Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today April 2016 by Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster

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F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 2

he good thing about tennis coming to Wimbledon is that we all know we need to get our umbrellas out, in spite of what the met. office opines. In the meantime, weather secrets or not, what events are available to us in the Royal Borough or out? Ana Sheppard has done her usual sterling research and provided us with an endless stream of local activities taking place during June and July, rain or shine. These are to be found on pages 30 & 31. Thank you Ana and thank you very much to everyone who has taken the time to write in and support us.

Kate Hawthorne Art: RA Summer Exhibition

Motoring: Honda CBR test And Daimler V8 250 classic page 20

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Beach at Walberswick

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Motoring: Fête Champêtre & Concours d'Elegance at the Hurlingham Club

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Pinball Wizz

ai Greene certainly raised the bar when he won the first Gold Medal for Great Britain for the 400 metres hurdles at the World Athletics Championships this month. Following his lead of The Sky’s the Limit, Kensington and Chelsea Today explores some health and fitness options to steer us back to work and school, stave off those premature glimpses of Autumn, shed the excesses of Summer, and make our own skies blue. Health & Fitness: AntiGravity Yoga

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Cars: Formula 1 & Concours at the Hurlingham

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rint maker and tutor Dick Jewell reminds us that ‘All the World’s a Stage’ with his piece in this month’s Folio Print Exhibition at the Royal College of Art to celebrate the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 50th birthday. Tim Epps takes Kensington and Chelsea Today electric and bikes to Battersea to review the latest offerings at the ecovelocity show. Jonathan Aitken shares his knowledge on local newspapers and ex-offenders’ success stories. Marian Maitland seeks out the female talent in the Borough and Don Grant revives us with literary, art and theatre reviews. ‘Young Chelsea’ reminds us to ‘God Save the Teen’ and asks the question ‘Who is Ed?’ whilst Dancing Queen Lynnie Farrant encourages us to enjoy getting fit and join Strictly Kensington and Chelsea’s Guide to the best of the Borough’s dancing classes. We hope it’s ‘As you like it’.

In the Borough Halloween: Rules

Young Chelsea Autumn colour

Profile Jonathan Aitken

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Hollywood comes to the V&A

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Albert Bridge is finally back

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OH, TO BE IN ENGLAND!

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ith the Olympic Celebrations behind us, Notting Hill’s Carnival takes on the spotlight followed by the Paralympics. London has proven itself to be a worthy host to the many competitors and visitors from around the world, in spite of the wettest summer in history. Inspired by the global spirit evoked by the games Kensington and Chelsea Today includes some news and views from writers overseas alongside the latest information in and out of the Borough for our residents.

Events South Bank

Well-dressed men Where are they?

Christie’s Chinese Art

50 Years on The Rolling Stones

Designing 007 Bond at the Barbican

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Travel: Barcelona by default

Royal Manuscripts at the British Library

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Photograph: © Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

The Queen by Cecil Beaton

Illustration: © John Springs

The Big Egg Hunt over ten zones of central London

& MAY JUNE EVENTS

pring is here! The Royal Borough is bursting to entertain us with the forthcoming events on offer this summer; among them the Chelsea Flower Show, the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and the Olympics. This month we have a Round-Up of London Fashion Week, Sir Malcolm Rifkind’s debate on Scotland’s Independence, Cecil Beaton’s portraits of the Queen at the V&A, and the best of local news, arts, culture and events. If the end of the tax year is too taxing, remember that Picasso said “Art washes away from the soul the dust from everyday life”. Happy Mothers’ Day and Easter to all our readers.

The Kensington and Chelsea team would like to thank all our supporters and to wish everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous 2012.

Events: May/June Calendar

Photograph: © Anna Henly Photography, www.annahenly.com

ebruary is the month we celebrate St.Valentine’s Day and The Chelsea Physic Garden opens its doors to honour the Snowdrop, February 4th – 13th. The 20/21 International Arts Fair alights at the Royal College of Art, February 16th – 19th, David Hockney provokes another Art debate, whilst Judy Garland and Golden Spiders spin their magic at the V & A. Also, Kensington and Chelsea Today’s Rachel Greaves and Adam Barnett have sourced and penned more interesting events for us all to enjoy.

The Maverick Gardener reveals the best of the festive gifts, whilst our Editor recommends Limpet Barron’s recipe for Game Stew.

Chelsea Arts Club Thousand Queens’ Ball

the Chelsea Flower Show, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.

Profile Jon Baddeley at Bonhams

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Kings of Europe Chelsea’s European Cup

Motoring: Jaguar on Track

Flowers and Food: Adding colour and zest

Physic Garden opens its doors to celebrate the start of Spring a tribute to the hard-working bee. Hard work is the theme in the ThewithChelsea Borough as preparations continue for the busiest Summer in its history with Sacred Places: a painter’s journeys

Young Chelsea meets ‘Made in Chelsea’

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Ken says, “After 4 days, I’m flagging”

Queen’s Gallery: Leonardo Da Vinci

Motoring: Pure motoring nostalgia

Don Grant un-wraps the ‘Business of Art’, Marian Maitland explains the ‘Genius of Illumination’ of the British Library Royal Manuscripts, and Atrium treats us to the evolutionary progress of Albertopolis and seasonal architectural pursuits.

Photograph © Starwood Asset Library

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Photograph by: Peter James. Beekeeper at The Chelsea Physic Garden

Sir Malcolm Rifkind on Scotland’s independence

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1 / J A N UA RY 2 0 1 2

n this issue Boris Johnson and our local Members of Parliament, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, and Greg Hands, send their ‘Seasons Greetings’ and 2012 messages to Kensington and Chelsea Today readers.

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John Baddeley of Bonhams says not Gerhard Richter shows at Tate Modern Rick Stein celebrates his marriage at The London Sketch Club The Chelsea Physic Garden makes glorious summer of winter months with their renowned Christmas Fair and Antarctic ice-flowers flourish at the Queen’s Gallery

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The holidays have arrived for some of us. For families who are spending their Summer Holidays in the Borough, Lynnie Farrant has found some wonderful local sporting pursuits for young people, which can be seen on page 27. There are also leisure and educational opportunities on page 18. And events and activities for all ages, by Ana Sheppard, are on pages 31 and 32.

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So whether you prefer Polo to Football, Nature or Cemetery Walks, Garden or Travel Photography, Antiques, Art, Wine Tasting, or, even ‘Garlic Power’ visit our event listings on pages 22 & 24 to see what else our Borough has to offer.

Sport: Polo at the Hurlingham Club page 21

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Art: Dutch Landscapes at Buckingham Palace page 3

Butterflies, Animals in Art and an opportunity via Incredible Films, which allows hands on film making for 12-19 year olds, families have plenty of options to choose. Music lovers can see Eric Clapton, ‘Songs for Survivors’, music ‘from Paris to Moscow’ or the Royal Philharmonic.

Issue 0003

elcome to the launch edition of Kensington and Chelsea Today, a new local, monthly newspaper for the Borough.

in the Sea’ or ‘A World of Forests’ at the Natural History Museum. There are lectures on the first ‘Anglo-Afghan War’ and ‘Decorated Bandsmen’ at the National Army Museum or a debate on ‘User Heaven or Techno Hell?’ at the Science Museum. With Archery, Sensational

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Floating Boater at Henley Royal Regatta

Chelsea Arts Club Cricket Club in action

Throughout the Summer Kensington and Chelsea offers a wealth of events for residents and visitors of all age groups, many of them free. In May and June alone the Borough is hosting the world famous Chelsea Flower Show as well as offering talks on: ‘Hidden Treasures of the VA’, ‘Sex

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Featuring unforgettable jazz voices Friday 14 June

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The French, Easter & Events

Wild life Photographers The endless variety of Nature

Royal College of Art 175th Henry Moore

Veterans’ Cruise Honours Veterans

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Fresh fruit and vegetables Fine quality foods

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Contents & Letters Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 80-100 Gwynne Road, London, SW11 3UW Tel: 020 7738 2348 E-mail: news@kcwtoday.co.uk Website: www.kcwtoday.co.uk Advertisement enquiries: editor@kcwtoday.co.uk Subscriptions: news@kcwtoday.co.uk

Editor: Kate Hawthorne Art Director & Director Tim Epps Deputy Editor & Head of Business Development Dr Emma Trehane Business Development: Caroline Daggett, Niki Devereux, Cassandra Donovan Antoinette Kovatchka, Johan Thomsen Architecture: Emma Flynn Art & Culture Editors: Don Grant, Marian Maitland Astronomy: Scott Beadle FRAS Ballet/Dance Andrew Ward Bridge: Andrew Robson Chess: Barry Martin Contributing Editors: Marius Brill, Peter Burden Derek Wyatt Classical Music James Douglas Crossword: Wolfe

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April 2016

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open goals and hardly stirred themselves. Though to be fair they did produce a series of internal league tables about which MPs prefer pasta to risotto. I just made that up but I expect you get my drift. Worse, poor Boris has failed to have his cake and eat it. He was sent to the corner to suck his thumb for three hours when cross examined by Andrew Tyrie MP, chair of the Treasury Select Committee. He had frankly lied about what the EU can and cannot do and was caught with his pants down (a frequent activity some say but I could not possibly comment).

Just a month ago he was extolling the virtue of Canada’s relationship with the EU and how the UK should follow in its path but by last week he had completely changed his mind. The man is no fool but you do think he would do his homework or have some researchers check his work first. Then Matthew Parris, a former Tory MP, took him to the cleaners in The Times followed by his former mistress Petronella Wyatt (no relation) in the Mail who told us how lonely he was. Finally, he was torn to shreds by Nick Cohen in The Observer. To have two critics looks like a misfortune but to have three is beyond carelessness. To be honest, can it really still be eleven weeks to polling day for this in-out Hokey Cokey referendum? We are bored silly with the lies and threats from both camps. Surely, the Electoral Commission or the Office of National Statistics could produce an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of staying in or leaving? Perhaps as they are doing it they could pop along and fill in our ballot papers for us. The EU referendum is so important to us as a nation. If we vote to come out or ‘Brexit’ the UK will fall. Scotland, a very big fan of the EU will push for independence. So might England. This would be calamitous for Wales and Northern Ireland. The English question has rarely been raised in discussions of “What-If?”. What if the Labour Party created its own independent English Labour Party on a par with the Scottish Labour Party? What if UKIP re-branded itself if not the English Nationalists, but the English

culminated in the fall of the republic. However, some historians maintain that Caesar could not stand that day because he was suffering from a humiliating bout of diarrhœa, a symptom of his secret, stigmatised, and chronic lifelong epilepsy. When the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith (IDS), recently resigned from the Cabinet, many believed that it would lead Tory MPs to cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. However, the so-called ‘IDS of March’ hasn’t really lived up to its billing. Comparing the resignation of IDS, with the turmoil which followed the death of Caesar is, of course, in equal parts jest and journalistic wishful thinking. However, it also shows just how adept the Government leadership duo, Cameron and Osborne, have become at hurdling the obstacles which so frequently tripped up New Labour. Since the Government has agreed to reconsider the most fractious elements of the Budget, including cuts to £1.3 billion worth of disability benefits, the ‘tampon tax’, and VAT increases on renewables, MPs have subsequently voted in favour

of the Chancellor’s budget which only days ago was considered as toxic as the ‘omnishambles’ budget of 2012. Additionally, many believe the new DWP Secretary, Stephen Crabb, because he grew up on a council estate and didn’t go to Eton, will thereby, hopefully quell the argument that government cuts are being imposed by a privileged elite. While the storm over the IDS resignation appears to have blown over, his appearance on The Andrew Marr Show only redoubled the accusations that he actually left the cabinet to strengthen his EU referendum campaign, or as part of a leadership putsch. Though on Marr, IDS denied this, many still believe that the damage his resignation did to George Osborne’s fiscal credibility have all but eliminated the Chancellor from leadership contention when David Cameron steps down. Bookmakers William Hill, for example have doubled the odds of Osborne becoming the next leader, from 2/1 to 4/1. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who is the favourite to become leader, said on ITV’s The Agenda that Iain Duncan Smith’s resignation was actually just “a storm in a teacup.”

by Derek Wyatt

2 P By Derek Wyatt

There’s something cooking in the Westminster village.

he Tories have begun to throw fat on the fire over the EU referendum whilst separately turning the gas up on George Osborne. Labour, their political opponents (now there’s an oxymoron) have missed these

Beware the IDS of March Photograph © Brian Minkoff

By Henry Tobias Jones

Shortly before his assassination, the Roman senate declared Julius Caesar “dictator in perpetuity” and went to inform him about the good news. Caesar did not stand to greet them which apparently caused such offence that many believe it was this faux pas that precipitated the civil war which

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Parliament Squared

Europe: the Heat is on

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Illustration © Jonno

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Democratic Party? What if simply the English said enough’s enough? Could it be that a vote to come out of the EU might lead to England wanting its own independence? How would Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland respond? These are questions which have not yet been addressed inside the Westminster bubble. But with a disunited Tory Party who want to see Cameron replaced after the referendum, frankly anything could happen. For sure there will be another run on the £. In these times of increased uncertainty in the world my sense is it would be wiser to resolve our own issues before becoming the first nation to leave the EU.

However you feel - do check you are registered to vote and do actually vote!

Johnson denied suggestions that the resignation was motivated by either the coming EU referendum, or that it was part of Johnson’s own ambitions to become PM. He concluded by advising that “it would have been much better, quite frankly, if he had stayed in and fought his point of view from within the cabinet,” he said. Before concluding: “That’s always the best thing.” Expectations that the Opposition Labour party would capitalise on a memorably bad week for both the Conservative party, and the Chancellor in particular, likewise never materialised, as a leaked document charting the loyalty of Labour’s own MPs to leader, Jeremy Corbyn, was used to deflect criticism back onto the opposition. Labour MP, John Woodcock, tweeted to complain about the failure to exploit one of the worst weeks for the Conservatives, calling the list a “f****** disaster” which made the party a “laughing stock.” Woodcock subsequently deleted the tweet, explaining that he ‘ineptly’ meant to send the message to a colleague as a private message.

April April/May 2016 2011

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Percussionist Louise Goodwin, recipient of Fellowship to the RCM performed Sine Sole by Michael Ladouceur on the marimba; multiple notes were played simultaneously with outstanding dexterity and sensitivity. Kitchen, her own work composed with Phoebe Garratt, was a miniature music and mime theatrical piece, performed by Goodwin, with exquisite acting and timing. Composer Steve Reich and leading conductors Vladimir Jurowski (musical director of Glyndebourne for 12 years)

and Sir Roger Norrington, received Honorary Doctorates from HRH The Prince of Wales, while popular film and TV composer Barrington Pheloung, an RCM alumnus best-known for film scores such as Truly, Madly, Deeply and the iconic theme for Inspector Morse and its successful spinoffs Lewis and Endeavour, was honoured with a Fellowship. To conclude, Naoka Aoki performed Liebesfreud by Fritz Kreisler. Colin Lawson, Director of the Royal College of Music, said: “The annual

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News Royal College of Music: © Chris Christodoulou

HRH The Prince of Wales honours musicians

at the Royal College of Music

Charles Knevitt (1952-2016) Known to KC&W Today readers as ‘Atrium’ and occasionally ‘James Pallas’, Charles wrote authoritatively on the broad subject of architecture for the paper for a number of years. Someone once said that writing about music was like dancing about architecture. Well, when Charles wrote about architcture, the words danced on the page. He was witty, urbane, outspoken, but, above all, remarkably well-informed. He always chose his words carefully, both in his articles and in general conversation, when he would launch into airy fantasies about poetry, or literature, or the theatre, or even architecture, but always with a twinkle in his eye. He loved company, and was at his absolute best when he was right at the centre of things, usually at Chelsea Arts Club, and invariably surrounded by a number of beautiful ‘nieces’, which left the uninitiated wondering just what kind of family tree he had fallen out of. Although he was a terrific raconteur, he would never dominate the conversation, but generously open it up to all. His laughter was infectious, if not contagious, and would drift along behind him like cigar smoke, and we were all Bisto Kids again. In obituary writer’s shorthand, there are a number of euphemisms used, bon viveur being one. I think Charles would be upset if I did not refer to him as being ‘good company’ and a bon viveur, as he certainly enjoyed his red wine, and his tuck, and he was most generous with his bon vivant chums, myself included. He was not only a writer, with a dozen books to his name, he was also the Architectural Correspondent for both The Times and the Daily Telegraph, as well writing and presenting programmes for a number of TV companies, including Thames and Channel 4. In 2004 he became Director of the RIBA Trust and was responsible for its library and collection of drawings. He also helped curate exhibitions about two of his heroes, Le Corbusier and Andrea Palladio, the latter of which toured the USA and Europe, and the former spawned a one-man show entitled Le Corbusier’s Women, which he opened at The Riverside Studios in 2012, followed by performances at Chelsea Arts Club and The Bowery Poetry Club in New York in 2013. In the show, he examined Le Corb’s womanising and cited Marilyn Monroe, Christine Keeler and Josephine Baker as being his lovers, but, although Charles took to wearing Le Corb’s thick, black-rimmed spectacles and bow tie, one can only imagine that is as far as it went in terms of emulating the great man. He will be missed greatly by the staff at the paper, members of his favourite Club and his many friends and colleagues from the world of architecture. The Chelsea Arts Club Trust has honoured him with The Charles Knevitt Award for Study and Research in Architecture, which is a fitting legacy. Don Grant

visit by our President, HRH The Prince of Wales, is a highlight of the Royal College of Music’s calendar of events and I am delighted that he joins us again to honour an illustrious array of worldrenowned musicians and leading figures from across arts and education. The recipients of today’s honours and prizes have all made important contributions to the RCM, and to the wider international music community”. After the ceremony, HRH The Prince of Wales met RCM students and supporters. Photograph © Niki Devereux

n the 10th of March HRH The Prince of Wales honoured a number of outstanding figures in international musical life at the Royal College of Music’s Annual Awards ceremony. The Royal College of Music confers a number of awards each year to individuals whose contribution to music, music education and the Royal College of Music is regarded as outstanding.The awards are Honorary Doctor of Music, Fellow of the Royal College of Music and Honorary Member of the Royal College of Music. HRH The Prince of Wales, President of the Royal College of Music since 1993, presented awards to individuals including; Pedro Merchán Correas, recipient of the President’s Award; Louise Goodwin the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Rosebowl; and Tagore Gold Medals to Naoka Aoki and Michael Ladouceur. These were followed by a short concert featuring performances from three of the RCM’s most exceptional, prize-winning, recent graduates.

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April 2016

join the revolution The first new High Street bank in over 100 years opens on King’s Road, offering customers unparalleled levels of service and convenience. Join us in celebrating the opening of our 41st store with giveaways, free food, music, performing dogs, fun and more.

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April April/May 2016 2011

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

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News

Chelsea comments on Crossrail 2

amid fresh TfL report By Clara Strunck

he publication of TfL’s latest Consultation Report on Crossrail 2 has re-awakened debate over the proposed King’s Road station. The report, which was released

Night Tube may see increase of crime Photograph © Matt Buck

at 12 ‘red’ stations By Sasha Fedorenko

A report by the London Assembly's Police and Crime committee highlights a dozen central tube stations which could become potential crime hotspots following the introduction of the Night Tube. The report, published on 10th of March, also showed that Transport For London has been working closely with British Transport Police (BTP) and the Metropolitan Police Service on planning for the introduction of the Night Tube. It also reflects on the challenges the new Mayor will face as

on the 16th March, showed only a tenth of the ‘general comments’ about the station to be supportive. The majority of unsupportive comments, which totalled almost 9,000, were concerned with conservation and heritage. Other issues included the projected cost outweighing benefits, and the potential for building work to disrupt services in the area, particularly local hospitals. “It is clear there is no transport or business case for Crossrail 2,” said Chris Lenon, Chair of the No Crossrail in Chelsea campaign. “In the face of this overwhelming opposition, we believe TfL and the Mayor are duty bound to scrap the proposal”. His campaign has the support of over 10,000 local residents and 80 businesses. Mr Lenon counts Kensington and Chelsea’s MP Greg Hands as a backer, saying “he favours an alternative site at Imperial Wharf ”. Meanwhile, The Communications Director of Chelsea 4 Crossrail 2, Doug Shaw, is still in favour of the divisive station. “It is very clear it will be discreet,” he said, “and it will not in any way dominate the skyline of the King’s London moves towards becoming a truly 24 hour city. The BTP will provide a coordinated policing plan for the ‘red’ stations to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. The ‘red’ stations are: Camden Town, London Bridge, North Greenwich, Vauxhall, Brixton, Waterloo, Oxford Circus, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross, Victoria, and Hammersmith. The Met has identified the listed stations as being “potentially significant” due to existing daytime demand and being “significant multimodal hub locations.” A BTP spokesperson said: “Those stations are at risk because we expect to have higher footfall economy, especially during Saturdays and Sundays.” Despite these concerns, BPT Superintendent Chris Horton is confident that robust analysis has been carried out to ensure the Night Tube remains safe: “The policing model for the Night Tube services will see a permanent presence at key stations identified through BTP analysis, and mobile teams who will travel the lengths of the Northern, Piccadilly, Central, Victoria, and Jubilee lines throughout the night.” The BTP has plans for an increased police presence and more than 100 officers will patrol the 144 stations that will open. There will also be 50 percent increase in officers on duty during the night time than it currently has up to the close of service.

Road”. Mr Shaw, who has lived in the Royal Borough since 1993, said he “does not want to risk Chelsea becoming a backwater”. Most of the supportive comments in TfL’s report focused on the potential for a Crossrail 2 station to improve public transport and alleviate local traffic issues. Those who live and work in the borough are divided. Michael, 32, who works for a PR firm close to the proposed site, said he “could not see a problem with making the western end of the King’s Road more accessible”. However, Chelsea resident Charlotte, 23, said, “I think most people are more worried about the restaurants and pubs around the station losing their charm, rather than about traffic and the flow of people”. In the report, 930 comments showed concern that a station on the King’s Road

would “spoil the character” of the area. Many local businesses are against the proposed station. However, 50 signatories including cultural, retail, and academic organisations wrote to the Mayor of London and TfL to express their support. Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum, said, “for this area to continue to thrive, we need infrastructure that will keep up with London’s growth”. Imperial College London also support the station, with Muir Sanderson, Chief Financial Officer, saying, “the increased connectivity would benefit the College community and encourage investment in the local area”. George Osborne’s Budget has recently given the green light to Crossrail 2. The debate over the King’s Road station will no doubt continue.

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April 2016

News

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Kensington & Chelsea councillor’s “special allowance”

the highest in the country By Henry Tobias Jones

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

ast year Nicholas Paget-Brown, Lead Councillor for Kensington & Chelsea, received £54,769, the highest special responsibility allowance of any councillor in the country, despite the council’s overall reduction of allowances expenditures. After a freedom of information request made by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, it was discovered that Cllr Paget-Brown’s annual allowance was nearly £20,000 greater than that of neighbouring council leaders, including in boroughs such as Hammersmith and Fulham, and Westminster. According to the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’s member’s allowances scheme, the “special responsibility allowance” is only “paid to those members who have a special responsibility in relation to the Authority”. The Leader’s general duties cover all cabinet portfolios, ensuring “a coherent approach to the Council’s decision-

making,” and making “any decision which is delegated to an individual Cabinet Member or to the Cabinet.” Some of the responsibilities which demand such a high special allowance, are RBKC specific tasks such as overseeing “the Council’s contribution to the life of the Royal Borough and to the Capital,” and the “Council’s influence over, and involvement in, the Notting Hill Carnival.” Since 2013/14 there was an overall reduction in the council’s allowances expenditure from £1,131,714 to £1,089,829. After further analysis of the borough’s accounts by this paper, however, it has been discovered that this reduction is primarily the result of boundary changes which means that 50, rather than 54, councillors received basic allowances during the last financial year. By comparison, in the neighbouring Westminster City Council, Philippa Roe, the Leader of the Council’s special responsibility allowance was £35,000 and the overall allowances and expenditures was £921,111. Hammersmith and Fulham’s lead councillor, Cowan Stephen, received a slightly higher special responsibility allowance of £37,070.54. Whereas the overall council spend was only £718,973. Harry Davis, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “Taxpayers in Kensington and Chelsea will be disappointed at the rate at which their local councillors’ allowances have remained high over the last three years”. He continued to say: “It goes to show that not every council has prioritised finding savings or cutting taxes over

awarding local politicians above inflation allowances. “With the nation's finances yet to be fixed, councillors across the country will continue to have to make difficult decisions. In order for them to have the moral authority to carry out that very important job, councillors must show restraint when it comes to their own taxpayer-funded allowances and ease the burden on hard-pressed families.” Another Royal Borough, Kingston upon Thames, on the other hand, had the lowest basic allowance of just £7,646.

Royal Trinity Centre seeks premises

in Kensington, Chelsea or Westminster Royal Trinity Hospice, based in Clapham, plans to open a new Royal Trinity Centre. It will provide services for local people with a life limiting illness, and support carers, families, and loved ones. The new Centre will aim to provide a more local and accessible service for people in our catchment area north of the river Thames. The development of the new service forms part of our 125th anniversary celebrations. We are aiming to provide outpatient

health and wellbeing services to patients with a progressive life limiting illness alongside information and advice services for local communities on planning for death and dying. Outpatient services are likely to include medical and specialist nurse clinics, together with counselling, therapeutic and bereavement support. We want to include a relaxing café space open to service users and local people. We are currently at the stage of searching for premises which could be converted to deliver our service vision. Finding the ideal property may prove challenging and your ideas, help and support to secure a location for the new service would be much appreciated. Our requirements are:

• High Street location • Ideally in Kensington, Chelsea or Westminster • Available for lease • Shop front type facility • Ideally on one level for disabled access • Approximately 1,615 square feet (150 square metres) in size • Parking locally with access to drop off patients. If you are able to help please get in touch with Adrian White: Project 125 Lead at Royal Trinity Hospice. T: 020 7787 1014 E: awhite@royaltrinityhospice.london

t h g i n t r o F l l i W e Fre 9 - 20 May

Make or amend your Will for free this May, when you leave a gift toTrinity. Legacies help us plan for the future and enable us to continue our vital work. To find out more please call Siobhan on 020 7787 1094 or email legacies@royaltrinityhospice.london alternatively visit royaltrinityhospice.london/freewill Charity No. 1013945

April April/May 2016 2011

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

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News

By Henry Tobias Jones

Britain’s solar industry looks set to avoid a 400% VAT increase, after the government backs down in the face of a parliamentary rebellion. Solar panel installations were set to increase by nearly £1,000 per household, as part of EU rules which meant that the industry would have to raise the current 5% VAT rate on “home insulation and renewables” to 20%. In June the European Court of Justice declared the current 5% rate “illegal,” claiming that it breached the EU VAT directive. However, the government has said that it will not oppose a Labour amendment to the Finance Bill floored by opposition parties in an attempt to quell concerns on both sides of the House of Commons, including approximately a dozen Conservative MPs. The decision follows a deal struck with the EU after the Chancellor’s Budget which also scraps the EU mandated “tampon tax” on female sanitary products. Leonie Greene, Head of External Affairs at the Solar Trade Association said that the government’s decision was ‘encouraging’. Greene continues to say “increasing VAT on solar to 20% while retaining 5% for grid electricity, gas and oil defies all logic”, before thanking “the MPs of all parties who rallied in support of solar over the last week and put their name to the amendment”. Many in the solar industry have welcomed the decision, citing the economic and environmental benefits exemplified by the recent completion of a 57,000 square meter array on the Queen Elizabeth II reservoir capable of powering 1,800 homes. The floating solar panels, which are visible from Heathrow airport, are the largest array in the world and will produce approximately 20% of the energy requirements for the nearby water treatment plants. The government’s decision also offers encouragement to employment figures after it was estimated that as many as 18,000 jobs could be put at risk if the VAT rate was increased. In a statement, Downing Street simply said that it is an “existing government position to reduce VAT on solar panels”.

At the London 2016 mayoral hustings organized in early March by The Green Alliance, Zac Goldsmith, Sadiq Khan, Caroline Pidgeon, and Sian Berry were all asked: “What the next mayor can do to improve our capital?” Such was the level of agreement about their collective Green policies that, about half way through the debate, I overheard a fellow audience member turn to her husband and ask (dryly enough that I assume it was not meant as a joke): “Which one is the Green candidate?” The first thing you realise when they start to outline ‘their’ Green policies is that every one of them is singing from the same hymn sheet. Mostly the candidates seem to agree which are the most pressing environmental concerns for London, and, moreover, on how best to handle them. Environmental issues, however quintessentially politicised they may become, are initially developed in the domain of statistical analysis and/or science. This is not to say that they are developed in a political vacuum. While policy makers take huge swathes of their policy from charities and green think- tanks like the Green Alliance, Friends of the Earth, or Keep Britain Tidy, the environmental groups in turn commission research by scientists. By the time politicians actually come to speak about environmental issues, the terms of the debate have already been decided; it becomes simply a matter of who can reach the green-finish-line quickest, and for the least amount of taxpayers money. Among the challenges put to the panel at the hustings were phasing “out all diesel black cabs and public hire vehicles by 2020,” create a “Clean Lungs Fund” to address air pollution around London schools, and “make the capital a world leading solar city” with around 200,000 rooftop solar panels. These suggestions were undersigned by a coalition of leading environmental groups such as WWF, National Trust, RSPB, Greenpeace, and Campaign for Better Transport. At no point were any of the candidates questioned over the validity of their Eco-policy, except when Zac accused Sadiq of previously being in support of “extending the third runway in Heathrow” and “building on the green belt”. In fact, Green candidate, Sian Berry’s major complaint of the night was that other candidates were stealing her policies. Recently, when I spoke to Berry while out on the campaign trail, she

even went so far as to qualify her road traffic pollution policies by saying that “we need a new congestion charge” for West London, adding “everyone agrees about this, all the industry groups, all the business groups agree that congestion in London is starting to get out of control again.” And it isn’t just their traffic policies that they all seem to agree on. Cycle lanes, chronic air pollution on London’s busy roads, HGVs and high emission buses and taxis all made an appearance at the Green Alliance hustings. Although it is worth noting that the largest jeer of the night was reserved for Joanna Lumley’s £60 million “Garden Bridge,” which was only backed by Zac. And it is very revealing that the one policy issue raised which was not directly influenced by environmental research groups, charities, and activist groups was the only policy which resolutely divided the candidates.

The Health Lottery sponsors refugee women education By Sasha Fedorenko

WestPoint-Sustainable Community Development, a non-profit voluntary group, has received a grant of almost £28,000 from The Health Lottery for a philanthropic project guiding women refugees to gain a range of employment-related skills, so they have the opportunity to enter the job market. The Kensington based charity works towards improving the social inclusion of ethnic minorities among people from the Somali and black community living in Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Westminster. Chair Kamal Mohammed believes that each one of the women can achieve their dream of getting a job: “We are grateful to The Health Equality for this donation that will make it possible for these women to gain skills and have more chances for getting sustainable employment. They face multiple barriers accessing work opportunities”. WestPoint-SCD vice-chair and leader of its women’s group, Hani Jame, says: “This is a great first step for the marginalised immigrant women of refugee backgrounds because the mainstream service provision is unable to meet their needs.” A recent survey conducted amongst learners saw 36 percent of participants saying they felt less isolated and that they have formed new friendships since joining the project. A majority of women, 52 percent, said that the project helped them boost their confidence and improved their sense of belonging within the community

Hundreds of butterflies at Sensational Butterflies

at the NHM

The stunning Sensational Butterflies is returning to the Natural History Museum from 24th March to 11th September 2016. The living exhibition includes hundreds of colourful species usually found in the tropical forests of Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. Visitors will be able wander through a tropical habitat of flowers, vines, and foliage and view the creatures close up, using a magnifier to spy their intricate and tiny features. “Butterflies can see a wider spectrum of colours than us, and have evolved colour schemes to communicate with each other or as a warning to predators as a surviving strategy” says Dr Blanca Huertas, Senior Curator of butterflies at the Natural History Museum. Visitors will also be able to watch butterflies hatch from chrysalises, unfolding their wings for the first time, look for caterpillars hidden in the foliage and at different life stages and sizes. The exhibition is inspired by the Museum’s butterfly and moth collection of more than 10 million specimens assembled over 200 years. The collection is used by scientists around the world studying the diversity of species and how they are affected by environmental changes. Dates and times: 24th March to 11th September 2016, 10.00 to 17.50 Visitor enquiries: 020 7942 5000 www.nhm.ac.uk/sensational-butterflies

Photograph © Yvette Macheke

Which one is the UK Solar Industry avoids Green candidate? 400% rise in VAT By Henry Tobias Jones

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April 2016

News RBKC home to most polluting cars in UK By Fergus Coltsmann

Kensington and Chelsea’s cars are the most polluting in Britain, DVLA data reveals. The 44,732 cars registered in the Royal Borough produce on average 177.7 grams of CO2 per kilometre driven, compared to a London average of 163.5 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. Further to this, over a quarter of vehicles in the area exceed 200g of CO2 per kilometre. The City of Westminster had the second most polluting cars in London, averaging 173.6 grams per kilometre, followed by the City of London at 168.4g of CO2 per kilometre. Simon Birkett, Founder and Director of campaign group Clean Air in London, commented: "These numbers show that Boris' 'car is king' policy has protected his richest friends driving gas guzzlers. "But we don't need to punish people just because they want a big car sitting in the driveway. Instead we need Emissions-Based Road Charging that hammers or bans those wanting to drive large diesel cars, long distances in the most polluted parts of London at the

Metro Bank comes to the Kings Road

By Henry Tobias Jones

Photograph © Metro Bank

The Kings Road is set to become the new home of Metro Bank’s 41st store, inviting local residents to help mark the occasion with a grand opening party on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th April. As part of its rapid national expansion, Metro Bank will be hosting a two day street festival for Kensington & Chelsea locals, where there will be stilt walkers, face painting, performing dogs, balloons, and popcorn. Moreover, as Metro Bank is “dog friendly”, guests are

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk busiest times of day. "The next Mayor must embrace smart charging as better, fairer and essential to get London moving and clean its air."

A third of Londoners now “teetotal” By Henry Tobias Jones

British boozers may be a thing of the past, as, according to a report published by the Office for National Statistics, “more than 1 in 5 adults” said they do not drink any alcohol at all. As many as 21% of the population now profess to be teetotal, which has increased slightly from 19% in 2005. Young adults, aged between 16 and 24, are primarily responsible for this change, with the proportion of young adults who said they do not drink alcohol at all increasing by over 40% between 2005 and 2013. Moreover, the number of young adults who drank frequently has also fallen since 2005, with only 1 in 50 young adults in 2013 saying that they drink alcohol frequently. London has considerably more teetotal adults than any other region of Great Britain, with almost a third of welcome to bring along their pets to the occasion. New London branches will also be opening in Clapham Junction, Wimbledon, Islington, and Colliers Wood. Outside of London, there will be new stores opening in Oxford, Swindon, Basingstoke, Canterbury, and Chelmsford. The self confessed “convenient customer-focussed bank” will be located at 234 Kings Road, in what was formerly the Kings Road Heal’s. After months of renovations to both the inside and outside of the building, including taking out the entire first floor, Metro Bank’s opening has been a constant source of speculation by locals. When the Metro Bank branch opens it will offer safety deposit boxes, free coin counting, and seven day opening hours.

adults in London claiming not to drink alcohol at all. The proportion of adults who binged at least once in the week before interview decreased from 18% in 2005 to 15% in 2013. Young adults were mainly responsible for the decrease in binge drinking, with the proportion who had binged falling by more than a third since 2005, from 29% to 18%. Alcohol misuse costs the NHS approximately £3.5 billion every year, and there were a million alcohol related hospital admissions in 2011/12 in England alone

Violet Melchett clinic saved for Chelsea By Henry Tobias Jones

Following an article by KCW Today, plans to close Chelsea’s last remaining family planning clinic have been reversed, keeping sexual health services in the area. In the March edition, it was reported that the Violet Melchett family planning clinic was due to be closed, moving the services it provides to a hub clinic

TRAFFIC WATCH London Home Football in April April 9 Fulham v Cardiff City, 15:00 April 9 QPR v Charlton, 15:00 April 16 Chelsea v Man City, 17:30 April 17 Arsenal v Crystal Palace, 16:00 April 21 Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion, 19:45 April 23 Fulham v Nottingham Forest, 15:00 April 23 QPR v Reading, 15:00 May 2 – Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur, 20:00

Games may go to extra time and take longer than 90 minutes. Full sports fixtures on page 69

in Marylebone. The decision to close the Violet Melchett was made despite the fact that the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea is actually facing an increased number of patients with STI’s according to Public Health England. However, NHS Central London Community Health (CLCH) have since then decided to keep evening clinics at the Violet Melchett, while additionally re-opening Wednesday and Friday clinics at the World’s End family planning clinic, which had been cancelled earlier in 2015. Cathy Walker, NHS CLCH Divisional Director for sexual health services, said: “services for local people are being enhanced by the changes at the Violet Melchett health centre, which provides a range of community healthcare services including four sessions a week for sexual health.” Explaining that by “working with the Council’s public health team and West London Clinical Commissioning Group we have now agreed to move two daytime sessions to the World’s End Health Centre, King’s Road SW10. We will keep the two evening sessions at Violet Melchett as these are not affected by the wider service developments. These changes will start from Monday 25 April 2016.” Walker continues to say: “our sexual health services are commissioned across the three boroughs of K&C, Westminster and H&F as a single service available to all regardless of where you live so people can use clinics close to home or work. They provide a range of contraception and testing services and there has never been any plan to reduce the total number of clinic sessions.” Staff and patients at the clinic had launched a petition to decry the plans to close the Violet Melchett clinic. An administrator at the Family planning clinic responsible for creating a petition against the closure said: “It is very good news and all staff are happy that the services will be kept in the borough.” They explain that while the clinic’s patients are “happy” that the clinic will remain in the borough, they are “not too pleased that the daytime clinics are moving.” A full list of clinics and opening times has been made available by NHS CLCH as an online map at http://bit.ly/ SHLondon_CLCH

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age of 29 his then ‘boss’ gave him the stewardship of Parlophone records a division of EMI. He spent the fifties producing everything from comedy records for The Goons to teen idols like Adam Faith. By the time he signed the Beatles in 1962, at the age of 36, he had already assembled a formidable array of artists including The Hollies and Cilla Black. A true visionary he was unhindered by his academic training and not afraid to step out of the original score into the emotional landscape of the song. This ability was the perfect marriage for the ‘fab fours’ untutored talent and his classical training. He was able to guide the fledging superstars by fusing their experimental pop with classical forms, often via recording techniques he invented during the creative and recording processes. By 1963 his productions had spent 32 weeks in the

charts at number one and he went on to chart more number one singles in the US & UK than anyone else in the world. In addition he arranged and composed over 700 film scores and was also the recipient of 2 Ivor Novello awards and 6 Grammys. Having been born into a pre-television era Martin knew ears to be the essential tools for information and entertainment. His recording life included working through the landmark transitions of analogue to digital and vinyl to compact disc and mp3 formats. Originally at EMI, recordings were made on 4 track machines. Much of his work with The Beatles involved finding ways to overcome the limitations of earlier recording technology as well as spearheading the studio’s adoption of 8-track. Many of the techniques he invented to obtain the sound for Sgt Pepper were later invalidated by the newer technology that could replicate his methods but lacked the warmth of the analogue methods, a situation he decried as digital recording developed. Martin’s first hit was in 1962 with Love me Do and his last hit, 35 years later in 1997, was the re-working of Candle in the Wind, Elton John’s commemorative song for Princess Diana’s funeral; this was his 30th and final number 1. As he commented, “Not a bad one to go out on”. In 1998 he commented: “I have had

a bloody good innings. I can’t imagine anyone who’s been luckier than I have been to have worked with the kind of artists I have been able to record” The production process is one of discovery, like an archaeological dig. The archaeologists know something precious is there. As the dig gets closer to the valuable artefacts the team switch to finer techniques, to expose the original beauty of the object. With some projects it is as if the object exists before you start work on it, with others it may be in a thousand scattered pieces. Those pieces have to be found and fitted back together. The shape and sound of each piece defines its ultimate position. A good producer architects this process and exposes the treasure without trespassing on the source.’ For all of us who have had the honour to listen to your work Sir George, Thank you

at the forthcoming mayoral candidates and ponder why none of them had come forward with a Digital for London proposition based on the Transport for London model. This seemed to take them by surprise. I had wanted DfL for over a year but had not been able to park it with a think tank. Well the Eureka ‘moment’ arrived (it took a further 20 minutes) but FISP agreed to establish a working party to examine it. We held a number of meetings at the Federation for Small Businesses HQ in Victoria and with help from PLMR, a truly impressive full-on communications agency, we launched Digital for Londoners (as it had become) on 31st March 2016! No matter what you may read from BT (OpenReach) or Virgin or hear from the likes of Ed Vaizey MP, the IT Minister, London is very poorly off with its mobile networks and its broadband for businesses and homes. Actually we do not have broadband at all we have narrow band. DfL wants London to be a gigabit

city. Not just a small 1 gigabit city but a bloody great 20 gigabit city by 2020 (there are over 100 dotted around the world and not all of them are capital cities or rank in the top three cities in the world). Indeed there are twenty cities in the UK with plans to be a gigabit city but not, alas, London. We sent our embargoed tickler press release out to all the London television, radio, media, and social networks ten days before the BIG day and then the day before our launch we sent a second embargoed but fuller release with the results of a poll we had commissioned via YouGov. We met the Treasury (we were pleasantly agreeable), we provided early insights of our work to both Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan’s teams, and spoke to Ofcom on the phone. This is what the poll said: one million adult Londoners were unhappy with their broadband speeds (a sixth of all adults in the capital) one third of all adult Londoners do not rate their broadband providers only a third thought that the capital

was ready to meet future broadband needs I doubt you would be surprised by the findings. We concluded: “……the poll demonstrated that the market had failed businesses and consumers when it came to providing the infrastructure needed to create high-speed, future-proofed broadband services, which are already up and running in dozens of cities around the world.” We backed up all of assumptions with an attached fact sheet. Well dear reader, the response was overwhelming. Not a single television or radio interview, not one mention in the Evening Standard and nothing on the social networks. The Centre for Cities commissioned me to write a 600 word blog and Computer Weekly accepted an article from David Brunnen, my coconspirator. We are not downhearted. The battle for a 20 Gigabit City has begun. For more details go to www. digitalforlondoners.co.uk

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News Sir George Martin

By Kate Hawthorne

he global outpouring of tributes to the late Sir George Martin make overwhelming reading and are a powerful portrait of the legacy left behind by this great and humble man. The quality of comments, universally portray an overwhelming respect and reverence for him. Even in his death he continues to bring the best out of people; in writing their thoughts about Sir George he has continued to mould poets, writers and artists. His gift to us all was the penultimate master-class in listening. Listening, an active interpretation helps shape reality, and Sir George Martin with his mastery of the auditory, helped some of the greatest artists of our time shape those realities for generations to come. Martin’s custom-built Air-Studios (1970) was testament to his love of sound as one of the foundation pillars of human existence. Later in life he commented that he missed the humanity of earlier recordings and was thrilled by the resurgence of vinyl. Sir George Martin was the son of carpenter, Henry and mother, Bertha nee Simpson. He started his working life when he was seventeen joining the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. In 1947 he started to play the oboe professionally, going on to further his musical interests, and ambition to become ‘Rachmaninoff ’, by studying music and drama at the Guildhall. He joined EMI in 1950 as assistant label manager and by the

Digital for Londoners By Derek Wyatt

Towards the end of November, I was late to a meeting of FISP at the Army and Navy Club in Pall Mall. I had been an invited member, or ‘guru’ as we were called, by this august group of technologists with over 500 years of industry wide experience between them. FISP stands for Foundation for Information Society Policy, and as I had founded the Oxford Internet Institute back in 1999-2000 and had been interested in all aspects of digital stretching back to 1992, I was asked to be a guru. I think that was over stating my abilities somewhat. Anyway, the meeting was well advanced so I just piped up and wondered whether they might not look

• • •

Sir George Martin, 3rd January 1926 8th March 2016 is survived by his wife Judy Lockhart Smith and 4 children. Notable achievement include: 1979 Author ‘All you need is ears’ 1996 Appointed a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) 1996 Created Knight Bachelor in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. 1998 Awarded B.P.I’s (British Phonographic Industry) ‘Man of the Year’ 1999 Inaugurated into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for outstanding contribution to music Honorary doctorates: Oxford, Salford, Lund (Sweden) Universities, Berklee College of Music in Boston and was a fellow of the Royal Academy. 2008 Recipient of a Grammy Foundation Leadership Award.

