Drink with me...

I succeeded in disgusting First Born on Friday night. I had very kindly taken her and her nana to The Lowry Theatre in Salford to see Les Miserables. As the galleries were open later we got there early to see the Lowrys. I had forgotten that the Spencer Tunick exhibition was on, and FB couldn't hide her disgust at seeing lots of imperfect naked bodies. The photographs were very clever - you couldn't help looking! There were 2 particulary disturbing photos of naked people squashed into and up against the windows of a double decker bus. I like seeing local places in television programmes etc, and it was odd seeing places I recognised, such as Castlefield arches, and a park with the Hilton in the distance.

We didn't stay long as we then went to see the best performance I'd seen of Les Miserables. I'd got tickets for the front row of the circle. I wasn't sure how a new theatre would compare to the Palace, where I saw it last time, but it was brilliant. The sound was incredible, and I thought it was better than when I saw it with the same cast in January (I suppose they have become more used to each other). John Owen Jones is a wonderful Jean Valjean, and Earl Carpenter a great Javert. Nana was very impressed by Gareth Gates who played Marius. It must have been good - I cried throughout the whole of Act 2. Getting out of the car park after took a while, but we had a great night out.

This week Jack Straw announced that he would be stepping down from the front bench in October, to make room for new people in the shadow cabinet (and write his memoirs!). He will remain MP for Blackburn. Jack is someone I have a soft spot for. Born in Essex, he is a past President of the National Union of Students. He later qualified as a barrister and practised criminal law. In 1977 he was selected to stand for Parliament in Blackburn, after Barbara Castle decided not to stand again. He was selected in 1979, appointed to the front bench in 1980, and was promoted to the shadow cabinet in 1987. Since then he has been Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons. In 1998 he was made an Honourary Vice President of Blackburn Rovers by Jack Walker. Jack's (Straw, not Walker) father Walter was imprisoned in 1939 during part of World War 2 for being a conscientious objector. By far Jack Straw's finest hour though was in April 1985. He went to King George's Hall in Blackburn to take part in a Billy Bragg gig. While he was back stage he was talking to 2 young girls who were supporting Billy. They told him how they had got sacked from their part time jobs for fulfilling their dreams of appearing on stage in front of a huge audience at a sold-out gig. Jack listened attentively and took notes when they described how their boss at The Rover's Return nightclub in Blackburn had given them an ultimatum. Yes, they could have the night off work, but if they did they mustn't turn up again. He vowed to take up their plight as such atrocities just couldn't be allowed to occur on his patch. Luckily for the girls, they had already secured another part time job, and also put up posters in all the 'wrong areas' advertising the vacant positions at The Rovers Return. Jack Straw, thank you and I raise my glass to you! I am proud to have been sacked for such a good cause, and had lots of fun imagining my ex-boss getting a strongly worded letter, or even an ear-bashing from you. Thinking of all the 'undesirables' turning up looking for work also raised a smile.

Wandsworth Revisited

Today I saw on the BBC website that people had been rescued from a fire in Sudbury House - a tower block in Wandsworth. I lived in Sudbury House a while ago (when I was 18-19 so quite a while ago!) and so I had a little poke around the Internet to see what it was like now. I loved it when I lived there, and it has changed loads.

In 1971 The Arndale Centre on Wandsworth High Street opened, built on the site of Wandsworth Greyhound Stadium. At the time it was the largest indoor shopping space in Europe*. The Arndale was a bit of a dump when I was there. I can't remember many shops being inside. There was a Sainsbury's, a post office and a cobblers, and a McDonalds (I could never afford McDs!). Now the shopping centre is called Southside and it looks quite posh. There is a Waitrose, Gap, Nandos, TK Maxx and Primark. There is also a Virgin Active gym and a 14 screen cinema. I can't picture all that being there.

In 1975 Sudbury House, a tower block built into the centre of the Arndale, was completed. This was 25 floors high and the flats were used to house some of the most disadvantaged tenants. I think I was on floor 17, and finding that there were 25 floors surprised me because I was sure I was closer to the top. Two lifts served the flats, and the entrance was at the entrance to the Arndale. When the lifts broke down your legs ached for days! I was high enough up so that if I stood in the corridor by my front door I could clearly see the building sway. The views were great. Running underneath Sudbury Tower is the River Wardle. Being 18 I wasn't too perturbed by the murder one Saturday night. Someone got stabbed and the next morning there were still blood stains down the back stairs. A poem depicting life in my flat was there when I arrived**. The photos are of the newly revamped Sudbury House, and the view from it.

My flat overlooked the Rams Brewery, home to Youngs beer. I could see into the yard and the shire horses would deliver the barrels to the local pubs. My flat also had the advantage that I could see when the pub door - The Brewery Tap - opened. Yes, in those days there were strict opening times. There had been a pub on the site (The Ram) since at least 1550. The brewery closed in 2006, and there are plans to build a 42 and 32 storey tower on the land.

I worked in Putney, probably a 30-40 minute walk away. Putney High Street had everything you needed without going into central London. The Oxford/Cambridge boat race sets off from Putney Bridge, and seeing the crowds on race day is amazing. The pubs next to the Thames near the bridge are heaving with champagne drinkers. The boat clubs are along the riverbanks and it was nice to see them practising early in the morning. On my walk to work I would pass Festing Road, home to Mr Benn (or Mr Benn's creater who changed the name to Festive Road). I read recently that a plaque is being put into the pavement. When I was there it wasn't well known that Mr Benn lived there although for a fan it is easy to make the connection (the houses are exactly like in the programme). It is only with the Internet that I've had it confirmed.

My flat was only about 15 minutes walk to the nearest tube station, and 15-20 minutes walk to Clapham Junction train station. It was also strictly speaking walking distance to the city centre. I walked whenever I couldn't afford the tube fare and wasn't in a hurry. The nicest way was into Putney, over the bridge, through Fulham and down the Kings Road through Chelsea, going past Sloane Square and Harrods, and eventually ending up more or less at Buck Palace. In those days the museums were free so I made the most of my days off.

OK history lesson over. I think I'll have to have a revisit as I'm very curious.

* Twenty two Arndale Centres have been built in the UK, and they were the first 'American style' shopping malls. The first was opened in Jarrow in 1961. The one in Manchester is the largest city centre indoor shopping mall in Europe. The Arndale Trust was set up by ARNold Hagenback and Sam ChippenDALE.

** (as much as my memory can get together):
17th (?) Floor of Sudbury House

Graffiti on the walls and
Garbage in the halls.
Furniture broken,
Oven won't open.
No big pots with which to cook.
No loo seat, pray take a look.
Windows let in water.
Would you let you daughter
Live in a dump like this?