up!

To be honest the plans were much more ambitious than this. London was to become a network of ring roads with links to the motorways and trunk roads radiating from it. Ultimately, very little of this was actually built but the Westway and its companion the West Cross Route did eventually make it off of the drawing board and into reality.

Construction began in 1964, working its way Eastwards until it linked up with the, independently planned,  Marylebone Flyover which was opened in 1967. The 2.5 mile (4 km) Westway itself was formally opened by Michael Heseltine in July 1970.

Like most locals, I suppose, I have mixed feelings about the Westway. Despite the protests of  the residents,  a great swathe of  North Kensington, Notting Dale and Paddington was cleared, homes and businesses were lost and communities were destroyed. I regret what was lost, despite the fact that  much of it was considered to be slum housing. On the other hand, many residents found themselves living in the new tower blocks that sprung up adjacent to the new road, which at that time were a vast improvement on their former living conditions. The irony is that the lost housing would now be considered highly desirable though, in all probability, way beyond the means of its former inhabitants.

To a large extent, the Westway has done what it was supposed to do, but it’s doubtful that anyone back then could have conceived just how many vehicles would be on the road by this point in the 21^st century. We still suffer from traffic congestion and it’s likely we always will. I am a driver and, almost by definition, that makes me a hypocrite. I complain about traffic  congestion, whilst simultaneously being part of the cause of that congestion………I am not alone! The simple fact is that there are just too many cars on the road.

Today, the Westway is home to a whole range of activities. Lurking in its vast shadow are all manner of things from garages to naughty knicker shops. From health clubs to skateboard parks and from pop up galleries, restaurants and bars to riding stables. So it seems that the communities of the past have been replaced by those of a different sort.

Anyway, that’s the background out of the way. I return to my original question. Is the Westway sexy?

For the pedestrian, the central section is a little boring and, to a large extent, inaccessible (with the exception of the wonderful sweep out over the Grand Union canal). The Eastern section, close to Little Venice and Bishop’s Bridge Rd, if not sexy, is at least alluring. With its roundabout and its proximity to Paddington Basin, it certainly holds the attention.

However, it is really at its best at the Western end. Take a walk under the Northern Roundabout, where the Westway links with the West Cross Route. Here, among other things, you will find a sports centre and the riding stables but ignore these and just look up. The main road itself and the various access roads sweep and swoop around over your head. Thrusting out from the roundabout  are the spurs of the unbuilt section of road which was intended to force its way Northwards and the roadway at this point has a deep central spine which adds to the sinuous nature of the construction. Ignore the raw concrete and just enjoy the shapes.

So, is the Westway sexy……………hell yes…………but then again, maybe I should just get out more!

Check it out for yourself.

The Festival of Britain

Visitors to the London’s South Bank between May and September this year will be able to enjoy a series of events and displays, relating to the 60^th anniversary of the Festival of Britain.

The original Festival was conceived as a "Tonic for the Nation” designed to boost the spirits of a nation still suffering the after effects of the Second World War.  London at that time was still blighted with bomb sites and a ruined infrastructure. Major redevelopment and reconstruction was urgently needed and it was hoped that the Festival would be the catalyst that would drive this forward. Additionally, it was seen as a way to promote Britain worldwide as a a leader in design, manufacturing and the arts. All of this from a country that was to continue rationing sweets until February 1953 and meat until July1954!

Conceived by the Labour government in 1947 and timed to coincide with the centenary of the Great Exhibition of 1851, a team of forward looking young architects, headed by Hugh Casson began transforming the site  located between Waterloo Bridge and County Hall in 1948

The Festival was opened by King George VI on the 3^rd May 1951 and went on to be a great popular  and financial success. It should be remembered that although the events were centred on the South Bank, there were other associated Festival sites in London and throughout the country. It closed, as planned, in September of the same year having had over 10,000,000 paid admissions to the main sites in 5 months.

Despite the Festival’s popularity, or perhaps because of it, Winston Churchill and his newly elected Tory government loathed the Labour conceived Festival and almost the first act of that government was to order the clearance of the site (the Royal Festival Hall being the only being the only significant survivor).

There are a few fragments still to be found away from the main site, the largest being the Lansbury Estate in Poplar, conceived as a “live architecture” experiment in the spirit of the Festival. Battersea Park still has the remains of the Festival Gardens though, sadly, there is nothing left of the fun fair which soldiered on, in a progressively dilapidated state, until 1974. I’m pleased to say that I was taken to the Fun Fair several times during its prime period in the mid to late 50’s. There are reminders too in Oxford St 

 

and White City.

Of course, the Festival was only ever conceived as a temporary show, but some of the constructions could have been saved. I know that I’m not the only person to wish that the  Dome of Discovery and the Skylon were still there for us to enjoy.

This was never intended to be an in depth history of the Festival. For those interested in learning more you could do far  worse than starting here and here. Rather, this was to mark an important point on my own personal timeline.

The Festival and I are almost the same age. When my parents visited the Festival of Britain in the Summer of 1951, my Mum was already pregnant with me! I was born a little over 3 months after the  event finished. I wish that I'd seen it. I know I would have enjoyed it.

It’s a sad truth that there can never be another FOB. It just wouldn’t work in the modern world. I think we are all to savvy and cynical these days. Technology, in particular, is racing ahead at an alarming pace but it is there, in your face, all of the time, and of course, we haven’t just been through the nearly six years of global conflict which so coloured the views and the attitudes of  the late 40’s and early 50’s.

There are some things we should be grateful for!