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Statue & Blue Plaque

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STATUES water 2m. in the air. Shakespeare is holding a scroll inscribed with a line fromTwelfth Night, “There is no darkness but ignorance”. With the addition of the ‘water features’, maybe a quote from Troilus and Cressida would be more apposite? “Would the fountain of your mind were clear again, that I might water an ass at it!”

William Shakespeare, Leicester Square By Giovanni Fontana

his statue is something of an oddity, it being a copy of the one that Peter Scheemakers sculpted for the William Kent-designed memorial in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey in the 18th-century, just one of fifteen works to his name in the Abbey. Giovanni Fontana, a naturalized Italian sculptor, copied the Dutchman’s work to the design of the architect James Knowles, and the whole Sicilian marble edifice has been recently steam-cleaned and re-installed in a £17m development of Leicester Square. Around the base of the plinth on which the Bard is languidly leaning, is a fountain fed by four dolphins, spouting water from their blow-holes, not their mouths, with further smaller jets all the way round the base. This, in turn, is surrounded by a flowerbed, planted with ‘corporation’ flowers. There’s more! Themepark-style water jets have also been installed all the way round the Grade II listed monument, capable of shooting streams of

There are surprisingly few statues to Shakespeare in the capital, and the one in Leicester Square is apparently the only outdoors one in London. However, there are many memorials, statues and busts around the world, including examples in Stratford-upon-Avon, both the funerary monument inside Holy Trinity Church and the one in Bancroft Gardens, Stratford in East London, presumably because it shares the name, as does Stratford in Ontario, Southwark Cathedral, Philadelphia, Sydney, Australia, Edinburgh, The Theatre Royal in Glasgow, Central Park in New York City, from which a replica was made for the State Theater in Montgomery, Alabama, Weimar in Germany, Boulevard Haussmann in Paris and Elsinore in Denmark. Collectively, this proliferation of monuments was known as ‘bardolatry’ in the nineteenth century. David Garrick commissioned the French sculptor Louis-François Roubiliac to produce a statue for his Palladian Temple to Shakespeare at Hampton, which is now in the British Library, and the same sculpture produced a bardic bust, which is now in the Garrick Club, in the heart of London’s theatreland. In the 400th anniversary of his death, there are countless exhibitions, performances, talks, walks, concerts, archaeological archive tours, films, celebrations and creative activities throughout the year all over the country, but no new sculpture of our greatest wordsmith. Don Grant

Blue Plaque: Rose Theatre, Southwark, London A Blue Plaque erected by the London Borough of Southwark at 56 Park Street, Southwark, marks the spot of the historic Rose Theatre. This is one of the strangest sites in London, on a side street just away from the River’s frontage. The Plaque was unveiled by Sir Ian Mckellan, who commented: “It is with enormous enthusiasm that I support the people of Southwark's desire that strangers visiting the Borough can come and appreciate this precious jewel… it is considered by many to be a shrine to Shakespeare.” The Rose Theatre was built in 1857 by Philip Henslowe and a green grocer named John Plumley, and it was the first theatre to stage productions of Shakespeare’s plays. This makes it especially significant this year, which commemorates the 400th Anniversary of his death. In 1989 the remains of the Rose Theatre were threatened by building development. A campaign was launched to save it, backed by great names such as Peggy Ashcroft and Laurence Olivier. It was decided to suspend the development over the remains. Following this protest, Margaret Thatcher introduced legislation to manage archaeology in the face of developmental danger. The Museum of London carried out the excavation and many objects from it are now there. Lots of fruit seeds and hazlenut shells were found, believed to be popcorn of the day! In 2007 part of the site was opened as a performing space for actors. It is a lively venue and performances are held. Upon the wall of the brewery of Barclay, Perkins and Co, where Park

Street joins Southwark Bridge Road, is a significant plaque. It bears a bust of William Shakespeare, Poet and Playwright; the greatest of them all. The bust is in the style of the Droeshout portrait. This plaque, which is in relief depicts Bankside early in the 17th century and it shows the Globe Theatre, St Saviour’s, which became Southwark Cathedral and old London Bridge. Below the bust, as if on a plinth are the words: “Here stood the Globe Playhouse of Shakespeare, 1598-1613. William Martin. MA., LLD., FSA., designer, Ed Lanteri, S. Commemorated by the Shakespeare Reading Group Society of London by subscribers in the UK and India. It was erected in 1909 and unveiled by Herbert Beerbohm Tree who was President of the Reading group.” Following the erection of the Plaque there was a dispute as to the actual site of the Theatre. It seems the Rseading Society was correct, as excavation revealed part of the foundations of the Theatre in the car park just behind the Brewery. The remains are marked by red cobblestones and the projected outer wall of the theatre is marked with a line going from left to right. Here you see a new kind of memorial, where the outline of an older building, or its excavated, but buried remains, are marked on the ground with tiles or cobblestones. Imagination of the viewer supplies the rest. Marian Maitland

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Shakespeare and The Stewarts By Max Feldman

n the eyes of society Shakespeare was seen as something of a lightweight crowd pleaser compared to his more ‘serious’ competition like the playwright Ben Johnson (who despite their friendship, was recorded as saying that Shakespeare “wanted art”, i.e. lacked talent). As a result when Elizabeth I died in 1606, Shakespeare couldn’t simply count on his reputation to endear himself to the new monarch, King James of Scotland and had to set out to flatter and impress what he hoped could be an extremely powerful (and extremely wealthy) patron. King James I was a very different monarch to his predecessor, a scholar who often seemed more interested in improving his mind than running a country; he left much of the day to day running of the nation to his courtiers and preferring to dedicate his time to artistic pursuits, including (luckily for Shakespeare) “The Drama”. However, unlike the generally more upbeat and optimistic plays favoured during the

Elizabethan period (typified by material like A Midsummer Night’s Dream) the plays produced during the Jacobean period tended towards the dark, cynical, and suspicious, in no small part due to the fact that King James saw treason in every corner. James’s paranoia was not exactly unjustified; his kingship had been marked by varied assassination attempts that culminated in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 where disgruntled Catholics attempted to blow up both James and the Houses of Parliament (and hundreds of years later inadvertently earned Warner Brothers a great deal of money via the sale of V for Vendetta masks). In the wake of the plot, Shakespeare decided to use James’s fear of usurpation as a means of ingratiating himself with the monarch by writing a play that hit on all of James’ obsessions; Macbeth. When James was still a boy he was involved in a nearly fatal shipwreck that he blamed on the malign influence of witches. Since the incident he had become obsessed with stamping out witchcraft, which he viewed as a genuine threat to his reign. Whilst more famous for commissioning the appropriately named King James Bible, the monarch personally wrote Demonologie, a veritable DIY guide for aspiring witch hunters. By savvily combined James’s fear of assassination with his fear of the supernatural in Macbeth, Shakespeare was essentially able to write his own ticket during the Jacobean era, with James insisting that Shakespeare’s troupe come under his patronage, effectively providing the playwright with unlimited opportunities and a fairly substantial amount of disposable income. Claims that Shakespeare was actually using Macbeth to subtly critique James I authoritarian tendencies luckily didn’t reach the King’s ears. Ever the politician, Shakespeare ability to play on his monarch’s fears catapulted him to even greater heights.

Photograph © Westmunster Abbey

Features

Staying Power at the Westminster Abbey Institute By Henry Tobias Jones

The Staying Power lecture series has been hosted by the Westminster Abbey Institute throughout March, using speakers from around Parliament Square to attempt to “revitalise moral and spiritual values in public life.” Taking inspiration from the Benedictine heritage of the Abbey, the theme of the lectures was the constant replenishing of the vocation of public service. As a former classicist, I must confess, throughout the Westminster Abbey Institutes’ Staying Power lectures, I have had in the forefront of my mind, not bible verses, psalms, and parables of Christianity. Instead, noble Cicero comes to mind, and in particular his reminder: “we are not born for ourselves alone; a part of us is claimed by our nation, another part by our friends”. From a secular perspective, while I attended the talks I felt urges to contribute quotes from civic minded Romans, democratic Athenians, or perhaps even more distant Chinese political philosophers. As an indication of just how successful the Institute’s Staying Power lecture series was, I don’t think a secular perspective would bother the Institute one bit, on the contrary, they might rather like it. In many respects the lectures have courted a deliberately transgressive way of looking at government. The Institute wants to do the unusual task

of convincing everyone that the Abbey’s nearest neighbours (The Houses of Parliament, Supreme Court, Civil Service, and Metropolitan Police) aren’t as bad as everyone makes out. Bringing together audiences which are 80% MPs, peers, and the Westminster “great and good”, created a charged atmosphere at the every lecture. It is an uncommon pleasure to sit in an audience of people who have experienced and even shaped some of the 20th centuries most politically influential events. And this is the main triumph of the Westminster Abbey lecture series. Every talk, dialogue, lecture, and seminar had an audience to match the intelligence and significance of the billed speaker. Talks by the General, Lord Dannatt, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met Police commissioner, Mary McAleese, the eighth President of Ireland, and Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, Baroness D’Souza looked at how the institutions around Parliament Square can revitalise the role of public service. As Mary McAleese said in her lecture which drew the series to a close: “When you look at a divided community it is important to look at what they are divided by.” By starting from a constructive position, with issues like “building bridges” between divided factions and “building stronger national and local communities,” allowed even the most partisan audiences to take a step back and look at public service as a vocation, not a war. The Westminster Abbey Institute will be hosting a new series of talks in the Autumn, taking as its focus the role of the media on public service. As a part of the hack profession I will be anxiously waiting for what promises to be another fantastic lecture series.

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Help and Advice for independent living and health

The Queen: Feminist icon? By Henry Tobias Jones

Mary Wollstonecraft wrote, “It is a melancholy truth; yet such is the blessed effect of civilization! the most respectable women are the most oppressed”. As the head of both the State and Church of England it is hard to think of any woman who better fits these criteria. And yet, who would call Queen Elizabeth II oppressed? Many would even go so far as to call Elizabeth II a feminist icon. But what, in Her Majesty's 90 years on planet earth, specifically mark her out as a symbol, moreover, what beyond her longevity and gender can be thought of as being good for women’s equality? The oft repeated assertions of Elizabeth’s feminist credentials are her record breaking 64 year reign, the Royal Assent she has given to over 3,500 Acts of Parliament, and the council she has given to over twelve British Prime Ministers. In real terms as a woman, Elizabeth II is a mother of four children, eight grandchildren, and four great grandchildren, including the new Princess Charlotte. In her 64 year reign, the Queen has travelled to 116 different

countries as part of over 260 official overseas visits. Although, for a seasoned traveller she has so far never acquired a driving license. In which, if any, of these actions has the Queen effectively delivered a more equal Britain for women? Of the twelve Prime Ministers who have served under her, only one was a woman; Margaret Thatcher, and we have all heard the rumours about how fraught their relationship was. Considering that the Queen has shaken hands with Robert Mugabe, Martin McGuinness, and Ceausescu, the only other person who we are aware that Elizabeth had a problem with personally was Princess Diana. Worse yet, even in spite of the Queen’s questionable personal

contributions to feminism, the history of British and English Queens casts a deeper and darker shadow. While Queen Elizabeth II may have surpassed her great, great grandmother’s 63 year reign and became Britain’s longest serving monarch, in many significant ways, Queen Victoria has become not only the prima facie exemplar of colonialism, but also anti-feminism. Victoria’s opinion that she felt anxiety about the premise of “everyone who can speak or write” joining what she called the “mad, wicked folly of ‘Women’s Rights’, with all its attendant horrors,” makes it difficult to marry up the feminist desire to promote females in positions of power. “Were women to ‘unsex’ themselves by claiming equality with men,” she

continued, “they would become the most hateful, heathen, and disgusting of beings and would surely perish without male protection.” Our current Queen’s ancestor and namesake, Elizabeth I, on the face of things rather bucks this trend. And yet, the Virgin Queen’s speech to the troops at Tilbury before the victory over the Spanish Armada does not exactly ring true to the modern feminist ideals, as she is recorded to have said: “I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.” And still, despite the steeped tradition of near-misogyny in the monarchy, things may be looking up. In 2013, the Succession to the Crown Act formally amended the provisions of the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement in the United Kingdom, effectively ending the system of male primogeniture. As of March, 2015, a younger son can no longer displace an elder daughter in the line of succession. The changes came into force in all sixteen Realms in March 2015. It is worth considering whether this one small act of the secular state, prompted mainly by a media and populist campaign, rather than by Royal legislative means, will be the single most important change to the monarchy since Magna Carta.

Photograph © Foreign & Commonwealth Office

hether you want help or advice to sort out an issue in your life, or want to find new things to do, there are plenty of options available locally. But it’s not always obvious how to find out what they are. However, there is now a great way to get the information you need, when you need it. Nick Marchant, Website Manager at People First said “We aim to give you the information you need. If that means finding out about support in your home, tips on weight loss, help with financial advice, or where to learn French, it’s all on People First. And with January coming, and perhaps thoughts of a new year’s resolution, we have plenty of ideas” The website is colourful and easy-to-use and aimed at adults in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, as well as their families, friends and carers. The People First website has three main sections, all of which are jargon-free, and provide easy to read information about a range of issues and subjects (including lots of tips on good health), a list of agencies and organisations that can help, and a comprehensive list of local events and activities for everybody, whatever their interests. There’s over 100 things happening every day for adults of all ages, and all kinds of activities from art groups, through gardening, to zumba classes. There are also activities for people who are housebound. A superb feature of the website is that as you look at one subject, other related topics will be suggested to you – or you can just search for things that interest you! Marchant explained “We treat people as experts on their own lives and what they want to achieve – no-one likes being told what to do!”.The website is funded by the local councils’ adult social care department, and you can find out more by visiting www.peoplefirstinfo.org.uk or contact Nick.Marchant@rbkc.gov.uk

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MARIUS BRILL’S

MEMEING OF LIFE Meme: . An element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another...

Losing the Will

ot even cyanide spoils a drink with a friend faster than discovering he’s in love. That’s when you buy yourself a triple; you know you’re in for an evening of ridiculous superlatives, and specious speculation. And you’ll listen to all of it aware that when, or if, you ever meet this paragon they will never be as perfect, sexy or brilliant as the hype. No one could be. The idea of the loved one, in their absence, is always more exciting than any reality. It’s the fisherman’s “one that got away” or Donald Trump’s genius; we fill the vacuum of absence with everything from the improbable to the impossible, the stuffing of legend. By the time you’re getting your second drink, trying to draw out the order for as long as possible by feigning an interest in third division football with the bar staff, you’re not sure how much more fantasising you can take as it’s all just air and you’re finding it really hard to give a s**t. That’s how I feel when people start talking about Shakespeare. And, what with this month being the 400th anniversary of his death, it might just be, as T.S. Eliot would have it, the cruellest. Don’t get me wrong I love a bit of Shakespeare me: I came of age enrapt with Withnail asking the London Zoo baboons “What a piece of work is a man?”; I can see why Shakespeare’s responsible for a tenth of the most quoted lines in English ever; the words are sublime, the poetry mesmeric, the drama… well, not exactly captivating but epic, definitely epic; I spent a year of my degree studying his works; I’ve indulged the pretensions of Day-Lewis, Branagh, Gibson, Tennant, Cumberbatch and even Frances de la Tour trying to play that morbidly articulate Danish teenager, decades their junior; I even committed some of his more sonorous soliloquies to heart believing a little bit of “shall I compare thee” might lend me an air of culture and fill awkward silences on dates, a misapprehension which, I later discovered, almost entirely accounted for my remaining a complete stranger to the taste of postprandial coffee, the 20th century “Netflix and Chill”. But that’s not why the mention of Shakespeare makes me feel “I would give all my fame for a pot of ale.” In leaving his works without an indepth CV of his life, not even a kiss and tell exposé, Shakespeare created a perfect vacuum. An absence of details which

our information hungry, celebrity life curious, age abhors. Ever since the 19th Century the idea of Shakespeare, the mystery of the man himself, has gradually eclipsed his works. Now, outside the academic world, no Shakespeare conversation is complete without a discourse on identity. Not the identity crises evident in his almost Mengele-like obsession with twins, nor his “To be or not to be”, not even his gender challenging drag acts, but just, “Was that William Shakespeare William Shakespeare or what?” This severing of the man from his work started with the Victorians, with their passion for propriety and hierarchies. It just wouldn’t send the right message to the lower orders to allow a grammar school oik to have moulded the language of empire, let alone invented 3000 of its words. So into the void of Will’s life new, elite, posh candidates suddenly looked more attractive. He could only know this if he went to University, he could only know that if he had travelled, was a sailor, a tree surgeon, a spy or royal privy sanitiser. Names were a plenty while William Shakespeare of Warwickshire became simply “The Stratford Man”. You’d have thought, by now, with our enlightened view of bare table legs, we’d have moved on from Victorian snobbery. But the “Authorship Question” has continued to escalate, even becoming a Hollywood film. In 2011 Anonymous cast Edward de Vere Earl of Oxford as the true writer. So Shakespeare turns out to be, pretty much, the only secular figure to transcend into a meme, an idea that has evolved as it has passed through generations. And I can see the attraction. It’s a lot more exciting to imagine and speculate about an absence rather than go mine those old texts for yet further depth and meaning. But I can’t help feeling it’s like enjoying a steak whilst arguing about the name of the cow. But it’s almost 50 years since goggleeyed Gallic literary critic Roland Barthes declared “La mort de l'auteur” dampening enthusiasm for the Hello school of biographical criticism and championing the appreciation of art for its own sake; rather than as some misshapen reflection of the writer. So don’t talk to me about Shakespeare without buying me a stiff drink first. Any story of his life is going to be little more than “sound and fury, signifying nothing.” When we have secular words so transcendent they still feel fitting at our significant life events,

births, weddings and funerals (if not embarrassing dates), when the subtle shades of our enlightened world are threatened by the brutal certainties of ISIS style medieval thinking that will flatten a Palmyra, knowing that at some time, someone, was bothered and able to express the tenets of the modern world as poignantly as: “The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: ‘T is mightiest in the mightiest;” I just can’t find it in me to care who he, or she, was. And I don’t care when he was born or when he died or who he was sending his poetry to. Who was Shakespeare? In a few words he didn’t coin, I really couldn’t giveth two shiteths.

Pensions etc By Peter Burden

A paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine by a group of researchers (led by Dr Rachel Loopstra of Oxford University) describes how a drop in the government’s pension credit spending in 2012 corresponded to a 1.4 per cent rise in death rates among over 85s, and that the drop in the numbers receiving pension credit in that year corresponded to a 2.7 per cent increase in death rates. Could these people not have found something more useful to do with their expensive time? For one thing, it’s impossible to comprehend how death rates among the over 85’s can rise, even such a nugatory amount. The only factor that could have caused this phenomenon was that previously some of them simply never died. And although I possess only a slender grasp on the workings of human biology, of one thing I am certain, and that is that every single 85 year old in the world is going to die. There is no way in which it is helpful to try to persuade the public that they have a state-given right to supplementary

periods of boring, uncontributive, largely fatuous existence. The government is currently under the spotlight over its deployment of pensions and benefits, thanks to the Piano Man’s foolhardy attempt to sink his gums into the Chancellor’s buttocks as they slalom between positions as niftily as a rugby winger dodging a gang of leaden-footed forwards. There is hardtalk on both sides about, for instance, the Winter Fuel Payment, even in an exceptionally mild winter when the price of heating oil has dropped by over half since three years ago. When I am awarded this welcome bonus, I don’t turn up the heating, or put another log on the fire, I slip on a second vest, add an extra jumper and use the money to treat myself and my lovely wife to a decent dinner in a superior restaurant, preceding it with grace: ‘We give you thanks, oh George…’ I also thank higher authorities that my lack of financial planning and enjoyable prodigal youth have left me almost entirely free of pension provision, thus putting me in the helpful position that if I wish to carry on the happy existence I currently enjoy, then I have to earn a living, because I don’t have the time, the leisure, or the wherewithal to be ill. I should like to propose to Doc Loopstra and her gang that there is a very direct correlation between needing to work, and resisting illness. It’s abundantly clear that excessive pension provision can lead to a lot of trouble in other ways, too. One of the reported causes of the terrible fiscal malaise in which Greece has been floundering for the past six years has been the absurd, self-indulgent state pension provision demanded by a chronically tax-shy population. The mess it’s in and the obvious reasons for it have, I guess, been some help to our own Chancellor in pushing through increasingly rigorous pension reductions and conditions in this country. It is surprising that he hasn’t yet had the courage to deploy the argument that reducing pensions and raising pensionable age is a sane move for other reasons than simply reducing the government’s pension bill; it will also save the taxpayer money for other related reasons. Reducing the pension payments is beneficial to the health of those elder sections of the population that it affects, and thus will ease the demands on new and ever more costly services brought in by the NHS demanded by a public who believe they have an absolute right to every treatment available, whatever the cost. There is a clear link between occupation and wellness. The honest and perceptive among you may acknowledge that sometimes, when there is an important job to be done or crisis to be got through, the body can stave off flu and other ailments that may be threatening for as long as it takes to get the job done. Often, in keeping it

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at bay, it will even fend off the invasive illness completely. It has always been apparent to me that we have the capacity to defend ourselves and that there is a powerful element of self determination in maintaining good health. When people are busy earning a living they have far less time to sit around identifying chronic ailments and discussing them with other gloomy old hypochondriacs while they lose interest in the world around them and allow their mental processes to atrophy. There seems to be something in many of our population that encourages them to collect illnesses as a sort of hobby, like stamp collecting or train-spotting. And there is a clear connection between the loudest moaners and those who take least personal responsibility for their health by eating wrongly and too much, and exercising too little. With my own pension provision almost negligible, I’m perfectly content with that, as long as I have to make my own living, I have a strong, sound reason for staying healthy which really works. Of course, I understand that sooner or later I will conk out and croak, broadly speaking when my useful life is over, which seems logical enough, and suits me. I’ll be quite happy to remain alive as long as I can add something to the existence of those who follow, but by the time I’m finding myself just sitting around, moaning about my health and peeing on my children’s sofas, I will know it’s time to go. Regrettably, the prevailing orthodoxy is that maximum length of life is paramount at whatever cost, and it is this entrenched selfserving mindset that is causing so much imbalance in modern Western societies. I hope the Chancellor reads this and heeds its content. I’m hopeful, because after years of my advocating the application a Sugar Tax in these pages (which, as a resident of the Royal Borough he surely reads with enjoyment every month), Mr O has taken note, and is at last acting on my advice.

Do we really need more female parliamentarians? By Henry Tobias Jones

Women’s Equality month, which I am confident is now permanently branded into everyone’s collective calendars after the enormous fanfare International Women’s day received in the capital, provided numerous female activists, campaigners, journalists, and politicians

with a platform to progress ‘equality’. Among the loudest and most frequently repeated issues raised on the day were the need for more female MPs and a more representative Houses of Parliament. The Women’s Equality party are the new girls on the Westminster block. Chief among their political objectives are achieving “equal representation.” As they say in their listed objectives, if the UK were to have more equal political representation, “violence against women and the specific needs of women in our health service would be taken more seriously.

But does the UK really need more female parliamentarians?

Data collated by the InterParliamentary Union, assessing the numbers of women in parliaments throughout the globe will give you a frankly confusing impression of whether it is right to say that governments actually need to be more reflective of the societies they govern. Among the Top 10 countries with the highest percentage of female parliamentarians are: Rwanda, Bolivia, Cuba, Seychelles, Sweden, Senegal, Mexico, South Africa, Ecuador, and Finland. The United Kingdom currently trails behind in 48th place with women making up only 29.4% of the 650 seats. We have, nonetheless, improved since the last parliament which, in May 2010, had only 143 female MPs (22% of the government) leaving us in 50th place. It feels instinctively bigoted to add that in 2010 we came below Iraq, just as it seems intuitively unusual that so many South American countries appear at the top of the list. Of the required support from charities and development funds to improve political participation of women. Among the countries which have more female parliamentarians than Britain in South and Central America are: Bolivia, Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Argentina, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago. As of March 2016 we have only got 2.1% more female MPs than Belarus, infamously known as Europe’s last remaining dictatorship. To begin to get a more comprehensive understanding of the real political landscape, simply looking at the number of MPs is not enough. Moreover, simply saying that more female MPs will improve government is entirely without justification. The international female aid charity, Womenkind, working in collaboration with the local partner (CDIMA) has to date spent tens of thousands of pounds, working “to support women to take on leadership roles within their communities and combat violence against women and girls.” Despite achieving an over 50/50 gender split in the Bolivian parliament, domestic violence against women

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online: www.KCWToday.co.uk reportedly affected as many as 70% of women across the country. In the UK too, on International Women’s Day, even more repeated than the need for more female MPs, was the UN Women statistic that over a third of all women have experienced physical or sexual violence, most commonly by an intimate partner. Perhaps even worse, is the situation in Sweden, often lauded as being one of the most gender equal countries, also 5th on the table of female parliamentarians. In a recent study by European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Sweden topped the tables for the number of women who have been sexually harassed since the age of 15, with a staggering 81% of women. This compares to an EU average of 55%. Even if it can be legitimately inferred that in a country like Sweden where the reporting rate might just be higher than it is in Bolivia, there is clearly still an underlying problem which is not improved simply by having more female MPs. If anything, it goes to show that, given the comparison, it seems striking that not only is there no link between more MPs and better rights for women, but rather that the opposite is true. Whether it is Sweden, Bolivia, or the UK and EU generally, it unfortunately appears that a systemic problem is being hijacked by parties and movements who are confusing the problem of women’s equality, with their own political ambitions.

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DUDLEY SUTTON’S I WISH I HAD WRITTEN THAT On First Looking At Chapman’s Homer John Keats Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold, And many goodly states and kingdoms seen; Round many western islands have I been Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold. Oft of one wide expanse had I been told That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne: Yet did I never breathe its pure serene Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold: Then felt I like some watcher of the skies When a new planet swims into his ken; Or, like stout Cortez, when with eagle eyes He stared at the Pacific - and all his men Look’d at each other with wild surmise Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

April April/May 2016 2011

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International

warns economic analysis By Fergus Coltsmann

French police demolish Calais migrant and refugee camp By Fergus Coltsmann

n the 29th of January, demolition teams and French riot police moved into the now infamous migrant and refugee camp in Calais, to deconstruct homes and evict hundreds of residents. Volunteer workers reported that up to 40 police vans flanked the camp as its residents were given an hour to leave the area scheduled for demolition, which reportedly caused much confusion amongst those in the camp. Violence erupted as the demolition teams moved in, which French authorities blamed on British activists for sowing confusion and inciting rock throwing among the camp’s residents, as well as setting fire to tents. French riot police fired tear gas into the camp, which residents claimed caused the fires, and which multiple newspapers reported affected children in the area. The Calais Police Union denied gassing children and said their actions were justified. The use of tear gas while children were nearby was later condemned by the Bishop of Dover. Between 3000 and 7000 people live

in the so called ‘Jungle’, with French authorities reporting the former figure and some on the ground charities and newspapers reporting the latter. The demolition was supposed to see some of the population of the camp moved to a new area constructed out of container housing units. The containers sleep 12 to 24 people in a communal area per unit, and are behind a turnstile security system that will only allow registered individuals in and out. Many migrants are reported to fear that the hand print ID system will harm any later attempt to claim asylum in the UK. The architectural group EVA (Emergent Vernacular Architecture) also criticised the lack of communal living areas and kitchen and cooking facilities. Multiple papers are now reporting that many of the displaced migrants have moved further into the already overcrowded camp, to other nearby camps, or up the coast to find alternate ways into the UK. The eviction had been postponed to the 29th from the week before due to a charity revealing through census data that there were far more refugees in the area scheduled for demolition than originally thought, including hundreds of unaccompanied children. The data revealed meant that a judge had to visit the camp to approve the eviction. The commonly given name ‘Jungle’ originally began as a joke among its residents before its widespread media use, which some commentators argue amounts to casual racism, a term which summons up colonial, derogatory imagery.

Donald Trump becoming President of the USA would be a significant risk to the global economy, according to a respected risk analyst group. The Global Forecasting Service, a research and analysis division of The Economist Group, has placed the Republican front runner sixth on its latest list of risks, higher than the destabilising economic effects of rising jihadi terrorism. The analysis suggests that the impact of a Trump White House would be high, saying “his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war” and that “his militaristic tendencies towards the Middle East (and ban on all Muslim travel to the US) would be a potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups, increasing their threat both within the region and beyond”. The analysis ranks the likelihood of Trump taking power as ‘moderate’, saying that while he “looks the firm favourite to be the party's candidate in the US presidential election in November” they “do not expect Mr Trump to defeat his most likely Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton”. It also notes that the hostility of the Republican leadership toward the

candidate could see Congress block some of Trump’s more radical policies, but that this “internal bickering will also undermine the coherence of domestic and foreign policymaking”. Ranked eighth on the risk register is the UK leaving the EU. While ranked with a low probability, the analysis said: “If Britain did leave the EU it would have negative ramifications for the UK… exporters would struggle in the face of regulatory and tariff uncertainty”, and noted that the UK’s “position as a leading global financial services hub would be imperilled”. It also pointed out the negative impact ‘Brexit’ would have on the EU and wider global economy. Highest on the list was China experiencing a sharp economic slowdown, which is listed as having high probability and impact. The analysis points to huge bad debts of the Chinese Government, the falling value of the currency, and incompetent Government meddling in the market as reasons for its high probability; and the dependency of the West on China’s exports, and the knock on effect of a commodity price slump would have on developing economies that had previously benefitted from China’s growth. This was followed by the risk of a new Cold War between the West and Russia, which was ranked as having a high probability given Vladimir Putin’s aggressive approach to foreign affairs in Ukraine and Syria. In response to this, there has been an increase in military spending by many Western powers, which hampers their ability to bring deficits down, and frosty relations between Russia and the West make it harder to tackle global issues, such as climate change and jihadi terrorism. Photograph © McGregor Show

Photograph © Amirah Breen

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fter meeting with the Turkish government, European Council President Donald Tusk has agreed a deal which aims to stop “the flow of irregular migration via Turkey to Europe”. In a statement, Tusk explained that the Turkey-EU deal ensures the mutual “commitment” to the “joint action plan activated on 29th November 2015,” adding that “much progress has been achieved already”. In a bid to remove “the incentive to seek irregular routes to the EU” from Turkey, one of the most significant aspects of the agreement is the policy of returning “all new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands” from the 20th March 2016. After the implementation date, for every Syrian migrant being returned to Turkey, another will “be resettled to the EU.” All of the costs of returning migrants will “be covered by the EU”. Turkey will additionally be required to “take any necessary measures to prevent new sea or land routes” being created by its migrant populations. Once the numbers of new crossings have been “substantially reduced”, a Voluntary Humanitarian Admission scheme will come into effect, allowing EU member states to elect to rehome migrants living in Turkey. In order to aid with the enormous costs incurred by Turkey “opening its labour market to Syrians” and supporting an estimated population of 2.5 million Syrian migrants, the EU will expedite the dispersal of €3 billion to Turkey. Funds supplied via the Facility for

Climate change threatens French vineyards By Fergus Coltsmann

French vineyards face long term problems due to climate change, a report published on the 21st of March in Nature Climate Change suggests . The growing conditions in places, such as Champagne and Burgundy, have noticeably changed since the 1980s, despite previously remaining stable for

Greek MP asked to resign for calling Macedonia “Macedonia” By Henry Tobias Jones

Yannis Mouzalas, Greece’s Alternate Minister of Immigration Policy, caused outrage among members of his own coalition Government when he referred to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) simply as Macedonia. Panos Kammenos, Greek Defence minister and head of the Government coalition’s junior party, demanded that Mouzalas step down, explaining on Mega TV he “asked for Mouzalas to resign on his own, to protect the government”. The long and bitter dispute between Greece and FYROM stems from the belief that their northern neighbours are

New Jersey considers banning texting while walking By Fergus Coltsmann

A bill, introduced by New Jersey Democrat Assemblywoman, Pamela Lampitt, would see pedestrians face fines or even jail if they texted while walking or used phones on public roads unless using a hands-free set. The proposed penalty is in line with similar offences such as jaywalking. Supporters of the bill cite the rise of pedestrian injuries and deaths in recent years, and tie it to increasing dependency and prevalence of mobile phones. Lampitt said: “sDistracted pedestrians, like distracted drivers, present a potential danger to themselves and drivers on the road. An individual crossing the road distracted by their smartphone presents just as much danger to motorists as someone jaywalking and should be held, at minimum, to the same penalty”. She added that half of any fine would be spent on educational material explain the risks of walking and texting.

Photograph © thetoc.gr

Photograph © Ggia

to halt “irregular migration” By Henry Tobias Jones

Refugees in Turkey is allocated for “concrete projects and work” which will alleviate the strain on both migrants and the government. Up until the end of 2018, a further €3 billion will be made available once the first round of funds have been “used in full”. Tusk said that while “some may think this agreement is a silver bullet” which will draw to a close Europe’s migration crisis, it is actually “just one pillar of the European Union's comprehensive strategy” which will only succeed in conjunction with a process of “strengthening the EU's external borders, keeping the Western Balkans' route closed and getting back to Schengen”. However, many have voiced concerns that the deal is a precursor to Turkey’s admission to the EU, especially drawing attention to the offer of visa-free travel within the Schengen area for Turkey’s population of 70 million people from next October. Many EU officials have approached the deal with mixed feelings given the long term prospect of the EU’s relationship with Turkey, with even the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, saying in the German paper Handelsblatt that “Turkey is currently not ready for accession”, and that they still won’t be ready “in 10 years either”.

misappropriating the name of an ancient Greek historic region, which is famously the birthplace of Alexander the Great. As Kammenos said, the issue is of particular importance to his rightwing Independent Greeks party. While Mouzalas called the incident a ‘slip-up’, Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, defended Mouzalas claiming that the “Independent Greeks support the government but not the migration minister” but that it was “irresponsible and hypocritical” to undermine a senior immigration minister during the midst of the Greek migration crisis. As part of the ongoing dispute, Greece has long since prevented FYROM from joining both NATO and the EU. An official government spokesperson even said: “We’re talking about a verbal ‘faux pas’, not a ‘government crisis’ ”.

Photograph © Michael Clarke Stuff

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk thousands of years. In the short term, hotter summers have dried the soil, meaning that what were traditionally rare early harvests are happening more and more frequently. Bordeaux, for example, has had three ‘once in a century’ vintages in the last 26 years. In the long term, however, French vintners face a more existential crisis. Many wines can only be grown in authorised regions, and a changing climate could mean the conditions for making particular wines are lost in those regions, forcing vineyards to change their product, relocate, or close up shop completely.

