Finally, a bit of sun

Friday evening light plus clouds plus blue sky. Nice.

High Street Update: May 2012

You like living in Twickenham but there’s always something missing, isn’t there? You have that nagging doubt, a doubt that never truly leaves you. Richmond Road, King Street, London Road, Church Street; wherever you walk you’ve always got that sense of something not being quite right, of something lacking. You can’t quite place it. Is it a some kind of repressed memory from your seemingly happy childhood fighting to get out, or does it stem from the fleeting glimpses into a dark corner of your mind where missed opportunities are piled high in dusty crates stamped “unfulfilled potential”. Chillax dudes! It’s much more straightforward than that. What’s troubling you is your subconscious concern about the lack of cafes, the dearth of charity shops and absence of estate agents in town. Breathe out. Here’s the latest high street update to fill you in and, we hope, bring peace to your troubled mind…

The tide is high…

Oh dear. Spring tides and recent rains causing very high tides all along the tidal Thames. And yes, that red sign warns of flooding but come on, who’s ever going to read that?

Flooding by St Mary’s Church

Pic of the Week: down memory lane

This sign was ‘rescued’ from the derelict Twickenham Swimming Baths site in the mid-80s. Nice one. Good to see people thinking ahead. You can’t imagine the health and safety police letting anyone get away with script like that these days. Next stop? A gothic script “No running, no bombing, no petting” sign.

Twickenham Pool Sign

Thanks a lot to Nina for this photo. You might also want to read Kate Monro’s piece for twickerati on her Memories of Twickenham Baths.

So, do you have any other Twickenham memorabilia you’d like to share on here?

Two today, but who’s counting?

Twickerati: younger than this card

Today (May 4th) is the ‘official birthday’ of the twickerati site. It’s been going two years. TWO YEARS! We don’t think you’re that bothered otherwise you’d have baked a cake and sent it to us in our bunk hole on the top of Regal House or at the ice cream van or wherever, but we’re pleased nevertheless. Interest in the site continues to grow and so we continue to witter on. Whether we’re blathering about the TWAP (Twickenham Action Plan), El Brute (London Borough of Richmond upon Thames), the best Chinese in town, the surfeit of cafes or even the latest pronouncement from Lord True (aka The Duke of York [House] or The Blue Baron), we just want to keep people interested in all things Twickenham. Some of the best pieces on the site are the contributions from you lot, the readers, whether it’s features, reviews or just comments on stories. And of course, more contributions are always welcome. Don’t be shy, this is your site after all. (Well obviously it’s not but you get the drift). If you like the site, please tell others and if you don’t like it, tell others anyway. We’ll not go on about birthdays every year so for the time being, thank you for your support and keep those contributions coming in.

Twickenham Decides!

It can’t have escaped your attention that there’s a bit of an election coming up this week. On the May 3rd to be precise. And it’s not just any election, we’re talking here about a London election. It’s your chance to decide who should be the next Mayor of this great city of ours, gawd luv it. Should it be the bumbling blond bombshell who’s made a career from “being Boris” or should it be Ken, the “professional maverick politician” who’s manner frequently seems less maverick and more “lecturer in politics at a suburban sixth form college in 1989”. There are other candidates standing but it’s essentially a two horse race… although unlike Boris and Ken there are no recorded incidents of horses squaring up to each other in office lifts over their tax arrangements.

In addition to the Mayoral election you also get to complete two, yes two, ballot papers for London Assembly members. The London Assembly is a bit like a TV show presented by Nick Knowles. You’re aware that it does exist, you’re just not quite sure why. Apologies, that’s harsh. The London Assembly has an important role in holding the Mayor to account, championing the causes and concerns of Londoners and in ensuring certain policy areas get a proper London-wide approach rather than being left solely to the 32 Boroughs. A kind of GLC-lite for those with long memories. On Thursday you’ll get to vote for your constituency representative for south west London. Currently it’s Tony Arbour (Conservative) and he’ll be standing again, trying to fend off the challenges of the other parties represented by Munira Wilson (Lib Dem), Lisa Homan (Labour), Daniel Goldsmith (Green) and Jeffery Bolter (choice party or summat like that). In addition to your constituency member you get to vote for London-wide members. As you’d expect this features all your favourite parties, a couple of independents and a few groups banging on about putting something or other first (England, London, marriage, etc).

Sometimes this whole Mayor thing can seem a bit remote from life in London’s premier suburb, after all, there are no Boris Bikes and no Congestion Charge around here and nor is there much cash coming our way from the Mayor’s Outer London Fund. Yes LBRuT secured some money in the first round but then got nothing from the funding awarded in January 2012. Thanks for that. However, even though some of the priorities for London can seem less pressing in the leafy and (relatively) affluent streets of Twickenham than elsewhere, issues such as affordable housing, jobs, transport and crime are still relevant here. We’re still part of London, after all. Happy voting. What will Twickenham decide?

LINKS:
* London Elects

You think you know Twickenham?

As part of an occasional and frankly not very exciting series we put your Twickenham knowledge to the test. In short, where’s this then? Eh?