How can anyone NOT enjoy the Country Show?

[Rocket no.9]

OK,

So our council can't look after it's tenants (at all), can't pay it's suppliers on time, can't handle very basic street cleaning/rubbish collection services, can't make a rational pronouncement about policing crime or tackling hard drugs in the community. And let's not even talk about the Great Lambeth Council Tax Fiasco(s). But. It has to be said, Lambeth Council knows how to give us the circuses even if it can't throw us the bread.

Today's Country Show was beautiful. This has to be the best organised municipal festival on the planet, and I don't think I'm exaggerating. I mean, where else can you have a day out with the family where you can fling the little ones on fairground rides, where you can hear the Bhundu Boys and watch a falconry display, where you can be handed a lifetimes supply of free Soothers (and Cadbury's Smash to raaahtid! Now that stand was just desperate. Still pulled tho'), buy books at the West Indian Ex-Servicemens stall, expose yourself to the demented Radio 4 world of prize marrows and jam competitions, listen to steel drums and beardy-folky stuff, get deliciusly wasted on real cider, shop for clothes new and second hand, eat food from all over the planet and enjoy the opportunity to take in the vaaaast spectrum of people/lifestyles/income groups that inhabit our borough. FOR FREE.

And tomorrow will be even bigger and better with Johnny Clarke on the main stage. Sheeit!!.

Could have done without the Armed forces recruitment stands tho'.

Did anyone else check out the 'Elegant Toilets'. Framed prints of Monet and Matisse in the portaloos ferchrissakes!!

Life in this part of London can be dispiriting sometimes as posts to this board attest, but if you ever need an argument to convince someone to move here just bring them down to Brockwell Park on a day like today.

Norman Cook can keep Brighton Beach and the Swiss tourists can keep the Notting Hill Carnival. The Country Show rocks.

How could anyone NOT enjoy it??!?

Nice to meet you again Red Jezza! Keep up the good work.

[NVP]

Sounds up to its usual standard, then.

I'll be popping along tomorrow. :)

[IntoStella]

Originally posted by Rocket no.9
...get deliciusly wasted on real cider..... O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-h-h-h-h-h-h, I know, I know. Yoinks! I'm going again tomorrow but somebody's got to keep me off that stuff.
- Intostella with a sore head.
PS We (me+anna key) did buy a book which turned out to have mrs mag's relatives in it, which was a pretty stunning coincidence. Top show all round and the Brian support stall was doing brilliantly.
:D

[hatboy]

Fantastic post Mr Rocket. Since you rarely comment on anything here it just shows how truly wonderful the Country Show is. I agree 100% - it's my favourite local day out. I know what you mean about the demented radio 4 world of marrows - the whole curious mix of rural and urban is sort of like... The Archers ghetto style.

Everyone must see the owls. So serene, so beautiful... and their heads go all the way round.

[Mrs Magpie]

I love it, I can't add much to Rockets great post, he's said it all really and after two whole days there I'm knackered....The only thing I never check out is the stage....there's too much else to see and do.....

[NVP]

Originally posted by hatboy
The Archers ghetto style.

LMAO !!! :D :D :D

[corporate whore]

With hatboy on the owls - wonderful, creatures. Their outer calm gives them an introspective look, but one can sense they are fully aware of everything going on, and could probably gouge yer eyes out if you made a wrong move.

Talking of owls, I saw the one person who wasn't enjoying the Fair, haraunging (?) the owl people 'cos the birds were tethered down. "How would you like it" etc. Be difficult to show them if they weren't tied down, of course... "now, just stay there, will ya?"

Also bought some nice honey marmalade and a carnivorous plant. Nice :D

[Streathamite]

Umm, Rocket, I have this hole in my memory that is you-shaped. Where and when did we meet on Saturday? If you`re coming to the next Urbanites do seek me out and refresh the memory then.
Just like to add, whilst all these SUPPOSEDLY committed activists were gallivanting about enjoying themselves in Hackney, some of us - SOME OF US - were doing our bit on the "brian" stall at the show. Ah well, just shows where the REAL social consciences are, dunnit?

[drfranni]

Isn't that a little bit harsh, RJ? My experience over many years is that some people always pitch in and some people talk the talk but don't... etc etc.

That's just life - pitching in with a happy heart and FUCKING EXCELLENT colleagues is, for me, a superb way to spend a weekend. I don't judge other people's choices- seems like it's their loss, but that's just my view

[IntoStella]

I missed the owls, sadly, but the 'Elegant Toilets' were really something to see. When I get too boracic to pay my rent any more (soon), I fully intend to go and live in one. I have seen far worse, fer sure. The decor and framed prints somehow reminded me of the cabin in 'Around the World in Eighty Days'.

[drfranni]

I'll second that I.S. - those toilets were the poshest portapotties I've ever seen - hell, they were posher than my loo at home and a full time loo-paper-topper-upper as well.