EU agrees €3 billion deal with Turkey

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Business & Finance Metro Bank chairman, Vernon Hill: revolutionary banker By Henry Tobias Jones

etro Bank is the first new bank in the UK in over 150 years, moreover, the “challenger bank” is not just aware of its upstart credentials, it’s proud of them. Of the many deliberately provocative slogans used by Metro Bank, perhaps the simplest and most honest is the call to “join the revolution.” And like every good revolutionary movement, Metro Bank has its own charismatic leader, an American man who says his job “is to create fans, not customers. This is the banking revolution.” Vernon Hill II, chairman of Metro Bank, is, to lurch wildly into the realm of cliché, is as ‘American as apple pie’. Not just any apple pie either, he is, dare I say it, perhaps even the quintessential americana McDonald’s apple pie. Hill’s reputation as the “fast food banker,” makes this analogy rather apt. But, the real compliment that lies behind this title doesn’t quite translate into British. Welcoming you into his bank with a handshake and a smile, he is as convivial as the most American stereotypes of customer service. His first floor office is not in the Ivory towers of Canary Wharf and the City proper, but rather directly above the Metro Bank flagship branch at the head of the Kingsway metropole in Holborn. This is the clearest signal of intent you will take from Vernon Hill about precisely the type of bank he wants Metro Bank to be. “We have a retail concept that happens to be a bank,” he explains, “there

was a lot written in America about my model as the Apple of banking.” This is most aptly explained by his catchy saying “great brands, grow by building fans.” He makes it very clear to me that Metro has “stores, not branches.” Clearly very proud of being compared to Apple, Hill tells me that “we learned over the years in America to make the stores open, fun, friendly, and inviting.” This simple and yet revolutionary approach distinguishes Metro ‘stores’ from the grey stone branches of British high street banks. Moreover, his philosophy seems to be working. Metro Bank recently launched on the London Stock Exchange, after raising £1.1Billion in private capital (90% of which came from American investors). Metro Bank’s wave of new branches will practically allow them to live up to their claim to be “your local bank.” Since 2010 when the bank launched, they have gone from 4 branches to 40, from 9,000 customer accounts to 655,000. By the end of 2020, Metro Bank is aiming to have 110 branches. The newest and 41st branch is opening on the King’s Road, April 15th, complete with a “gigantic party for the public.” But bringing the Vernon Hill high street ‘store’ to Chelsea has not been entirely smooth sailing. “I get more comments about building this store than any other store” he tells me, “it’s like all the good and the great live down there.” The main debate between Hill and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea was over the characteristic look of the Metro Bank facade. Following the Apple comparison even further, Hill describes the distinctive look of his banks as big, open, and inviting. Huge floor to ceiling glass tower windows, along with the removal of the first floor, quite deliberately reference Apple stores, rather than the banks we are used to seeing. The King’s Road Metro Bank will have a rather more demure appearance than, for example, the flagship store in Holborn. But the true measure of the change Metro Bank want to bring to Chelsea lie in the services and ethos they can offer their customers. “The big four banks have all shut their safety deposit boxes” he says, “I

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can't build safety deposit boxes quick enough to keep up with the demand.” In the King’s Road store, there will be 3,000-4,000 boxes and Hill assures me “there will be a huge demand there.” Increasingly, his competitors are closing branches as they tell customers there is little demand for the services they provide. Hill pours cold water all over this. New branches are due to open throughout the country, including in Clapham Junction, Wimbledon, Islington, and Oxford. “There is a theory that goes around that bank branches don’t matter” he says, and a theory that retailers need to make around $400-500 per square foot, Apple does $6,300 per square foot.” “Almost everyone wants to open an account with us in store,” he says, and “once you open your account with us then it's my job to offer you the best of every service in our bank.” It is testament to just how right Mr Hill is about the current state of British retail banking, that the services Metro Bank are most proud of offering, have thus far been derided as “mere gimmicks.” “That’s just the British word for it” Hill tells me jokingly when I put this to him . He smiles and looks confidently subversive while telling me “you can open a new current account with us in 10-12 minutes, you’ll walk out with your account open, we activate your online, print your debit card while you are here,

and you walk out the door, try to do that at another bank.” “We have a policy called: Kill stupid rules,” he continues “and we are on an endless track to kill every stupid rule.” This is where the bank wrongly gets accused of using gimmicks. Metro Bank has killed rules about no dogs in banks (“we even offer a free microchipping service” he adds), they are open 24/7, and they freely exchange coins, pens aren’t chained to the branch, they have human staffed call centres.” Gimmicks are, in Hill’s mind, actually about free market economics, and most of all offering his customers the services they want, when they want them. I will admit, the day after our interview I switched my bank, which I have been with for over a decade, and opened a current account with Metro. I have nothing worth keeping in a safety deposit box, I don’t have a dog, I certainly won’t be taking one of the 1.168 million free pens they have handed out, and I am sure that in almost every respect Metro Bank is “just another bank.” Nevertheless, I changed because I think this is exactly what we need. Not just for banks either. As he said to me: “This is about dramatic change.” Before leaving the interview I asked Hill about Donald Trump and the American election, knowing full well that he and Trump were at Wharton, University of Pennsylvania together. Hill said to me: “I won’t give you a single thing on him but I will say that I know him very well.” But then he described the Trump phenomenon as “the American public tossing a bomb into the middle of Washington. How else can you explain Bernie Sanders, a 74 year old, admitted socialist, giving this Clinton woman a tough time. This is a revolt about the political class.” People are desperate to portray Metro Bank as the Trump in our retail banking sector. But in truth, Vernon Hill is less Donald Trump (or even Ronald McDonald, for that matter) and more Steve Jobs.

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Business & Finance The Power of a Process By Carolyn Gowen

o-one likes uncertainty, especially when it is accompanied by fear. The turbulence in world stockmarkets at the beginning of this year has left many investors fearful and uncertain of what to do for the best. The situation isn’t helped by the plethora of ‘financial porn’ to which investors are exposed in the media: so called ‘experts’ pontificating on which way markets are headed (as if they knew and, if they did, would give away that information for free!), and with every downturn which occurs there will always be those who insist that ‘this time it’s different!’ How is the average investor supposed to deal with all this ‘noise’? When we meet with new clients this is often a subject which they will want to discuss in our early meetings with them, especially if they have had their fingers burned in the past. It can sometimes be hard to understand and manage their fears about future stockmarket downturns and it certainly cannot be done overnight. It’s a case of gradually taking them through our process and showing them how that process will protect them from making the same mistakes which the majority of investors make. It can still be a challenge sometimes to get that message across. After all, words such as ‘rebalancing’, ‘risk tolerance’, and ‘asset allocation’ can understandably cause some people’s eyes to glaze over. We can explain the concept much better if we can relate it to something anyone would understand. A good example of how to explain our investment process to clients is through football (stick with me here). Picture the scene: October 6th 2001. England v Greece, World Cup qualifiers. England is trailing 2-1. To avoid a dangerous playoff against Ukraine, England HAS to get an equaliser. 93 minutes on the clock. The last minute of stoppage time. England wins a free kick. “I could hear the banging of a drum. It was as if it was the only sound in the world. Just one drum, banging out a beat, the sound carrying directly onto the pitch. The rest of the stadium seemed completely silent, as if every single fan knew that the next kick of the ball would decide the match. Bang, bang; bang, bang; bang, bang,” recalled David Beckham in his autobiography. Teddy Sheringham steps forward to take the free kick. Beckham pushes him aside. Sheringham’s not happy, but he steps aside. “It was just me, the ball, and the 25 yards separating me from the top left

corner of the goal. But this kick was not just about England; it was also about me. It was about drawing a line under four years of abuse. Four years of bitterness. Four years of England fans, not all of them but enough to make it hurt, shouting the most horrible things at me while I was playing for my country. Four years of pain.” (Beckham had been sent off in a crucial game in the 1998 World Cup for a rash and petulant kick at an Argentinian who had fouled him, an act which had made him the most hated footballer in England ever since, as England ended up losing the game on penalties and exiting the World Cup as a result). So, it’s the final minute of play, England risk not qualifying for the World Cup, and you’re the player England supporters hate. Moreover, you’re about to take a free kick which could just be the most important kick of the ball of your life. No pressure then. “I took two deep breaths, eyed the top corner of the net and emptied my mind of everything except one thought: ‘I am going to score.’ There was a single focus: getting England into the World Cup finals. There was no doubt in my mind, no negativity. Just a sense of complete reassurance. “Confidence is a funny thing. People often say that you need a lot of luck to win. But, for me, confidence comes down to preparation. “Time seemed to slow down as I sized up the goal, hands on my hips. The drum was still beating and the tension was still rising. I stepped slightly to the left and then began my run-up. I felt the ball on my boot and, in that strange way that sometimes happens in football, I knew instantly it was going into the back of the net. There is something incredible when you strike a football in just the way you want to. It feels so satisfying, the tiny thud of the ball against your boot, and then the fizz of the ball as it speeds away. When you get it right, you hardly feel the impact. It is like kicking a feather. As the ball flew towards the top left corner, before it had even hit the back of the net, I was off, sprinting towards the touchline, shouting for joy. The silence had been replaced by a huge, almost deafening roar. The stadium just erupted. “England were in the World Cup finals. “England were in the World Cup!” Why, in spite of a massive amount of pressure, was Beckham so confident in taking that free kick? Because he had a process. He had practiced taking thousands and thousands of free kicks over the years. “I guess when you have practised like that for twenty years, when you have put yourself on the line for so long, selfbelief comes along as a by-product. You know you can do it because you have prepared to do it all your life.” This self-belief is present in all of the world’s top athletes. As Michael

Johnson, the legendary Olympic sprinter once said, “If you have done everything possible to prepare for your event, confidence will stick.” Ok, we’re not all David Beckham, but this story resonates because we can apply that same strategy for investing. Athletes have confidence in times of immense pressure because the process is so ingrained in them they have no need to feel fear or uncertainty. If investors have a disciplined and robust investment process, backed up by a financial plan which informs their investment strategy, so that they understand exactly WHY they own the investments they own, and the purpose their portfolio serves in helping them to achieve their goals in life, they are far more likely to ride out stockmarket turbulence and emerge unscathed. (Reproduced with the kind permission of Carl Richards www.behaviourgap.com)

Carolyn Gowen is a Chartered Wealth Manager and Certified Financial Planner at award-winning City-based wealth management firm Bloomsbury. She has been advising successful individuals and their families on wealth management strategies for over 25 years. Carolyn can be contacted on email truewealth@bloomsburywealth.co.uk or by calling 020 7965 4480.

Inheritance Tax: The Silent Killer

Probably the least understood of all the major taxes, inheritance tax (IHT) inhabits a secret and dusty world of probate registries, solicitor’s offices, and a special HM Revenue & Customs department, dedicated to its arcane mysteries, somewhere in the heart of England. When you read in all those Victorian novels and biographies about the way “death duties” have brought ruin on a once proud and wealthy family, the authors are referring not to IHT itself but its predecessor, estate duty. However, the general principle is the same. IHT takes a massive 40% chunk out of your estate at death, to the extent that its value exceeds a nil band, whose real value is dwindling year on year, of £325,000 currently. In order to stop people avoiding the tax by giving everything away on their deathbed, the tax is extended to catch all gifts within the seven years prior to death. IHT is a grisly, macabre tax which forces us not to just to remember our mortality, but to calculate, if we can, as accurately as possible the date of its onset. Hand in hand with the Grim Reaper, when he comes, is Hector the Tax Inspector with his empty attaché case which he hopes to stuff full of your money. IHT has moved from being a tax which attacked the rich only to one

which seriously threatens the wealth of only moderately well off families. The £325,000 threshold has remained fixed since 2007, and we have already been told by the government that it will be fixed for some further years to come. So this is par excellence the “stealth tax”, which increases year by year simply as a result of inflation; particularly house price inflation, and particularly the inflation of houses and flats in London. So what, if anything, can be done to fight back? Well, quite a lot actually. Here, in highly condensed form, are a number of legitimate and non controversial planning strategies: regularly review your wills, to see whether they are tax efficient. Arguably most wills should include a “nil rate band discretionary trust”. Also consider whether your wills, or the wills of elderly relations, should provide for the estate to “skip a generation”, or perhaps more than one generation. This can be done by leaving the estate not to the immediate children, who may now be well off enough not to need the legacy, but to grandchildren or even great grandchildren, or a trust for them if they are too young to be given that much money. Be sure to make use of potentially exempt transfers or PETs. Contrary to the mythology out there, there’s actually no limit on what you can give away and escape inheritance tax, provided you live for seven years after making the gift. One can also make full use of available exemptions. For example the annual exemption is £3,000 which, if not used in a year, can only be carried forward for one year and is then lost; and make use, in particular, of the “normal expenditure out of income” exemption. If you make regular gifts, and they are within the amount of your disposable income, these gifts will not fall into your estate even if you die within seven years. One classic use of this exemption is taking out an endowment life assurance policy which is written in trust for your nearest and dearest. The premiums will usually be exempt as normal expenditure out of income. Finally, consider whether your estate can be invested, to any extent, in IHT relievable assets like business property (for example companies listed on the Alternative Investment Market; or private trading businesses), or agricultural property which you can hold purely as landlord and still enjoy 100% relief after seven years ownership.

Alan Pink FCA ATII is a specialist tax consultant who operates a bespoke tax practice, Alan Pink Tax, from offices situated in Tunbridge Wells. Alan advises on a wide range of tax issues and regularly writes for the professional press. Alan has experience in both major international plcs and small local businesses and is recognised for his proactive approach to taxation and solving tax problems. Alan can be contacted on (01892) 539000 or email: alan.pink@alanpinktax.com. His book, The Entrepreneur’s Tax Guide, is on sale from Head of Zeus for £20, or from all good book shops.

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Today’s Entrepreneurs

WeAreTheFuture By Bruce Walker

eAreTheFuture is a global entrepreneurship organisation, which consolidate international summits and programmes to inspire and connect entrepreneurs. From the beginning, WeAreTheFuture have been passionate about harnessing the power of entrepreneurship to create a stronger, more sustainable world, where key business figures work together to affect change and ultimately make the world a better place. My entrepreneurial journey started as a high school project in 2011 when I was seventeen and my school took part in Young Enterprise, a national initiative allowing students in high school to create their own business. After a considerably failed attempt at trying to make and sell jewellery throughout the school, we hit on the idea of running an event for established entrepreneurs in the area to discuss the experience of setting up their own businesses. My classmates elected me as their Managing Director and set me

the task of finding a high profile speaker to take part in our event. I emailed and phoned the offices of entrepreneurs for weeks until I eventually secured support from Lord Sugar and Michelle Mone, dramatically raising the profile of the event and helping to contribute towards its final success. We went on to run workshops, speaker sessions and sold tickets to 135 school pupils across Central Scotland. From our first event in 2012 to our 25th event in 2016, the same message comes through again and again; the biggest challenge facing all people is, ‘belief ’. Belief that we can achieve greatness and belief that if we ask for help, then doors will start to fly open. There is a quote, which I love and effectively summarises my entire experience as an entrepreneur: “Great ideas alter the power balance in relationships. That’s why great ideas are initially resisted.” Hugh MacLeod, Ignore Everybody. As entrepreneurs, we love to disrupt, we love to challenge, and when we do, we can expect to face a number of barriers along the way. It was important to me that we changed the way our sector operated and that we transformed the way young startup entrepreneurs engage with business leaders. I was determined to flip the traditional organisational structure on its head, so instead of being run by experienced business executives, we

are run entirely by people under 35, supported strategically by experienced and senior business leaders. In the beginning we took big risks and built great partnerships, and even worked with the organisations that would traditionally have been considered our competitors. I made sure that we stayed true to our mission, exceeded what we expected, and blocked out the negativity. This approach of taking risks and building relationships has allowed WeAreTheFuture to move faster than I ever could have expected. Within the space of a year we were being described as a “World Wide Phenomenon” by the Dean of the Business School at Abu Dhabi University, and our summits were being praised as “One of the best events for startups in the UK” by startups.com. Today, we’ve got a community of over 4,000 business leaders from around the world and have hosted summits and programmes across US, Middle East, Europe, and Asia. In my relatively short but accelerated business journey, I’ve realised that business has fundamentally changed. Business plans are no longer a necessity (I’ve never written one) and many investors wouldn’t read them. You can waste days/weeks/months of your valuable time writing a business plan that ultimately will become irrelevant in a short space of time. However, strategy and planning is important, but not as

important as just getting started! Access to funding and capital for entrepreneurs has also changed. The days when your local bank would offer a business loan to get started are drifting into the past. I would always encourage entrepreneurs to try build a business on sales and customers, however sometimes you do need an injection of capital to get you going or to help you grow. Many entrepreneurs are now turning to crowdfunding, the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money contributions from a large number of people. Typical crowdfunds either provide equity based funds or rewards based. In short, if you’re equity based you’re giving away a part of your business, if you’re rewards based you’re offering non-equity rewards as incentives to donate money. In 2015 alone, £23 billion was invested in companies through crowdfunding, and according to a recent report by Massolution, in 2016 the crowd funding industry is on track to invest more money than venture capital; incredible growth! As well as helping to raise capital, crowdfunding is also great for publicity and awareness, with a number of successful crowd funds hitting the headlines. However, crowdfunding can be tough, it requires a lot of planning and effort prior to launch. According to leading crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, out of 100,000 successful campaigns analysed, they found that 42% of the funds were raised in the first 3 days of the campaign. Basically that means you need to either have money secured in advance or be ready to launch a strong media campaign to get nearly half the funds you need in the first 3 days. When I first started WeAreTheFuture, instead of trying to raise funding from traditional avenues I instead wrote emails to a number of successful entrepreneurs asking to speak to them about my new business idea. I got only one response from a successful Scottish business man called Brian Williamson, who to my great relief, agreed to write me a cheque for £1000, no strings attached! On my journey there has been one common theme: help from others. I discovered early on that there are so many people out there willing to help and are just waiting for you to reach out and ask. So my final advice is to stop putting self-imposed barriers in your way and start asking for help.

Good luck!

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Business & Finance

n average, 250,000 marriages are conducted in the UK each year but more than twice as many funerals (around 600,000). The legal framework that governs the validity of marriage is extensive; for funerals it’s practically non-existent. And while a bride and groom may be the only ones at a wedding who don’t receive an invitation, they do get to choose who’s invited. Funeral arrangements, on the other hand, are left

to others. Arguments about who holds sway over the detail of funeral arrangements are common and the process can often bring deep-seated resentments between family members to the fore. I’ve often encountered funerals arranged quickly, with the very real intention being to deny attendance to other family members and friends who may not find out about the funeral (or even the death) until after the event.

The law gives little guidance on the who and how of funeral arrangements. The concept of “next of kin” has no effective legal meaning and, while funeral wishes in a will are undeniably very helpful, they’re not binding. Technically, the executors of the deceased’s will have the lead role in the process (even before a formal grant of probate); in practice, the funeral arrangements are simply made by whoever chooses to take on the task. Likewise, there’s no pecking order when it comes to the right to register the death. The status of the person shown on the certificate as registering the death is often “causing the body to be cremates/buried”. As solicitor-executor, I’ve personally registered the deaths of a number of clients on this basis. As ever, communication is key. A will won’t be read at the funeral (except in Hollywood films). And although a will is not a public document until probate is granted, executors should send a copy to all those entitled to a share of the deceased’s assets at the earliest opportunity. Keeping beneficiaries informed of their likely entitlement and when payment is likely to be made manages expectations and flushes out potential claims (or simple disgruntlement) sooner rather than later. None of us should want our death or funeral to bring about family divisions, previously hidden or unhidden. And where the form of our funeral is

important to us, for moral, religious, or even environmental reasons, we’d like to know that our wishes are respected. The law can’t guarantee compliance with our wishes and there’s no legislating for the vagaries of family relationships. But communicating funeral wishes early, incorporating those wishes in your will, and appointing robust and ‘hands-on’ persons as your executors makes the best of an imperfect job. Otherwise, perhaps, it seems we have no choice but to be as laid back as the law when it comes to laying us to rest. Jim Sawer, Private Client Partner, Thrings

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Education

The new process for appealing against GCSE and A-Level marks, proposed by the regulator Ofqual, has been soundly criticized by headteachers. The proposals would mean that a mark could only be changed if the mark scheme had been incorrectly applied or if there had been a mistake in adding up marks, meaning that only technical errors can be appealed against. Ofqual has said they are trying to “focus squarely on errors” but critics say the “plans are likely to make the appeals system more unfair”. Both the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the Headmasters and Headmistress Conference (HMC) have attacked Ofqual over the plans, describing them as “unpersuasive misdirected, and like to make the current unsatisfactory situation worse”. Headteachers are calling on the regulator to respond to the “dramatic rise in inaccurate grades”, as 90,000 GCSE and A-Level results were changed last year. They also argue that because only technical errors can be appealed against unfair weight is given to the first marker and ignores the role of the second marker who carries out the review. HMC Chairman Chris King commented on Ofqual’s proposals, saying they are “unfair, flawed, and likely to put even more pupils’ life chances at risk. The approach seems to be ‘we have too many complaints; let’s make it harder to complain’”.

unite to feed refugees By Sasha Fedorenko

In the February edition of KCW Today, we talked with Amelia Burr of Calais Kitchens, discovering the vital work British volunteers are doing to feed the refugee population of the Calais camp. Following on from that conversation, we reached out to the local community to see what could be done to help provide desperately needed supplies. St. Augustine’s Priory, an established independent girls school belonging to the diocese of Westminster, got back to us straight away offering their help. With a strong charitable ethos, particularly in their centenary year at the current site in Hanger Lane, the school agreed to pitch in to help gather cans to feed vulnerable refugees. Calais Kitchens’ Leon Aarts agreed to speak to pupils, telling them about the urgent work carried out right on our doorstep and to encourage donations. An assembly was held on 14th of March, with the aim of inspiring pupils aged 11-18 to spread the word, take action, and participate by donating cans of fish. Protein is hard to come by in the camp, and with a strong Catholic culture alive and well in the school, the early Christian symbol of the acrostic ichthys (fish in Greek) was chosen to represent the donation when Jesus fed 5,000 people and 12 apostles with five loaves of barley bread and two small fish. The story provided the inspiration also the educative lesson for students at St Augustine’s Priory to know that we all have the capacity to help, no matter how small our resource. Each girl contributing one small tin of fish collectively makes a significant difference to lives of many. Thanks to the work of volunteers at ad-hoc organisations like Calais Kitchens

To learn more about the work of Calais Kitchens please visit: www.facebook.com/calaiskitchens. To find out more about St Augustine’s Priory please visit: www.sapriory.com

International students work harder than British survey finds By Sasha Fedorenko

International students continue to strive for top grades and encourage their UK classmates to work harder, a report published May 2015 by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and High Policy Institute (HEI) found. The report gathered the views of over 1,000 undergraduates, and found that the majority of the UK native full-time undergraduate scholars specified that oversea students work ‘much harder’ than they did. The survey found that on average Photograph © Les Roches International School of Hotel Management

Photograph © Jenni C

By Fergus Coltsmann

there’s already incredible improvements made to the lives of the thousands of refugees living in the camp. But with no government agencies or global charities working with them, Calais Kitchens survives solely on donations. This means a volunteering input is crucial to help feed thousands of refugees each week. Leon told pupils; “I just want you to be aware of what’s happening. We do this because we are all human beings. It’s very intense, of course, and you can work twelve hours a day. But these people are under pressure… it’s so challenging”. St. Augustine Priory School, last year, celebrated 100 years at their current site. Through the years the school has seen many changes, but the student body remains sustained and nourished by a strong belief in kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. These values are at the heart of the community and demonstrated by the charitable action that the school encourages in every pupil. Now St Augustine’s Priory is turning its attention to the refugee kitchens in Calais. Teachers will work closely with different age groups to make sure each one of them understands how those values are put in practice. “For young girls we will put leaflets in their bag, for older ones we will display the information in the notice boards and there will be communication to their parents,” said Tom Farmer, Communications Officer at the St. Augustine Priory. Rebecca Shoesmith, 16, is the driving force behind the school’s philanthropic endeavours. “I feel like we can do better. I just see people not doing much. I got so annoyed and decided to take the situation in my hands”, Rebecca commented. The school had a week to gather its target of 1,000 tins of fish but at the collection day 22nd March they counted an incredible amount of 1,400 tins of fish in total. The girls laid out a solid image of the fish on the grounds with the tins, depicting the Christian message of giving those in need.

British students spend around two hours less a week studying than their peers from EU countries and around half an hour a week less than nonEU international students. Factors that contribute to this, that the report highlighted are different cultural work ethics, social norms, and financial security. At the moment, 86 percent of undergraduate scholars in full-time UK higher education study alongside oversea students. The majority of undergraduates, 54 percent, think oversea pupils work ‘much harder’ or a ‘little harder’ than home learners, and a mere four percent think they work either ‘less hard’ or ‘much less hard'. The balance is made up by those who think they work the same, 33 percent, and by ‘don’t knows’, nine percent. The report revealed that undergraduates find studying with their international peers ‘useful preparation for working in a global environment'. Commentators suggest that foreign scholars have many positive effects on their British peers by bringing the rich mix of cultures, tolerance, and understanding which experience fosters to prepare students to contribute to the world as global citizens.

Photograph © Sasha Fedorenko

Heads decry new St. Augustine exams appeal Priory and Calais process Kitchen

April 2016

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Photograph © Policy Exchange

Education

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David Cameron’s ‘vision’ for schools

Toddlers falling behind without proper mental stimulation

By Sasha Fedorenko

By Fergus Coltsmann

he Prime Minister will begin manifesting his pledge, made in at the Tory party conference last autumn, to transform thousands of schools in England into academies. Academies operate outside of local authority control and get money directly from the central government. The Department for Education is expected to publish the draft legislation soon. The move will end the century-old role of local authorities as providers of education. David Cameron’s ‘new vision’ is based upon the stated desire of “putting power into the hands of headteachers and teachers rather than bureaucrats”, and whether they like it or not, huge swaths of power will fall into their hands. This includes setting term times, and giving principles full liberty to decide how to teach important subjects. The government argues that freedom from bureaucratic control will bring opportunities for innovation, better leadership, and higher attainment,

while others question whether greater independence will raise the potential for abuse and lapses in standards. Mr Cameron has accused local authorities of not taking action on failing schools in the past and promised that “failing schools will get taken over by academies”. This suggests that underperforming schools will be compelled to become academies whereas converted schools which have been previously outstanding or well-maintained institutions that have voluntarily became academies.

WESTMINSTER SCHOOL

www.westminster.org.uk

Save the Children and the Institute of Child Health at UCL have teamed up to produce a scientific briefing on the importance of early learning titled Lighting Up Young Britain, published on the 30th of March. In the briefing, experts warned that unless properly stimulated at nursery age, toddlers are at risk of falling behind their peers before even reaching school. Figures show that near 130,000 children a year are developmentally behind their peers when they join primary school. The briefing stressed that the pre-school years are vital for developing key skills in children, such as speech and language. Despite the importance of these years, polling data shows that most parents don’t realise this, and further, 56% say they don’t get enough help and advice to understand their children’s early learning period. Professor Torsten Baldeweg, Professor of Neuroscience and Child Health, from University College

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hen I go to wake the Small One up for school this morning he’s not in his bed. Something hard hits me on the back of the leg. The sound of shrieks and giggles and the words ‘April Fool’ emit from behind his bedroom door. The Eldest has recently undertaken the task of educating the Small One on his version of essential life knowledge. This includes ardently honouring any public holiday that involves presents, special food, or making a mess. Easter Sunday was a triple whammy of Easter eggs, an enormous lunch, and homemade Easter bonnets; the construction of which used an amount of glue that would hold a building together. Unfortunately, the Eldest is a little hazy with the details, leaving them very much open for the Small One’s interpretation. As a result my April Fool's’ Day trick is an egg in the back of the leg. Thank God it didn’t break, I have no idea how long he’s had it stashed up here but he usually plans these things with surprising foresight. I strike a deal with the Eldest after the egg debacle: if he promises to help the Middle One with a speech she has to learn for school then I won’t tell American Mom

London’s Institute of Child health, said: “Why is it important to stimulate children before they go to school? It is precisely this period where we have explosive brain growth, where most of the connections in the brain are formed. We need input to maintain them for the rest of our lives. And we know that if these connections are not formed they, to variable degrees, will suffer longer term consequences to their physical, cognitive but also emotional development. That’s perhaps one of the most important lessons we’ve learned from these studies - that these early years are absolutely critical. Much more must be done to boost children’s early learning.” Gareth Jenkins, Director of UK Poverty for Save the Children, added: “To tackle the nation’s education gap, we need a new national focus on early learning to give children the best start; not just increasing free childcare hours, but boosting nursery quality to help support children and parents with early learning.” Photograph © Implausible Places

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about his latest lesson with the Small One. The Small One redeems himself by making his St George’s Day outfit in silence and by cleaning up after himself. He did get confused and put the red glitter glue in the cake-decorating cupboard but he still deserves some credit. At least the glue’s non-toxic, this time. The Middle One’s speech is for part of her school’s celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Although I admire the school’s genderblind approach, I’m not sure that casting the Middle One as Bottom in the Year Seven adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is necessarily the best choice. She is coping with the inevitable teasing admirably. Bottom doesn’t conjure the most mature of responses even beyond Key Stage Three. As a result, the Middle One has been reluctant to learn her lines. It didn’t help that the first thing American Mom said when the Middle One told her about the part was that she had played Titania in her college production. Luckily, the Eldest is in a similar position and is showing a rare display of sympathy. He hasn’t even made the cast list for his school’s production of Macbeth. Instead, he will be wandering the streets of Chelsea dressed as a Medieval fool. The irony of the April Fool having come full circle is not lost on him.

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REAT ART stands on the shoulders of the giants that came before it, each month in Literature we take a look back on a famous book that was released on this month in history that has helped to broaden the literary canon. This month we’re cruising through L.A’s seedy underbelly with L.A. Confidential

Conformism wasn’t her thing, but freedom was. By Anna Bromley

L.A. Confidential By Max Feldman

The art world has an uneasy relationship with pulp, often deriding it as a guilty pleasure or something only to be enjoyed ‘ironically’. As a result genre fiction of all stripes can find itself trapped in something of a literary ghetto, blissfully untroubled by any notion of awards or critical recognition. James Ellroy’s series of novels (of which L.A. Confidential is the central cornerstone) didn’t so much break down the barrier between pulp and art as it did drunkenly drive a tank through it and set the remains on fire. Distorting the already seedy, morally ambiguous worlds of crime fiction titans like Raymond Chandler into a funhouse Tinseltown vision of hell; Ellroy envisaged 50’s L.A. as the City of Demons, where the L.A.P.D. aren’t so much the baddest gang in town as they are an occupying force; swaggering uniformed thugs who bring a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘military police’. In L.A. Confidential, Ellroy tells a multifaceted story of good and evil (or perhaps lesser and greater evil) in post-war Los Angeles. His primary protagonists are three LAPD officers who in a different kind of story would be the corrupt villains of the piece. The only reason they aren’t is that the department they move through has a tendency towards an even greater savagery than sthey are capable of. All three men are pulled into a nightmarish and complex case which starts with a gangland style massacre at the Nite Owl restaurant. Black hoodlums are blamed and soon after killed. This should be the end of the story. However for different reasons and at different times, all three cops independently pursue leads that suggest that the black hoodlums weren't the killers. In fact there may be a nexus of multiple conspiracies between the LAPD, business leaders, and local organized crime that really explains what happened. Ellroy’s thirteen strong central series of novels range from 1941 through to 1973 in what is broadly an uninterrupted narrative arc, but the third, L.A. Confidential, is the novel where the ‘Demon Dog’ of American crime fiction locked into the style that would define him. Having been told by his editors that his original 1000 page draft needed to be cut down by 600 and unwilling to cut a single subplot, Ellroy took the knife

Simone de Beauvoir:

to his sentences themselves, cutting out any extraneous weight ending up with a text that has the remorseless staccato beat of a machine gun: “Meeks smiled: Friendly guy, no harm meant. A make on the skinny guy: Mal Lunceford, A Hollywood Station harness bull- he used to ogle the carhops at Scrivener’s DriveIn, puffed out his chest to show off his pistol medals. The fat man, closer, said, ‘We got that airplane waiting’. Meeks swung the shotgun, triggered a spread.” Ellroy’s telegraphic style might turn some readers off, but then the novel is practically a Pandora’s box of potential offence. Racism, sexism, and horrific violence are the order of the day, everything is cranked up to such a volume that reading Ellroy can sometimes feel like a blow to the face. The excesses succeed in breaking through to a desensitized reader and help paint a vivid picture of the casual horror of festering grime pulsing under Hollywood’s sanitised surface. The novel is labyrinthine and complex in a way the (very enjoyable) famous film adaptation could only dream of being. The plot is borderline unrecognisable for those who come to the book from the film with the entire second half of the novel going in a completely different direction. Some may decry it as gratuitous or insensitive but Ellroy lit the way to a whole new way of telling crime stories with L.A. Confidential and critically acclaimed works from True Detective to The Wire are unimaginable without this blackhearted howl from the rotten underside of the City of Angels. Max Feldman

his month marks the 30th anniversary of feminist icon Simone de Beauvoir’s death. She was primarily known as an existential philosopher and novelist, but made contributions in a broad range of other fields: ethics, politics, and feminist theory included. In the mid-20th century she was admitted into the male dominated philosophical fold and her ideas hold potency today, a testimony to her vast and voluminous work. One such idea she investigated was the existential dilemma of freedom and constraint, with a particular focus upon women. “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” she writes in the cult-classic treatise The Second Sex, published in 1949. Women are not born anything. They overcome struggles and are determined by their choices. De Beauvoir brings attention to the ambiguities of how women can view themselves as oppressed and free, as an object of the male gaze and a free subject. Becoming a woman is not simply a matter of biology; it’s about learning to deal with unique female experiences in a positive way. “Madame de Beauvoir had a brilliant mind. She also had a wonderful body. Women win on both counts”, says Florence Montreynaud, a popular feminist author in France who has written about whether women today are still the “second sex”. De Beauvoir had a strict catholic

upbringing and originally intended to be a nun. But after she renounced her faith at the age of 12 she decided to dedicate her life to the study of existence. How funny then that later on in life the Vatican would decide to ban The Second Sex because it contained explicit passages describing lesbian fornication and graphic details on the functions of the female body. Paris was her intellectual breeding ground. Cafés, way before the phenomenon of branded coffee chains, were the backdrop to her writing, often sitting (and smoking) alongside JeanPaul Sartre. It is hard to talk about de Beauvoir without mentioning her life-long open relationship with Sartre. He was a philosopher, novelist, political activist, and they both influenced each other’s work in a big way. Throughout his life he espoused a form of Marxism; despising the fact that bourgeois values like class and capitalism seeped through the cracks of the Parisian society he lived in and commented upon. Not wanting to be defined by what they saw as rigid institutional norms, they never married and frequently had other lovers (this was back when gender roles were fully in play). A former lover of de Beauvoir, the film director Claude Lanzmann has shattered the common image of Beauvoir as cold and haughty, by saying that “She was the least austere of women. Funny, full of fun. She was a real woman, an out-and-out woman.” “She was like an open window” says Huguette Bouchardeau, a biographer of Beauvoir. Somewhere, amongst the scandals and the lovers was a woman that found the most pleasure in her work and insisted upon living freely without confines. Beauvoir will be remembered for the work and ideas she gave birth to. Her legacy lives on.

Photograph © Stephen Peringer

Literature

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April 2016

Literature

T. E. Lawrence and the Arab Revolt By Julia Cave

n the modern era, even for the most optimistic statesmen, the idea of a stable, unified Middle East seems like an impossible pipe dream. However, one hundred years ago, in 1916, the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire set out to achieve just that. Julia Cave explores the triumphs and betrayals of the revolution that set the Middle East on its present course and made Lawrence of Arabia a household name... On the 9th of Sha’ban (10th June 1916) in Mecca, the Grand Sherif Hussein fired a token rifle shot at a nearby barracks of the Ottoman army, in a symbolic declaration of what was nothing less than an Arab war of independence. Sitting at his desk in Cairo was Thomas Edward Lawrence, a young intelligence officer, archaeologist, and map maker, later to be known as Lawrence of Arabia. An Oxford graduate, he acquired an affinity and love for Arab language and customs during his time excavating at the Hittite site of Carchemish in Syria: “I have grown to like this place very much: and the people here and the whole manner of living pleases me”. For 400 years, most of the Middle East had suffered under the oppressive rule of the Ottoman Empire. Secret negotiations between the Allies and the Arab leaders had been underway for some time. As Lawrence wrote later in Seven Pillars of Wisdom: “Some Englishmen, of whom Kitchener was chief, believed that a rebellion of

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Arabs against the Turks would enable England, while fighting Germany, simultaneously to defeat her ally Turkey”. As noted by the Arab historian Suleiman Mousa, “The Arab Revolt was a national movement and very important as far as the Arabs were concerned: it meant Renaissance, it meant an awakening of a great nation. It was the expression of the national and self-pride of a whole people.” Lawrence had been waiting for just such a moment. From his earliest days in the Middle East, he’d conceived a vision of a United Arabia, freed from Ottoman rule, benevolently steered towards independence by Britain. He was fuelled by a genuine passion for the rights of the Arab people, but there was personal ambition too: “All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible. This I did. I meant to make a new nation, to restore a lost influence, to give 20 millions of Semites the foundations on which to build an inspired dream-palace of their national thoughts.” But the dream palace was to be built on tenuous foundations. The British and the French began to pour weapons and equipment into the rebellion. The Arabs were led to believe that their cooperation would ensure their freedom when the conflict was over, that when they reached their goal, Damascus, they would once again rule it. But far away in Europe, Britain’s Sir Mark Sykes and France’s Georges Picot were reaching a secret agreement that would divide and reinvent the Middle East into the configuration we see today. Lawrence was to act as Liaison Officer and he set out to choose which of the Sherif ’s four sons should be the leader. When he met the third son, Prince Feisal, he wrote: “I felt at first glance that this was the man I had come to Arabia to seek: the leader who would bring the Arab Revolt to full glory .... Feisal asked me if I would wear Arab clothes. The tribesmen ... would behave towards me as though I was really one of the leaders. I agreed at once very gladly.” Lawrence realised early on, and persuaded the Allies, that the strength of the Arab fighting men lay not in formal military tactics but in the centuries old tradition of guerilla warfare. “Most wars were wars of contact. Ours should be a war of detachment. We were to contain the enemy by the silent threat

of a vast unknown desert.” Said Moussa: “Lawrence was very popular with the Bedouin because he imitated their ways. He lived with them as one of them. And he ate the food they ate, he rode the camels as they rode.” But even as he rode north to Akaba with the gathering tribes, Lawrence was becoming more and more distressed by the growing trust the Arab leaders had placed in his word, having by now discovered the Allies' plan to divide the Middle East. “Not being a perfect fool, I could see that if we won the war the promises to the Arabs were dead paper... Yet the Arab inspiration was our main tool in winning the Eastern war. So I assured them that England kept her word in letter and spirit. But of course instead of being proud of what we did together I was continually and bitterly ashamed.” The attack on Akaba was a complete success. While the Arabs were celebrating, Lawrence took news of it to Allied Headquarters in Cairo. General Allenby, the British Commander-inChief, had been much impressed by Lawrence and was persuaded by him to see the real potential of the Arab Revolt as a vital part of the Allies’ Strategic plan. Now the Hejaz railway became the main target of the Arab attacks. Lawrence and the Arabs were able to dynamite the line almost anywhere along the six hundred mile stretch to Medina. On 9th December 1917, Jerusalem fell to the Allies. Two days later, Allenby entered the city. Lawrence attended as a member of Allenby’s personal staff. Deeply moved by this historic occasion, he wrote “For me it was the supreme moment of the war”. Lawrence, with units of the Arabs and Allied armies, finally entered Damascus on October 1st 1918. Turkish rule in the city had collapsed and no-one was left to make a formal surrender. For the first time, Allenby and Feisal met face to face and Lawrence had the unenviable job of interpreting the message that the Arabs were not to have the independence they had been promised and that Syria would be a French Protectorate. A disillusioned and emaciated Lawrence returned home to Oxford to write his account of the Arab Revolt, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Authentic Existentialists By Fergus Coltsmann

When one hears the word ‘existentialist’, the image that it probably brings to mind is of a black turtleneck sporting scruffy teenager or student, hunched over a tattered copy of L'Étranger, surviving solely off coffee, wine, and rollies. All this in the name of imitating

a bunch of Parisians they probably don't know much about. An unfortunate stereotype, one which mars a rather interesting collection of people (not all of whom were French). Not that any of them, French or not, were really happy with the application of that label to themselves. Albert Camus once quipped “No, I am not an existentialist. Sartre and I are always surprised to see our names linked…,” while Jean-Paul and Castor reportedly just begrudgingly put up with the term. Castor, meaning beaver, was Simone de Beauvoir, who, according to some sources, went even further than Camus and didn’t even consider herself a philosopher. Add to this that Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche are both considered (proto-)existentialists who didn’t use the term themselves and whose theoretical support of later existentialism cannot be certain, and we have a whole bunch of people being called existentialists, but only the aforementioned Stranger obsessive types call themselves existentialists. This makes it understandable why the Colin Wilson lookalikes have hijacked the term. It is ironic that a philosophy (or mood, [or both]) which holds authenticity as one of its central tenets is so closely associated with so many poseurs. (But, as is the case with so much philosophy, ‘authenticity’ has a slightly different meaning here.) The point is so aptly missed for the mistake to seem intentional, some sort of joke. Yes, they all hung around Parisian cafés drinking coffee and wine and smoking. Yes, some wore turtlenecks. But they were the real deal, creators not consumers. And one supposes they’d earned it, since many of them contributed to the clandestine Résistance press, though Sartre copped out early, but Camus was more involved in it, all against the background terror of Nazi-occupied France. And Sartre later faced bomb attacks from far-right paramilitary groups due to his political views. One should, of course, not gloss over their faults; Martin Heidegger was an established Nazi and probably pretty sympathetic to their beliefs even after the war. Sartre was chronically self-indulgent, and de Beauvoir serially seduced her students before (allegedly) offering them up to Sartre. Though that only counts as a fault from certain points of view, as the two were all for sexual liberation. The word ‘existentialist’ should paint a complicated picture, of freedom and responsibility, of political activism, and of lives not to be imitated but lived. So don’t roll your eyes at L'Étranger, but challenge them, engage and be authentic with them. And test their français (or German, for that matter). Compiled and edited by Emma Trehane MA, Ph.D

April April/May 2016 2011

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

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Poetry

N ACT II OF THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF SHAKESPEARE’S DEATH we once again turn our attentions to Stratford-upon-Avon’s favourite literary son for inspiration. There are a number of poets who have famously written poetic tributes that reinforce his value as a global icon and the yardstick by which we continue to measure literary genius. On Shakespeare. 1630 by John Milton, for example, imagines Shakespeare’s immortality through his artistic creations and in the sonnet Shakespeare, Matthew Arnold suggests he is unparalleled as a poet and dramatist.

