Around and about the Newham, London 2012 Olympics

Today I drove around the Olympic Park while going to work and back. To my continued surprise, despite the “Games” the commute both ways took less time than usual. The

traffic locally now has a permanent Sunday morning feel.

So far every "Newhamite" I have spoken to is supportive of the Games and some admit that they use to be cynics before the opening ceremony but they are now big fans.

During the week I have taken the train past and through the Olympic Park a number of times and it is clear there is a huge number of spectators and competitors but little or no congestion on the underground or overhead train services. This may change tomorrow with the reopening of the main Stadium for the athletes. Hopefully not.

In the morning I went for my usual jog in Wanstead flats past the temporary Police feeding station on the fairground site which is overlooked by the "Surface to Air" missile battery mounted on the top of Fred Wigg House. I drove to Bow in Tower Hamlets from Forest Gate via the A12 for a meeting and later walked through lovely Victoria Park to Hackney Wick station. There is a free “London Live” event in “Vicki Park” with a huge Ferris wheel, cafes and open air video screens. This is just west of the Olympic park and there was a steady flow of people coming and going.

In the evening on the way home I drove along the A11 into Stratford itself, parked up (thank you Morrisons) then walked around with my camera taking in the sights. As I have already pointed out here, while I’m really pleased that the Olympics are in Newham, I’m not into watching sports at all. But I like people watching and feeling part of an occasion.

There was a music festival in the gardens of St John’s Church. I first went into the excellent "Peoples Museum and Gallery of Newham" at 306 High Street (which I will post upon separately) then into the melee of the stairs near Stratford station and the shopping centre Westfields. Christian and Islamic propagates compete for attention with Tamil protesters. The staff and volunteers had it all well organised.

There is a very international and touristy feel. It reminds me of living in Edinburgh during the August fringe and festival. Everyone appeared to be happy, pleased and intent on having a good time.

Next I went into the courtyard of the Old Town Hall back on the High Street. There is a restaurant under a canopy which serves different international food every evening with an outside bar and a Council information office. Had an interesting discussion with the information officer about why West Ham Football club is actually located in East Ham (for now). Then along West Ham Lane past the East Thames Housing Association HQ (which is now home to the Kenyan Olympic delegation) to Stratford Park (proper name West Ham Recreational Park), where there are stalls, displays and a live open air video screen of events.

Finally back to Morrison’s then home (picking up on the way a pack of beer at the supermarket to claim back the £1 parking fee). I still have to pinch myself that this is all finally happening.

(UPDATE: I've done a new collage. Double click to bring up details)

Scots to turn back clock on "Demon Booze".

Last week I spent an enjoyable few days in Edinburgh at the fringe. While queuing in shops I saw legal notices concerning new restrictions on alcohol advertising, product placement and the banning of vouchers for cheap booze (even CAMRA vouchers are now a “no-go”).

The Scottish Executive have also announced plans to consider increasing the unit price of alcohol and even restricting under 21’s from buying booze.

How things change? Scotland now seems to be taking a lead in reintroducing restrictions on alcohol. Talk about reinventing the wheel? Things seem very different away from the Edinburgh I knew in the mid 1980’s.

Coming fresh from an English and Wales booze licensing prospective - I was astonished at the liberal Scottish Licensing laws. Pubs open all day, every day. I even had a part time job in a dodgy nightclub in Rose Street (run by a well-known local gangster). We used to close the club for 4am then go off ourselves to another licensed club that opened until 6am.

Maybe licensing laws are like economic cycles? The freedom to booze 24/7 that first started in Scotland and later adopted in England and Wales will now start to be reversed in the land of its birth.

There is a long way to go. Mrs Grayee was until very recently on one of her “no booze” health kicks. In our first Edinburgh restaurant we went for a meal and the waiter was visibly shocked and confused that she did not want a drink. The following night in another restaurant my order for one glass of red wine for me was automatically turned into two glasses for the both of us. While in a cosmopolitan pub in Newington, my enquiry about the possibility of buying a non-alcoholic drink was greeted with a broad grin from the barmaid who proudly announced that they did once have some Kalibar in stock but it had all gone out of date!

We went to see the popular fringe event the “Credit Crunch Cabaret” show with Frank Skinner in the Assembly Rooms. The well known teetotaller Frank was doing his job as compere by abusing folk who were coming into the theatre late - one of whom who was obviously “worse for wear” turned round and offered Frank a drink of beer from his glass. Frank reminded him that he was a recovering alcoholic and should not really be offered a drink. The drunk did not seem that bothered by Frank’s response and even seemed a little pleased that he could keep all his drink to himself.

If any non-Scots are feeling too smug, I suggest they go to any British Wetherspoon pub for a cooked breakfast at 9am on a Saturday morning and see how many people there are not eating but drinking their first pint of beer of the day.

(Picture is from a previous campaign to try to persuade people not to drink - which was for some reason unsuccessful)

Edinburgh Fringe (Performances and Pickets)

Spent a week doing the “fringe” in Edinburgh. More my better half’s idea of fun than mine. As I use to live in Edinburgh I feel entitled to be a little sniffy about the “fringe”. However, Edinburgh is a smashing place to spend a holiday anytime of the year. Apart from the weather… one comedian compared Scotland with having a “stunningly beautiful girlfriend… who dribbles all the time”.

While I was there on Thursday (23 August) there was even a 24 hour strike by Edinburgh Council workers over proposed cuts to staff and services. I went to the main picket held outside the Council Offices in the High Street (Royal Mile) to offer support. It was the strangest picket line I have ever been to since it was held only a 100m or so from the main fringe ticket office, the area was full of performers touting for business and tourists. The pickets (UNISON) themselves were articulate, well motivated and confident that they will be able to reverse the cuts. Good luck!

The fringe is now over - my top tips for 2008:-

Don’t believe any reviews
Try out the Free Fringe events first (sampler events) then if you like what you see then you can pay for a ticket to see that show.
Don’t bother to go and see acts in Edinburgh who are well established and who you can see in your home area anyway.
Remember the art exhibitions and musical shows as well as the comedy acts.
Walk up Arthur Seat regardless of the weather.
Have a “Haggis supper” from a local fish and chip shop

The last show we saw was a late night alternative comedy venue off London Road which ended with the comedian telling a roomful of about 40 people that he was going to recreate the “Battle of Madrid” 1939 from the Spanish Civil War. He divided the room into two groups and made everyone stand up and move. The right hand group he called the Fascists or nationalists and the left hand group the Republicans or communists. He called on the Fascists to stand up and advance towards the republicans while the republicans had to remain sitting and argue amongst themselves. The Fascists won.