Outstanding job - much respect to the organisers

[Bond]

Caught the last few hours of this yesterday evening, brill way to chill after the weekend I had, first class raggae and cider :D

Only regret is not being able to come earliar and have a chance to visit the Brian Paddick stall run by our very own Mrs M. It went well from what I heard so glad all who went enjoyed :)

[hatboy]

Jezza says:

"Just like to add, whilst all these SUPPOSEDLY committed activists were gallivanting about enjoying themselves in Hackney, some of us - SOME OF US - were doing our bit on the "brian" stall at the show. Ah well, just shows where the REAL social consciences are, dunnit?"

Cheeky bastard. I know you're not referring to me, but I'm going to have a go at you anyway. Loads of people have supported Paddick over the last few months in various ways. As Mrs M said no-one needs to feel guilty about doing the wrong thing or too little. People do what they want and what they're comfortable with or good at. Also people are obliged to do sweet FA if they want. I still support Brian, but I didn't want to spend the Country show on a stall. Tough shit.

As important as I believe Paddick's re-instatement is, for me the initial enthusiasm is spent and I want to think about something else. It's terrific others with fresh enthusiasm (such as yourself, even though you don't live in Lambeth) are getting involved. But, like I said, no-one is obliged to do anything so fuck the holier than thou attitude.

[drfranni]

I agree HB - I would hate such a successful and happy event to be marred by any disagreement of this kind. The people who worked on the stall were happy to do so and had a great time. We were also greatly cheered by U75 visitors and people who couldn't get there but also supported the event.

[LDR]

How can anyone NOT enjoy the Country Show?

When they don't bloody go because they are too wiped out from the day before. :mad: Sometimes I can be so stupid. I'm quite gutted I missed it.

[Peter Matisse]

RJ

I think your comments are ill judged.

Without the work that Hatboy, Mrs M, drfranni and others put in to start the ball rolling then we would have had an uphill struggle on the two days at the show.

People show their support in their own way. There are many issues to tackle in Lambeth and they are all important and meaningful. You and me chose to put our energies, along with all our fellow helpers, into the stand at the show.

That does not make us in any way superior, it just means we made a different choice on this ocasion.

I think you should consider more carefully what you say in future.

[NVP]

Jezza - Those of us that went to Hackney were supporting an anti-racist festival. I'd argue that tackling racism London-wide is a bigger issue than the reinstatement of one policeman in one borough.

Admittedly, my 'support', such as it was, involved having a bit of a bop and a few bevvies but so fucking what? I'm not keen on people telling me what to support or how to go about it.

If you're trying to recruit some more support, you're going about it in a very odd way.

[Choc]

i went to hackney, helped a bit in the lambeht4brianpaddick stall and managed to see macka b on the country show (it was such a coincidence that i happend to be there in the right time). i also bought lovely teacups plus saucers and some honey straight from the honeyman. its been a great interactive and active musical weekend i've had a bit of everything. also got very pissed last night on a friends 31st b-day. macka b was superb i already listened to his music when i was 17, he had loads of moral messages for us people. jah rastafarai!!

i don't think anyone should be blamed for helping or not, because it should be up to the individual. there have been enough people for the stall anyways. and also it is always like this, people are concerned but it is only the minority who actually does something about it. it's always been like this and it always will be, ..a pessimist is speaking.

[William of Walworth]

And enjoyed it thoroughly :) but I also wish I'd been at Brockwell! Glad you enjoyed it ... :)

[Mrs Magpie]

Originally posted by Bond
Brian Paddick stall run by our very own Mrs M.
Bond, the credit for the stall is due to Peter Matisse and pooka, I just turned up and handed out sweets and balloons. The hard work and expense of setting it up was borne by them.......Big up to the two P's

[drfranni]

Amen to that Mrs M! Big up the "P" Posse (Er.... that doesn't sound right at all!)

[William of Walworth]

I've seen the other thread on the Paddick stall now, on the main boards, and just wanted to add congratulations and stuff ...

[Mrs Magpie]

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14432

....in case you want the link to the thread WoW mentions....

[Bond]

Whoops sorry! Well done to Peter Matisse and pooka as well as everyone else involved.

[Mrs Magpie]

Oo-er Rocket, your beautiful thread got Paddickised......
Back to the original subject......the only gripe that I heard was that there were far fewer free activities for children as there once were, eg face-painting and that some activities were very expensive for not much time.

I liked the way that things were more spread out than previously, particularly the community and voluntary services area. Some years this section has been very cramped and got the "third class" feeling.

The Country Show stewards were good and I saw clearly identifiable Medics wandering about too. The 'elegant toilets' were fabulously clean if a tad kitsch. A real improvement on the previous years loos. I used one right at the end of the second day, a time when one might expect it to be less than clean, and it was fine.

Also early on in the day I heard a tannoyed announcement..."Will the owner of a silver VW ..." etc
I was expecting the usual "please move it as it is blocking access" type thing, but no..."as the driver has left their lights on" Brilliant!

I can't wait till the next one...

[pooka]

To see what people had to say about the Paddick issue, at the County Show, and throw in your two pennerth, have a look here (http://www.lambeth4paddick.org/html/you_say.html)