On Shakespeare, 1630

by John Milton

What needs my Shakespeare for his honoured bones, The labor of an age in pilèd stones, Or that his hallowed relics should be hid Under a star-ypointing pyramid? Dear son of Memory, great heir of fame, What need’st thou such weak witness of thy name? Thou in our wonder and astonishment Hast built thyself a live-long monument. For whilst to th’ shame of slow-endeavouring art, Thy easy numbers flow, and that each heart Hath from the leaves of thy unvalued book Those Delphic lines with deep impression took, Then thou, our fancy of itself bereaving, Dost make us marble with too much conceiving; And so sepúlchred in such pomp dost lie, That kings for such a tomb would wish to die.

Shakespeare

by Matthew Arnold 1822-1888 Others abide our question. Thou art free. We ask and ask—Thou smilest and art still, Out-topping knowledge. For the loftiest hill, Who to the stars uncrowns his majesty, Planting his steadfast footsteps in the sea, Making the heaven of heavens his dwelling-place, Spares but the cloudy border of his base To the foil'd searching of mortality; And thou, who didst the stars and sunbeams know, Self-school'd, self-scann'd, self-honour'd, self-secure, Didst tread on earth unguess'd at.—Better so! All pains the immortal spirit must endure, All weakness which impairs, all griefs which bow, Find their sole speech in that victorious brow.

hile Shakespeare’s status as a literary giant extends beyond the reach of normal criticism, there is an alternative view that he is the product of overzealous national pride and excessive bard-worshiping. The actual 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death is the 23rd of April 2016. So, for those readers experiencing a Shakespearean sensory overload we thought it might be enlightening to include some passages that compare and contrast bardolotry with some writers’ personal dislike for the Shakespeare’s works. Leo Tolstoy, in Shakespeare and the Drama, shows that there was a real concern among writers that envisaging Shakespeare as demigod had done little for the artistic world other than leave writers failing to believe in themselves, their abilities, their experiences, or their contributions to the world. Voltaire, writing on Shakespeare in the eighteenth century, was renowned for his disdain of the English who he considered worshiping Shakespeare for his reputation rather than his works. He writes: “he has been their taste for two hundred years; and what is the taste of a nation for two hundred years, will be so for two thousand: this taste becomes a religion; and there is in your country a great many fanatics in regard to Shakespeare”. In an era of genuine concerns for the disintegration of morality Voltaire’s concerns arguably had validity. George Bernard Shaw in a theatre review from 1896 wrote of Cymbeline that it was: “stagey trash of the lowest melodramatic order, in parts

abominably written, throughout intellectually vulgar, and judged in point of thought by modern intellectual standards, vulgar, foolish, offensive, indecent, and exasperating beyond all tolerance”. Shaw who was writing on the cusp of the 20th century looked to realism and modernity to inspire contemporary playwrights and poets in the Theatre and Arts and hoped that what he saw as the fantastical and immoral writings of the Early Modern Period would be left firmly in the past. For example, we rarely see the kind of attack on Shakespeare that Shaw offers here: “With the single exception of Homer, there is no eminent writer, not even Sir Walter Scott, whom I can despise so entirely as I despise Shakespeare [...]. The intensity of my impatience with him occasionally reaches such a pitch, that it would positively be a relief to me to dig him up and throw stones at him”. Milton, Voltaire, Arnold, Tolstoy, and Shaw’s writings span the 400 years since Shakespeare’s death. All were informed by the diverse places, times, and societies in which they lived. Yet, what is indisputable is that despite the personal tastes of these writers all contributed to the extraordinary endurance of Shakespeare’s legacy and have contributed as to why we continue to celebrate this most famous of literary figures. Compiled and edited by Emma Trehane MA, Ph.D

April 2016

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Food & Flowers

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

This month’s recipe

By Limpet Barron

This dish is cooked in two halves, then combined. Start with the clams. They should be fresh, close their shells when tapped, and have no damage to their shells. Discard any that are no good. Put the clams in a colander and wash thoroughly under cold water to remove any traces of sand. In a large cookpot put a dash of olive oil, and lightly sauté the garlic and shallot for a few minutes on a low heat until they are soft, add the butter and melt, then stir in the white wine until well combined, then season. Drop the clams into the mix and cover and simmer for a couple of minutes before adding the peas and half the parsley. Continue to simmer until the clams are just cooked, but no more. Whilst this is happening, you can prepare the hake. Lightly oil and season the fillets, then pan fry in a hot griddle pan. Start with the skin side down, and cook until crisp, then carefully flip them over for a further minute to 90 secs until cooked. They can rest in the pan away from the heat. Plate the hake first, trim the clams of their foot and any black intestine, then cover the hake with the clams and sauce, scattering a little parsley to garnish.

Serves 4 4 x Hake portions, approx. 225g, skin on 2-3 Razor clams per portion, depending on size 200g peas Knob of butter 200ml white wine Half a clove of garlic, finely chopped 1 shallot, finely chopped Tbsp. of chopped parsley Seasoning Dash of cream Olive oil to coat the hake

Hake and Razor clams Cauliflower Image ©Marlith

Asparagus

Food & Flowers Asparagus Purple Sprouting Broccoli Rhubarb Garlic leaf (delicious in mashed potatoes) Romanesque Cauliflower Salmon

Mackerel

Lamb

Sea Bass Mackerel Spring Lamb Forsythia Fritillaria Anemone Blossom Tulips Daffodils Narcissus

Photograph © David Hughes

020 7738 2348

April April/May 2016 2011

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Zayane: Morocco in North Kensington Photograph © Zayane

By Cynthia Pickard

gembri, a sort of lute, and singing his plaintive gnawa, African Islamic spiritual music. The Cardamom Set Cream with Pear was good but short on the pear, I think we were craving a palate cleanser at this point, the Raspberry Clafoutis was just right, plenty of raspberry! We naturally finished this most enjoyable meal with mint tea. Although some more sophisticated and refined techniques have been introduced and non-Moroccan ingredients such as Cornish crab, Sussex beef, sea trout, and rhubarb, the essence of Moroccan cuisine has been retained and some of the dishes seemed little different from those I had sampled in Marrakech the previous week. Zayane also offers a Sunday Brunch, fresh juices, light bites, and snacks and a working lunch that looks like very good value with two courses at £15 and three for £18. Zayane 91 Golborne Road, London W10 5NL T: 020 8960 1137 www.zayanerestaurant.com Open Mon-Fri, 10am-12pm & Sat-Sun, 11am-12pm

n the 1960’s one never ventured to the nether end of Portobello Road, the frontier to the Golborne Road was not to be crossed. However the Notting Hill effect has arrived, with trendy shops and restaurants and a pavement widening scheme which will give space for outdoor dining; Golborne is here, and with it, the charming Zayane. I was doubly keen to try this recently opened Moroccan restaurant having just returned from Marrakech. The welcoming owner, Casablanca born Meryem Mortell, has taken on Michelin starred chef Chris Bower to enhance the Moroccan menu with a British twist. The Zayane Platter of six little salad dishes set us up with tapenades, purees, and Chermoula of tomato and peppers. (When Moroccans use the word ‘salad’ it has nothing to do with lettuce and cucumber.) I started with one of my favourite dishes, a Pastille, this one filled with quail, the meat encased in a delicate crispy envelope accompanied by a finely shredded slaw with mango and orange blossom dressing. My companion opted for the delicate and fresh Scallop Chermoula with chick peas, followed by the deep and rich Roast Lamb Tagine with aubergine caponata. It seemed a trick was missed by roasting the lamb rather than slow cooking it in the tagine. I went all out and ordered the excellent Poached Lobster with baby root vegetable in a carrot and cumin cream sauce. The fresh spices are beautifully balanced in all the dishes so that you can really taste each one individually. We had a short rest while we listened to the musician playing his goatskin

Launch of the new Outdoor Terrace

Specialist cocktails are available and an excellent wine list. Richard Moore is General Manager, Butty McConville is Marketing Manager and Sean Jackson is the Bar Manager. Sean Burbidge is the Executive Chef. A great team. When you visit you will not be disappointed with any aspect of the new Ivy Kensington Brasserie Terrace. Marian Maitland

Magnolia and white roses, symbolic of International Women’s Day, were beautifully arranged and white rose candles from the White Company scented the air. Dessert was lavender macaroons and mini lemon meringue tarts which were delicious. The Terrace is open for morning coffee, lunch, tea, and dinner. Brunch is available at weekends. The all day menu, available from 11.30 am until late, includes grilled whole lobster with parsley, garlic, and thick chips; and also brioche crumbed chicken milanese with fried hen’s egg and black truffles. Dessert includes a mouth watering chocolate bombe with milk foam, vanilla ice cream with a honeycomb centre together with hot, salted caramel sauce.

Good Dining, Vietnam!

at the Ivy Kensington Brasserie

The new Terrace at the Ivy Kensington Brasserie opened in March with sophistication and panache. The event incorporated a Celebration of International Women’s Day. The Brasserie and its new Terrace are situated in a vibrant area near the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace, and the splendid shops of High Street Kensington. The terrace is behind the restaurant and its entrance is on Kensington Church Walk. It adds al fresco dining to the restaurant facilities. The roof is retractable (useful!) and it has ceiling to wall windows with a leafy outlook. The atmosphere is both intimate and chic. The interior is by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, British and classic in style, it is welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. The antique pewter bar is a striking feature. During the launch, which was attended by Amber Le Bon, Sarah Ann Macklin, Martha Fiennes, Amanda Eliasch, and Sophie Michell, guests happily imbibed the excellent Ivy Collection Champagne, accompanied by delectable truffle arancini, duck croquettes, truffled chicken gougere, and wasabi prawns. White flowers,

96 Kensington High Street W8 4SG Opening Times: Mon-Fri 7.30 am-11 pm Last entry 10 pm Sat 8 am-11.30 pm. Last entry 10pm Sun 9am-10.30pm Last entry 10pm www.theivykensingtonbrasserie.com T: 020 3301 0500

www.temtep.co.uk A new lunch and dining experience: Vietnamese in Kensington Freshly prepared with a touch of spice. A healthy and tasty menu, that delivers flavourful and beautifully presented food Different and delightful. Don’t forget the delicious Vietnamese filtered coffee from Trung Nguyen

Home Delivery: Deliveroo

www.deliveroo.co.uk

135 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 7LP for reservations & takeaways: 020 7792 7816 Mon-Thurs 11.30-15.00. 1700-2230 Fri 11.30-15.00. 1700-2300. Sat 11.30-2300. Sun 11.30-2230.

Photograph © Ivy Kensington Brasserie

Dining Out

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April 2016

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Dining Out Theo’s Simple Italian

at Hotel Indigo, Barkston Gardens, SW5 By David Hughes

Photographs © David Hughes

sk most people to define Earls Court, and you will get an answer along the line of “buzzy, and full of Australians working in bars, saving up enough to drink a few tinnies in front of the rugby, followed by a bit of travelling”. But happily it’s got many facets that don’t conform to this stereotype. Earls Court Rd itself still has the pleasing traits of an old fashioned high street, though perhaps rather more fast food outlets than butchers, bakers and candlestick makers these days, and just

off this well beaten track you have the Indigo. The frontage gives no clue that’s it’s got over a 100 rooms, and Theo’s Simple Italian restaurant situated to the right of the reception provides a welcoming and classy addition to the neighbourhood. The avowed aim is to make this a little less high church than the flagship Theo Randall at the Intercontinental on Hyde Park Corner, and although you are still aware that you are in a hotel, it’s not anodyne. I’m a big fan of good Italian cooking, so rather than ramble on too much about the décor (comfortable, modern, wood and marble) let’s eat. After a glass of red, and a craft beer we have a look at the menu, which encourages a bit of sharing. M and I go for broke. We order Polenta chips, Fritto Misto, Papadelle with Oxtail ragout and Veal, Beef & Pork Meatballs as a combined starters. You can only contemplate this sort of hedonism if you have had an early breakfast, and skipped lunch, but it’s worth doing. The polenta was lightly draped with a garlic, parsley and anchovy sauce, and was surrounded by crispy sage leaves. Slightly chewy for fans of melt-in-your-mouth, but perfect for those who like a bit more bite to their polenta. The meatballs were in a spicy sauce, pleasingly rare, and laced with strands of chewy burrata. Delicious, and if the EU food police are looking to come out with another directive, may I suggest “All

Meatballs Should Be Made This Way”. The Fritto Misto is perfectly cooked in an almost dry batter that releases the individual flavours of the calamari, red mullet, courgette and prawns, though the dipping sauce could perhaps do with a little more zing. We saved the almost comically wide handmade papadelle to last. I don’t know why some styles of pasta have more appeal than others, but I have to say that papadelle speaks to me. I also like a ragout with a bit of substance, and the whole chunks of oxtail made it a gloriously rich, gelatinous and rustic experience. On recommendation, I went with a glass of the excellent Nero D’Avola, which is great value at less than £6 per glass before service. After a short pause M’s Sea Bream and my Seafood Stew arrived. Head chef William Leoni was with Theo at the Intercontinental, and the culinary bloodline is very evident; what you get here loses nothing by way of quality and presentation over the restaurant in Park Lane. The Sea Bream is delicate, the braised fennel flows alongside, and the slightly more acidic elements of the tomatoes and capers give it some depth. There’s a light scattering of olives and chopped herbs, and a base of sautéed potatoes with skins to add more flavour. A dish that reminds you that Italy has some of the world’s finest ingredients at its fingertips.

Seafood chef Nathan Outlaw’s only London restaurant in the heart of Knightsbridge.

Michelin starred seafood, delivered daily from Cornwall. Caught by fishermen the team know well.

The Seafood Stew is set on a crostini, and consists of prawns, clams, mussels, red mullet set within a lobster bisque style sauce. Filling, rich, spicy, and obligingly also brilliant with the Nero D’Avola. Luciano is manning the floor tonight, and tentatively asks about desserts. There’s still a notch or two left on the belt, and I submit. We share Amalfi lemon tart and a white chocolate tart with a very pokey chilli chocolate sauce, which is M’s cue for a grappa. A couple of coffees later, and it’s time to re-join the bustle of Earls Court, well fed, and very happy.

Verdict: the Theo Randall brand quality shines through, and this is the sort of place you could happily visit as your regular Friday night treat without breaking the bank. Reservations on 020 7370 9130

Set lunch menu 2/3 courses £24/£29 BYO Thursdays A la carte menu £45/£55/£75 Whisky & cheese pairing classes 2 private dining rooms 22-24 Basil Street Knightsbridge, SW3 1AT

020 7591 1202 capitalhotel.co.uk

April April/May 2016 2011

Photograph © The Prince Albert

Dining Out

By Max Feldman

n a post-Wetherspoons world where noise complaints and spiralling rents can get a pub closed down in less time than it takes to mix a G&T, finding a pub that straddles the line between a pleasant Sunday afternoon out with the family and all night liver destroying lock-in is harder than one might imagine. The Albert, a newly remodelled gastro-

pub opposite Battersea Park, might lean closer to the familial side of that equation but when KCW Today were invited to sample their wares, there was a noticeable charge in the pubs’ lively atmosphere that suggested that The Prince Albert might have more kick to it than its charmingly modelled exterior (more pubs should consider installing immense

Orée

warning sign, but here perhaps merely an unfortunate oversight that slightly subtracts from the overall atmosphere. While waiting for my late companion, I sipped at an espresso and chewed at a bread basket, though the bread was actually served in a sack. The coffee on the watery side, but the bread, when sweetened with jam and marmalade, was satiating enough until said late companion (also a young writer, hopefully, a prophetic quirk of fate) arrived. He went for the Eggs Benedict while I tried the smoked salmon tartine, with a self-spritzed glass of Blanc to wash it all down. The tartine was perfectly balanced, the thinly sliced, crisp cucumber top complementing the flavour of the salmon and the smooth cream cheese, all wonderfully held together by the bread and multiplied by the faint hints of lemon zest. The Eggs Benedict oozed a deep and dark and rich yellow over the plate, and was equally deep and rich to sample, slightly spicier than one might expect, which serves to raise it above anything run of the mill. Orée lends itself to meals, suitable for breakfast or lunch, more than it does to popping in for a coffee, though if one wishes to sit and write and emulate Hemingway then the wine is more appropriate anyway. The bread, meals, coffee, sparkling water, and a glass of wine would only set one back £30 odd, which makes the experience seem ample despite its lightness. A welcome addition to the Fulham Road, in all.

Photograph © Orée

By Fergus Coltsmann

A recent leafing through of Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, his memoirs of being a young writer in Paris who spends huge chunks of his time hanging out in cafés with other famous writers and artists, put me in exactly the right mood to enjoy Orée, a French patisserie and boulangerie brand beginning its march on the capital. The location was previously two shops, so the dining area is separated from the counter service, however, one doesn’t feel deprived of space. The cool white and pastel blue walls, adorned with large, faux bruised mirrors, and flanked by an enormous window out onto the Fulham Road makes for an airy space, forcing the marble surface tops to work with it rather than allowing them to add too much weight or formality. Should one wish a more secluded, intimate setting, hidden away toward the back is a table set away from the rest of the room and its voyeuristic window. The only design choice that could be queried are the laminated menus, usually a

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The Prince Albert

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Orée 275-277 Fulham Road, SW10 9NY

Ghostbusters-style stone hounds to guard their front doors) would suggest. The interior faintly resembles a library with most of the walls reassuringly stacked with leather bound tomes (which includes a first edition of War & Peace, if for some strange reason that’s the kind of thing that decides you on where you do your drinking) including a cosy upstairs area replete with its own cocktail bar and a roaring fire called the Bridge Room. I must warn any enthusiasts that the Bridge Room didn’t seem to feature any actual games of bridge, but a closer examination did uncover enough high quality gin to lay out a whole troupe of Victorian prostitutes, which should hopefully serve as a salve for any disappointed Bridge players. After a quick peruse of War and Peace, we reconvened into the very spacious pub garden for a discussion of how Tolstoy blended his fictional creation with real historical characters and how much Jagermeister could one person drink in a night before his companions would be morally obligated to stage an intervention. Pub gardens tend towards having the ‘garden’ part of the sentence serve as a cruel joke, but

Shepherd Market Wine House 21-23 Shepherd Market London W1J 7PN 020 7499 8555 By Fergus Coltsmann

Painted, inside and out, almost exclusively in a powerful mustard yellow, if it were not for the wooden chairs, tables, and wine racks, Shepherd Market Wine House would ooze overwhelmingly into the mind, but the light brown furnishings take the edge of the deep yellow and settle it down to palatable levels, creating a relaxed yet distinct environment to sip at a glass of wine and nibble at a plate of cheese and cured meat. A wine bar set over two floors, each divided into two rooms by an arch, there’s a deceptively large amount of space while remaining cosy, each

unlike the dispiriting prison yard spaces Britain so often finds itself drinking in, The Prince Albert’s offers smokers and sun-worshippers alike space to stretch out and argue the finer points about Russian literature and how it’s someone else’s round. Frequenters of the pre-refurbished Prince Albert might be disappointed to learn that Guinness is now off the menu, with only John Smith ale to replace it, so perhaps cross it off your St Patrick’s Day list, but otherwise the Albert offers a decent selection of cocktails and drafts at a slightly cheaper price than you’d be likely to find them at on the King’s Road’s watering holes. For those strange people who don’t take all their sustenance liquid, The Prince Albert offers a full kitchen which we saw fellow customers tearing into with a hearty relish, which at a glance seemed to be ideal fare for a lazy Sunday lunch (if not the frantic Saturday evening we were embarked on). If you’re in the mood for a scenic locale to sink a few pints in a civilised (but not too civilised...) locale then the Prince Albert’s got plenty of life left in it. 85 Albert Bridge Road, SW11 4PF.

room feeling intimate. The wide windows create a sense of openness on the top floor, while the basement offers a more secluded setting. The wine, obviously, is varied and all to highest quality. While there is anything that could conceivably take one’s fancy, the Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2010 is particularly noteworthy; a fine English sparkling wine, commendable for its slightly complex aroma. A mix of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier (51, 36, and 13 percent respectively), the vintage benefitted from a dry spring and summer, allowing for a gradual ripening process, creating an elegant and delicate soft golden drink. As a destination, it's relaxed enough to serve as a place to pop in over a lunch break and get some work done, and stylish enough to impress a date in the evening, and familiar enough to be the background to a catch up with old friends. Remarkably, it is all these things and more, with wines a plenty to satisfy the connoisseur who has come to treat their palate. One, of course, cannot talk about a wine bar in Shepherd Market without referencing its infamous past as a stomping ground for artists, writers, and upmarket prostitutes. The last two most famously clashed in the case of Jeffrey Archer and Monica Coghlan, when the Tory politician and later author was caught with Lady of the Night Monica. While perhaps not as... bohemian as it once was, Shepherd Market does retain its distinctive flair, and the Wine House slips in rather well.

Photograph © SMWH

April 2016

Gentlemen’s Fashion

Dandy About Town The Dandy Seducer By John Springs

pring is in the air and with it all the joys and expectations of that old sap rising, the scent from one’s boutonniere filtering upwards in the heady breeze; a Dandy is always a young man at heart, and sometimes his heart is in his mouth when all these lilting fragrances can lead to romance. In early Springtime, the Beau Brummel strode out in St James’s in blue coat, buff coloured waistcoat, and black trousers. His fair to reddish hair ravishing in the coarse fresh sunlight, he was the height of Apollo with an air of disdain and alert irony. Spring is in the air indeed, and a Dandy must suffer further for his foolish ways; life may well be an undeserving cause but the weight of responsibility, like being in the grip of love, which has been scientifically proved to tighten the flexor muscles, clench the scalp (one can go down a hat size), and quite literally narrow the heart. Love is an overreaction to a normal bodily function, in the end. But unlike the awful Stewart Granger movie that portrayed the Beau as a rabid, scandalous scallywag, the Beau’s singular style was simplicity: “No scents, but plenty of fresh linen, country bleached”. He had his mirror. Commitment can lead to inflexible domestic arrangements at best. In affairs of the heart, the Italians have a clear advantage here, none less than one Gabriele Rapagnetta; poet, aviator, seducer, proto-fascist, dandy, and duellist. What’s in a name? Quite a lot it would seem for him to transform himself into the Angel Gabriel of the Annunciation, or rather, Gabriele d’Annunzio. Short, prematurely bald, and bug-eyed, he nonetheless struck quite a dash despite his “funny little crenelated unhealthy teeth”. “He enters like a character from an Italian comedy”, noted René Boylesve, “one can imagine him with a hump”. Once proud of his “forest of curls”, he blamed his baldness on having liquid iron perchlorate poured onto his bleeding head after being wounded in a duel. His seduction technique usually involved the lady in question being shown into a sitting room filled with roses and stiflingly hot.

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online: www.KCWToday.co.uk The host arrives in a silk kimono and drenched in Acqua Nuntia, a scent he formulated from a fourteenth century manuscript, decanted into pint sized murano glass bottles with a black label of his own design. Perhaps being an Italian would be the only way of getting away with such a display. A Modenese friend of mine keeps insisting how much he enjoys stretching and exercising his definable Italian presence, refining it, almost like a hobby and when the moment arrives, has the ability to tone it up a notch or two for immediate effect. Flirtation, he begins, is the switch key to start turning over the cylinders. He should know. The great Porfirio Rubirosa, sportsman and dandy, certainly had his priorities right, when after marrying the heiress Barbara Hutton, he immediately ran off to pay his overdue tailor’ss bill at Cifonelli. He knew the value of remaining ‘elegant’; he was never known to utter an unkind word of the many women in his life, rich or poor. Even when money got tight, he insisted in still driving a Ferrari, “how awful to be killed in anything else?” In the early hours of July 5 1965 on the Bois de Boulogne the steering column of his speeding Ferrari crushed his chest in the terrible accident, his last words, whispering the name of the young hatcheck girl he had recently met. Duellists seem to make excellent lovers though, and it makes sense. In the Golden Rule Book along with “Deny, deny, and deny. Confessions are for amateurs” and “always fake jealousy, it’ll serve you well”, is “get close enough, but not too close, persevering all the time”. My seduction wardrobe advice for this Spring is inspired by the great d’Annunzio. Eau de Cologne from Turnbull and Asser, Jermyn Street, SW1, a surprisingly light and fresh daytime scent at only £25.00. A bit more for a pint of it. At New And Lingwood, also at Jermyn Street, SW1, nothing goes as well with a boutonnière than a bright stiff collar and neckband shirt. My choice is the blue poplin cotton collarless shirt at £135.00 and a stiff white turndown collar, £20.00. If you want to go the whole kimono, there’s nothing to stop you buying the quite stunning William Morris inspired artichoke embroidery silk dressing gown with velvet shawl collar, made to order, if you can bear to wait, at £2,500.00. John Springs is a painter and caricaturist. He has worked for major newspapers and magazines such as The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator and The New Yorker. Limited edition prints of his Dandy drawings are available from the artist. www. johnsprings.com

Illustration © John Springs

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Gardening

Great Dixter House & Garden Great Dixter Northiam, Rye, East Sussex TN33 6PH

n aged, majestic mulberry tree, evoking its Oriental origins, holds sway in an east Sussex garden. Bearer of succulent fruit for man and green leaves for silkworms, its branches fan downwards as they caress the rich earth. This garden surrounds an historic house and they are both the inspired creations of Christopher Lloyd (1921-2006), horticulturist, author, and gardener, who made them his beloved home. Here the countryside, brimming with wildness and life filled meadows, merges with a semi-formal garden planted by the hand of man and decorated with vestiges of earlier bucolic life. Christopher respectfully understood how to work with Nature and he nurtured and arranged her gifts into artistically perfect scenes. Rarely does Man and Nature come together in such visual harmony. The genius and spirit of Christopher Lloyd lives on in his garden, which is now lovingly cared for by Fergus Garrett, also a writer, distinguished horticulturist, and world famous innovative plantsman. Fergus leads an energetic and enthusiastic team. He is also the Chief Executive of the Great Dixter Charitable

Trust, which owns the property. During my visit, I was honoured to meet Fergus, who clearly loves Great Dixter, and he explained to me “Great Dixter is quirky, individual, not everyone's cup of tea because it is wild, full of colour, full of the countryside coming in to meet the garden”. The planting by Fergus in this garden is sophisticated with combinations of rare and unusual plants. Some are very exotic. Christopher met Fergus in 1988 and made him his Head Gardener in 1993. Both men loved plants and were interested in innovation and experimentation. Together they developed the garden from its early beginnings. The house consists of a 15th century building into which a yeoman’s 16th century house was incorporated. There were several additions during its history. The sweep of the tiled roof, tall chimneys, and small leaded casement

windows are evidence of Edwin Lutyens’ design work. Nathaniel Lloyd, a keen follower of the Arts and Crafts Movement, bought the property in 1910 and commissioned Edwin Lutyens to restore the house and design the garden. Sir John George Thorold collaborated with him. Nathaniel’s wife, Daisy, took a great interest in the garden design. She and Nathaniel brought up their six children there and the youngest, Christopher, inherited the house and garden. Many principal medieval features of the house remain and the Great Hall, with its hammer beam roof, is very impressive. Several rooms can be seen on a visit, including the Solar Room and the Parlour. The furniture, mostly collected by Nathaniel, contains some fine examples of 15th and 16th century French and Italian designs, and the English Georgian pieces are very pleasing. Modern furniture designed by Christopher is also on view.

Your first glimpse of Great Dixter will be of the meadow when entering the gate. Christopher’s mother rejoiced in this area, with its wild daffodils, snakeshead fritillaries, and the flourishing camassia quamash. Walk along the paths paved with ancient York Stone, once used for London roads before the days of tarmac, and notice old well heads, now planted, Lutyens’ circular steps covered with lichen and moss. Notice the flower laden stone troughs, sinks, pillars of old tiles, and ancient garden tools rusting away. Here the poetry of Virgil’s Bucolics and Horace’s Odes echo in a timeless scene. The living architecture of the English Yew hedge topiary is an important feature of this garden and there are many different gardens to view. The Solar Garden is very attractive with its large area of bedding and bay tree adorned with white Japanese anemones; and I love the sunk garden where the Yew hedge reflects the staggered terraces surrounding it, thus giving repose and harmony. The joy of the long border awaits you. Mixed borders were originally designed by Robert James and much copied. Christopher pioneered the idea and explained it in his book The Mixed Border in the Modern Garden. The herbaceous border faded away. Christopher's style is based on contrasts and luxurious drafts rather than harmonies, giving an episodic effect in a series of set pieces, rather than progression. “If Great Dixter is loved and retains its own identity everything else will fall into place” Christopher Lloyd, November 2005. Marian Maitland

April 2016

Lifestyle

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Spa to You

London Hilton Park Lane By Emma Trehane

Cold-Press Juices: The Benefits By Sasha Fedorenko

hen the cold season is getting the better of us that’s when we struggle to get out bed, shiver all of the time, and endlessly crave fatty foods. A cold climate, without much sunlight, can cause us to run low on Vitamin D, which helps germs spread faster, making us more vulnerable to infections and flu. And that’s only half of the problem. We’re most likely to gain weight too when it’s cold, wet, and dark; and our happiness levels drop which makes us constantly nibble on high-sugar foods to gain a rush. While such factors play the same role in making us feeling miserable during the cold periods, the only way out is to arm yourself with cold-pressed juices, beverages with great sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (such as flavonoids) which will help you fight the cold term depression. Navigating through all the different labels on the food market, CPress Juice (285 Fulham Rd) is the perfect place for eating clean, organic foods and creating a safe environment where one does not have to think about a product being healthy or not. Everything from juices, food snacks, and even organic coffee, is all free of any preservatives or additives. Their fanciest cold-pressed juices contain only a few calories and no added sugar; Pure Organic Orange (£4.50) at 99 calories, and Farmers Market (£6.50) at 64 kcal, which includes cucumber, celery, kale, romaine, lemon, parsley, and ginger; and Charged Up (£6.50, 186 calories) with carrot, orange, pineapple, lemon, lime, and turmeric. Cold-pressed juices are unquestionably healthier than freshlysqueezed juices or pasteurised juices. The blades in a traditional juicer produce heat as they chop up the fruit, damaging

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the fruit’s fibre and nutrients during the making process,and ultimately reducing its health benefits. Cold-pressed ones, on the other hand, preserve some pulp which results in the juice being richer in fibre and proteins. Miriam Gubovic, the marketing director of CPress Juice, revealed the ideology behind the trend of sipping colourful liquids grew in popularity thanks to its health benefits and individuals yearning to live a healthier life. “Cold press juices are gaining in popularity as people become more aware of their benefits, which include alkalising the body, reversing damage to the digestive system, cleansing, and anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. Juicing can become a lifealtering experience that cleanses your palette and empowers you to make the right food choices going forward. It’s like pressing a reset button on our system.” The Purifyne Cleanse juice store, situated in 28 Old Brompton Road offers a variety of cold-pressed detoxifying juices that clear out toxins, giving your digestive system a rest and allowing your system to reboot, your body and mind to be refreshed. The Juicebaby bar, 398 King’s Road, produces cold-pressed juices daily where they are immediately bottled in their natural raw state preserving their nutritional vitality and flavour for 72 hours when refrigerated. The Crush store, 27 Kensington High St, continues to make food and drink which is ‘healthier tastier and easier,’and includes cold-pressed beverages which are at the very heart of everything that they do. Overall, the excitement about the cold-pressed juices perhaps is in these three factors: being absolutely beneficial to one’s health, ridiculously delicious, and super-fast. Taking into consideration that vast majority of Londoners hardly consume their five a day recommended serving of fruits and vegetables, a coldpressed option is ideal when so many of us are too busy to stop and munch an apple. Consequently when those three components are combined together it makes an irresistible composition.

London Hilton Hotel on Park Lane is home to Spa to You, an ‘oasis of relaxation’ in the heart of Mayfair. The steps down to the Spa (situated on the lower ground of the hotel) lead to an intimate and personal space. It is clear that a great deal of thought has gone into how this small space can be utilised to create a soothing and harmonious haven for customers. The staff are warm and friendly and the smell of spicy vaporised aromas and dimmed lighting have the desired effect of creating a mood of calm and tranquillity. A number of different facials, massages, and alternative treatments are on offer at Spa to You. The personalised massages include Swedish, Deep Tissue, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Shiatsu, Thai, Chinese Tuina/Acupressure. and Pregnancy pamper massage. You can select the intensity of the treatment and the masseuse are not shy of going in deep and getting to the root of those knots! We would particularly recommend the Deep Tissue massage for anyone suffering from long term-stress or bad posture problems. Personalised

treatments are for either 50 minutes (£80) or 80 minutes (£110). Spa to You is the right choice if you want to swap the pen for Zen after a stressful week at work! Additionally, Spa to You have over 30 therapists who offer a mobile treatment service. Instead of taking the journey to the Hilton Mayfair one of these highly qualified therapists will bring some of the rarest spa treatments to your chosen destination. Bookings can be made over the phone and therapists will bring along foldable therapy beds, relaxing music and the appropriate products. Spa to You. London Hilton Hotel, 22 Park Lane, London, W1K 1BE. For more information or to make a reservation, call 020 7096 6241 or email reservations@spatoyou.com. Opening Hours are Monday to Sunday 10:00am until 8:00pm. Photograph © Spa To You

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Tasty treats they’ll just love

Making sure the little ones have full tums is a necessity when you’re out and about exploring London, but children can sometimes be picky eaters. Never fret, at a Gordon Ramsay Restaurant they’ll find the perfect plate to wolf down. Take in the sights of St Paul’s

April 2016

The Best Ways to Entertain the Kids over the Holidays The Easter holidays are in full swing, and in a blink of the eye, the summer holidays will be right in front of us too. With the kids off school, you’ll need to keep them entertained, so why not start lining up some fun activities now and take the stress out of summer?

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Fun for the whole family

The best activities are the ones that everyone in the family can enjoy; from weekend brunches to ice cream bars, no one can resist these. Join us at Bread Street Kitchen every Sunday for Lazy Loaf Brunches and witness some mind-blowing magic tricks from our resident magician or let the kids get their faces glitzed up by our face painter. But that’s not all, the grown-ups can enjoy endless Prosecco too or nurse those weekend hangovers with our DIY Bloody Mary buffett. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, stop by Heddon Street Kitchen and try our DIY Ice Cream Bar. Make your own cookie sandwiches, ice cream cones, or sundaes and finish them off with a choice of toppings; this is sure to bring out the big kid in everyone!

Grown-ups for a day

Cathedral and stop by Bread Street Kitchen for some fried chicken wings with barbecue sauce or BSK sliders with hand cut chips. Or stroll around Regent’s Park or London Zoo before popping into York & Albany where younger members of the family can choose between pizzetta margherita and crumbed fish and chips. Though if you’re staying a bit closer to home, visit one of our three maze Grill locations around Chelsea and Mayfair and the kids can tuck into a plate of sausage and mash or pasta Bolognese. For something extra special, Heddon Street Kitchen in Regent Street’s Food Quarter has a specially created ‘kids’ menu curated by Tilly Ramsay herself. What’s better than a menu for kids, by kids; featuring a make your own ice cream dessert too? Taking children out to eat at a Gordon Ramsay Restaurant won’t break the bank either: Children up to 12 years old eat free all day, every day from the Children’s Menu at selected restaurants.

Young ones will love playing grown-ups as they get their hands dirty in an exciting pizza masterclass at Bread Street Kitchen. Or stop by York & Albany in Camden for a spot of afternoon tea where the kids can enjoy their very own mini-version alongside you. Whatever you’re in the mood for, there’s plenty to keep the kids smiling at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants; and we all know, when the kids are happy, the whole family is happy.

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Prime London service, global reach, outstanding property

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London’s murky past waits in store, with murderous rogues on the loose, from Jack the Ripper, to Guy Fawkes and Sweeney Todd.

Photograph © Evil Erin

Imperial War Museum March 31-April 15

Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ 020 741 653 20 www.iwm.org.uk In amongst all the guns, tanks, and bayonets will be an altogether sweeter proposition at the Imperial War Museum. Children can explore the museum as they hunt out a Fair Trade Easter egg.

Chickenshed Kensington & Chelsea

Sasha Fedorenko has assembled some celebrations for the family over the holidays Chocolate Sensation Ends April 10 Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 020 783 325 655 Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB Kew is full of spring colours blooming at this time of year so as well as the cacao plants of Bolivia, families can explore the beauty of the world’s most

popular food plants. The chocolate makers, ‘chocolutions’, will be telling an educational story about the ancient tradition of cultivating seeds from the cacao and the process of making chocolate. As a special treat on Easter Sunday, Kew’s first 4,000 visitors will each receive a pair of Lindt Gold Bunny ears. Admission to the Easter festival includes a day entry pass. £15 for adults and free for a child.

Frozen Planet: Face to Face Sea Life London Aquarium

Tickets from £39.00 https://www2.visitsealife.com County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 7PB The latest entertainment technology

to take you above and beneath the ice, through polar landscapes in an interactive experience. You will be brought faceto-face with polar bears and orcas for a magical journey, and meet some of the planet’s most extraordinary creatures. Visitors can also enjoy getting close to over 6000 colourful aquatic inhabitants representing over 500 species in 65 immersive displays. Picassos in the Park Kennington Park Café April 8-April 10 picassosinthepark@gmail.com 4 St Agnes PL, SE11 4BE Children can learn about the history of art and experiment with innovative painting materials, learn new techniques and be creative. For children aged 5-10 years. Book early to avoid disappointment. Easter at the Science Museum Tickets from £22 Exhibition Rd, SW7 2DD 08 708 704 868 http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/ The fun-packed workshops and events this Easter season where you can make your very own rocket bunny, follow the journey of a star’s life, learn about the challenge of living in space, and see Batman vs Superman in IMAX 70mm 2D. Plus, you can take a thrill ride with the Red Arrows, explore the daily science shows, and visit the Information Age gallery to learn the origins of communication technology.

7th April-10th April, 10am-4pm Ticket is £100 per individual and siblings £50 (6-11 age group) SW10 0AB 020 773519298 www.chickenshed.org.uk A great opportunity to develop children’s performance skills in drama, music, dance, and singing using Chickenshed’s proven teaching methods and unique performance style. Children can create an original show based on ideas and concepts from Alice in Wonderland and invite family and friends to watch it at the end of the week.

Dino Scientist Natural History Museum

Ends April 15 020 7942 5555. £1 per student

Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD http://www.nhm.ac.uk/ Pupils can don white lab coats and take up scientist logbooks as they face the Dino Scientist challenge. The interactive workbooks will lead students through the galleries and encourage them to use their scientific skills to work out the diet, movements and habitats of ancient fossil animals.

Easter at Historic Royal Palaces

April 9-April 25. Prices start at £56 www.hrp.org.uk Tower Hill, EC3 Explore the palaces this Easter break for a fun filled family day out. Witness the attempted stealing of the spectacular Crown Jewels and meet the Beefeaters and infamous ravens at the Tower of London, experience the Tudor merrymaking on a grand scale at Hampton Court Palace, discover Kensington’s Enchanted Palace and be amused by caricatures of George III at Kew Palace.

