How a gentlemen’s toilet in a West London pub may have inspired one of punk rock’s most famous songs, Protex Blue
Protex Blue: The Condom Machine That Inspired a Clash Classic
Author: july1966
Bear with....this is a new blog. I have an established blog on other subjects so am not totally hopeless and I will over the next couple of months have this looking vaguely organised and informative! Chris
The Split Up: When Did the BBC Become So Afraid of Something New?
The Split Up: When Did the BBC Become So Afraid of Something New?
Short Story: Love On The 11am Newhaven to Dieppe Ferry.
A tedious ferry crossing, an attractive stranger, an outrageously confident Frenchman and a spectacular failure of courage. A story about missed opportunities, Gallic charm and what might have happened — although not everything here is quite as it seems.
UFOs Spotted at RAF Fairford.
Britain’s security establishment faces its strangest crisis yet as mysterious cigar-shaped objects are spotted at RAF Fairford. Are they UFOs and camouflaged aliens preparing an invasion — or could there possibly be a rather more obvious explanation?
Popular Idioms and Phrases: “As Fit as a Butcher’s Dog”
“As fit as a butcher’s dog” is one of those unmistakably British expressions whose meaning is obvious even if its origins are not. From nineteenth-century slang to sport, politics and modern double meanings, it is a phrase that has proved remarkably durable.
Popular Idioms and Phrases: “Mad as a Box of Frogs” – A Peculiarly British Madness
A phrase that has survived our supermarket dash to knock the beauty, life and expressions from our wonderful language, to sacrifice at the altar of political expediency.
Power, Corruption and Lies. Welcome to Manchester City
Manchester City’s transformation from perennial underachievers into a dominant force has been one of football’s extraordinary stories. But amid the disputes over financial regulation, state ownership and sportswashing, there is a much bigger question: what happens to sport when supporters can no longer be confident that everyone is competing under the same rules?
The Hairdresser Mysteries Review. Crap Cosy Crime
Cosy crime has earned the right to be ridiculous. The best examples know exactly what they are and never push too hard. Unfortunately, The Hairdresser Mysteries seems determined to prove that quirky can become exhausting.
Call My Agent! The Film: Would It Have Been Better as a Series?
Turning a much-loved television series into a film is always dangerous, particularly when its greatest strength was the characters we gradually came to know. Yet the new Call My Agent! film manages it remarkably well. Which left me wondering: as enjoyable as it was, would I actually have preferred another six-part series?
Built to Last: The Extraordinary Craftsmanship and Engineering Inside a Victorian Mahogany Table
by Chris Harris I bought the most amazing round, huge, beautiful, high-quality Victorian mahogany dining table on Thursday at Ford Airfield Market. To be honest, I only bought it because it was an absolute bargain, and I try not to buy such large pieces of furniture these days. It had started to rain, so I … Continue reading Built to Last: The Extraordinary Craftsmanship and Engineering Inside a Victorian Mahogany Table
Popular Idioms and Phrases: “Gone For A Burton”
Chris Harris No, this is culturally a paraphrase referencing the brilliant actor’s industrial drinking: going to an off licence for a bottle of whisky.’ But maybe not completely off subject. “Gone for a Burton” is one of those wonderfully British expressions that sounds almost cheerful until you discover what it originally meant, because although today … Continue reading Popular Idioms and Phrases: “Gone For A Burton”
Welcome to Denham. Bringing A Village to Life: Part 4 Building an Audience from Scratch
by Chris Harris Over the past few months, I’ve been documenting something I’d talked about doing for years: writing and publishing a book. These pieces were written as it happened, recording the ideas, the writing, the mistakes, the editing and the occasional moments when I wondered what on earth I’d started. The book now exists, … Continue reading Welcome to Denham. Bringing A Village to Life: Part 4 Building an Audience from Scratch