Join The Debate……

…….any debate.! If you are in London and are short of something to do on  Sunday (although if you are in London, that should never be a problem) why not pay a visit to Speakers Corner in Hyde Park.

Tucked into the north east corner of the park, close to Marble Arch, you will find groups of people gathering around the various speakers, listening, arguing, debating or just plain raging over a wide range of subjects. Inevitably, of course, the most popular subjects are religion and politics in all of their wide and varied flavours. Supporters and opponents of the various factions gather around a speaker, who, although soap boxes are in short supply these days, usually stand on something to raise themselves above the rest of the crowd and “discuss” their chosen subject.

Apart from the big two subjects you may find groups discussing just about anything from social reform to your favourite TV program. Some of the best speakers don’t seem to have any agenda at all and just free range through whatever comes into their or their audiences heads.

Speakers Corner has its origins in the mid 1800’s. During periods of social unrest  the issue of the right to speak in Hyde Park was raised and eventually the Parks Regulation Act of 1872 placed the responsibility for permitting public meetings with the parks authorities rather than with central government.

 Speakers Corner is often put forward as the showcase of the concept of freedom of speech, although this concept is not just restricted to this location. Also, contrary to popular belief you are not allowed to say whatever you like within the confines Speakers Corner without fear of prosecution. The laws concerning slander or incitement apply here as they do anywhere else, however, providing that any statement made here does not lead directly to a riot or a personal complaint, the police and park authorities rarely get involved.

Interestingly, the ruling in a court case in 1999 established in English case law that freedom of speech could not be limited to the inoffensive but should also include “the irritating, the contentious, the heretical, the unwelcome and the provocative as long as such speech did not tend to provoke violence”. Also, the right to free speech as set out in Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights also accorded the right to be offensive!

So if you want to present your point of view on any subject, or to argue against someone else’s opinion……or even if you just want to be entertained, pay a visit to Speakers Corner on any Sunday. You will be in good company, past combatants include Karl Marx, Lenin, George Orwell, William Morris and my Grandfather, who has vehemently against religion of any kind and would, apparently, regularly harangue religious speakers of all denominations!

Finally. Why that has this corner of  Hyde Park become the focus of the Capitol’s free speakers? There are various theories but my favourite is that it is close to the location of the Tyburn Tree. Formerly London’s main place of public execution, where the condemned were allowed to speak freely before being hanged! 

More of my pics here and pics from others here

 

I Spy.....

Yesterday I heard an advertisement on the radio (Heart, not my choice!) not so unusual you may say, after all we are constantly bombarded by ads, in all forms of media, these days, but this one was just a little surreal. It was from MI5, yes that MI5, attempting to recruit what they describe as “Mobile Surveillance Officers”. That would be spies to you and me!

Thames House - MI5 HQ

I must admit that I thought I’d dozed off and awoken in some kind of alternative universe, after all , we all know that recruitment is very hush hush. Usually carried out through the old boy network and almost exclusively aimed at graduates of certain OxBridge Colleges.

This clearly needed further investigation. After some extensive research (I Googled MI5!) I found their, quite comprehensive, web site, and sure enough they have a recruitment section giving details of their requirements for a variety of jobs within the service.

Thames House

 All very well but I think a little caution wouldn‘t go amiss. This shadowy world thrives on misdirection, slight of hand, smoke and mirrors etc. So it would be wise not to accept anything at face value. There is great deal about extended working hours, multitasking, thinking on your feet and the need not to have facial tattoos (they make you too noticeable, apparently|), but nothing about getting shot at, being stabbed with trick umbrellas or fighting off exotic Mata Hari clones There seems to be so much they’re not telling us! 

Should MI5 not be your cup of tea,(or vodka martini) there are links to the sites of MI6 and GCHQ, so surely there is something in there for everyone.

MI6 HQ

 For those interested in becoming a spy, or even if you are just interested in what they are prepared to tell us about the service and its history why not visit the MI5 website.

I would imagine that the rejection rate among applicants is pretty high, but you never know, a new, fascinating, though potentially short, future may be there for the taking.

24 Hour Tube

London Underground are apparently considering running the tube around the clock for the duration of the Olympics in order to cope with the expected influx of visitors. How is this going to help? How will we persuade these visitors to sensibly stagger their travel plans to make use of all of these extra hours?

We could, I suppose, hold all of the events late at night and time them so that they finish between 1.00 am and 6.00am in the morning, thereby forcing these visitors to travel at the dead of night, when the trains are completely empty.

Or better still, we could simply lock them into the venue, feeding them out into the underground at a steady and regulated rate. Thereby ensuring that the tube doesn’t rattle through the night like the world's least popular and least demanding ghost train.

Or, we could just put up our hands and a say sorry, we’ve made a mistake, we don’t really want the games at all. This last option, although the most sensible, is also the least likely!

In reality, the Games should have gone to Paris in the first place. I’m sure that the average Parisian would have loved the disruption, the crowds, the closed roads and the overloaded transport systems. The added bonus for Londoners would be that they would be paying for all of this for the rest of their lives instead of us!

Of course, some people actually like the Olympics. I'm not one of those people (surprise!) but for the record I would like to wish our athletes every success, we all hope that they will rise to the occasion and that they will be rewarded with fistfulls of medals, especially those nice golden ones, but personally I also expect outstanding results from those responsible for managing the finances and the logistics of the whole affair.

If it ever came down to betting on our gold medal successes versus a financial and logistical triumph, I think that my money would be firmly on the athletes!