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Death by Chocolate The London Dungeon

Ends April 12 Tickets from £19.95 Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB. 08714 232 240 This Easter dare to enter the Victorian Sweetie Shop of deadly Miss Edmonds, with jars of colourful candies and liplicking confectionary. The beautiful Miss Edmond is one of the most notorious poisoners in history. Those who make it out of the shop should not expect a sweet experience beyond as they continue into the Dungeon where 1000 years of

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concentrates on the story of the painter Frida Khalo. Yabin Wang brings Medea, a Greek heroine, to classical China with new music by Jocelyn Pook. Rosebery Avenue EC1R 4TN 0844 412 4300 APRIL 2016 DANCE April 6 - 9 Motionhouse: Broken Peacock Theatre A multimedia adrenaline spectacle, the work examines the relationship between humanity and the earth with dancers negotiating cracks and craters with athletic and spectacular acrobatics. Portugal street entrance Kingsway WC2A 2HT 0844 4124322

street dance styles Silk Street EC2Y 8DS 020 7382 7211 April 7 & 8 Pattern Recognition: Alexander Whitley Dance Company Sadler’s Wells A visually arresting work at the cutting edge of dance and motion responsive technology. Rosebery Avenue EC1R 4TN 020 7863 8000

April 6 - 9 Motionhouse: Broken The Peacock Theatre Fast paced exhilarating with a gripping narrative, this multi-media spectacle examines our precarious relationship with the earth. Portugal Street WC2A 2HT 020 7863 8222

April 12, 13, 16, 18, 20,21, 27, 28, 30 The Winter’s Tale Royal Opera House main stage Christopher Wheeldon’s compelling dance drama of Shakespeare’s enigmatic late play involving destructive jealousy, abandonment of a child, forgiveness and reconcillation. Designs by Bob Crowley and music by Joby Talbot. Covent Garden WC2E 9DD Book on line RH.ORG UK 020 7304 4000

April 7 A Night with Boy Blue The Barbican A celebration of the company’s phenomenal talent with some children in the troupe being only seven years old; The choreography combine hip hop, house and

April 13 - 16 She Said - English National Ballet Sadler’s Wells Three new pieces created by the female choreographers; Aszure Barton creates a piece using the individuality of the dancers, while Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

April 13 - 17 Disney on Ice Silver Anniversary Celebration The world of Disney’s Lion King,Little Mermaid and Peter Pan can be visited with five guides Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald and Daisy Duck. A team of skaters with exciting choreography and wonderful music from the scores of disney classics. SSE Arena Square Engineers Way Wembley HA9 0DW 0844 815 0815 April 20 - 24 BalletBoyz - Life Sadler’s Wells The all male company returns with a brand new show which features two new works by choreographers Pontus Lidberg and Javier de Frutos. Original music from 14 live musicians. Rosebery Avenue EC1R 020 7863 8000 April 21 - 24 Little Lord Fauntleroy The Peacock Theatre The London Children’s Ballet brings the classic tale of the poor American boy who discovers he is the heir to an English fortune. Perfect for Families

Portugal Street WC2A 2HT 020 7863 8222 April 21 - May 7 Protein The Place Four dancers and four vocalists will invite you to sit at table and 'offer a tasting menu and then serve you a show that explores our relationship with food ‘. Created by choreographer Luca Silvestrini and composer Orlando Gough. 17 Duke’s Road WC1H 9PY 020 7121 1100 April 22 - 24 Hand in Glove Victoria and Albert Museum A performed exhibition created by independent choreographer, filmmaker and artistic director Lea Anderson featuring final year students from London Contemporary Dance School. With over 300 sensational costumes and accessories the viewer has the chance to speech pieces in its original context. Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 April 26 - 30 Riverside 21 New Wimbledon Theatre Composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, this show has been seen by ‘in excess of 2 billion people’, and from The Washington Post comes the quote ‘It’s continued popularity proves that it was, and remains, a phenomenon of historic

Mander and Mitchenson / ArenaPAL

SHAKESPEARE

IN TEN ACTS 15 April – 6 September 2016 A landmark exhibition on the performances that made an icon, charting Shakespeare’s constant reinvention across the centuries.

Book now www.bl.uk

#Shakespeare

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Ends May 22 Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art The National Gallery With his use of vibrant colour and the romanticism of his subject matter, the artist transformed French painting in the 19th century. Trafalgar Square WC2N 5DN 0800 912 6958 Ends June 9 Strange and Familiar: Britain as revealed by International Photographers Barbican Art Gallery How international photographers have captured the social, cultural and political identity of the UK. Silk Street EC2Y 8DS 0845 120 7550 Ends June 12 Performing for the Camera Tate Modern What it means to perform for the camera with over 50 photographers on display. Bankside SE1 9TG 020 7887 8888 Ends June 19 Art Now - Vanilla and Concrete Tate Britain New and recent work by emerging artists Marie Lund, Rallou Panagiotou and Mary

Ramsden 'who use painting and sculpture to give new meanings to the everyday.' Cromwell Road SW7 2RL 020 7887 8888 Ends June 26 Russia and the Arts National Portrait Gallery A chance to see the portraits of the great writers, actors, composers and artists of Russia who lived between 1867 and 1914. St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE 020 7321 6600 Ends July 3 Botticelli Reimagined V and A The exhibition explores the enduring impact of this Florentine artist (1445 - 1510) from his own time to the pre-Raphaelites to today. Cromwell Road SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 Ends July 3 Photography and Film for the 20th Century V and A Cromwell Road SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 FESTIVALS AND FAIRS Ends April 10

London Games Festival An annual gaming festival for consumers and trade specialists which will include 15 official events in 10 different venues; it provides the opportunity to showcase creativity and artistry from script writers, musicians, animators and programmers. A showcase and celebration of the Games’ industry’s cultural and economic impact. ukie.org.uk/GamesLondon Ends April 10 Chocolate Sensations Royal Botanic Gardens The story of chocolate from cacao tree to sweet treat. Pick up a leaflet and follow the Lindt Gold Bunny Flavour Trail. Solve the clues as you follow the trail and you will be rewarded with a delicious chocolate bunny….Lindt of course. Richmond Surrey TW9 3AE 020 8332 5655 April 7- July 17 Udderbelly Festival Southbank The giant inflatable cow returns with a season of live comedy, circus and family shows on the banks of the River Thames. Belvedere Road SE1 8XX 0844 847 9910 April 7 - 10 The London Coffee Festival Old Truman Brewery For more information and tickets londoncoffeefestival.com/mobile/tickets. aspx 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL 020 7739 5561

April 8 - 9 Theatre Festival Lyric Hammersmith Young writers will be mentored by established writers once their plays are selected. King St, Lyric Square, London W6 0QL April 9 Vaisakhi or Baisakhi Festival City Hall A festival of the Sikhs to commemorate the founding of the brotherhood of Sikhism (Khalsa) and its heritage and culture; the programme will include 'shabad kirtan’ (spiritual music), food, turban tying, folk dances, martial arts, children’s activities, food and much more. 1.00pm - 6.00pm The Queen’s Walk SE12AA April 12 - 14 The London Book Fair Olympia This is one of the most important events in the publishing calendar to which about 25,000 people involved in the publishing from around the world. In its 45th year. Conferences, involving the subjects of translations, children's books, school publishing, Kindle Direct Publishing, Picture books, women in comics, Malta's book industry, and many other subjects. for more information: lbf. helpline@reedexpo.co.uk Hammersmith Road Kensington W14 8UX 020 8271 2124 April 16 - 17

FAIR SPRING

19-24 April 2016 Battersea Park, London

ANTIQUES AND 20 TH CENTURY DESIGN FOR INTERIOR DECORATION

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Cake International -the Sugarcraft Cake Decorating and Baking Show Alexandra Palace The perfect place for baking fans to stock up on supplies and wonder at the extraordinary creations on show; a competition area with cake makers from all over the world everything from cupcakes to wedding cakes. Visitors can learn some of the techniques for cake decoration in workshops. Making and taster sessions where visitors are invited to join in. More information cake international.co.uk Alexander Palace Way N22 7AY April 29- May 1 Made London: Bloomsbury. The Design and Craft Fair A selling fair of contemporary craft and design. Over 100 craftspeople will sell direct to the public; ceramics, glass, furniture, textiles, fashion, accessories, jewellery and much more. Mary Ward House 5-7 Tavistock Place WC1N 9SN April 23 Feast of St George Trafalgar Square England’s national day in the Square with its decorations of red and white. Dance, storytelling, games, live music and celebrity chefs giving demonstrations of cooking and handing our samples of traditional English food. This year being 400 years since the death of Shakespeare on April 23 , there will be a celebration of his life and work. 12.00pm - 6.00pm Trafalgar Square WC2N 5DN 020 7983 4000 Ends May 8 Tattoo London Museum of London An exhibition which focuses on the best in the tattoo world that London offers. Come and speak to the people involved. 150 London Wall EC2T 5HN 020 7001 9844 May 1 Antiques & Collectors Fair Alexandra Palace Collectors will find ceramics, artwork, jewellery and much more, vintage and modern Alexandra Palace Way N22 7AY 01636 702 326 MUSIC April 3 A Tribute to Salil Chowdhury: Ghum Bhangar Gaan Richmix Satyen Sen School of performing Arts: A tribute to the legendary Indian composer with a programme that includes an art competition: dance and poetry and music. 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road E1 6LA shoreditch High street 020 7613 7498 April 7, 14, 21, 28 Swing into Spring

Maxims Casino Club Taking to the stage at the first event on Thursday 7 April is singer songwriter Kerry O’Dowd, who impressed the judges in the latest series of The Voice. The Swing into Spring line-up also includes the following events: 14 April- Jazz Dynamos: This sparkling band of talented musicians have previously performed for British royalty and Hollywood A-listers 21- April- Between The Line: Experienced and passionate performers, this premier jazz band is guaranteed to put on an energetic show 28- April- Acoustik Dup: A young and dynamic duo with a growing reputation for their impressive vocal performance and stage presence 1A Palace Gate, London W8 5LS April 6 Lucy Crowe, soprano and Christopher Warren-Green conductor Cadogan Hall The concert opens with ‘La Reine’ by Haydn and a favourite of Marie Antoinette, then two arias by Mozart one from ‘Don Giovanni’ and the second from ’The Marriage of Figaro’ and last Beethoven’s' Symphony No 3 “Eroica”, the work the composer dedicated to Napoleon whom he thought was a democrat, but struck out the dedication when Napoleon declared himself Emperor. 5 Sloane Terrace SW1X 9DQ 020 7730 4500 April 7 Menuhin Competition Royal Festival Hall The Philharmonia celebrate the Yehudi Menuhin’s legacy presenting the winners of the Competition 2016. Diego Matheuz conducts and 1995 winner Julia Fischer plays Bartok’s 'First Violin Concerto’, and Tchaikovsky’s ‘Francesca da Rimini’, while the Junior Competition winner plays Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’, and the Senior Competition winner plays something to be announced. Southbank Centre Belvedere Road SE1 8XX 0800 652 6717 April 7 Francoise-Green Piano Duo The Viennese Salon: Hammer Blow St John’s A rare opportunity to hear Mahler’s epic 'Symphony No 6’ as well as Mozart’s ‘Sonata for Piano four-hands in D. K381’ and the world premier of Alissa Firsopa’s ‘new work. Smith’s Square SW1P 3HA 020 7222 1061 April 8 & 9 Roots of Rumba followed by a day of workshops and a celebratory party, Richmix A show case of the talents and culture within Latin Dance Theatre curated by Element Art Company. 35 -47 Bethnal Green Road Shoreditch 020 7613 7498

April 9 Temenik Electric Richmix main space Maghrebi popular music is fused with rock rifts and electro trance while the Arabic language between emotions and incantations carries the clear call of an invitation to dance. 35- 47 Bethnal Green Road Shoreditch High Street E1 6LA 020 7613 7498 April 10 Callum Au Big Band: ‘West Side Story’ Ronnie Scotts The concert features the composer/ arranger Callum Au’s stunning ‘West Side Story’ suite in six movements based on ‘West Side Story’, Leonard Bernstein’s famous musical. 47 Frith Street W1D 4HT 020 7439 0747 April 14 Ashkenazy: Rachmaninov Project Royal Festival Hall The conductor oversees Boris Berezovsky at the piano in a programme of Rachmaninov ‘The Isle of the Dead’ and Rachmaninov’s ‘Symphonic Dances’ and Prokofiev’s ‘Piano Concerto No 2’. Southbank Centre Belvedere Road SE1 8XX 0800 652 6717 April 15 Spiritato!; Guts and Glory St John’s Pioneering period instrument ensemble

returns with the leader violinist Kinga Ujszaszi with heroic music for strings, trumpets and drums by Biber, Schmelzer, Vejvanovsky and Fux; music inspired by the imagery of battle in the age of heroism and chivalry. Smith Square SW1P 3HA 020 7222 1061 April 15 Sir Neville Marriner; Till Fellner Cadogan Hall On his 92nd birthday, Sir Neville takes the baton to conduct the Academy in an all Mozart first half with ’Symphony No 35 in D major’ K 385 (Huffner) and the Austrian pianist Till Fellner playing ‘Piano Concerto No 22’.Bizet’s ‘Symphony No 1 in C Major closes the programme. 020 7730 4500 April 17 Roberto Fonseca Trio Ronnie Scott’s A most ‘extraordinary, charismatic young pianist, composer and band leader to come out of Cuba in recent years. 47 Frith Street W1D 4HT 020 7439 0747 April 18 Marinsky Orchestra and Valery Gergiev Cadogan Hall The conductor leads the orchestra in the complete score of Prokofiev’s 'Romeo and Juliet’ ballet as a celebration of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death’. Sloane Terrace SW1X 9DQ 020 7730 4500

Free Public Evening Lecture and Reception Prof Jack Winkler and Dr Rob Winwood

Fat lies and thin truths – is eating fat bad for you? 18:00, Tuesday 17 May 2016, SCI, Belgravia

Current NHS advice is ‘to eat less saturated fat or swap foods high in saturated fat for smaller amounts of foods containing unsaturated fats, to reduce the health risks linked with high cholesterol levels’. Contrary to this, a recent study published in the British Medical Journal, supports the steady stream of challenges to the widely held belief that saturated fat intake is bad for your cardiovascular health. Prof Jack Winkler, Nutrition Policy Unit and Dr Rob Winwood, Chair of the GOEDomega-3 science committee, will expand upon the evidence (or lack of) in this topical area. They will explore the popular opinion of the dietary consumption of fats and look to the future at how we, the consumer, should select the ‘right’ balance of fatty acids for good health. Prof Jack Winkler is a specialist researcher, policy analyst, writer, lecturer and consumer advocate on food nutrition and health. He is also Director of Nutrition Policy Unit, an independent consultancy to improve public health through dietary change. Dr Rob Winwood, CSci FIFST, is the scientific communications manager at DSM Nutritional Products. He is currently Chair of the scientific committee of the global trade organisation GOEDomega-3. Join SCI on 17 May to hear the truth about the effect of fat consumption on our health.

Register for the free lecture and reception E: conferences@soci.org T: 020 7598 1561 W: soci.org/events SCI, 14-15 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PS KCWT_Wimkler_WinwoodAdV2.indd 1

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proportions.’ The Broadway Wimbledon SW19 1QG 0844 871 7646 April 30 & May 1 Breakin’ Convention ’16 Sadler’s Wells The acclaimed festival of hip-hop dance theatre and culture returns with world-class international and UK acts. Rosebery Avenue EC1R 4TN 020 7863 8000 May 4, 6, 7, 17, 18 Frankenstein Royal Opera House main stage Liam Scarlett’s first full-length ballet for the main stage, is based on the famous gothic novel by Mary Shelley with music by Lowell Liebermann and designs by John Macfarlane. This production will be relayed live to parks and squares throughout the UK as part of the BP Big screens programme and to cinemas across the UK and the world as part of the ROHLive Cinema Season. Covent Garden WC2E 9DD Book on line ROH.ORG.UK 020 7304 4000 EXHIBITIONS Ends April 10 Artist and Empire Tate Britain A major exhibition of art associated with the British Empire from the 16th century to the present day. Milbank SW1P 4RG 020 7887 8888 Ends April 24 Unexpected Ben Uri Gallery and Museum Continuing narratives of identity and migration. 108a Boundary Road off Abbey Road NW80RH April 5 James Dodds Messum’s Sailor, apprentice shipwright and artist – James Dodds fuses his passions as he pays tribute to Bermuda and the structure of boats. 28 Cork St, London W1S 3NG April 5- September 4 The Rolling Stones: Exhibitionism Saatchi Gallery Three years in the planning with input from Mick Jagger this exhibition runs across nine galleries and contains 500 artefacts from the band’s history It includes iconic costumes, original poster and album cover artworks, unseen video clips, personal correspondence and work from their collaborations with Andy Warhol, Shepard Fairey, Alexander McQueen, Ossie Clark, Tom Stoppard and Martin Scorsese. Duke of York HQ Kings Road SW3 4RY Tickets 0844 453 9020 April 12 - August 29 Conceptual Art in Britain 1964 - 1979

Tate Britain The exhibition explores the moment in the 1960s when artists began to move from traditional art forms, and ideas became the essence of their work; such artists as Keith Amatt, Michael Craig-Martin, Hamish Fulton, Mary Kelly, David Tremlett and many more. Milbank SW1P 4RG 020 7887 8888 April 13 - June 26 Astrazione Oggettiva The Experience of Colour Estorick Collection A celebration of the work of a group of artists who in the 1970s contributed to the evolution of abstract art in Italy. 39a Canonbury Square N1 2AN April 21 – May 7 Peter Ryan: Photographs Piers Feetham Gallery Mostly Tibet, Crete and Ireland 475 Fulham Road SW6 1HL April 22 - May 7 Peter Ryan:Photographs Piers Feetham Gallery Mostly Tibet, Crete and Ireland 475 Fulham Road SW6 1HL 020 7381 3031 Ends April 20 Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse Royal Academy of Arts Burlington House Piccadilly W1 020 7300 8000 Ends April 24 I am Van Dyck Dulwich Picture Gallery Van Dyck’s self portrait hangs beside self portraits by contemporary artist Mark Wallinger. Gallery Road Dulwich SE21 7AD 020 8693 5254 Ends April 30 Jeffe Lowe: Object Lessons Pangolin London The first solo exhibition of this sculptor which explores his prolific and experimental output over the past four decades. Kings Place 90 York Way N1 9AG 020 7520 1489 Ends May 14 Barry Flanagan: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral Waddington Custot Galleries Best known for his bronze hares, this exhibition is a chance to see his works on other subjects. 11 Cork Street W1S 3LT 020 7851 2200 Ends May 15 Nikolai Astrup: Painting Norway Dulwich Picture Gallery The first major exhibition of works by this Norwegian artist (1880-1928) explores the paintings and his radical printmaking. Gallery Road Dulwich SE21 7AD

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The National Anthem

Her Majesty the Queen Royal Events April 21 The Queen’s Birthday Hyde Park The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in a 21 gun salute

By Marian Maitland

he origins of the National Anthem are in a patriotic song first performed in 1745. It became known as the National Anthem from the beginning of the 19th century. There is no authorised version and the words are traditional and anonymous along with the tune. They may both date to the 17th century. In 1745 the Young Pretender to the British Throne, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, defeated the army of King George II at Prestonpans, near

May 12- 15 The Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration Windsor Castle Tickets on Sale Now for the four nights when a member of the Royal Family will attend, with the Queen appearing on Sunday May 15. Over 90 minutes, 900 horses and 1,500 participants from UK and around the world including the Canadian Mounted Police, State Carriages from the Royal Mews, The Oman Royal Cavalry, Chilean Huasos, The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, 100 Military and Commonwealth Pipers and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will gather to celebrate: The story covers the Queen's birth in 1926 through World War II, her marriage, her Coronation in 1953 and a reign spanning more than 60 years. On the final evening a pre-performance party will be held on The Long Walk with 5,000 free tickets to be made available through a ballot.

May 11 - 15 The Royal Windsor Horse Show International Jumping, driving, endurance, showing and dressage 0844 581 4960 info@hpower.co.uk

Edinburgh. On hearing the news, the leader of the band at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, played God Save the King. This custom spread to other theatres and Monarchs were greeted with it on arrival at places of public entertainment. Our ‘Gracious Queen’ grants Honours to deserving and high achieving people from every section of the community. There are many different honours, among them, Knights of the Garter, the Order of the British Empire, and the Order of Merit. The Queen is the ‘Fount of Honours’ and only she can confer them. She also supports charities and is a patron of many in the education and health fields. ‘Noble’ embodies the Queen’s fine personal qualities, high moral principles, and dedication to duty. It reflects her ancient, royal lineage.The Queen formally appoints Prime Ministers and holds regular audiences with them. Her duties include signing Acts of Council, signing Acts of Parliament, and receiving High Commissioners and Foreign Ambassadors. She entertains Heads of

State to State Banquets in her Palaces, opens Parliament at the State Opening and addresses both Houses in the Queen’s Speech. The Queen, as Sovereign, is Head of our Armed Forces. She is an honourary Colonel-in-Chief of numerous Regiments in the UK and the Commonwealth and bestows Military Honours. In early times the Sovereign was the key figure in law enforcement and setting up legal systems and the Monarchs were known as the ‘Fount of Justice’. Now their role is symbolic, but Justice is meted out in their name. The Courts are the Queen’s Courts and the Judges are Her Majesty’s Judges. The Queen can grant free or conditional pardons on the advice of Ministers. The Queen is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and in UK, the Defender of the Faith. Archbishops and Bishops are appointed by her on the advice of the Prime Minister. They take an Oath of Allegiance to her, as do parish Priests. The connection of Church to State is symbolised by ‘the Lords Spiritual’, consisting of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York and twenty four Diocesan Bishops who sit in the House of Lords. The Queen, as Sovereign, holds the role of Head of Commonwealth. It exists to foster international co-operation and trade links between peoples all over the world. It derived from the British Empire. The Queen has visited every Commonwealth Country. The adjective ‘victorious’ is not really applicable to this day and age as it was in the past. However, the Queen did serve as a driver and mechanic during the Second World War in Motor Transport and her country was victorious. ‘Happy’ is a good description for our Queen. She married Prince Philip, 5 years before she was crowned. They have four children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward; and grandchildren and great grandchildren. ‘Happy’, too, is the Queen at Balmoral and Sandringham on rural holidays. She loves riding, is a fine horsewoman and owner of winning racehorses. She adores her Corgi dogs. The Queen’s family members give her much support with many of her duties. ‘Glorious’ is the only word for her Coronation in 1953 at Westminster Abbey. An awe inspiring occasion with English pageantry at its most impressive, and stirring music from bannered trumpets reaching up to God to save the Queen, a beautiful Queen and so very young. Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II is now Britain's longest reigning Monarch. Happy Birthday on 21st April 2016.

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Her Majesty the Queen The Royal Standard of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

lags fluttering in the wind evoke hard fought battles won and lost long ago. Like Banners of Arms and Regimental Colours, they stir patriotic emotion and bring a vision of ceremonial occasion and Pageantry. There is another kind of flag: a personal one: The Royal Standard is the Queen's personal flag and is used in her capacity as Sovereign of UK and Overseas Territories. Technically it is a Banner of Arms. Different Standards are used in other realms. When the Queen is in residence in one of her Royal Palaces, the Royal Standard is raised. The Union Flag flies over Buckingham Palace when she is absent. The Royal Standard can be raised over any building during a visit by the Queen if the owner or proprietor so requests. It does not fly over Ecclesiastical buildings. The Queen’s official car, primarily the State Bentley Limousine, and Land Rovers when abroad, bear the Royal Standard when she travels. It flew from the Royal MY Britannia when she was in service. When the Queen travels by aircraft the Royal Standard is flown from the plane when it is on the ground. The Royal Standard is never lowered to fly at half mast, even on the death of the Monarch. The reason being, there is always a Sovereign on the Throne. The personal flag of the next most senior member of the Royal family present will be raised. The Royal Standard comes in different sizes, small for transport and there is an especially large size for State Occasions; for example Royal Weddings. When Queen Elizabeth I died, James VI of Scotland became James I of England. The Crowns of England and Scotland were united in 1603. Since then the Royal Standard has taken various forms. Today, the Royal Standard used in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and outside UK has four quarterings, two for England both revealing three gold lions passant, guardant on a red field. There is one quartering for Scotland showing

one gold lion rampant on a red field. The quartering for Ireland shows a gold harp on a blue field which came from a coat of arms of an ancient Ireland. In Scotland a different version of the Royal Standard is used which has two Scottish quarterings, each showing a gold lion rampant on a red field. England has one quartering revealing the three lions passant in a red field. Wales is not represented in the Royal Standard owing to its special position as a Principality which was recognised by the creation of the Title of the Prince of Wales. The Royal Standard today dates back to Queen Victoria. It used to incorporate the arms of the House of Hanover, but that was ended with Queen Victoria's Accession to the British Throne. Thus Her Majesty's flag, the Royal Standard, changes with the vicissitudes of history as it flies across a changing world. Marian Maitland

Royal Warrants and the Royal Warrant Holder's Association

n the Middle Ages competition was fierce between traders for formal Royal recognition. Recognition took the form of Royal Warrants, which led to Royal Charters being awarded collectively to various Guilds of trades and crafts. These Guilds later became known as Livery Companies, which today are part of the fabric of the City of London. The Drapers’ Company and the Mercers’ Company have their own huge Halls, splendid plate, and regalia. They are very active in charitable work. Of course, produce and services in demand have changed since those days. For example, during the reign of Henry VIII, Thomas Hewytt was appointed to “Serve the Court with swannes and cranes and all kinds of wildefoul”. William Caxton was awarded a Royal Warrant as the King’s Printer in 1746. Today the just over 800 holders supply services such as dry cleaning and computer software. Royal Warrants appear to have an aura of mystery surrounding them and it does not seem widely known how they work. There are many rules applicable to the awarding and holding of them. Applications can be made from the end of March up to the end of May. Application forms with instructions are available from the Royal Warrant Holders Association. Applications are scrutinised by the Royal Warrant Holders Committee which makes its recommendations to the Grantor. Royal Warrants are granted to people or companies who have regularly supplied Royal Households with goods or services for a minimum of five consecutive years. These number about a thousand and are a much coveted form of recognition. They can be granted by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, or the Prince of Wales. These Royal Family members are known as the Grantors and the recipients as the Grantees. The Warrants are a mark of recognition that the tradesmen, to whom they are awarded, are regular suppliers of goods and services to Royal Households. These tradesmen are allowed to use the legend ‘By Appointment’ and to display the Royal Coat of Arms on their products, at their premises, or on vehicles used for delivery. The Royal Warrant is at first granted for five years, after which it is reviewed by the Royal Household Tradesmens’ Warrants Committee. The product, service, and supply must keep a high

standard or the Warrant is not renewed. Holders need to be aware that Warrants can be cancelled at any time. If the Grantee should die, leave the business, or bankruptcy occurs, or a sale of the business, the warrant is automatically reviewed. Today there are about a thousand Royal Warrant Holders which include Axminster Carpets Ltd, Berry Brothers and Rudd, Cartier Ltd, Jack Barclay Ltd, Peter Jones, and Kensington Lighting Company Ltd (Trading as Ann’s Lighting Company). All tradesmen supplying Royal Houses receive full commercial rates. In 1840 some Warrant Holders organised a celebration for Queen Victoria’s Birthday, this became an annual event, and they formed the Royal Warrant Holders Association. They are a

supervising body who ensure the quality and services of the Warrant Holders are upheld. They also make sure there are no fraudulent holders. The Association also assists in applications for new Warrants and alterations in existing ones. They help in the correct interpretation and implementation of the rules governing Royal Warrants as laid down by the Royal Chamberlain. The Association is not part of the Royal Household, but belongs to its members. Social, business, and networking events are held for their benefit. In 1998 the Association and its Charitable Arm, the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) established offices at 1 Buckingham Place and it assists in much administrative work. The Association of Royal Warrant Holders ensures that the historic custom of granting Royal Warrants remains trusted and respected. Marian Maitland

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April 19 A Celebration of the 300th anniversary of Guy’s David Tecchler Cello. Leighton House Guy Johnston on the cello and William Vann on piano play a programme with J.S. Bach’s Viola da Gamba Sonata No.1 BWV 1027, Brahms ‘Sonata for Cello and Piano No 1 in E minor, Op.38’, Debussy’s ‘Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor” and a commission, ‘Perseus' by Guy Johnston for his Tecchler’s 300th anniversary from the composer Charlotte Bray . 12 Holland Park Road Kensington W14 8LZ 020 7602 3316 April 19 Ana Moura Cadogan Hall The singer is one of Portugal’s Favourite ‘fado’ singer and is developing a ‘fado’ for the 21st century working with young Portuguese musicians and songwriters. Sloane Terrace SW1X 9DQ 020 7730 4500 April 20 Lucy Ward Cecil Sharp House An award-winning singer-songwriter from Derby who plays the guitar, ukulele and concertina. She is one of the youngest people ever to be nominated for Folk Singer of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk award. 2 Regent Park Road NW1 7AY 020 7485 2206 April 23 St George’s Day Concert Cadogan Hall The bands of the Grenadier Guards and the Cold stream Guards with Christopher Biggins as host and Philip Cobb on trumpet and Susanne Dymott, mezzo-soprano. The programme is all the old favourites; ‘Jupiter, Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia and Fantasia on Greensleeves. Sloane Terrace SW1X 9DQ 020 7730 4500 April 24 Super String Sunday Royal College of Music Join a London marathon of a different kind in this day of free performances by some of the world’s most talented young string players. It starts at 11am and no ticket is required – drop in for 10 minutes or stay for hours! Prince Consort Road SW7 2BS 020 7591 431 April 26 Magnificat: Five Centuries of Music in Honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary Westminster Abbey James O’Donnell conducts the choir in the works of Thomas Tallis, William Mundy, Arnold Bax, Benjamin Britten and John Tavener in this special concert to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary. Daniel Cook is on the organ.19.00 Dean’s Yard SW1P 3PA 020 7222 1061

April 26 Magnus Ostrom - Parachute Ronnie Scotts “Parachute’ comprises eight original compositions by Magnus and features the amazing Norwegian trumpet player Mathias Eick. 47 Frith Street W1D 4HT 020 7439 0747 April 29 The Pasadena Roof Orchestra: Puttin' on the Ritz Cadogan Hall Duncan Galloway the bandleader conducts an evening of the work of some of the great American composers of the ‘American Song Book’ such as the work of Irving Berlin and George Gershwin as well tunes from the British dance bands of the 1920s and 1930s; a ‘toe tapping evening’ Sloane Terrace SW1X 9DQ 020 7730 4500 April 26, 29 May 2, 5, 8, 12, 15 Tannhauser Royal Opera: Main stage Richard Wagner’s opera about love, sensual and spiritual, in the first revival of the powerful production by Tim Albery with the lead played by Peter Seiffert and Christian Gerhaher as Wolfram, Sophie Koch as Venus, Emma Bell, star British soprano as Elisabeth. the Royal Opera chorus and the Orchestra of the ROH under the baton of Hartmut Haenchen. Covent Garden WC2E 9DD 020 7304 4002 May 5 Edward Gardner: Elgar Royal Festival Hall The star pianist Martin Helmchen with the conductor Edward Helmchen perform an Mozart’s Overture to Die Zauberflote, Beethoven’s ‘Piano Concerto No 2’ and Elgar ‘Symphony No 2’. Southbank Centre Belvedere Road SE1 8XX 0800 652 6717 May 15 Jose Carreras: A Life in Music Royal Albert Hall 020 7589 8212 royalalberthall.com Every Friday; Viva Cuba Ronnie Scotts The Latin extravaganza is a great evening with the music of South America coming to Ronnie’s Bar with a set from the band and a jam session; drinking and dancing a plenty. 47 Frith Street W1D 4HT 020 7439 0747 Westminster Abbey Every Sunday afternoon at 5.45pm a Free 30-minute concert with a wide range of music played on the magnificent Harrison and Harrison organ. Dean’s yard SW1P 3PA TALKS and TOURS Victoria and Albert Museum Last Saturday of the Month until

MADE LONDON

Bloomsbury is a new selling fair for contemporary craft and design. This spring fair is a stripped back, pared down, table top selling show, enabling the quality and diversity of the designer/makers' work to be simply and honestly showcased in a beautiful and characterful setting. Over one hundred craftspeople will present and sell their work direct to the public; ceramics, glass, furniture, wood wares, textiles, fashion accessories, jewellery, and much more will be on offer. Mary Ward House is a grade one listed arts and craft 'settlement' (nestled behind the British Museum) with stunning rooms including the old gymnasium, theatre, drawing room, library, dining rooms, and classrooms. There will be a café, serving drinks and light meals, situated in the walled garden. West Dean College is holding a Creative Hub where visitors can enjoy free talks and demonstrations in arts and crafts from a host of West Dean College tutors. With short courses available in drawing, printing and making, the Creative Hub provides details of art and craft subjects available at West Dean with some special show offers too! Presale tickets are available from: www.madelondon-bloomsbury.org/buy-tickets/ £10 on the door, under 14s free. Mary Ward House, 5-7 Tavistock Place, London. WC1H 9SN. www.madelondon-bloomsbury.org info@madelondon.org. @tuttonandyoung. #madebloomsbury

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November 26 A one hour tour which explores gender and sexual identities through a selection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) related objects in the museum’s rich collections. FREE Meeting point Grand Entrance. 16.00 - 17.00 Cromwell Road SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 April 4 Return of the Modern Alchemist Just Add Water Royal Institution: The Theatre Peter Wothers shows some of the surprising properties and reactions of this substance that you thought you knew so well. Can a drop of water cause an explosion and why can’t you boil an egg on Mount Everest. 6.00pm - 7.15pm 21 Albemarle Street W1S 4BS Book tickets 020 7409 2992 April 7 Behind the Scenes at the Physic Garden Physic Garden Learn about the garden and its rich history on this exclusive tour.Pick up some gardening tips with 11.00 am-1.00pm 66 Royal Hospital Road Chelsea SW3 4HS 020 7352 5646

Chelsea Physic Garden How did dung change world history and what can be learned from studying animal droppings. Dr George McGavin, naturalist and broadcaster will discuss the subject . 6.00-7.00pm 66 Royal Hospital Road Chelsea SW3 4HS 020 7352 5646

April 27 The Architecture and Fittings of Henry VII’s Lady Chapel Westminster Abbey Christopher Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Architectural History UCL reveals how the chapel would have looked if Henry VII had not died before his tomb and the chapel fittings were finished and his wishes of truly splendid contents had been installed. 6.30pm Lady Chapel 20 Dean's Yard SW1P 3PA 020 7222 5152

April 15 In conversation: Nicholas Cullinan, Christopher Riopelle, and Alastair Sooke National Gallery Delacroix’s Use of Vibrant Colour, Daring Compositions influence on future generations of artists. 6.30 - 7.30pm Sainsbury Wing Theatre Trafalgar Square WC2N 5DN 0800 912 6958 April 20 Aleppo: the Rise and Fall of Syria’s Great Merchant City: Philip Mansel John Sandoe Bookshop The author has written and elegant history of this once great city and the current tragedy and will talk about it. 6.30 - 8.00pm 10 Blacklands Terrace SW3 2SR 020 7589 9473

April 7 Potions and Poisons: Shakespearean Herbology Chelsea Physic Garden To celebrate 400 years since Shakespeare died, four workshops will explore the works of the apothecaries through a Shakespearean lens; a study of potions, charms and poisons, curses, maladies and remedies. Real remedies to make and take away. 10.30am 3.00pm 020 7352 5646 April 12 The Future of the Moon Exploration Royal Geographical Society Professor Ian Crawford of Burbank College will give a brief summary of the 40 years of lunar exploration and outline the objectives of future missions and will argue that while some of the objectives can be achieved with robots, in the long term renewed human operations on the lunar surface will be necessary. 1.00pm & 6.00pm Booking required; events@ras.org.uk Burlington House Piccadilly W1J 0BD

April 28 The Kaaba of New York and the Point behind Painting The Courtauld Institute of Art The talk by Dr Simon O’Meara of SOAS centres on the internet outcry of 11.10.06 when a report alleging that Apple Inc’s under construction flagship storefront NY resembled the Kaaba of Mecca intended to provoke muslims!!! The talk examines this long-lived but muted outcry and explores the history of Kaaba copies, touches on the Kaaba as omphalos and reflects on the meaning of

April 26 Doping in Sport: what does the future look like? SCI Free public evening lecture by Professor Mottram, education advisor for UK

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Anti-Doping and emeritus Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the School of Pharmacy and bimolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moore’s University will review some of the key events of doping and anti-doping that have influenced our present approach to the problem. 18.00 14-15 Belgrave Square SW1X 8PS Register for the free lecture and reception: e conferences@soci.org 020 7598 1561

April 14 & 15 Introduction to Botany Kew Gardens A one day course by Anna Haigh introducing the world of flowering plants, with practical sessions and a short guided walk. The course will cover the variety of plant life, flowering plant structure, pollination, adaption, taxonomy, and classification. Fee £70 Richmond TW9 3AB 0208332 5626

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Box Office 020 7222 1061 sjss.org.uk

HANDEL’S SOLOMON with Stephen Layton and the Holst Singers Sat 28 May 7.30pm

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COMPLETE CHOPIN CYCLE with Warren Mailley-Smith Fri 27 May 7.30pm

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THURSDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERTS with Artea Quartet Thu 12 May 1.05pm

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World premiere of the play by Leo Butler and directed by Sacha Wares about comingof-age in 21st century London; we follow someone easily missed amongst the crowd’ Almeida Street Islington N1 1TA 020 7359 4404 Ends April 16 Right Now Bush Theatre Written by award winning Quebecois playwright Catherine-anne Toupin and translated by Chris Campbell the play follows a couplewho move into their new flat and at first enjoy the company of their neighbours, but things hot up with an uncomfortable exploration one woman’s darkest desires and walks a line between laughter and deep trauma. 7 Uxbridge Road W12 8LJ 020 8743 5050

the word. 6.00 - 7.30pm Somerset House the strand WC2R 0RN 020 7848 2777 April 29 John Julius Norwich: the Normans in Sicily B.P Lecture Theatre The author of ‘the Normans in Sicily’ talks to Dirk Booms, the curator of ‘Sicily: culture and conquest’ about the context and effect of the Norman settlement of the island from 1061. 18.30 - 19.30 Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG 020 7323 8181 May 4 James I, the Abbey and the “beauty of holiness’ Westminster Abbey Dr Andrew Foster, Honorary Senior research Fellow, University of Kent, argues that the relationship of James I to the Abbey where he commissioned the tombs of Elizabeth I and his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, was a deep one which affected the Church of England. 6.30pm Lady Chapel 20 Dean’s Yard SW1P 3PA 020 7222 5152 THEATRE & FILM April 5 - May 7 Cyprus Avenue Jerwood Theatre Upstairs An Abbey Theatre Commission from the playwright David Ireland: Eric Millerr, a Belfast Loyalist believes his five-week old granddaughter is Gerry Adams. His family keeps telling him that he is living in the past, fighting old battles that nobody cares about anymore. a terrified man struggles with the past, but is terrified of the future. Sloane Square SW1W 8AS 020 7565 5000 April 5 - May 28 Boy Almeida Theatre

Ends April 16 Welcome Home, Captain Fox! Donmar A new version of Jean Anoulh’s ‘Le Voyager Sans Baggage’ by Anthony Weigh. Jack Fox, missing in action returns home after fifteen years. Is it really Captain Fox? who is he and why do 22 other families want to claim him as their own? Blanche McIntyre directs, 41 Earlham Street Seven Dials WC2H 9LX 0844 871 7624 Ends April 22 Princess Caraboo Finborough Theatre World premiere of new British musical, based on the true story of a beautiful poor woman who tricked her way to wealth and power in Regency England by pretending to be a shipwrecked Princess. The deception begins to draw her into a web of deceit beyond anything she imagined. Composed, writer and directed by Phil Willmott 118 Finborough Road SW10 9ED 0844 847 1652 Ends May 7 X Jerwood Theatre Downstairs A play by Alistair McDowall Billions of miles from home, the lone research base on Pluto has lost contact with Earth. Unable to leave or send for help, the skeleton crew is waiting… Sloane Square SW1W 8AS 020 7565 5000 April 12 Saving Spiti a documentary film will be launched at the Royal Geographical Society in aid of Spiti Projects, www.spiti.org the charity founded to improve the living conditions of the Tibetan people of the Spiti Valley in the Himalaya. Producer BAFTA winner Hugh Purcell and photographer Zena Merton, highlight some of the charity’s considerable achievements . Tickets £20 under sixteen £10 Contact Suraya 020 8901 7320 or www.indusexperiences.co.uk Eventbrite

21 - 24 April Chelsea Old Town Hall Kings Road, London SW3 5EE

30 Leading Galleries Original Works of Art Thurs 11-8 Fri/Sat 11-7 Sun 11-5

Complimentary E -Tickets at

www.chelseaartfair.org

Celebrating 21 years of ART in the heart of Chelsea Supporting

Registered Charity Number 1070532

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KILIMANJARO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ROYAL HOSPITAL CHELSEA PRESENTS

OPEN-AIR CONCERT SERIES SET WITHIN THE HISTORIC HOME OF THE CHELSEA PENSIONERS FRIDAY 17TH JUNE

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Doors open at 6pm Film commences at 7pm Also there will be an exhibition of photography by Joan in the Pavilion at the RGS. Westminster Abbey holds a series of special events this spring to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Henry VII’s Lady Chapel – a glorious example of late medieval architecture, called the ‘wonder of the world’ by Tudor historian, John Leland. April 21 Sung Eucharist 5.00pm Westminster Cathedral April 26 Magnificat: Five centuries of music in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Choir of Westminster Abbey James O’Donnell conductor Tickets: £25-£35 (£15 concessions) www.sjss.org.uk 020 7222 1061 April 27 Christopher Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Architectural History, UCL Henry VII died before his tomb and chapel fittings were finished with his wishes only partly carried out. Christopher Wilson

reveals how the chapel would have looked if all of its splendid contents had been installed.

Spiti. A Himalayan Story

SAVING

SPITI

April 29 Dr Richard Rex uncovers the huge personal, emotional and financial influence on the building of the chapel by Lady Margaret Beaufort, the king’s mother and the most powerful woman in early Tudor England. May 4 Did James I have no association with Westminster Abbey other than commissioning monuments to Elizabeth I and his mother, Mary Queen of Scots? Dr Andrew Foster argues there was a deeper relationship and how James’ reign affected the Church of England. May 5 Sung Eucharist 5.00pm Westminster Cathedral

An outstanding documentary film about

Joan Pollock and her work with the Spiti Projects Charity

Tues 12 April 2016 at 7pm at the

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) 1, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR

Produced by HUGH PURCELL

Former Managing Editor of BBC Documentary Department Hugh is a BAFTA Award winner.

Photographed and edited by

Zena Merton MA One World Award winner 2012

Tickets £20.00. Under 16’s £10 (Fund raising event for Spiti Projects Charity)

HOW TO BOOK

Compiled and edited by Leila Kooros with assistance by Fahad Redha and Jeanne Griffiths.

Tickets available from Suraya at Indus Experiences t: 020 8901 7320 or from www.indusexperiences.co.uk by Eventbrite Doors open at 6pm (Exhibiton Road entrance) with craft stall, raffle and photographic exhibition. Pay bar available.

Spiti Projects Charity Registration No: 1105720 www.spiti.org

Looking for a change of scenery? Meet 31 hand-picked estate agents, who can provide objective, balanced advice and show you some of the finest property in and outside the capital, from pieds-à-terre to country estates. A little taste of country living, with racing pigs and face painting, makes for a fun afternoon for all the family. For more information, contact Milly at The London Office on 020 7839 0888 or George Franks at Douglas & Gordon on 020 7581 6666

Thursday 28th April 2016, 2–7pm. Admission Free The Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, London SW3 5EE

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In the Age of Giorgione

Royal Academy, Sackler Gallery Until 5 June 2016 Admission £11.50 royalacademy.org.uk

n a climate of broadening an exhibition’s appeal by some judicial padding due to a paucity of star works, the RA have come clean this time in a pre-emptive salvo, by stating that many of Giorgione’s paintings are either not attributed to him, or misattributed, and that only four can be definitively identified as by the Venetian artist. He was certainly something of a mystery, with precious little known about his life: no documentation survives about when he painted certain pictures, or what some of the obscure subject matter meant, or even when he was born. Two of his most celebrated paintings are The Tempest, sadly not in the exhibition, but residing in the Accademia in Venice, and the deeply erotic Sleeping Venus, in the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen in Dresden. To add to the confusion of attribution, it is accepted that the landscape and sky were completed by Titian after his death. However, there are enough fine works, by Giorgione (or not), to keep even the most demanding and fastidious Renaissance aficionado quiet, without the need to go on a Grand Tour. The exhibition opens with a rather ‘stiff ’ portrait of a young man by Giovanni Bellini, possibly depicting the writer and humanist Pietro Bembo, for whom the serif typeface was created, but opposite is Giorgione’s own Portrait of a Young Man, known as the ‘Giustiniani Portrait’, named after the previous owners, the Giustiniani family from Padua, which has oodles more humanity, depth, and insight into the sitter’s character. In the same room is Portrait of Burkhard of Speyer by the great German painter Albrecht Dürer, who stayed in Venice for a couple of years; a rather solemn picture, whose flesh is so different in hue to the Venetians’ softer tones as to appear permatanned. One of the stars of the show is a (authenticated) Giorgione, that of another young man, known as the Terris Portrait, again named after a previous owner, this time the Scottish coal merchant Alexander Terris, which is a sublime work of enormous subtlety and one that gets into the very heart and soul of the man, and not just his physicality. Attributed to Giorgione is a portrait of A Knight and His Groom (Il Gattamelata), in which, in the foreground, sits a most distinctive helmet, the very same one which appears in Titian’s Jacopo Pesaro being presented by Pope Alexander VI to Saint Peter, on loan

from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp. Titian was also responsible for Christ and the Adulteress, on loan from Glasgow, which was long attributed to Giorgione, hence the amount of embroilment surrounding these two fine artists. We are told that ‘landscape’ painting did not exist before Dürer came down from Nuremberg to Italy and introduced the so-called genre, and, within a decade, they were all at it, including Giorgione with his Il Tramonto (The Sunset) from the National Gallery, in which quite a lot is occurring;s including Saint Roch, who is having an ulcer treated by his attendant, Saint George rearing up on a steed, about to kebab a diminutive dragon, and Saint Anthony about to enter his cave. So,

quite a ‘busy’ landscape, with a skinny tree bang in the centre, a town in the middle distance and blue-remembered hills in the background. Besides Titian and Giorgione, another accomplished Venetian artist Giovanni Cariani is on show, with two striking paintings, one of St Agnes, an early Christian virgin martyr, who had her breasts cut off by the Roman Governor when she refused his advances. A century later the Florentine Lorenzo Lippi painted the same scene, but the tits on his platter were even more perfectly-formed and rounded than Cariani’s. The other is Judith, who has just severed the head of the general of the Assyrian army Holofernes, which her maid is holding under her arm. Another gem in the show, this time definitely by Giorgione,

is La Vecchia, simply meaning ‘the old’, which shows an old woman in unflinching realism, skin like parchment, a few thin strands of grey hair escaping from under her hat, sad eyes and her mouth open, revealing her few remaining teeth. She is holding a piece of paper on which is written, Col tempo (With time), to underline the ephemeral nature of the human condition. Giorgione never had to face up to old age or the ravages of time, as he died tragically young, possibly in his early thirties, and possibly of the plague, at the height of his artistic powers. What more he could have achieved is open to conjecture, but what he left behind in his short life is enough to establish him as one of the greatest of the Renaissance artists. Don Grant

April April/May 2016 2011

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

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Arts & Culture Russia and the Arts NPG. Until 26 June 2016. Admission £6. www.npg.org.uk

ifteen years ago the Hayward Gallery staged an exhibition called Twilight of the Tsars, which was an eye-opener as regards the state of Russian art at the turn of the last century. Two of the portraits from the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow were in that show, namely Zinaida Serebriakova’s fresh Self-Portrait at the Dressing Table and Ofga Dellaos-Kardovskaya’s Portrait of Anna Akhmatova, while Mikhail Vrubel had a painting of the soprano Nadezhda Zabela, not the same one as at the NPG, but one of many he painted of her; well, they were married. This is a small but perfectly formed show, comprising a mere two dozen portraits, all of which were either commissioned or bought by Pavel Tretyakov, a rich merchant, philanthropist, and patron who wanted to celebrate major Russian composers, musicians, writers, poets, and actors of their day, just as Realism portraiture was taking on a new self-confidence and morphing into Impressionism and Symbolism. The Russian cultural giants that appear in the exhibition include Anton Chekhov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Anton Rubinstein, Petr Tchaikovsky, Leo Tolstoy, and Ivan Turgenev. Ilia Rupin, who painted the sensitive and affectionate portrait of Mussorgsky, is uncompromising in its honest portrayal of an incurable alcoholic. Despite strict orders of sobriety while he was in the Nikolaevsky Military Hospital, an orderly managed to slip him a bottle of cognac, as it was his name-day, which he consumed. Repin had planned his last session for the following day, but, tragically, “when I arrived at the appointed hour, I did not find him among the living”. The artist, not wanting to profit from the commission from Tretyakov, donated his fee to a memorial of this talented, tortured composer. The portrait of Fyodor Dostoyevsky by Vasily Perov is another painting of a remarkable, but troubled, figure, depicting the fiercely intelligent writer staring into space, with an intensity which is echoed in the tense posture and the tightly interlaced hands. It is extraordinary to think that he was imprisoned for his involvement in the utopian Petrashevsky Circle for four years in a prison labour camp in Omsk, followed by five years of enforced military service, and then raised up to enormous heights of respect, even appearing on Russian postage stamps. Ilya Repin painted Ivan Turgenev on commission, but the two men fell out during the sittings, and the resulting portrait highlighted the writer’s unconcealed disdain for the painter and a glowering coolness towards him, no doubt fuelled by the view held by Tretyakov, that he failed to capture his intelligence and good humour. Someone who looked as though she did not take prisoners is Baroness Varvara Ikskul von Hildenbrandt, wife of the Russian ambassador to Rome, captured perfectly by Rupin. The salonnière is shown life-size, wearing an astonishing outfit, comprising a long, black ruched skirt, a tight-fitting, high-necked red blouse, and a pointed hat, with her face half-concealed by a veil. He also painted the pianist Anton Rubinstein as a powerful, restless figure with a leonine head and defiant folded arms. Nikolai Kuznetsov, on the other hand, captured the melancholic and hostile pose of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, a hand resting heavily on a manuscript combined with a challenging stare at the viewer. He was, by then, a figure of international renown, lionised by the tsar and touring Europe and the United States, including conducting the inaugural concert at the Carnegie Hall in 1891, but he loathed being in the spotlight, and was furtively trying to hide his homosexuality, hence the deep sadness seen in this portrayal. One of Repin’s apprentices, Iosif Braz, also studied in Holland, Munich, and Paris, and was relatively young when Tretyakov asked him to paint the great Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, while he was in Nice in 1898. The result is a conventional but powerful image of a man positively oozing with self-confidence. The portrait of Leo Tolstoy, however, is less posed and more informal, showing the author of War and Peace with bowed head, furrowed brow, and deep at work on a manuscript. This rich and varied exhibition celebrates 160 years since the founding of both the Moscow State Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Some forty paintings from the collection entitled From Elizabeth to Victoria opened at the same time in Moscow as Russia and the Arts did in London. Don Grant

April 2016

Arts & Culture

Botticelli Reimagined V&A Until 3 July 2016 Admission £15 vam.ac.uk/botticelli

aving been hoodwinked by the Royal Academy a year ago with its ‘Rubens and His Legacy’, which should have been called ‘Where’s Rubens?’, and mildly duped by the Delacroix at the National Gallery, with a mere two dozen out of sixty-two works by the great French Romantic on display, I was a little nervous about seeing an exhibition that sounded more about the ‘artistic legacy’ of Botticelli than his paintings. However, I need

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk not have fretted; after the initial exposure to Warhol, Dolce & Gabbana, Magritte, and Rauschenberg, followed by a large dollop of PreRaphaelite paintings, there are over 50 works, either by the Florentine master himself or some lesser examples from his workshop. The exhibition opens with two film clips, one from Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen with Uma Thurman, which was a box office bummer, and the notorious sequence from Dr No, where Ursula Andress emerges from the sea clutching a couple of conche shells. So we start with contemporary and modern works, from the likes of Cindy Sherman, Yin Xan, Bill Viola, and Antonio Donghi; and work our way backwards through his ‘rediscovery’ in the mid-19th century, when Dante Gabriel Rossetti (himself of Italian descent) John Ruskin, and Edward BurneJones all acquired works by Botticelli, whose work, and those from his workshop, dominate the last two galleries. One curiosity in the first section was the inclusion of an alloy wheel from a sports car, the hub of which was allegedly inspired by a brooch worn by one of the three Graces in his masterpiece Primavera, although the flange boasts five wheel-nuts, and ten ‘branches’, while the brooch itself has only four pearls and eight points. Some inspiration, then. This simply smacks of cashing in on Botticelli’s name as being a bit classy, although the justification is that “it hints at the Renaissance ideals of modernity and innovation”. They also produce other alloy wheel rims called ‘Michelangelo’ and ‘Raffaello’. Whatever next? A Titian steering wheel, or a Giorgione gearstick? At the next big Picasso exhibition to be staged, could one expect to see a Citroën on a plinth? Also on show is a trompe-l’oeil by Tamara de Lempicka, featuring a dogeared Botticelli print of a Madonna pinned to a plain wooden panel, with a key hanging on a ribbon to the side. Not a great piece of work, but Mary McMahon suggests in the catalogue that its juxtaposition “suggests that Botticelli’s works provide the key to art”. Puh-lease.

Arnold Böcklin, probably most famous for his Island of the Dead series, did his own rather sparse version of Venus, using almost fifty shades of blue, but her head looks as though it has been transplanted, rather badly, from another’s body. Gustave Moreau also pays homage to the Florentine painter with his own versions of the Birth of Venus, one a direct copy and the second, a darker and more impenetrable composition. Aubrey Beardsley, whose mentor was BurneJones, was captivated by Botticelli, as well as Montagna, and influences can be seen in his early pencil drawings, as well as his later pen and ink drawings, such as The Mysterious Rose Garden. David LaChapelle, noted for his in-yer-face montage photographs of celebs, has taken the composition, retitled it Rebirth of Venus, and has a string-vested man holding a pink, vulviform conche in front of her own genitals, with another naked male blowing a sea-shell. The Brotherhood revered the manner in which Botticelli depicted beauty, particularly female beauty, and they sought out models who fitted in with his idealised view, and they included Elizabeth Siddal, Lucy Madox Brown, and William Morris’s wife Jane, who all had full, pouting lips, glowering, sulky looks, long necks, and flowing locks of golden auburn hair. They dressed them in voluminous and diaphanous, clingy drapes amongst festoons of flowers and foliage. One critic, F.G. Stephen, described Burns-Jones’s Evening painted in 1870 with the words “grace and sentiment”, but then added a slightly barbed remark, “grand poetry expressed in bad grammar”. They also emulated the way in which he applied paint, using smooth flesh-tones, and sometimes the merest hint of an outline, to capture the

idealized archetypal beauty, with great attention paid to the subject’s tresses and adornments. There are more Virgin and Child paintings than one could shake a mahlstick at, and his Mystic Nativity, painted in 1501, made it up the road from the National Gallery; but in contrast to his sacred paintings is his mythological masterpiece, Pallas and the Centaur, courtesy of the Uffizi. His Portrait of a Young Man, on loan from Washington, is an absolute stunner, and sits comfortably alongside his Portrait of a Lady, believed to be the Florentine beauty Simonetta Vespucci, for whom the de Medici brothers had a soft spot, and another known as Smeralda Bandinelli, which was once owned by Rossetti. There are two portraits of Giuliano de Medici in profile, painted in 1478, ands was assassinated later in that year during High Mass in the Duomo as part of the Pazzi conspiracy, in which attack his brother Lorenzo the Magnificent was wounded, but survived. There are two beautiful fulllength nudes of Venus, set against black backgrounds, although the one on loan from Berlin is regarded as a workshop copy. Not to be outdone by the Courtauld’s current show of Botticelli drawings for Dante’s Inferno from the Kupferstichkabinett, the V&A have three pen and ink drawings from the Vatican Library, one demonstrating what the punishment was for Sodomites in the Seventh Circle of Hell (don’t ask) and two from Berlin, whisch must have left the museum denuded. Exiting through the gift shop, as one must, one is assaulted on all sides by a plethora of merchandise, including the usual tote bags, jewellery, posters, prints, and post-cards, but, in the case of Venus, standing in a scallop shell à la coquille St Jacques, she makes it onto scarves and, of course, bath towels. The V&A prides itself on having quality goods on sale, but it missed a trick in not including fine porcelain scallopshell dishes, which, although completely non-PC, could always be used as ashtrays. As it is, they have chocolate sea-shells and seasalt soap. The OZ Botticelli 3-piece alloy wheels are not for sale in the shop, but one can get them online for £3,700 for a set of four; without tyres, of course. Don Grant

Portrait of a Young Man. Sandro Botticelli. Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington

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Arts & Culture

Above: Lucy Pratt. A Cut above the Rest Left: Bossard. You pinched my Wine

S The Chelsea Art Fair

Thursday, April 21st Sunday, April 24th 2016

The Chelsea Art Fair will be celebrating its 21st Birthday at the Chelsea Old Town Hall from Thursday, April 21st to Sunday, April 24th 2016 in style. The chic boutique Fair has established itself as the London art fair which brings first class Modern and Contemporary art to the heart of Chelsea, with a particular focus on three-dimensional art. The Fair offers a wide selection of artists represented by about 35 of the most respected modern and contemporary art galleries from around the UK. This Fair is all about quality and while the majority of works will have price tags from £500 to £50,000, some sculptures on view will exceed that. Galleries tend to bring their highlights to Chelsea with many of the works shown for the first time in London. Works by well-known artists can be found next to

some great new discoveries, which make this Fair such a magnet for connoisseurs. A rigorous selection process and the relaxing, contemporary atmosphere also means that there is a chance to take a close look at the art and talk to dealers. The late night opening, on Thursday, 21st April, will be a celebration of the Kings Road art scene putting Chelsea very much back on the art map. This year, the Chelsea Art Fair is supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which is celebrating its 30th birthday and there will be many opportunities to support them by buying art at the Fair and attending tours. Ben Cooper, the Fair’s director, says: “We are looking forward to celebrating our 21st birthday with some of the best galleries, some well-established ones which have been supporting the Fair since its inception and some great new additions. More than ever, the Fair should appeal to local art lovers as well as visitors from all over London, Britain, and abroad.” The Fair will be open from Thursday, 21st April from 11-8, on Friday and Saturday 11-7, and closes on Sunday, 25th April at 5pm. Tickets cost £6 and more details can be found on www. chelseaartfair.org or on Twitter and Facebook.

o we come to Lloyds Club in the city, where a small and intimate show, presenting the work of three artists, explores the dynamic engagement that can occur between, work notably different in style and mood. The representational pieces of Susie Hamilton, the colourful and expressive abstraction of Roxy Walsh, and the strikingly austere minimalism of Persi Darukhanawala are all set in lively contrast with one another. The sense of stylistic difference is mirrored by spatial apartness; each of the artists are given their own territory, kept resolutely to different floors. It’s also interesting to see the work of artists at different stages of their careers, while both Hamilton and Walsh have a longer exhibition histories, Darukhanawala is comparatively new to the scene.

Persi Darukhanawala, Susie Hamilton and Roxy Walsh. The Lloyds Club, 3rd March – 1st July 2016

Organised by the curatorial collective Patch, this seems to be part of their exhibition strategy; previous exhibitions have included the work of old masters alongside emerging contemporary artists. It’s a lively idea that makes for a highly varied and sometimes challenging viewing. Hamilton’s work presents a lyrical rendition of simple everyday actions with a dream like quality through the mix of the representational and the abstract. Although the colours are often bright (the artist often works in Morocco) there’s also something quite melancholy about the pieces, with the human figures frequently in shadow and either solitary or with a feeling of separation from one another. Again in Walsh’s work there is a play between the abstract and shapes that are more recognisable although it feels less easy to guess ‘the story’ behind the image. The most striking work of the show is that of Darukhanawala, which is crisply minimal: concentric circles, series of straight lines, and geometric shapes. There was something delicious however in realising that the titles of the pieces are taken from lyrics of songs from the punk rock band The Jam, an elegant series of dark black lines is named after their 1978 song News of the World and a series of white concentric circles is entitled Liza Radley, see her jump through loneliness (the title of the exhibition as a whole is taken from Paul Weller’s That’s Entertainment). Experiencing these paintings in concert with the music gives an odd sense of juxtaposition and prompts a rather more playful level of engagement with the work. Imogen Woodberry

…And Wishing You Were Far Away

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Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Paul Strand: Photography and Film for the 20th Century V&A Until 3 July 2016 Admission £9 vam.ac.uk/paulstrand

of Walt Whitman poetry, foresaw Fritz Lang’s Metropolis by seven years, and explored the city in slow camera pans, including marshalling yards and the docking of SS Aquitania in New York harbour. By all accounts, he worked methodically, if not ponderously; hampered, no doubt, by the heavy plate cameras he had to carry around. This was borne out by two of his subjects on South Uist, Milly and John MacLellan, who were photographed as children by Strand in 1954, and were invited by the V&A to attend the press view over 60 years later. He immersed himself in the people and landscapes he visited, including New Mexico, Romania, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, New England, Italy, and France. Many of these extensive trips resulted in photobooks in collaboration with such writers as Claude Roy, Cesare Zavattini and the radical journalist and historian, Basil Davidson, with whom he produced his book about the Hebrides, Tir A’Mhurain, which translates as ‘Land of Bent Grass’. The year before he spent some time in a small agricultural village in the Po valley called Luzzara, where he photographed the inhabitants, including The Lusetti

Paul Strand. Angus Peter McIntyre, South Uist, Hebrides, 1954. V&A Museum

acebook, as well as Flickr and Instagram, promote themselves as being the world’s largest photographic ‘libraries’, with an estimated collection of 140 billion photos, but precious few could be termed as ‘Fine Art’. The Prints & Photographs Division of the Library of Congress holds more than 15 million items, including photographs, prints, drawings and, architectural designs, with more than one million available in digital form. The V&A has a modest 500,000 photographs as part of the National Collection of the Art of Photography in the UK, to be swelled by the transfer of 400,000 objects from the National Media Museum in Bradford, but it has been collecting images since 1856, making it the oldest archive in the world. They recently enlarged their collection by nine, by purchasing images of the Outer Hebrides by the Marxist New Yorker Paul Strand, who died in France in 1976. He first heard about the plight of the inhabitants of South Uist when listening to a BBC radio broadcast about their vanishing way of life, as their traditional Gaelic language and agriculture were coming under threat from plans to build a US rocket testing site on the island at the height of the Cold War. Strand started taking photographs of his native city after visiting the studio of Alfred Stieglitz as a schoolboy, who initially criticised his work as being too ‘soft’, dramatically changing his technique to embrace a more graphic approach, particularly to abstract photographs of everyday objects, but also movement in the city and street portraits. At first he wandered about with a decoy lens on his camera, with the real one hidden under his arm, so that he did not have to confront the subject, but was later able to abandon this underhanded, or underarm, ploy and get the sitters to pose for him, face-to-face, as it were. These early images show a raw talent for capturing the ‘huddled masses’ that made up the European immigrant population of New York, as well as the anonymity of the big city, with such stark photographs as Wall Street, with workers dwarfed by towering skyscrapers, mere ants against a backdrop of modernity. His early film Manhatta from 1920, captioned by lines

Family, with five barefoot brothers ranged around the front door with their mother, looking as though they had just auditioned for a Fellini film. Although he was also a filmmaker and cinematographer, making a number of politicised documentaries, particularly working for the Mexican government, he is best known for his black and white images of the human face and simple

subjects, such as windows, doorways and fences, farm machinery, bridles, plant forms, driftwood, and rocks, all taken with a sharp precision and directness, but with an eye on the abstract qualities of the objects. It was as though he was trying to capture a fleeting view of a life that would soon evaporate, eaten up by the march of ‘progress’. Don Grant

April April/May 2016 2011

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Arts & Culture

The pre-concert talks should be regarded as essential and Timothy Lines’ was no exception, well attended by most of the later audience, including James May (even cooler in the flesh). It is quite fascinating hearing really dedicated experts deconstruct remarkable works. Reich himself provided one pair of hands for the beguilingly melodic Clapping Music. As might have been expected with a programme which had clearly been so thoughtfully assembled, there was a profound feeling during the last piece Three Movements that the whole event had been building up to this denouement. With Reich himself very much the honoured guest a packed Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall rose in standing ovation to acclaim this fabulous finale to a magical series.

BY JAMES DOUGLAS

Kensington Philharmonic Orchestra

Steve Reich

Royal College of Music Exploring Minimalism: Looping

Spring Concert

13 March 2016 Chelsea Old Town Hall Mark Fitz-Gerald, Abigail Dance, Naomi Anderson, Matthew Kettle Weber Der Freischutz Overture; Mozart, Flute Concerto No 2 in D; Bartok Viola Concerto. Brahms Symphony No 1 in C Minor

Tuesday 1 March 2016 Philip Glass String Quartet no2 Company; Michael Tarke May and June; John Adams China Glass; Steve Reich Electric Counterpoint; John Adams Shaker Loops; Frederic Rzewski Coming Together.

While forming an integral part of the Steve Reich Residence at the RCM, the opening concert was an individual delight. The Minimalism series was well publicised, of real importance, and included popular elements. It was packed. I nearly missed it and had to plead for my own ticket never mind a plus one. I’d been online to sort out my KCWToday diary late that afternoon but just had time to pick Colin up from Plus One Gallery. The opener was sensible and accessible, typical Glass violin themes evolving into eastern baroque, while Reich’s own Electric Counterpoint provided a fascinating first session closer. Colin’s a big John Adams fan so he particularly enjoyed Shaker Loops while Frederic Rzewski’s Coming Together dragged out every nuance of my own deep distrust of the state. With such an interesting and relevant selection of entertaining and informative pieces, so well presented by all the musicians, it seems invidious to mention individuals, but William Scott presented Reich’s complexity so very coolly, and I’m not sure I’ll ever forget Polly Leach’s dramatic spoken vocal understatement.

Exploring Minimalism: Shaping

Tuesday 8 March 2016 Michael Nyman Poczatek, Songs for Tony, Shaping the Curve; Gavin Bryars String Quartet (Between the National and the Bristol); Graham Fitkin Cusp With prominence given to Michael Nyman, the second evening was characterised by robust, confident and quite beautifully phrased mature performances from the whole ensemble. Reminiscent of Stuart Adamson’s bagpipe-guitars, Michael Nyman’s violin-tinged saxophones were the perfect antidote to the graveyard slot. With a tight rhythm section, percussive cello and flamboyant lead, Shaping the Curve echoed rock influences, the finale emphasising a well-considered running order.

Steve Reich In Residence

RCM Symphony Orchestra & RCM New Perspectives

My chess nemesis Stephen Quartermaine plays the horn with the Kensington Philharmonic Orchestra, and knowing how professional some of these amateur groups are, I found it quite easy to drag myself out on what would have been a dead Sunday night. Turned out a packed Chelsea Town Hall had a similar thought. Opening with the exquisite Der Freischutz Overture by Weber it was a stunning evening with a hugely challenging first half followed by an iconic single piece second, Brahms’ first (and long-awaited) symphony. If the RCM trips evoked repeated insights upon multiple epiphanies in the modern milieu, the KPO repeated the trick for the romantics. I’ll remember 13 March 2016 as the night I may just have started to understand Brahms’ place at the top table. While one never quite caps Mozart, the Bartok led by soloist Matthew Kettle certainly managed to follow Naomi Anderson’s flute. The order was correct with Kettle’s highly charged and spectacular bowing leading us into the interval. What was really rather lovely was seeing the soloists taking their places in the orchestra when others might have felt they’d done their bit. I was left so stunned by the impact of the ambitious programme that

Coda Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016)

Master of the Queen’s Music (an appointment that lead to his conversion to monarchism from republicanism) has joined a growing list of great lives to be celebrated. Closely associated with Orkney which became his home in 1971, Fairwell to Stromness remains one of his better known works

CLASSICAL MUSIC

I approached musical director and conductor Mark Fitz-Gerald to discuss his work. In particular Mark described the painstaking preparation together with the confidence that derives from proper planning, and attending libraries to study and annotate such parts as Toscanini’s bowings for the Brahms. I’ve been left reflecting not only on Naomi Anderson’s delicacy and Matthew Kettle’s vibrant physical vigour, but also on the richness depth and colour that Mark encouraged his orchestra to bring out in these famous pieces, augmented by the hallucinogenic detailing within the ornamentation. It is a remarkable tribute to the quality of music in west-central London that all the music featured on this page was performed either by amateur musicians or by professionals who almost certainly weren’t being paid for their labours; each piece in every recital was performed to the most exacting and frequently really quite delightful professional standard.

Timothy Lines Steve Reich, Clapping Music, Quartet, Double Sextet, Three Movements

Keith Emerson (1944-2016)

Virtuoso pianist, organist and pioneering keyboards player Keith Emerson (1944-2016) made his name with The Nice in the late sixties before finding superstardom with what was the archetypical eclectic Progressive Rock band the super-group Emerson Lake & Palmer. Ironically their iconic defining album Pictures At An Exhibition, a work of genuine genius, benefited from a raw and visceral live concert sound that might have been over-perfected in the studio.

April 2016

Arts & Culture

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

BRICKS AND BRICKBATS BY EMMA FLYNN

Say goodbye to good design:

How the Housing Bill threatens the quality of our built environment

t a time when Britain’s housing crisis has never been more acute, the new Housing & Planning Bill currently going through the House of Lords should be an exciting prospect for the country. It promises to stimulate house building, provide hundreds of thousands of affordable homes, and improve the planning process. However, unless amended, the Bill will have the contrary effect. Described by campaigners, Architects for Social Housing, the Bill is “an extremely subtle and duplicitous piece of legislation that in almost every aspect does something very different, if not the direct opposite, of what it is claiming to do”. The Bill has been prominently criticised for its primary attack on social housing, which will become less secure and more restricted, just when it is needed most. The headlining affordable housing initiative, ‘Starter Homes’, is central to the new Bill, and central to the madness. These homes, capped at £450,000 in London and £250,000 in the rest of England, will be unaffordable for people on average incomes in over half of the country. If that’s not crazy enough, the policy will force local authorities to build ‘Starter Homes’ for first-time buyers, rather than allowing them the freedom to specify the type or mix of housing they need i.e. to provide homes that are genuinely affordable or for social rent. These measures will in effect remove the obligations of developers to contribute towards the provision of community benefits (including genuinely affordable homes) through Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy, and will instead provide them with public subsidies to allow them to build as normal. This will worsen the situation for those who are unable to buy, and to amplify that inequality; buyers can make a significant profit by selling-on at market value, five years later. Simply put by the Housing Charity, Shelter: “You don’t solve an affordability crisis by getting rid of the few affordable homes we’re building, yet that’s exactly what this policy will do.”

And there are many other illconceived ideas that are all set to make the crisis worse. The extension of Right to Buy to housing association tenants will result in further reducing the number of homes for social rent (without any provision for their replacement with like for like). Also short-sighted is the requirement of local authorities to sell off high value council homes (to pay for the extension of Right to Buy). With ‘high value areas’ already under the most stress in terms of affordable provision, this will do nothing but exacerbate the problem, increasing the divide between the rich and poor. It is, in short, a collection of poorly researched measures that will only succeed in increasing housing inequality. To make matters worse (if that is possible), there is another side of the Bill, that has been dangerously overlooked: the proposed changes to the planning system. Purposefully ambiguous, the proposed plan to privatise and deregulate the planning process, while it may address more housing building, will threaten the building of better quality homes and strong communities, in direct conflict with the Government’s localism agenda. The most radical proposal is the introduction of automatic planning permission on ‘suitable’ sites, bypassing the established planning system. Originally introduced to speed up housing development on brownfield sites, there is nothing in the Bill that prevents this proposal being applied to other situations. This in effect would result in the introduction of a generic US–style zoning system, where development is granted in principle. “It

is extremely dangerous,” says Hugh Ellis, policy director at the Town and Country Planning Association. “It could apply to all forms of development; for example, fracking could easily be given ‘permission in principle’ as part of a minerals plan. You can’t make a decision in principle about a site until you know the detail of its implications, from flood risk appraisal to the degree of affordable housing. Giving permission in principle would fundamentally undermine our ability to build resilient, mixed communities in the long term... Zoning is one of the major contributors to the economic and social segregation of cities in America.” ‘Permission in Principle’ will attract poor quality design that may not engage with, or respond to, the specific conditions of sites. With the introduction of this policy the Bill ignores the historic basis of our established planning system; that design quality should be key to the principle of whether development is granted permission or not. In addition to ‘Permission in Principle’, another clause permits the “processing of planning applications by alternative providers”, in effect opening the door for the privatisation of the planning system. Instead of the current method whereby all planning applications are submitted to the local authority, the proposal would give developers the option to pay a ‘designated person’ to process applications privately. This is likely to move the entire process out of public view, reduce the public’s opportunity to comment on planning applications, putting our future entirely in the hands of developers. Further reducing the power of the planning department, the Government is also

proposing measures to let the Secretary of State intervene in the preparation of local plans where it believes the local authority to be “failing or omitting” to complete the work. “It is all profoundly undemocratic” says David Vickery, a retired senior planning inspector. “The Bill represents a significant centralisation of powers by government to micromanage planning, without thinking through the consequences. It reads like a panicked reaction to current low housebuilding rates, and the fact that the government doesn’t trust anyone other than itself to do the job. It proves that localism is dead.” The planning system exists to ensure development is in the public interest, to encourage design quality and prevent unacceptable development. Local planning policy currently enforces many important quality standards. This include requirements for internal room size, accessibility, daylight, parking and cycle storage. These are not qualities that can be taken for granted; experience has shown that even these basic qualities are neglected by developers if they are not required to provide them. With the proposed changes to the planning system, it is unclear how these design quality, even at the most basic level, will be guaranteed. It is clear that the planning system could and should be considerably improved, but bypassing the system is not an option if we want to encourage localism, quality design, and a democratic process. As described by Janet Askew, president of the Royal Town Planning Institute, “Local authority planning departments are critically under resourced, so if it’s a question of them being too slow then the government needs to increase their capacity, not strip it away further.” Increasing the number of homes being built is a necessity, but this should not come at the expense of lower build or design quality. The Housing Bill’s emphasis is entirely on quantity not quality. With this oversight we are in serious danger of permitting substandard developments, which will have a detrimental effect on the quality of our built environment. Without measures in place to safeguard design quality, there is a very real concern that our future developments will not deliver quality homes and sustainable communities in the long term. The value of good design is now widely recognised, but for some reason our politicians seem slow to catch on. Good design is not just about how beautiful something looks, but how well it works, and how long it lasts. By designing better quality homes, we can create happier, healthier and safer places to live, that can truly improve the lives of the most vulnerable. Perhaps it is the misconception that good design costs more, but it is the long-term cost of bad design that they should really be considering.

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Feldman MAX

REVIEWS

High-Rise

Director: Ben Wheatley Running Time: 119 minutes

the frankly upsetting clinical weirdness of the book and as a result ended up resembling a straight to DVD soft-core porn flick. In J.G. Ballard’s cult 1975 novel, the residents of a newly built brutalist concrete tower block succumb to what could (reductively) be described as a shared mania brought on by the obscure pressures of life in the cloistered world of the building. This, for better or worse, is precisely what Wheatley delivers in a kaleidoscopic madhouse of surrealism and social criticism. The titular block is constructed with social exclusion in mind, with the cheaper and smaller flats at the bottom and verdant penthouses the further up you go, with the top floor inhabited by the tower’s architect ( Jeremy Irons) whose wife trots around on a horse like Lady Godiva (it’s that kind of movie). Whilst all residents pay a flat rate, the lower levels are subject to random power outages and garbage chute blockages which create an atmosphere of slow boiling resentment. Anyone hoping for a kitchen sink realist exploration of housing inequality should probably check those expectations at the door considering the fact that the film opens with a faithful recreation of the novel’s notorious opening sentence “Later, as he sat on his balcony eating the dog...” and continues in much the same vein. Barring some references to the rise of Margaret Thatcher (that frankly

don’t quite land as well as they might) Wheatley’s script sticks to the book as much as possible. The setting remains the seventies (or rather, what seventies pop-culture imagined the future would look like) with the film collecting the most intimidating array of sideburns seen on the big screen for quite some time. Tom Hiddleston turns in a suitably blank performance as the central character, fresh faced surgeon Dr Robert Laing, who finds himself “thriving like an advanced species in the neutral atmosphere” as the social order of the tower block begins to collapses into an almost Mad Max style dystopia. The rest of the cast do the best that can be done with the absurdly arch dialogue: (“She said your tenancy application was very Byronic,” is a fairly tame example), but rather than killing the atmosphere, the detached dialogue (which extends to the men exclusively referring to each other by their last names) adds to the frenzied yet dispassionate atmosphere. High-Rise, to put it bluntly, is completely bonkers, an uncompromising surrealist whirlwind of eroticism, violence, and the psychological dominance of architecture. Wheatley’s work frequently touches on a genius that threatens to be obscured by its gnomic subject matter and HighRise is certainly no exception. The film can hardly boast mass appeal but there is definitely an audience that will find this bizarre offering to be as flavourful and satisfying as that first bite of dog.

As Michael interacts with the cabbie, the hotel desk clerk, the bellhop, and eventually an ex-girlfriend with whom he ineptly tries to reconnect while he’s in town, the light gradually dawns: every character who isn’t Michael shares the same eyes, and they all, male and female, speak with the same flat, corporate voice (Tom Noonan). Which is why Michael is instantly, overpoweringly drawn to a fellow hotel guest named Lisa, whose puppet has her own distinct facial features and who speaks in the gloriously non-Noonan voice of Jennifer Jason Leigh (last seen as feral outlaw Daisy Domergue in The Hateful Eight; a more different role could not be imagined). Enchanted at finding someone who stands out from his banal lonely world, Michael embarks on a desperate attempt to forge meaning and connection. Working alongside Duke Johnson, co-director Charlie Kaufman, writer of The Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, Being John Malkovich, and Synecdoche, New York, is not exactly a stranger to naval gazing and Anomalisa, for all of its strengths, is no exception. The hotel that Michael and Lisa are staying in is named the Fregoli, in a winking reference to the Fregoli delusion; an unusual neurological disorder where sufferers become convinced that numerous people in their life are actually the same person wearing a disguise; an affliction that Michael who is literally

alone in a world of clones (including his wife and son) might have more than a little sympathy for. The existential terror of a boring identical world as rendered by puppets is as devastatingly oppressive as any horror movie, as is the sudden breathtaking relief that comes from Lisa’s sunny idiosyncrasies. Potential viewers should be prepared for a pace that could be described either as ‘minor key’ or ‘glacial’ depending on individual

reaction, but Anomalisa is, as the name suggests, quite anomalous in its style and content. The puppets are both charming and, in their own way, deeply realistic, and the film rather ironically boasts one of the most human sex scenes in recent memory. For those happy at letting a story proceed at its own pace and with an open mind for new kinds of film making, Anomalisa stands out from the other tired faces in the crowd.

en Wheatley has made a career out of movies that are uncomfortable to watch yet demand attention. 2011’s Kill List

and 2013’s A Field In England aren’t exactly rollicking good times but they’ve certainly got something that indie darlings the world over would kill to be able to channel even a tenth of. High-Rise is Wheatley’s first real shot at the big time and he’s nailed his outsider colours to the mast with the choice of a J.G. Ballard adaptation for his coming out party. This is a relatively bold decision considering that Ballard hasn’t had much luck when it comes to cinematic adaptations; the only two being Empire of The Sun (which is quite unlike his usual fare) and Cronenberg’s Crash which managed to get stuck between an attempt to be relatively audience friendly (if deeply sexual), alongside trying to accurately depict

Anomalisa

Director: Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman Running Time: 90 minutes

There is not a terrible lot that happens over the course of Anomalisa’s ninety minute run-time. Rather than the explosions and superheroes which make up so much blockbuster fare, Anomalisa is a quiet, moving story about loneliness and isolation that just happens to be performed entirely with puppets. The film explores 24 hours in the life of Michael Stone (David Thewlis), a motivational speaker who spends one seemingly unhappy night in a Cincinnati hotel. Anomalisa is shot through with shades of Lost In Translation but proves quite a different beast as the plot advances. Stone is in town to give a speech on customer service, but far from seeming charismatic, inspirational, or, indeed, motivated, he trudges through the airport in what seems to be a terminal malaise. Far from being a wilful stylistic tic, the use of puppets is vital to the conceit of the film; there’s a vital reason why such a small-scale, intimate story was shot using stop-motion animation rather than actors.

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Running Time: 42:13 Label: Loma Vista Recordings £10.00

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

ggy Pop, the “world’s forgotten boy” has, since his white hot streak in the 1970s (where he unleashed five of the most influential albums of all time), unfortunately put out more than a few (appropriately) forgettable albums over the course of his lengthy career. The man widely heralded as the Godfather of Punk has spent most of the 21st century heading the re-united itineration of his legendary band The Stooges and surviving on his (admittedly formidable) merits as a live performer. However with

the recent death of Stooges’ drummer Scott Ashton, Iggy has decided to retire The Stooges seemingly once and for all, returning to touring and releasing music under his own name for the first time since 2001’s Beat ‘Em Up. Rather than return to the relatively meat and potatoes fare of his post-Lust For Life material, the man born as Jim Osterberg has taken The Idiot, his icily mechanical 1977 collaboration with David Bowie (which Bowie effectively used as guinea pig to test out ideas he’d later put to work in Low) as the inspiration for what he has described as “probably his last album”. Beyond the groan inducing title, the lyrical preoccupations certainly do seem to fit this pronouncement. Themes of reaching the end of one’s usefulness and general dissolution abound on what had the potential to be a joyless slog of a record. However Pop’s instincts for finding the perfect collaborator have served him well with his choice of Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme who provides a psychedelic swaggering groove that manages to invert obsolescence into sex appeal. Hypnotic thundering bass is the order of the day, with the rumbling low-end being held down by The Dead Weather’s Dean Fertita and Arctic Monkey’s drummer Matt Helders. Whilst the album was recording at the tail end of 2015, the depressive tone of the record has been granted unintended emphasis by the

personal tragedies of both the death of Iggy’s friend and mentor David Bowie and Josh Homme’s bandmates in Eagles of Death Metal getting caught in the crossfire during the terrorist attack at La Bataclan. As a result Post Pop Depression can sometimes come across as something resembling unintentional group therapy for its two damaged principles. Pop’s lyrical concerns alternate between sex and death with metronomic frequency, which in the hands of less competent showman could easily veer into the parodic, but Iggy’s sinuous Jim Morrison by way of Bowie approach manages to turn what could seem clichéd into something genuinely ominous. Post Pop Depression couldn’t quite be described as an unmitigated success, it could have done with a couple more straight ahead bangers like opener Break Into Your Heart, which manages to marry it’s lush Kraftwerkian synths to a propulsive drive that the record loses in its mid-section (which admittedly comes back with a vengeance over the last couple of tracks). However this is a bold late career record that is informed by Pop’s past without being a cheap imitation of it (which is definitely more than you can say about a large swath of his solo career). If this is a swan song then it’s one that Pop (and Homme for that matter) can be more than proud of, even if it’s not quite worth a million in prizes.

of an English family of New England settlers who are banished from a religious commune for blasphemy, head into the wilderness by the edge of a dark and twisted forest and build an isolated farm with the bold assertion that this ashen wasteland shall be “the Kingdom of God”. Despite this acclamation, it becomes clear that something lurks in the woods and seems to have closer ties to a rather firier afterlife, and it seems to be avidly interested in its new neighbours. However, despite the malign presence, the film stays fixated on the internal strife and growing psychological unravelling of the isolated family with a tone of crushing dread that is completely unlike the rapid fire jump scares that modern Horror so often falls

back on. The Witch owes a clear debt to The Shining but shares just as much of its DNA with The Crucible. From the get-go it’s clear that the family’s religious fervour burns frighteningly bright and, after a shattering incident that takes place during an innocent game of peeka-boo, it stokes the flames of the kind of suspicion and conflict that already seem poised to explode into an all consuming inferno. In the early stages of the film, Eggers (who is, faintly astoundingly, only a first time director) seemingly plays the thing in the woods as non-metaphorical, with nightmarish visions of a Witch that clearly doesn’t have a New Age bone in her body. However the film’s tone of frenzied hysteria (both religious and not)

makes it more than possible to view the monstrous elements as being primarily residing in the cast’s mind as much as the woods. The younger teenage members of the family struggle with the first turbulent flowering of surging hormones, and the guilt fostered by these newfound feelings colliding with their puritanical beliefs seems to be the doorway through which the eponymous witch manifests. Some audiences might be put off by the film’s slow burn (gorehounds up for some quick nasty thrills will be particularly disappointed) but The Witch offers some of the most compelling horror of recent years. Uncompromising ,, The Witch takes hold like a cinematic fever dream and once it’s got a grip on you it’s hard to shake.

Post Pop Depression

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

The Witch

Director: Robert Eggers Running Time: 93 minutes

For much of the 21st century, Horror has been stuck in something of an artistic ghetto. There seemed to be an unspoken critical consensus that Horror could not be true art (much like how a Comedy doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance in Hell of winning Best Picture), and by the late 90s this lack of respect seemed to have become internalised by directors. Increasingly the genre ceased to push boundaries and lapsed into a run of sub-Halloween sex and blood slashers that seemed to fully vindicate the lack of critical respect accorded. Over the last couple of years however the pendulum seems to have been swinging back, with films like It Follows and The Babadook abandoning the jump scares and fake blood for some truly cerebral horror that took up residence in the audience’s subconscious (for significantly longer than some would like), and The Witch is a more than worthy continuation of this trend towards grown-up horror. Set in 1630 (thirty years prior to the Salem witch trials), The Witch concerns itself with the fortunes (or lack thereof )

April April/May 2016 2011

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Arts & Culture The Vanishing Man: In Pursuit of Velázquez

By Laura Cumming Chatto & Windus £18.99, 304 pages. Illustrated ISBN 978 0 70118 844 3

he author of this book is the art critic of the Observer and so arrives in the best-seller list with her credentials already established. The story is of one man’s obsession with a painting, told by one lady’s obsession with a painter. Cumming was introduced to Velazquez by her late father, a respected Scottish artist, James Cumming, with the Spaniard’s masterful Old Woman Frying Eggs at the National Gallery of Scotland, painted when he was a mere eighteen years old. In fact, James was much more taken with El Greco, but when his daughter went to Madrid as a way of exorcising his death, not unlike Helen MacDonald in H is for Hawk, she happened upon one of the truly great paintings ever produced, Les Meninas in the Prado, painted by the second greatest artist who ever lived. As an art historian, she was interested in people’s reactions to paintings, and it was during this research that she found a curious Victorian pamphlet by a bookseller from Reading, with an entry, ‘A Brief Description of the Portrait of Prince Charles, afterwards Charles the First, painted at Madrid in 1623 by Velázquez’. The bookseller was John Snare, who came across a begrimed halflength portrait of Charles I ‘supposed’ by Van Dyke at a country house sale. He successfully bid £8 for it, believing what he had was not a Van Dyke, but the ‘lost Velázquez’, painted when the then Prince Charles went to Spain to woo, disastrously, the Infanta Maria Anna, Philip IV’s younger sister. There, the poor bookseller’s fortunes take a

downward spiral, but only after he had tasted success. The title of the book is somewhat ambiguous; is the ‘Vanishing Man’ Velázquez himself, about whom there is scant knowledge, or is he the humble and hapless bookseller; or, as the story unfolds, Prince Charles; or, at least, his portrait? Cumming has knitted a tight tale of intrigue, detection, doggedness, and drama, taking the reader from the Alcázar of 17th century Spain to 19th century London, Edinburgh, and New York. En route, she eloquently describes in great detail the techniques in which this magician of the canvas actually applied paint: “There are passages of such mystery in (his) paintings that one wonders how he could know exactly where to place those dots, dashes, flicks and spatters of paint so that they represent the sadness in an eye or the dazzle of sunlight on a silk dress”. She says that the nearer one gets to Les Meninas, “the vision swithers . . . the more these semblances of reality start to disappear, to the point where it is impossible to fathom how the image could be made in the first place”. She has a tendency to repetition, however, in her explanations of its possible provenance, and about catalogues and inventories, but on the whole, it rattles along at a reasonable pace, right up to the surprise ending, that must have shaken the author as much as it does the reader. Don Grant

Art Deco Collectibles

Rodney & Diana Capstick-Dale Thames & Hudson 272pp. £34.95 (hardback) ISBN 978 0 500 518311 Unlike many trends in art and design which have waxed and waned in popularity over the years, Art Deco seems to be a hardy perennial, apart from a period after the Second World War, when its appeal fell from grace. The term was only coined in the 1960s, but described a style that spanned the 1920s and 1930s, and brought a new look to art, architecture, industrial design, typography, and interior design. This well-produced volume brings together some of the smaller items, such as cigarette lighters and cases, jewelry, compact cases, and minaudières, a word new to me, describing a small, decorative handbag without handles or a strap. A clutch, perhaps? They also include watches, which one would have thought would be a rich vein to investigate; those made by such American companies as Elgin and Hamilton, and Swiss watchmakers including Jaeger-

LeCoultre, who made the Reverso, and Cartier, who produced the first Tank wristwatches. However, the authors feature only a handful of ‘novelty’ ones, that, although beautiful in their enamel cases, ignore the rest. There is a brief introduction to Art Deco to set the scene, and a couple of pages of notes to each chapter, but this is essentially a ‘picture-book’, and there are ninety pages devoted to Mr. Capstick-Dale’s collection of cigarette lighters and cases, which is slightly over egging the pudding, and the same number devoted to compacts, vanity cases, and those minaudières, making it a little repetitive after a while. Another chapter concentrates on boxes, cameras, and miscellanea, and there are some delightful objects, like a 1936 stapler, and a red and black lacquer travelling razor with mirror, but ultimately this book will appeal to collectors, as the title suggests, rather than anyone with a passing interest in this stylish and fashionable artform from the Jazz Age. Don Grant

hero falls deeply in lust, and he somehow secures a job as tutor to her two young daughters with Eustace de Pacy, yes, you’ve guessed, another bastard. There is a great deal of rumpy-pumpy from the outset, and the writing is light and breezy, sometimes using modern-day colloquialisms, but with well-researched details about food preparation, traditions, Norman customs, manners and mores, games, chivalry, hunting, political intrigues, and rank. The story rattles along at a pace, and one is nervous for our young Lothario being found in flagrante with someone he should not be with and having his testicles removed as a consequence, as is he. Apart from Berthold, most of the cast-list in this tale existed in twelfth-century Normandy, including his father Rotrou III Count of Perche and Mortagne, who was married to Henry’s (bastard) daughter Matilda, and who is credited with introducing Arab horses to the region and establishing the Percheron breed. The wicked and piggish Eustace de Pacy had his eye on the Chateau Ivry, and Henry was loath to lose it and kept on putting him off, but finally agreed that Pacy and Ivry’s Castellan Ralph Harenc should exchange their children as hostages while they negotiated its transfer of ownership. Pacy became impatient, reneged on the agreement and returned the Castellan’s

The White Ship Nicholas Salaman Accent Press £7.99 paperback, 478 pages ISBN: 978 1 91093 958 1

‘Based on a true story’ is a descriptor we are used to seeing on film title sequences, and Mr Salaman is not coy about using such a phrase, justifying it by citing various ecclesiastical and social histories onto which he has applied his fictional embroidery. As he states, the bare bones are factual, and he has merely fleshed out the story, and, indeed, flesh plays an important role in this tale of love, revenge, and dastardly plots. The storyteller is Berthold, a twenty-one year-old bastard son of a Comte in the Duchy of Normandy in the year of Our Lord 1118. The word ‘bastard’ is probably used more than any other in this book. Henry I is King of England and Duke of Normandy, with whose (bastard) daughter Juliana our strapping

son, Roger, blinded. To fulfil his part of the bargain, Henry allowed his two grand-daughters to be blinded by the Castellan, who added his own touch of evil by cutting off their noses in an act of barbarism, which led to a feud between Juliana and her father. The White Ship of the title, and its fate, is well-known to most students, as it changed the course of English history, so Mr Salaman has answered the rhetorical question he posed on the jacket: “Bastard, chancer, lover, spy . . . could he also change the course of history?” Well, no, he couldn’t. And didn’t. But that should not get in the way of a good yarn. Don Grant

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The Road to Marrakech By Cynthia Pickard

here was he going? The taxi driver taking us from the airport to our riad suddenly veered off the road onto a dirt track crossing a vast rubbish dump dotted with multi coloured plastic bags. “Government supposed to build road here”, he shrugged, “but when we get to chez Grenadine, you will see, it is very beautiful”. And of course it is. Rather than staying in the bustle of the Medina, from Airbnb’s list of hundreds we had chosen this out of town guest house set in two hectares of garden and farm with a great pool. There was home-made jam and marmalade for breakfast, their own vegetables if we needed a meal; ducks and chickens, tortoises and donkeys wandered by; we heard the distant call of the muezzin and looked up through the palm trees at a cloudless blue sky. Trips into town were a short ride away, packed into a shared old Mercedes taxi. There’s a host of elaborately decorated historic sites and we started with the brightly tiled Saadian Tombs, and a walk through the Mellah, the former Jewish quarter, to the Palais el Badi where storks nest on top of the high walls. Artworks of the Marrakech Biennale, running from 24th February to 8th May, are displayed against the magnificent backdrop of the intricate geometric and floral patterns in carved wood, plaster, and tiles of the el Badi, the Palais Bahia and other heritage sites all over the city. At lunchtime we were guided to the quiet courtyard of Riad Dar Timtam, at its centre a marble fountain filled with multi-coloured rose petals. Moroccan ‘salad’, a dozen different spiced vegetable dishes from spinach and lentil to sweetened pumpkin, briouats, little pastries filled with meat or cheese lead us on to couscous and tagine.Tagine is the name of the conical lidded pot in which the stew is cooked; it’s impossible to avoid seeing thousands of them everywhere for sale. Entering the narrow passageways of the Souk we were greeted by barrows overflowing with ripe strawberries, mountains of spices, preserved lemons, olives, sweet cakes, leather bags, belts and slippers, jewellery, Berber blankets, and much more until we reached the huge main square, Place Jemaa el-Fna, a jumble of musicians, dancers, food and juice stalls, snake charmers, and fortune tellers. The following day we visited the not to be missed Jardin Majorelle just outside the walled medina. In 1931 the French orientalist painter Jacques Majorelle

commissioned the Art Deco studio, the walls painted in what has become its signature ultramarine. The surrounding garden is packed full of exotic plants and extraordinary shaped cacti. In 1980 Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent bought and restored the garden and turned the studio into a museum showing treasures of Berber culture. We wandered through the souk, past sellers of Hand of Fatima earrings, African masks, ceramics, heaps of fresh vegetables, metalwork, and on to another delightful lunch on the rooftop Terrasse des Epices. It’s worth spotting the beautifully calligraphed tiles of verses from the Koran in the exquisitely decorated 16th century Medersa Ben Youssef, a former religious school where hundreds of students’ cells surround a central courtyard. Nearby La Maison de la Photographie houses a collection of images from 1870 to 1950 that show in some ways how little Marrakech has changed over the years. The panoramic view from their rooftop terrace café is the best in town. The snowy peaks of the Atlas Mountains have been beckoning us since we arrived, so we decide on a short outing to the Ourika Valley. Mehmet in his smart Fiat taxi drove us past a ribbon of hotel development and artisans’ outlets and upwards for an hour’s drive to where le Tout Marrakech go to escape the searing summer heat. We visited an original mud and straw Berber house and watched a potter expertly throwing yet more tagines. We followed the river, bright orange from the soil brought down in the rains; rickety bridges cross it to reach restaurants and guesthouses shaded by the blossom of fruit trees. From where the road ends at Setti Fatma it’s a short walk to view the waterfalls or a starting off point for longer treks. An earlier turning off this road leads to the ski resort of Oukaïmeden. At the end of the day we return to our rural retreat and watch the lurid date-box sunset and then lie back to identify constellations in the unpolluted night sky. www.airbnb.com for Le Bled de Grenadine www.riaddartimtam.com www.terrassedepices.com www.marrakechbiennale.com

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Butterfishing up the Creek By our man in Africa, Piff Helmet

’ve been a few times to The Gambia, and it’s a great place, however after you’ve done the obligatory round of tour company inspired trips there are few you would want to re-visit. Thumping up and down in native dress to the sound of furious drums? Been there and done that to the point that I’d now stoutly defend every Gambian coming to the UK being obliged to sit through a Morris Dancing weekend. Go to an “art exhibition”? Tourist tat, but it helps them survive, just don’t bother bringing it back. Rather than clutter up your flat/mansion/yacht

(delete as appropriate, or not at all if you own all three) just sling it over the wall of their compound as you mooch back to your safari bus. Looking at the stuff, you’ll realise you aren’t the first to have tried this ruse. So what makes the trip worthwhile? Smiley, happy people who don’t hustle too much by African standards, terrific weather at this time of year, English spoken (the universal lingua franca between the local tribes) great food, lots of wildlife which they don’t feel the need to either eat or sell to the Chinese

Sanskrit in Malta By Tanya Kovatchka St James Senior Girls’ School

The Year 11 Malta trip has a legendary status in the school’s mythology, so naturally the eight of us were quite excited when our turn rolled around. However, in cold fact, once the four hours of revision a day are taken into account, it was a Sanskrit study trip. Surprisingly, the first thing we admired in Malta was the calm efficiency of the airport, standing in contrast to our hurried departure. Our transformation to classic British tourists was simultaneous with our exit from the Maltese airline, as we began taking an extortionate amount of photos of palm trees. You would think the effect would wear off after a while, but on the contrary, it inspired a plant themed blog by my classmates. Our study holiday started with visits to the temples Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, some of the oldest freestanding structures in the world, built around 3000 BC. Walking to the temples we felt a calm serenity sweep over us, replaced by awe upon arrival. Mnajdra is positioned such that during certain celestial events the light shines through the temple, illuminating particular megaliths. Hagar Qim was dedicated to a fertility god, and

extraordinarily the shape of the temple from above is of a fat lady, a symbol of fertility. Unfortunately, I’ll never look at spirals in the same way again, as they adorned stones around the site, depicting ovaries. The next day we visited the truly beautiful Mdina, known as the silent city, including its cathedral dedicated to St Paul. There we hunted for souvenirs and I obtained some of the famous Mdina glass ware. Malta is particularly famous for glass blowing despite it

of aggressive perch-like offerings that look as though they would happily go for your jugular despite their diminutive size. The only bait in town is shrimp, so there are no tactics involved, but we do try three different spots on the river. Continuing the low stress philosophy, you just drop the line over the side, and wait for a bite. The boat has sweepstake prizes for the biggest, smallest and the highest number of fish caught. I net joint biggest at half a kilo, and trouser half my winnings for the taxi driver’s tip. Customarily, the crew gets to keep the rest for a tip and the fish for the pot, so it’s off to a local restaurant to order, you’ve guessed it, another beer and a Butterfish. The Gambia. 7 days holiday from @ £450 upwards, fishing trips from £40 per day not including beer and sandwiches. Don't change your money in the UK, the exchange rate is at least 20% better locally, even at most hotels. being a practice only developed in the ’70s. Upon our return to the hotel we enjoyed lectures from Professor Michael Zammit and his wife Maria from Malta University. The revision hours were a tutor session preparing us for our Sanskrit GCSE, which included sandhi practise. Sandhi is the joyous process of joining most Sanskrit words together. If you had ever had the ‘pleasure’ of studying ancient Greek, imagine trying to translate it if large chunks of the words were joined up. Thatisthetraumaofsandhi. The Zammits helped us greatly through their lectures and we started to see links between the Sanskrit tradition and the Maltese temples. Another tick off the tourist checklist was Gozo, home to the Neolithic Ggantija, dating back to about 3,600 BC. The name translates as ‘Giants’ Tower’, who were rumoured to have built them; not an unreasonable assumption we discovered. The UNESCO World Heritage site has a mesmerising calm to it, as well as classic 18th century graffiti. We also travelled all the way to Valletta to see some of the artefacts discovered there, including the beautiful statue fragments (of fertile ladies, of course). All that was left was one last evening of taking countless photographs of the golden hues of the sunset along the coast, and with that we concluded our stay on the magnificent island of Malta.

in powdered form, a totally enlightened policy when it comes to Muslim and Christian coexistence, and a trip up the river in the company of similarly liver spotted old gents for a spot of semicompetitive angling and beer swigging. Compared to the average Westerner’s kit, the rods, reels and line look like they have been donated by Oxfam circa 1985. Semi-detached end eyes, wonky cranks, and abraded lines are the norm, but it doesn’t matter a jot. Cameron would love it, for on this boat, you really are all in it together both metaphorically and physically. There’s only one set up, one hook size, and one bait available, and it’s designed to catch Butterfish. It’s too heavy and insensitive for Angelfish, though you do catch a few, plus a myriad

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Rum, Sodomy, & The Lash By Max Feldman

even on nodding terms with relaxation. The reason why I was even on the Eurodam in the first place was something of a mystery for the other passengers. Whilst people in their twenties aren’t the most common cruising enthusiasts, (though it’s not unheard of ), people in their twenties were definitively not the intended audience for an event that used nostalgia in roughly the same way as a loan shark would use a baseball bat on a knee cap. Myself and my equally (relatively) fresh faced friend were approached frequently with a kind of curious aggression by other cruise participants who wanted to know just what in the hell we children of the ’90s thought we were doing there. The answer, faintly bizarrely is that we had been lured by love, duty, and the not insignificant allure of missing a hefty chunk of English weather in March. We were on tour with ’80s synthrockers Wang Chung (as part of a youth division dubbed “Wang Young”) as I am the proud progeny of bassist Nick Feldman

and jumped at the chance to accompany them with a free ticket to damn Europe and board the Eurodam. The ship itself was a veritable minefield of giant Rubik’s cubes, John Hughes posters, and eye blinding DayGlo stripes which coupled with the austere furnishings of the ship (which was somewhat incongruously festooned with Rembrandt reproductions, leading to some overheard arguments of whether or not the Dutch Master had done his most famous works in ’84 or ’86) created an atmosphere weirdly reminiscent of an ’80s theme party in The Shining’s Overlook Hotel. Whilst there was a series of stop overs on various Caribbean islands to allow us to partake in ocean swimming and to help reduce the chance that cabin fever might fester into legitimate psychotic breaks (always a danger when I Wanna Dance With Somebody is in heavy rotation), but whilst cruising, the only option to cool off were two small pools on the top deck, one in front of a stage (which was regrettably

closed after an incident of vomiting, a fact only made apparent to me after I had ignored the safety ropes and dived in) and another where enormous military grade speakers were all swimmers had to contend with. Whilst food was free across the entire floating colossus, alcohol (a psychological survival tool rather than a vice) was not, with the only way to purchase it was by using one’s room key. As a result of having no clear idea of how much you were spending the tendency was to err on the side of liver damage, which considering the fact that much of the trip was spent surrounded by people dressed up as Doc Brown from Back To The Future loudly singing along to Purple Rain felt decidedly necessary. However a weird thing started to happen after a few days at sea; a genuine affection towards the ’80s Cruise was beginning to be born, beyond the musical stylings of my father (who it must be said brought down the house/ ship), the genuine berserk enthusiasm of the ship’s occupants (and the heroism of their drinking) couldn’t help but endear them to me and before the cruise’s end realised I’d become fully integrated into the strange social order that ruled the ship. Going from my experience with the ’80s Cruise, themed cruises seem to attract the kind of wild eyed enthusiasm more commonly found in cults (which, strangely is meant as a compliment) and it couldn’t help but prove infectious. The author David Foster Wallace once referred to the experience of being on a cruise as “a supposedly fun thing that I’ll never do again”; whilst I have absolutely no plans to repeat my experience, I had the time of my life and I’d certainly never felt that way before.

he Eurodam, a ship that seemed closer to a behemoth than a cruise-liner, had attracted a very specific kind of passenger, which is what caused the dignified looking elderly couple to stand out. Unable to contain my curiosity (and, to be frank, keen for an excuse to take my mind off the… festivities) on the last day at sea, I approached the couple and asked them what fit of madness had inspired them to sign up for the cruise. The man explained in a tone of unconscious hysteria that he and his wife had seen the adverts for an Eighties Cruise and assumed that it was for people in their eighties, “not...not THIS” he sputtered forlornly, gesturing at the floating dayglo madhouse recreation of the 1980s around us; a temple to pop-culture excess that was currently rolling in both a squall of waves and an impossibly punishing rendition of Bryan Adams’ Summer of 69. As I expressed my amused condolences, I couldn’t help but reflect that when it came down to it, even though I’d fully understood that ‘80s Cruise’ dress code was hairspray and shoulder pads rather than black tie, I’d been as mentally unprepared for the realities of this sea bound fever dream as this would be Saga sailor. Cruise ships’ general raison d’être seems to usually be aimed at creating an atmosphere of almost womb-like relaxation, where every possible worry or concern is taken care of before it even occurs to you to think about it. Whilst that basic concept is more than a little reminiscent of being a patient in a floating sanatorium, the eyes of the recently disembarked do seem to be practically glazed with relaxation. So unless the crew are putting medically unsafe quantities of Valium in the water supply or offer half price deals on lobotomies, there seems to be some kernel of truth to the claims that a week aboard a glorified floating car park under the hot sun will do wonders for your state of mind. The ’80s Cruise had either missed this particular memo or was too drunk to care about it in the first place. A constant pulse of ’80s pop favourites blasted inescapably across every deck (in a moment of existential terror I found myself futilely attempting to physically run away from the 23rd repeat of Uptown Girl across four entire decks) which coupled with the frequent live music and faux-game show events alongside quantities of alcohol that seemed to dwarf the Caribbean itself, provided the materials for an extremely specific kind of good time that wasn’t

April April/May 2016 2011

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Travel

By Derek Wyatt New York

The long weekend (4 nights/5 days) has never been more affordable. And though you might think New York a long shot think again. The arrival of Air Norway and Airbnb makes it possible to fly and rent for less than £500. I did the Big Apple in February staying with friends near Columbia University (I sit on a board there). This is becoming a more attractive area alongside Harlem for DINKYs to buy or rent as downtown becomes unaffordable for most; much like anywhere inside the Circle line in London. New York is a bustling, noisy, windy, music driven, sports mad, car queuing, kinda city. Wherever I looked there were endless parked up Yellow Cabs suffering heavily from the disruptive nature of Uber (much as the Black cabs are in London). But unlike the latter they have a very aggressive campaign to win back customers with television advertising to the fore. My sense is though that Uber will win because of the lack of understanding by the respective city traffic authorities across the world of what customers prefer. Indeed if the public sector is to survive it needs its own disruptive experience. But that’s another story. I love New York. There are new restaurants everywhere and there are still fabulous small family-owned tie shops (try Seigo at 1248 Madison) and pop ups everywhere. Even Greenwich village, which always has cranes somewhere, felt more settled. I saw Gehry’s first NY skyscraper at 8 Spruce Street and I cannot wait for his debut in London on the old Battersea

Power Station. Downtown, I lunched at Gramercy Tavern (42E and 20th), had supper at Butter Midtown (70W & 45th) and suffered with too much to eat and drink at The Crooked Knife (232W & 40th), all in their own way offering a different take on dining and none needing a second mortgage.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam gave its original name to New York (as in New Amsterdam) and it too has that chilling feel in winter as wet winds come off the North Sea to leave healthy deposits on your cheeks. Nonetheless, it has a charm of its own. Bike lanes are everywhere and were introduced thirty years before any other city had thought of them. And there are trams to its suburbs which are the envy of all city mayors across the world. ‘When will trams be reintroduced in London?’ is not such a silly question to put to Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan. The Dutch are extraordinarily innovative as you would expect given its population and reach. The city itself is undergoing a fundamental rethink.

And I reflected on these changes whilst distilling a dozen or so new locally produced gin mixer drinks at HPS (Hiding in Plain Sight) in Rapenburg which went down surprisingly well, though not necessarily all at the same time. Heavily recommended. There are a host of new buildings and museums including The Whale, Nemo, and the Stedelijk Museum. I managed to spend a morning at the Van Gogh museum which is simply spectacular

There are thousands of French speaking Algerians and Tunisians who have been housed indifferently in modern day (well, 1980s) high rise concrete ghettos in the north of the city without much hope and little support. They populate much of inner Paris in the day time. We may not have done this with our Caribbean or Indian immigrants in the 1950s simply because we did not have the housing but many were subject to ruthless landlords and often slept two or three families on rota in the same beds 24 hours a day. So let’s not be too clever, clever. Paris does not feel like the same city I knew when I first visited in 1972 and nor should it be as cities need always to be on the move. But as an illustration of its lack of Grand Projets compare St Pancras International with the Gare du Nord. The former is a triumph: a joy whilst the latter is a disgrace. President Sarkozy promised s100 million to upgrade it but

The Longer Lingering Weekend

Paris has been on the front page for the past 18 months but not necessarily for good news. First there was the appalling Charlie Hebdo killings when a dozen died and a further eleven were injured and if that did not unnerve our sensibilities ISIS returned to kill five more at Café Bonne Bière including a former student from my old school. Paris is our nearest Continental city and has been our friend and rival for a thousand years. And yet, Paris is not what it was. I went up to Sacre Coeur on the morning of the France-England game to light a candle. There was something wrong. It was hard to put your finger on it. It felt as if the city has lost its mojo: its joie de vivre.

I much like Barcelona and for a time post-Olympics (1992) it was my favourite city in Europe but over the past few years Rome has steadily risen in my own Premier League City table to knock it off its perch (though its football team is a joy to behold as Arsenal found out to their cost). In Rome you are simply spoiled for choice. In one day you can see The Pantheon, the Olympic Stadium, Stazione Termini, and the Colosseum. There’s an abundance of art both ancient and modern, and design shops and shops generally to empty out your purse again and again. Why wouldn’t you want to come here again and again? It tires you on a quick visit but it never tires you, if you know what I mean. We stayed at Villa Laetitia owned by Anna Fendi and two of her daughters. It is quietly situated and yet close to the main shopping areas and at the end of a day you can always stay put and eat at its one star restaurant. We also took bread at Hotel de Russie now in the Forte Group (Rocco not Basil) where the gardens and a wet martini go down surprisingly well. I have shopped at Dan (60 Via F. Crispi) for over fifteen years buying their beautiful hand-made shirts (they also have a great women’s range), check them out at www.danroma.com. So there you have it. Book your flights early; travel Tuesday for the best deals though that makes quite a long weekend! Think outside the box and why not try Airbnb? If you have had a wonderful long weekend somewhere why not write in and let us know and we will print the best. (For Travel Guides do stick to the Lonely Planet series if you must, but the Wallpaper City Guides are much better).

Paris

nothing has happened. A rejuvenated Gare du Nord would transform this run down part of this great city. Mrs W and I were very naughty and one evening we took solace at Helene Darroze’s star studded restaurant (she also cooks weekly at The Connaught) where there were Armagnacs from 1912, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, and 1960 with a loan option available for a bottle. And wonder of wonders, England beat France for the Le Grand Slam!

(the building is not bad either). You may think you know his art but the exceptional way in which his work is curated is worth a weekend in itself. The more so as we begin to better understand depression which ultimately caused his death. Do book.

April 2016

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Health & Beauty

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& BEAUTY

Rejuvenate with Facial Acupuncture

Use Biotulin® cream

What is Biotulin®?

against wrinkles instead of injections!

by Jayne Beaumont

he Chinese have been using acupuncture for wellness and vitality for more than 2000 years. During this time they discovered that many meridians either begin or end on the face or otherwise have internal branches that go to the face. Hence, the practice of acupuncture which specifically affects the lifting of the face while simultaneously treating the underlying factors that contribute to the aging process. The actual treatment is quite painless despite the fact that dozens of particularly fine needles are inserted into the acupuncture points on the face, in addition to a number of other points on the body such as the shins and the wrists. The needles remain for about 20-30 minutes after which the practitioner massages the skin to further promote the stimulation of the needles. Maureen Cromey*, an acupuncturist since 1988 and a member of the Editorial Board of European Journal of Oriental Medicine, describes how the treatment works: “The process begins a healing that increases microcirculation and oxygen to the skin. It also precipitates the skin’s own antiinflammatory agents and instigates a detoxification, encouraging the production of collagen and elastin fibres along the way. As we know, these are the main agents to improve firmness and elasticity and ultimately, reduce the fine lines as well as reducing bags under the eyes and droopy eyelids. The treatment also eliminates puffiness and can lift the jawline. With the overall result granting a healthier and glowing complexion

with the added benefit of also leaving the patient more relaxed and energised. I have many longstanding clients who have regular treatments as it keeps them feeling and looking well”. It’s not difficult to see how Facial Acupuncture has become the natural alternative of beauty buffs and celebrities! The first treatment takes ninety minutes as the practitioner takes about half an hour to find out about your current health and any medications you are taking. Subsequent sessions take an hour. As with many treatments, to have a lasting effect, it is important to begin with a course of them. For Facial Acupuncture, it is recommended to attend two sessions a week for 3 weeks, followed by once a week for another 3 weeks and then once a month for maintenance. Naturally, the cost of a treatment varies slightly from practice to practice. The average is £80 per session. There is usually a special price for a course. *Maureen N Cromey MBAcC MRCHM www.goodacupunctureclinics.com T: 020 8747 4816

Want to look visibly younger in just 60 minutes? Not a fantasy with new Biotulin®, an extract produced in Germany that offers results comparable to those achieved with Botox®*. Similar results, but much less complicated to use. Biotulin® is applied as a soothing lotion on your face, is quickly absorbed, and smooths your skin, making it pleasantly soft and supple. But it doesn’t fix your expression into a “mask” like Botox; your facial features remain vibrant, dynamic, and beautiful. Kate Middleton, Karl Lagerfeld, Madonna, Queen Letizia of Spain, Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, and many others have publicly acknowledged that they use Biotulin.

How does Biotulin® work?

One of the main components of Biotulin is spilanthol, a local anaesthetic obtained from the extract of the Acmella oleracea (paracress) plant. It reduces muscle contractions and relaxes your facial features. Small wrinkles are reduced, especially those around the eyes and between the eyebrows. Your skin will be visibly smoother.

Effectiveness

The spilanthol, the main ingredient in Biotulin, was first tested under laboratory conditions for its effectiveness against muscle contractions. The same test was then repeated on volunteers.

The results: 1. Even the smallest amounts of spilanthol are sufficient to achieve complete relaxation of the targeted skin muscles. 2. The following experiment with subjects who used the lower-dose formula confirmed the result of the previous study: a Botox-like* effect on their skin was evident within 60 minutes after applying Biotulin.

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3. It was also found that when cream with just 3% spilanthol is used, its effects remain visible 24 hours later. (Biotulin is made up of 5% spilanthol.)

After approximately 30 days of continuous use, the depth and length of wrinkles are reduced and the skin becomes smoother and firmer overall. Dr Claus Breuer, pharmacist, comments:

"Biotulin is not a medicine, but a non-prescription cosmetic active ingredient obtained from plant sources. Like other local anaesthetics, for example, when a when a dentist uses a local anaesthetic to relax the muscles of the mouth, Biotulin creates a smoothing effect on the skin's surface for approximately 8 to 10 hours." For more information about Biotulin®, go to: www.biotulin.com Manufacturer: MyVitalSkin GmbH & Co KG, Adalbertsteinweg 259, 52066 Aachen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0)241 5310 6365, info@biotulin.com

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April April/May 2016 2011

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Help is at hand

astro-oesophageal reflux disease affects 20-30% of adults in the UK, and whilst most will be able to manage their symptoms with simple lifestyle changes, up to 1.5 million people suffer significant symptoms despite taking powerful antacid medication. Reflux is not caused by too much stomach acid, as many people think. It occurs when the stomach contents, including acid, travel back up into the oesophagus. The valve at the lower end of the oesophagus is designed to stop this happening, relaxing when we eat or drink, then tightening up to prevent reflux, and when this fails reflux occurs. Some people experience heartburn and regurgitation as a result, clear signs to look out for, but others may be unaware that their throat or chest symptoms are caused by Reflux. Long-term sufferers are also at risk of developing serious health problems including oesophageal cancer.

A Skincare Clinic on the City’s Skyline by Jayne Beaumont

any City workers keep long and irregular hours and have no time to treat themselves to beauty procedures that their purses can afford but their time doesn’t allow. Hence the creation, last summer, of the Leadenhall Skin Clinic. Situated in the Leadenhall building or the ‘Cheese Grater’, it is in the heart of the financial district but high on the thirtieth floor and so removed from the bustle of the streets below, invoking a ‘Zen’ feeling of tranquillity and calm. Perfect for a break from a computer screen or boardroom meeting, or a relaxing visit at the beginning or end of a busy day. It employs highly qualified doctors and practitioners with more than 10 years experience in aesthetic medicine who are able to perform a vast array of beauty, laser and medical treatments with the latest State-of-the-Art equipment. These can range from Botox and fillers, tattoo or vein removal to the more complex laser treatments that can only go ahead after consulting a doctor to decide on suitability and the required result.

Mr Nick Boyle, Consultant Gastrointestinal Surgeon at Bupa Cromwell Hospital, comments; “Reflux is so common, but it can be hard to treat as whilst there are many medications for heartburn, none of these cures the disease. Furthermore, 30% of patients taking PPIs (Proton Pump Inhibitors), which are the most powerful antacid medications available, continue to experience symptoms. Long-term Reflux can also cause the development of Barrett's Oesophagus (a disorder where pre-cancerous cells form in the oesophagus) which can, in some but certainly not all patients, then lead to cancer of the oesophagus. “Reflux presents in many different ways. For some patients the contents of their stomach ‘repeats’; coming back up the oesophagus to the throat or mouth. Others experience pain when swallowing. Many patients will have ‘non-intestinal’ symptoms, such as asthma, post-nasal drip (build up of mucus in the nose and throat), and voice disorders that are more difficult to diagnose. Reflux is the third most common cause of a chronic cough for example, but half of those suffering

will have no other symptoms to suggest Reflux, so this can go unrecognised for years. “Also, more and more people are becoming unhappy about taking PPIs as new evidence suggests they are associated with long-term problems such as bone fractures and gastrointestinal infections.

Appointments, as much as possible, are fitted into your timetable. However, the Clinic has gone a step further. After giving a lot of thought to the lifestyle of its clients, it has created a ‘Concierge Service’ for people who travel during the week or need to exert discretion because of their work. This translates into offering home visits by a doctor or practitioner or providing a car and driver from the client’s home or hotel to the Clinic. There is a private entrance at the rear of the building

straight up to the thirtieth floor! The final consideration being the service is available throughout the weekend. In a time when everyone seems to be affected by a degree of stress, it’s pleasing to know that some businesses are responding to potential customers by offering greater flexibility and consideration. It benefits both clinic and client. By the way, the panoramic views from the thirtieth floor of The Leadenhall building are, alone, worth the visit.

They are looking for alternative treatment options.” Bupa Cromwell Hospital has set up a new clinical team to establish the best possible diagnosis and treatment path for Reflux sufferers. The team, including Mr Boyle and other highly regarded surgeons and respiratory physicians, offers the innovative LINX reflux management system.

The Leadenhall Skin Clinic. www.leadenhallskinclinic.com Unit A, The Leadenhall, 122 Leadenhall St., London EC3V 4AB T: 020 3753 5441

STIs & dating apps By Fergus Coltsmann

The latest figures from Public Health England revealed that there has been a sharp rise in the number of certain Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) diagnoses. In 2014 cases of gonorrhoea increased by 19% and cases of syphilis rose by a third in England. Data from

LINX is a quick surgical procedure where a small bracelet of magnetic beads is placed around the failing lower oesophageal valve and replicates its function. It is a safe, effective alternative to medical treatment or existing surgical procedures. Mr Boyle is one of the UK’s leading Reflux and LINX surgeons. He adds; “Clinical evidence shows that LINX is highly effective and has significant advantages over traditional, more invasive surgery. It achieves a permanent cure through a quick, simple procedure, patients can go home on the same day, and this looks set to become the gold standard for Reflux sufferers.”

If you suffer from Reflux and would like to discuss treatment options, contact Bupa Cromwell Hospital on 020 7460 5700. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland mirrored this trend. The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV attributed the rise in the number of STI cases to the popularity of dating apps such as Tinder. They argue that the apps increase the rate at which people change sexual partners, therefore increases the chance of exposure to an infection, and go further to accuse the apps of not doing enough to promote safe sex. But some in the dating app industry reject this diagnosis. Head of Trends at dating app Happn, Marie Cosnard, told the BBC’s Newsbeat: “Dating apps are following wider social trends and changing behaviours that have been unfolding for decades. There's a liberalisation of attitudes towards the number of partners, the status of relationships, towards marriage, divorce, etc. “So the rise of any STI is not really connected to dating apps themselves. The problem is much wider. People need to be more educated in terms of sexual health and to take their responsibilities, no matter how and where they've met their partner.” In recent years STI tests have become less invasive, faster, and more convenient. The test for chlamydia is now a urine test as opposed to a swab of the urethra, and many clinics offer same day results, which can be texted to individuals after a walk-in session.

Suffering from Reflux?

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April 2016

Health & Beauty

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

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ou never know when you might need to see a doctor, be x-rayed or if you’ll ever need to have a quick surgical procedure. But you should know that you live in an area where one of the world’s leading hospitals is right on your doorstep. The Lister Hospital enjoys one of Chelsea’s most prominent sites, next to the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show and overlooking the River Thames. It offers exceptional healthcare, quick

access to internationally-renowned specialists and state of the art equipment and facilities. Appointments can usually be arranged on the same day and you don’t always need to be referred to one of our consultants by your GP. As well as dermatology, gastroenterology, general medicine, gynaecology and ENT, you might be surprised to know that we also deal with more complex specialities such as colorectal surgery, rare tumours and

1 Harley Street W1G 9QD tel: 020 3143 3442

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major reconstructive surgery. And, just in case you need it, we also have a world class Intensive Care Unit, which allows our doctors to treat more complex cases in Chelsea and offers you even greater safety. The Lister Hospital is part of the HCA group of award-winning private hospitals in London, all of which offer a level of expertise and standard of clinical excellence which is unsurpassed in the private sector.

As a local Chelsea resident, when you walk through our doors, we hope you’ll be impressed by the quality of our medical facilities and reassured by the care and competence of our teams. And although you may not need any treatment now, you can be assured that world-class healthcare is available very close to home. Find out more about the hospital on your doorstep at: www.listeronyourdoorstep.co.uk

April April/May 2016 2011

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

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Astronomy Fireball over England

By Scott Beadle FRAS

t 0316 UTC on the 17th March 2016, a large fireball was seen over South England, and as far away as Germany. It was first logged by the United Kingdom Meteor Observation Network (UKMON) at its Church Cookham station, NE Hampshire. It appears to be one of the brightest Bolides (fireballs that equal or exceed the brightness of the full Moon) ever recorded in Britain, with an estimated brightness of -7 magnitude and peaking around -14 magnitude at the explosive stage. It was relatively fast at 45km/sec and exploded at an altitude of around 35km, leaving a blue green trail some 140km in length. Its mass was calculated at 66kg, and it was probably between the size of a tennis ball and a base ball. Certainly a fantastic sight for meteor watchers but given its size, angle, and altitude, probably unlikely to have delivered any meteor fragments to the Earth. Of course those that are large enough, strong enough, and enter at the right angle to survive entering the atmosphere can ultimately reach the surface of the Earth. These survivors have proved of immense value to the understanding of the solar system and the age of the Earth. There are now some 38,000 meteorites in existence and indeed it is estimated that the Earth harvests around 60,000 tons of meteoric debris per year, though obviously much of it is unrecoverable. It was very difficult to measure the age of the Earth because ancient rocks were exceedingly rare and only later after the discovery of plate tectonics did scientist begin to understand why. The Earth’s rocks were being constantly recycled back into the mantle. It took a young scientist Clair Patterson working in the late 1940s at the University of Chicago to make a correct assumption that meteorites were in fact left over building materials from the early solar system, preserving more or less intact the pristine interior chemistry. So measure the age of these space rocks and you would know the age of the Earth. Using a mass spectrograph he was able to determine the age as approximately 4.6 billion years. I have a small collection of iron and stony meteorites and it never ceases to fascinate me that when you’re holding one of these ‘shooting stars’ you’re holding rocks older than

Top: Fireball over England as seen from Battersea. Above: Iron/Nickel meteorite showing regmaglypts Above right: Tatahouine achondrite from the asteroid Vesta. Right: Seymchan Pallasite. A cross section of a very rare Stony/Iron meteorite. Below: Carbonaceous Chondrite harbouring amino acids, the pre-cursors of life on Earth Bottom: Iron meteorite showing Widmanstatten pattern

any rocks on Earth. Although there are many sub classifications, meteorites fall into generally three categories, Stony, Stony/Iron and Iron. The stony meteorites are further broken down into two groups with a variety of sub groups. Chondrites contain chondrules, which are minerals that formed small spherical crystals such as olivine, pyroxene, peridot etc. whilst floating around in space. About 86% of all meteorites found are chondrites, which have been subject to violent but brief heating events that caused the dust grains to form millimetre sized melt droplets. They are amongst the most ancient rocks known, with some having chemical signatures older than the solar system itself, suggesting a true intergalactic origin. Carbonaceous chondrites are a very rare subclass but amongst the most intriguing as they are known to contain carbon in the form of organic compounds, including amino acids (which are important biological pre-cursors). They may therefore hold clues to the origin of life. The next group are a rare form called Achondrites which have a coarser crystalline structure than chondrites and contain no chondrules, nor do they contain much iron or nickel. Most are identified with fragments ejected during violent impacts with the crust of a parent body such as the Moon, Mars, and the large asteroid Vesta. As this allows us to study actual bits of other planetary bodies without actually going there, they are extremely important, The most easily identifiable are the next category, the Iron meteorites, which consist of mainly iron and nickel. These account for about 6% of all specimens and are heavy, magnetic, and sometimes rust coloured as they tarnish easily on the Earth’s surface but resist weathering more than stony meteorites. Iron meteorites are thought to originate from the molten cores of asteroidal parent bodies that had undergone differentiation before being shattered again by impacts in the extremely violent early solar system. These meteorites have a distinctive surface feature called regmaglypts which are like a thumb prints in a malleable surface. Meteorites, shooting stars, fireballs, bolides, whatever you want to call them, all serve to remind us of that dynamic but violent condensing cloud of gas and dust particles which gave birth to a nascent star, our Sun, also coalesced into the pebbles, rocks, asteroids, proto-planets, and ultimately our solar system and, most importantly for us, our very own planet Earth.

April 2016

Horology

By Jonathan Macnabb

Above: Military protection Below: Celluloid aflame Bottom: Celluloid discolouration

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arly 20th century watches had a form of round mineral glass about 1mm thick that could be replaced when smashed or chipped. For non-manual workers and the gentle lady who wore first generation wristwatches this glass worked fine. For use in more perilous circumstances, such as war time, a protective metal grill was used. As the need for more durable lenses came about watchmakers looked to companies experimenting in making synthetic glass. The first attempts to improve durability of the glass on a watch were made when the United States based Hamilton Watch Co gained control of a patent from Britain’s first plastic manufacturer Alexander Parkes; makers of artificial ivory called Parkesine. The initial success of the “unbreakable” celluloid watch glass was tempered when it was found that over time there was a chemical instability, which caused shrinkage, yellowing and possible ignition when near a flame. Gradually, as the modern wristwatch evolved, the development of acrylic glass led to the design of a range of more robust and clear glass types of various heights, which incorporated sweep seconds hands and various exotic shapes peculiar to different fashion brands. Meanwhile in 1902, a Frenchman named Auguste Vemuel was working on a successful work of Alchemy. By heating aluminium oxide and collecting the ‘Boules’ formed on filaments Vemuel, to the world’s amazement and concerns of the jewellery industry, produced synthetic sapphires. Furthermore, in 1916 a Polish chemist Czchraiski invented a process whereby much bigger ‘boules’ could be developed. This involved dipping a small real sapphire into a crucible of molten alumina and developing crystals of up to 200kg. This process has been continually developed and can be adapted for use in making lasers, bulletproof glass and bar-code scanners. This form of glass was first used in the watch industry at the beginning of the 1980s when it was considered safe enough for sub-aqua use. It is now the standard glass used in valuable complicated and exhibition watches and has led to some extraordinary watches being worn, some with astronomical complications. Whilst sapphire glass has made a huge impact on the watch industry, its biggest rival is a newly devised toughened glass called Gorilla Glass, made by Corning. The company uses a process of ionisation to create a denser molecular surface on the glass. It is the glass currently used on the latest Galaxy phones and Ipads and is very good at repelling sharp objects. Gorilla glass has grown in popularity in the motor industry as it provides protection against hail and similar damage. It is also widely used in architecture but has not, as yet, made a big impact on the clock and watch industry. On the other hand, Sapphire glass is the preferred product for Apple devices such as the Iphone 6. Apple are in fact currently in the process of opening a factory in Arizona, which is set to employ 700 people that will produce between 1 and 2 million Iphone displays a year.

Gorillas & Sapphires

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

Sapphire

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April April/May 2016 2011

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Motoring

From the Back Seat Part 31 By Don Grant

was staying with some friends in Grenoble when there was a suggestion that we drive down to Monte Carlo to see the end of the Rally in my friend Tim’s Mini-Cooper S. This came about because we had been lounging about in the Bar de la Garage in the centre of town after a day’s skiing up at Chamrousse, playing baby-foot, drinking demis, smoking Gitanes, and eating sandwich jambon, when, through the steamed-up, plate-glass window, we saw a Lancia Fulvia works rally car pull up outside, and a squat, swarthy man in a sheepskin jacket get out and come into the bar. His name was Peter Jopp, and he said that he had heard there were a group of English petrol-heads living in Grenoble who might be able to read some pace notes for him, as his co-driver was held up in Paris. It was around Chamrousse, where we had just been, which is a 35 kilometre loop, starting and finishing at Uriage, as it winds up into the mountains above Grenoble to a height of nearly 1,500m. There was a mad clammer of “me, me, me, sir,” but he chose a Dutch friend, Jan Thoenes, who had some experience as a co-driver

in club rallies. An hour or so later they returned and Jan’s face shone like he had been on a recce to Damascus, saying that ‘Joppy’ was ah-mazing and the car was never once pointing in a forward direction. Tim had proper snow tyres and an array of tungsten-halogen lights on a bar at the front that would have melted a chamois on the spot, and he was a really useful driver, having done a few rallies himself, and had ambitions of being a professional. No matter where one was, a message to dad had the instant effect of liberating press passes, invitations to launches and entrées into private clubs, and even the odd bed in a hotel, although sometimes that was downgraded to a chaise longue. I had tested the system out at Le Mans a few times, the Nürburgring, the French GP at Clermont-Ferrand, when Jimmy Clark won in a Lotus, the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, after having met up with him in New York, where he took me to the Rainbow Room in the Rockefeller Center and plied me with martinis, my first, that nearly blew my socks off. Dad was going to be in Monte Carlo for the Rally, not, for once, competing, but writing it up for his magazine, so a message was sent to him that Tim and I were on our way to the principality via Gap, Sisteron, Digne, and then down the Route Napoleon to Grasse. This really was one of the great drives in Europe, with fast, smooth, and sometimes challenging bends, with staggering scenery all around, from pine

forests to grisaille rocks and precipitous gorges. Castellane was a buzzy little town on the Verdon halfway down the Route, with a healthy choice of bars and restaurants, guarded by a rocky sentinel, on which stood La Chapelle Notre Dame du Roc. It has always been the case that one can walk into a modest brasserie anywhere in France and order a steak-frites or an omelette aux fines herbes and not be disappointed. At the time, in England, disappointment was certainly always on the menu. On holiday, staying as a family in a family hotel au milieu de nulle part, we would not be given a choice and be served from a big, white, ceramic soup tureen, or whatever they had been cooking, with limitless baskets of French bread to dunk and mop up. Certainly, in those days, my heart, and stomach, belonged to La Belle France. The Mini was in its element, clinging to the road like it was on rails and still gathering a crowd of enthusiasts when we stopped for petrol or a coffee. It was the year of the Mini. They had dominated the rally scene since Paddy Hopkirk’s sensational win in the 1964 Monte, and were favourites to win in 1966. When we got to Monaco, we found dad in Rosie’s Bar, and he furnished us with passes, and offered us a bed in his room at the Hotel Metropole, which was quite a swanky belle-epoque edifice yards from the circuit. We watched the timed round-the-houses race and the various other tests down on

the waterfront, and Timo Makinen was definitely going to be the winner, with Rauno Aaltonen and Paddy Hopkirk in third and fourth positions, split by Roger Clark’s Lotus-Cortina. However, the French had other ideas, and banned the first four cars for a minor lighting infringement, elevating a Citroën to the winner’s rostrum. Dad took us with Timo and Paddy, some other journos, and BMC team members back to Rosie’s Bar, and then to the Tip Top, a somewhat unassuming bar halfway down the hill to Mirabeau, where he ordered round after round of drinks. Other members of the British rally fraternity joined in to drink their collective sorrows, but it ended up as a bit of a party. Timo was in a dark, Norse mood, and smacked into the vodka, only stopping when he slid under the table and fell asleep on the floor, although no-one seemed either shocked or surprised. My brother Gregor was sent to Holland to cover The Tulip Rally in April 1966 with Phil, Autosport’s chief photographer, and they went out for ‘a swift half ’ in downtown Noordwijk. Amongst the revellers they came across was the legendary Finn, who thought nothing of downing industrial quantities of beer the night before the Rally. He then drove Gregor back to his hotel, certainly not tip-toeing through the tulip fields in his Mini-Cooper S, but chucking the little car about like a toy. He said it was one of the most seminal moments of his life. Timo set off with his co-driver Paul Easter the following morning, and after several hard day’s driving through Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, then through the wine-growing areas around the Vosges, to Geneva, they made their way back to Noordwijk, making it a 2,700 km round trip, with 15 hill climbs, two tests on army land at Utrecht, and a lap of Zandvoort. They won the Group 1 category easily and then they really did celebrate, with stoneware steins of Heineken. It was another eight years before the advertising agency CDP came up with the slogan about refreshing the parts other beers cannot reach, but it certainly reached Timo’s.

April 2016

Motoring

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

time you drove past a hydrogen refuelling station? But it’s not going to be alone in the market as both Toyota and Honda have bought hydrogen cars to market in other parts of the world, though they cost more than your average Toyota or Honda. The other car, set to be built in

Wales, also unveiled at Battersea will be the all-new TVR. A lone rendering from Autocar hints at what the final car might look but there’s no telling how closely it will resemble it. The company went bankrupt nearly a decade ago and plans to revive it have been going on ever since. But when you have names like Gordon Murray and Cosworth behind

you, it’s hard to doubt it. We can be almost certain that the new car will be a two-seater sports car. If past TVRs are anything to go by, the Sagaris and Tuscan come to mind here, it will probably offer an insane driving experience as TVRs are not for the faint of heart. The company says that it has secured over 350 deposits at the time of writing. If its claims are to be believed, they will not be disappointed. The company promises that it “features innovative design and styling that maintains the distinctive TVR DNA, but also includes F1 inspired, ground-effect technology. “Power is provided by a Cosworth tuned and enhanced V8 engine. The Welsh factory will be busy fulfilling orders that already run through to the end of 2018”. Between a hydrogen powered runabout and the return of one of the greatest British sports car names of all time, both of which, incidentally, will be built in Wales, we can be sure that Battersea will be one to remember.

Rimac.” But maybe we’re being too cynical. It’s not easy breaking into this business. How do you convince people to buy your car instead of one from an established brand they’ve heard of? Your car is the second most expensive thing you buy, after your house. The race track is a good place to start. Ferrari and Mclaren both proved themselves on the track before dabbling in road cars (the former only started building road cars so they could afford to go racing). In the Grand Theft Auto game series, we see fictional car makers including Coil and Benefactor that are clear parodies of real companies like Tesla and Mercedes. Imagine a world in the future where, instead of the brands we’ve all heard of, we are all driving around in different makes and models. We don’t have to imagine this. Sixty years ago, there were many different brands on the road. In Britain we had Morris, Riley, and Wolseley and many more; and in America were Nash, Studebaker, and Willys among others. Now we have Subaru, Tesla and, for a

few lucky individuals, Lamborghini. Who could’ve thought that the tractor maker would turn his attention to high performance supercars? Who could’ve imagined that Austin and Hudson would be consigned to the pages of history? Now imagine telling people 50 years ago that most people would be driving German, Japanese, and Korean cars?

Everyone is talking about what will power and control the cars of the future, but what about the brands? Dieselgate seems to be casting doubt on the future of Volkswagen (and by extension, Audi). Google says it’s been developing a car and now we hear that Apple and Dyson are too. Would you buy a Dyson car, or are you worried it will suck?

manoeuvring to parking. “This is not a toy,” Kim Stanton, director of Young Driver, said, “It is very definitely a small car! We’ve had children involved throughout its development, working with the designers and engineers to ensure that it provides a realistic driving experience. “Many young people attend Young Driver lessons with brothers and sisters under 10 years old and there has remotely control the car if necessary. been nothing on the market to cater The car will be unveiled in May 2016, when youngsters will be able to test drive for younger drivers. We created these it at selected Young Driver venues across training cars for 5–10 year olds from scratch because nothing existed in the the UK. Road systems, including traffic market other than toys and fairground lights and junctions, will be created, rides, and these don’t give a realistic allowing them to try everything from

driving experience. The ultimate aim is to give youngsters a greater insight in terms of road safety. By getting behind the wheel of a car, and tackling some day to day situations like junctions, passing cyclists, and reversing, this age group will have a much clearer idea of how to protect themselves as pedestrians or on their bikes. Of course, it will also be great fun for them, which always helps with learning!”

By Fahad Redha

Let’s start our own car company By Fahad Redha

It seems like every other week there’s a new dreamer who wants to enter the car industry. But for every one that makes it, there are ten who we never hear from again. For every Koenigsegg and Pagani, there are ten Connaughts, Devels, and Lyons’. It takes a lot to prove yourself against the scepticism and claims of manufacturing ‘vapourware’. Croatia’s Rimac (shown here) may have some optimistic performance figures but it also had a hand in the 2015 Pikes Peak Hillclimb winner as well as the batteries and electric motors for the Koenigsegg Regera. But many others have yet to so much as show their car on the road. Few are questioning it now with Jalopnik‘s Patrick George saying of its founder: “Don't believe him? Well, that's your problem. He’s Mate F****ing

Very Young Driver By Fahad Redha

Young Driver, which has given over 300,000 driving lessons to 10-17 year olds, will unveil a new car specially designed to teach 5-10 year olds to drive. The two-seater has been in development for nine months, will be powered by electric motors, and have a system that will detect obstacles and stop the car in an emergency. Parents will also be able to

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Battersea Car Show

n May 2016, Battersea will play host to a motor show, the first major one in London since Excel in 2008. Details have emerged of two of the most intriguing debuts. The Riversimple is a new concept that will be unveiled in Battersea in May 2016. The little two-seater is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Many think that hydrogen, not electric, as being the future of cars and it’s not hard to see why. It’s the most abundant element in the universe and emits only water when used as a fuel. The issues are storage, it needs to be kept under high pressure, and infrastructure; when was the last

There were four working chassis for 5-10 to test drive at the Gadget Show from the 31st of March to the 3rd of April, and 10-17 year olds received driving lessons in Young Driver’s Skoda Citigos.

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leading Oxford by three lengths winning for the first time in 5 years and ending Oxford’s dominant spell. In spite of the poor conditions on the river for the crews, it is estimated that a quarter of a million Londoners visited the banks of the Thames to watch the race. In recent years, the varsity race has become as much a social pub-crawl as it is a spectator sport, with large numbers converging on west London’s riverside pubs and bars. At the Dove in Hammersmith (a local favourite and the historic site where poet James Thomson composed Rule Britannia and Charles

II romanced his mistress Nell Gwynne), staff told me that it is “always the best day of the year”. Then explaining that “everyone loves coming down the river and it doesn’t matter if you don’t know one end of an oar from another”. The poor weather may have helped the pubs and bars keep punters inside buying beers, but it nearly wreaked havoc during the women’s race earlier in the day. Oxford’s women rowers had stormed to victory in very turbulent waters, beating Cambridge by 27 lengths. During the race, the Cambridge crew’s boat nearly sank, after it became

waterlogged underneath Barnes bridge in very choppy waters. Red flags were waved and they were advised to steer to the Middlesex bank to be picked up but ignored the offer and trudged on to the finish line. Cambridge crew: Felix Newman, Ali Abbasi, Charles Fisher, Clemens Auersperg, Luke Juckett, Henry Hoffstot, Ben Ruble, Lance Tredell, Ian Middleton (Cox). Oxford crew: George McKirdy, James White, Morgan Gerlak, Joshua Bugajski, Leo Carrington, Jørgen Tveit, James Cook, Nik Hazell, Sam Collier (Cox).

enthusiasm for sports across the Atlantic. The World Series occurs in Baseball and is a best of seven between the winners of the two leagues: the National (NL) and the American League (AL). It’s called the World Series because it the shortened version of the World Championship Series and not because of an alleged sponsorship by the New York World newspaper. American shorten most things, for example air conditioning/air con. Anyway Jack and I have (in America) three events we wish to see: an NFL ‘Superbowl’ final, the Masters Golf championship in Augusta, and a World Series. If, I exclude the air fares and hotels, the cost is not much short of $20,000! So, I must extend my working life for another decade, if we are to manage our expectations. There were two sporting events not on my ‘bucket-cum-must-see list’ if Jack was not about. The first was to see Lionel Messi, the diminutive, Argentinean left footed genius, who plays for Barcelona. The second was to see England win a Grand Slam by beating Scotland, Ireland, France, or Wales in the last game of the season away from home. Lady Luck has been good to me because I managed to see both Messi play against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and an England win in Paris. I have already booked Dublin for next year. First Messi: he is a goal scoring

machine. In 340 appearances for Barcelona he has scored an astonishing 308 goals and for Argentina in 105 appearances he has netted 49 times. I try and watch every Barcelona game on television when he is playing. And when I saw him play in February I was hoping he would score. Of course he scored both goals. I have always been really interested in left sided players: McEnroe at tennis, Wilkinson at rugby, Mickelson at Golf, and now Messi. They are rarer beasts and see angles and the flight of a ball very differently from those of us who are right-sided. I have lost count at the number of times Messi picks up a ball on the right hand side of the penalty area and dummies with his right shoulder and moves left effortlessly as he marches on goal or selflessly puts another player into space to score. It happens time and time again and that is despite the fact that every defender in the world watches endless video highlights before they come out to play against the maestro. He, and he alone, is the special one. The Grand Slam away from home was my other bucket list want. And it arrived generously in Paris on Saturday 19th March 2016 at about 2255 when England, who were at one time hanging on 25-21, produced a final ten minute flourish to secure a truly great win by 31-21. The question everyone was asking was how does a different coach,

Eddie Jones, with virtually the same playing squad as Stuart Lancaster, his predecessor at England Rugby, win a Grand Slam so soon after a dreadful World Cup? What a difference a coach makes, could it be that simple? There are huge differences between Lancaster and Jones. Lancaster was a schoolmaster in the old tradition scoring highly on duty, integrity, honesty, diligence: you name it, he had it in buckets at a time when the England team did not. That is why Jonny Wilkinson stood down from playing for his country. He felt that his standards were not shared by other players. But Lancaster had not coached at the highest levels or at a World Cup. This was not his fault but the mistake of the selection panel at England Rugby. Eddie Jones is a completely different kettle of fish. His mother and wife were Japanese, though he was brought up in Sydney. Interestingly, he too had a teaching background. He has been coaching rugby at a senior level since 1994. He just has more experience in the playing contact side: in communicating and in HR and in-depth understanding of the psyche. You learn most of that on the job. Whatever, it was glorious to be in Paris to see a Grand Slam and though the match was not as exciting as the England v Wales game the previous week it set me up for a ‘bucket list mustsee’ occasion. Two down, fourteen to go.

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Cambridge win the 162nd Boat Race By Henry Tobias Jones

ambridge won the 162nd varsity Boat Race, beating Oxford by three lengths and claiming their first victory in five years. Even before the race began, the Cambridge crew’s superb form had marked them out as potential winners, despite the fact that they had not won since 2012. Henry Hoffstot, Cambridge’s president who previously lost in 2014 and 2015, explained that his team just “wanted it more.” Immediately, Cambridge had claimed a seat in the first twenty strokes. By the end of Putney Embankment this seat lead had become three. Oxford had fallen behind by nearly a length while passing the Harrods Depository, but began to claw back passing under the Hammersmith Bridge. Nevertheless, choppy waters at the Chiswick Eyot allowed Cambridge to pull away from Oxford by the the Surrey bend. Cambridge drew into the finish line,

There is just occasionally something beautiful about Sport By Derek Wyatt

y son and I have a sporting bucket list which we drew up a few years ago when he was twenty one and I was a little older. At the time, we were both living in the UK but now he works in New York and so the list has taken on new meaning. New meaning because so much quality sport happens in America where sport is part of its culture, not apart from it as it is back in Blighty. For those of you unfamiliar with a bucket list, it is rather an odd phase, it comes from “kick the bucket” and was made more popular by the film The Bucket List in 2007. You make up a list of things you want to do before you pass away. Back to America: America has a world series every year. You may have heard about in the margins of your

February April/May 2016 2011

Sporting Calendar

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online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

London Home Football

April 9 Fulham v Cardiff City, 15:00 April 9 QPR v Charlton, 15:00 April 16 Chelsea v Man City, 17:30 April 17 Arsenal v Crystal Palace, 16:00 April 21 Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion, 19:45 April 23 Fulham v Nottingham Forest, 15:00 April 23 QPR v Reading, 15:00 May 2 Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur, 20:00

London and SE Rugby Fixtures,

courtesy of England Rugby April 9 East Grinstead v Wimbledon Guernsey v Gravesend Hertford v London Irish Wild Geese Shelford v Chichester Tonbridge Juddian v Colchester Westcliff v Bracknell Westcombe Park v Eton Manor April 16 Bracknell v East Grinstead Chichester v Hertford Colchester v Guernsey Eton Manor v Shelford Gravesend v Westcliff London Irish Wild Geese v Tonbridge Juddian Wimbledon v Westcombe Park April 23 East Grinstead v Westcliff Gravesend v Colchester Guernsey v London Irish Wild Geese Hertford v Eton Manor Shelford v Wimbledon Tonbridge Juddian v Chichester Westcombe Park v Bracknell

Athletics,

courtesy of BBC Sport April 18 2016 Boston Marathon, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. April 24 Virgin Money London Marathon 2016, London, England.

TX, USA 28-1 May European Tour: Volvo China Open, TBC, TBC, China. 28-1 May USPGA Tour: Zurich Classic of New Orleans, TPC, Avondale, LA, USA.

Tennis in April,

Motorsport & Track Days

April 15-17 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai World Rally Cross, Bompiso World, Portugal BTCC Donnington Park April 21-24 WRC Rally Argentina April 23 Formula E, Paris ePrix April 29-May 1 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix, Sochi

Basketball in the UK,

Courtesy of BBC Sport April 8 Leeds Force v Leicester Riders, 19:30 London Lions v Worcester Wolves, 19:30 Newcastle Eagles v Glasgow Rocks, 19:30 April 9 Bristol Flyers v Worcester Wolves, 19:30 Leicester Riders v Sheffield Sharks, 19:30 April 10 Plymouth Raiders v Bristol Flyers, 16:00 Manchester Giants v Sheffield Sharks, 18:00 London Lions v Newcastle Eagles, 19:30 April 13 Glasgow Rocks v Plymouth Raiders, 18:30 April 15 Leeds Force v Manchester Giants, 19:30 Sheffield Sharks v Surrey United, 19:30 Worcester Wolves v Cheshire Phoenix, 19:30 Leicester Riders v Newcastle Eagles, 20:00 April 16 Bristol Flyers v London Lions, 19:30 April 17

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Surrey United v Leeds Force, 15:00 London Lions v Leicester Riders, 16:00 Plymouth Raiders v Sheffield Sharks, 16:00 Glasgow Rocks v Worcester Wolves, 17:00 Cheshire Phoenix v Newcastle Eagles, 17:30 Manchester Giants v Bristol Flyers, 18:00

Golf in April

Courtesy of BBC Sport 7-10 The Masters, Augusta National, Augusta, GA, USA. 12-16 LPGA Tour: Lotte

USPGA Champions Tour: Mitsubishi Electric Classic, TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, GA, USA. 20-24 LPGA Tour: Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic presented by CTBC, San Francisco, CA, USA. 21-24 USPGA Tour: Valero Texas Open, JW Marriott TPC San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA 21-24 European Tour: Shenzhen International, Genzon GC, Shenzhen,

Courtesy of BBC Sport 4-10 WTA Katowice Open, Katowice, Poland. WTA Volvo Cars Open, Charleston, SC, USA. ATP Grand Prix Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco. ATP Fayez Sarofim & Co. US Men’s Clay Court Championships, Houston, TX, USA. 11-17 ATP Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Monte-Carlo, Monaco. WTA Copa Claro Colsanitas, Bogota, Colombia. 16-17 Fed Cup World Group Semi-Finals: Czech Republic v Switzerland, Messe Luzern, Lucerne, Switzerland. Fed Cup World Group Semi-Finals: France v Netherlands, Arena Loire, Trelaze, France. 18-24 WTA TEB BNP Paribas

WTA J&T Banka Prague Open, Prague, Czech Republic. WTA GP SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Rabat, Morocco. 25-1 May ATP Millennium Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal. May ATP TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open, Istanbul, Turkey. May ATP BMW Open by FWU AG, Munich, Germany. 30-8 May ATP & WTA Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain.

Horse Racing Kempton Park April 6, 13 AWT Twilight April 19 Afternoon Jump Ascot April 27 Discovery Ascot Race Day Sandown April 22 bet365 Raceday April 23 bet365 Finale Windsor April 11 Spring Afternoon Racing April 18 Come Racing for Free April 25 Monday Night Racing

Marathons in the UK

Championship presented by HERSHEY (Sat. Finish), Oahu, HI. 14-17 European Tour: Open de Espana, TBC, TBC, Spain. USPGA Tour: RBC Heritage, Harbour Town GL, Hilton Head, SC, USA. 15-17

China. 22-24 USPGA Champions Tour: Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge, Top of the Rock, Ridgedale, MO, USA. 27-1 May LPGA Tour: Volunteers of America Texas Shootout, Irving,

Istanbul Cup, Istanbul, Turkey. ATP Barcelona Open BancSabadell, Barcelona, Spain. WTA Tour Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart, Germany. ATP BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy, Bucharest, Romania. 25-30

April 9 Endurance Life, Exmoor Marathon April 10 Manchester Marathon April 17 Brighton Marathon. Bungay Black Dog Marathon April 23 St George’s Day Marathon April 24 Blackpool Marathon April 24 Shakespeare Marathon April 24 Virgin London Marathon April 30 Endurance Life Pembrokeshire Marathon marathonrunnersdiary. com Compiled by Fahad Redha

April April/May 2016 2011

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

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Crossword & Charity Corner This is the forty fifth Wolfe Cryptic Crossword Mary & Ray Tabone of 44-46 Ebury Bridge Road are last month’s winners, congratulations. I hope you enjoyed last months edition. A special mention will go out in next month’s issue to the provider of the best clue for the answer “somersault”. Please let me have any comments or suggestions you may have. Remember, even if you haven’t totally finished the whole crossword still send in your grids either by post to Wolfe, at Kensington,Chelsea and Westminster Today, 80-100 Gwynne Road London SW11 3UW, or scan it in and send by email to wolfe@kcwtoday. co.uk. as the first correct or substantially correct answer picked at random will win a prize of a bottle of Champagne kindly donated by: Lea and Sandeman. www.leaandsandeman.co.uk/Fine-Wine. 106 Kensington Church St, London W8 4BH. T: 020 7221 1982. Contact Sandor. 1 5

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Across 9 Sounded like you beat scotsman to heaven. (7) 10 Use a lax arrangement describing a lack of interest in carnal matters. (7) 11 Confusingly I die sox by adding oxygen to rust. (7) 12 Result of congress between mortal and deity. (7) 13 Stand up to the best moisturiser. (4,5) 15 Reset itself to be short. (5) 16 Wraps Bobs rag around hot rocks. (7) 19 Window cover cut short losing fifty going North. (7) 20 Ambrosian losing pale horse remixed for metrical feet. (5) 21 Allow Brad to make a surface fit to plaster. (9) 25 Suggest a possible Nazi held secret policemen.. (7) 26 Bellylaughs what comics create. (7) 28 Reportedly a month with work lives underwater. (7) 29 Cainophobe's fear is novel. (7)

Down 1 Interrupt the supply of a designated limit. (3-3) 2 Virgin twins may be found in this belt. (6) 3 First halves of superior hand clap makes a better sound. (2-2) 4 Exist permanently where located. (6) 5 Universal panic about demo losing nothing. (8) 6 Tribe march about beach dweller. (6,4)

CHARITY CORNER Charity tells City Hall to front money for single parent childcare According to a new report by the charity Gingerbread, thousands of London’s single parents are “being locked out of employment due to the prohibitive cost of childcare.” The charity’s analysis revealed that “half of single parents are forced to borrow money in order to meet the high cost of childcare in the capital”. Moreover, many parents who are “returning to work” are reportedly being left with little choice but to reduce working hours or leave work entirely to care for children.

One in six single parents in London during 2015 were described by the Gingerbread report as “under-employed” or working part-time but wanting to increase their hours. Calls have been made for the London mayoral candidates and City Hall to endorse a scheme proposed by the Gingerbread charity. Upfront: A Childcare Deposit Guarantee is an initiative designed “to support parents about to start a new job or increase their working hours.” As a part of the Upfront plan, the Greater London Authority (GLA) would help parents arrange care for their children ahead of their first pay cheque, with the GLA directly paying the deposits nurseries and childminders typically require. Gingerbread Chief Executive, Fiona Weir, said the guarantee “would be an important step towards supporting London’s single parents, who account for

7 Country or Wimbledon's old uncle (8) 8 Nude blog about heavy stick. (8) 14 Amusing old chap with musical instument in elite German corp may cheat at poker. (4,6) 16 Suspect events for whats happening (6-2)

17 What's actually created by explosive device on location. (4,4) 18 Spotted nag making trestle. (8) 22 The big story that could describe what's afoot. (6) 23 Surprised puzzle in current time. (6) 24 Held by blonde sisters to abstain. (6) 27 Dance attendace on baby buck. (4))

one in three families in the capital”. Weir also explains that “for parents of preschool children, the situation is even more challenging,” because of recent restrictions on the “eligibility criteria around the 30 hours of free childcare for parents of three and four-year-olds”. The Gingerbread report incentivises its findings by adding that if measures were taken to get single parents working, even a five percentage point rise in single parents’ employment rates could generate £436m a year for the government. This in turn could reduce benefits and increased tax revenue.

of 390,960 in England, and up from 69,060 in 2014. Analysis from the NSPCC revealed that the total number of children in need in Westminster has risen by 11% in the last three years, to a total of 2,148. Nationally, nearly half of children in need are suffering from abuse or neglect (49.4%). An NSPCC spokesperson said: “The rise in numbers of children in need is a cause for concern. These stats show us that more people are reporting their concerns and that the authorities are taking action to ensure vulnerable children are protected. Each and every one of us has a role to play in preventing abuse and it is vital the public and professionals continue to report any concerns they might have about a child’s welfare. “Anyone worried about a child can call our helpline free and in complete confidence on 0800 800 5000.”

NSPCC calls for action as number of children in need rises By Fergus Coltsmann

Data from the Department of Education has revealed that the number of children in need in London has risen this year. Figures are given for the total number of children in need on the 31st of March each year, with 2015’s data having been published last month. It revealed 71,160 children were in need in the capital, out of a total

April 2016

Chess & Marketplace CHESS

By Barry Martin

The Mystery of The Immortal Case and the Riddle of the Disappearing Rook

he 134th Varsity chess tournament played between Oxford and Cambridge took place at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall on the 5th of March, under the expert and caring mentoring of Henry Mutkin. He was captain of the Oxford team in 1957 and played on board one, and “has been a driving force of the event to the present day”. In 1973 the event was held for the first time at the RAC club, and is one of the oldest and continuous chess tournaments to be found anywhere. The idea to play a regular chess match between the two universities was first mooted in 1853 by that immortal high king of English chess, Howard Staunton, during one of his chess demonstrations at Simpson’sin-the Strand. However, it wasn’t until 1873 that the first official match was played at the City of London Chess Club. The overall score sheet registers the leader as Cambridge with 59 wins, including their win in this latest tourny, and Oxford with 53 wins, and then 22 draws. On the last few occasions Oxford has been the underdog, with Cambridge's team having a sizeable rating advantage, and this latest meeting was no exception, with Cambridge averaging 100 ELO points higher than their adversaries. Despite their rating disadvantage Oxford have, in the last two tournaments, held Cambridge to a draw, with last year’s match being a cliffhanger down to the very last game to finish! This year however the match was a good win for Cambridge with a decisive score of six points to Oxford’s two. During the dinner and award ceremony the Cambridge team captain Anna YorkAndersen, speaking on behalf of the winning team, magnanimously praised the Oxford team’s prowess and strong playing abilities, which on a number of boards looked as though Oxford was again going to swing the match towards a drawn conclusion. The adjudicating team, known as The Three Wise Men, Grandmasters Keene, Speelman, and McShane, decided on the Best and Brilliancy prize games, giving the former to Gregory Young

and the latter to Jean Luc-Weller, both Cambridge. An honourable mention was given to Aleksandra Kozera, Oxford, who was also a contender for the Brilliancy prize, and the only member of the Oxford team to have a decisive score, the rest being draws. I was honoured to be asked to present the Brilliancy prize on this occasion. A Brilliancy prize of sorts should also be awarded to the AlphaGo team, whose AI system has just defeated the eighteen times World Go-Weiqi Champion Lee Se-dol in Seoul, South Korea. Go is one of the most complex board games played at a professional level and can have more potential moves than there are atoms in the universe. In 1997, the world was stunned when IBM’s AI system Deep Blue famously beat the World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. Demis Hassabis, vicechairman of engineering at Google DeepMind, the parent company, stated, “... that unlike the game of chess which has an average of 20 possible moves from an average position, a game of Go could have more than 200 possible moves from an average position”. He continued that like chess, Go provides rich pastures for testing AI algorithms, which are sets of instructions that inform computer programs to undertake specific functions. The eventual aim, he stated, was in the developing real world, for problem solving applications. He commiserated too, realising that this tournament result would be a “millstone in the history of Go”. Lee Se-dol in post-match comments declared, “I was so surprised. Actually, I never imagined that I would lose. It’s so shocking!”. Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google’s parent company Alphabet declared, “Humanity wins because the advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning will make each and every other human being in the entire world smarter, more capable, just better human beings!” At the present rate of development in robotics and AI intelligence we will not have long to wait to see if his all-seeing eye is right! Simpson’s-in-the Strand has become shrouded in a mystery that would have befitted the likes and minds of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his sleuth creation, Sherlock Holmes, both of whom visited this bastion of English cuisine and the home of British chess. Of course Holme’s visits were fictionalised, as in The Adventure of the Dying Detective, where feigning to die from a lethal tropical disease, which was in ‘reality’ from an absence of food, he successfully completed his mission, and then hot footed it to Simpson’s to restore his strength from their grand food. However, a recent mystery at this grand emporium has set some of us, Raymond Keene and myself amongst others, on the scent of the dastardly act of theft therein, namely the disappearance of the two rooks. The glass case in which chess board and pieces on which The Immortal

Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today

online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Game played between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky in 1851, and considered by chess cognoscenti as the greatest masterpiece in the history of chess games, has been split asunder and the white rook stolen! No other pieces have gone from this set, but a further rook from the display set kept in the main dining room has also disappeared. The purpose of the theft and the circumstances surrounding it are very mysterious. A Sherlock Holmes superior investigative ability is needed to solve the mystery of The Two Missing Rooks. The following game is from the second leg of the FIDE Grand Prix series, Teheran, between GM Humpy Koneru,2583, white, and GM Antoaneta Stefanova, 2509, black. White had moved their rook on move 38. Re3, and black replied attacking white’s knight with h5, which seemed a useful attacking

THE MARKETPLACE

move, attempting to dislodge it ,and then Bxf2+ forking white’s rook on e3. Unfortunately for black, white had seen further and responded with a move which was the start of a rout in white’s favour. What was it? Answer upside down below. Answer. 39.g3,Bf6.40.Nh6,gxh6.41. g4,hxg4.42.hxg4,Qd1+.43. Kg2,Qxg4+.44.Qxg4+,Rg5.45.Rg3, Rxg4. 1-0.

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