Category: Comment

The Woman In The Wall


Who out there watched this six-part psychological drama which came to a close on BBC One last night ?

And how many found the ending disappointing ? I watched this through to the very end, then found myself ask “And ?”

When the series began I struggled to maintain interest as we were confronted with lead character Lorna Brady and her psychotic episodes. She apparently had a long history of sleepwalking based in trauma she endured during her time spend in one of Irelands infamous Magdalene Laundries.

Having battled through the first episode I found the story line drawing me in. Admittedly there were annoying elements, which I felt were superfluous to the plot. Aren’t there almost always in any drama. But this intriguing story was masterfully told by a strong cast of actors led by Ruth Wilson. By the end of episode two I was hooked. So much so that the sixth and final episode , broadcast last night, was essential viewing. For an hour I was glued to the screen, and then it was all over and the titles were rolling.

I can only compare the the feeling I had, to the anticipation of a roast dinner. For hours you smell the meat and tatties roasting, and associated veggies cooking. Then the dinner is plated up and it is spread out in all its glory. But the meat is bland and tasteless, roasties soft, not crispy as they should be, and the veggies have had all the goodness boiled out of them. The meal is eaten, hunger pangs satisfied but mentally you are disappointed.

And so it was with this show. Six weeks of anticipation but no real closure.

I hate it when dramas end and leave you to make assumptions, leave loose ends hanging. I want to know if the hard faced bitch of a nun got her comeuppance . Were all of the accomplices rounded up and prosecuted. Did the duplicitous James Coyle wriggle out from under, or ….. ?

No spoilers here. Well not really. But …. ?

Police seize bikes in behaviour patrols


Police seized one Sciron bike from a rider who had no licence and no insurance. Another bike was confiscated after the rider was found to have been disqualified from driving.

They were summoned to court for a later date. Officers also chased a rider who was travelling on a moped which was believed to have been stolen.

The vehicle was recovered and the investigation is ongoing. Police were also involved responded to other offences including people driving through red lights.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/24/police-seize-bikes-in-leigh-park-and-havant-thicket-area-in-anti-social-behaviour-patrols/content.html

Great news. Although these may not be the hoons disturbing my neighbourhood, I congratulate the police for curtailing their activities.

Keep up the good work. Now go get the morons disturbing my life.

What Is My All-Time Favourite Album ?


What’s your all-time favorite album?

Such a hard question to answer.

My first response is “On The Threshold Of A Dream” by The Moody Blues first released in 1969. I certainly play this a lot so much so that I am on my 2nd vinyl copy, the first having worn out. I still listen to the album, but these days, I stream, using Tidal or Spotify.

A more considered response leads me to offer up “Foxtrot” by Genesis first released in 1972. I still have my original vinyl version but also have it on CD. Genesis are a band that I used to see live every time they visited Portsmouth. Pretty much an annual event, either at Portsmouth Guildhall or South Parade Pier.

Many other albums are jostling for that favourite spot. Amongst them, some of the great classics. “Dark Side Of The Moon” and “Echoes” by Pink Floyd, “Led Zeppelin II” and “IV”, “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull, “Tapestry” by Carole King, and the list goes on and on.

So to truly answer the question, I think “Foxtrot” by Genesis take the honour, but only just.

Music is such an emotive subject, and to nominate a favourite will always be coloured by how one is feeling, ones mood at any given time.

Ask me again tomorrow.

Just Deserts


It never ceases to amaze, the lengths some people will go to evade capture.

https://www.facebook.com/100064584227634/posts/pfbid04pbPw7QHzKQAmoBFHtSwsVdhdPZ2cnUrNqzeW79XADyHT7HAEvaD6zCqRLL9gmKwl/

I feel for the lurcher that was left behind following the vehicle roll. Its owner is now minus a car and his dog.

It makes no sense to me to risk life and limb just to avoid a fine.

Well done the police.

Portsmouth residents to have say on electric vehicle parking and charging around the city


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/19/portsmouth-residents-to-have-say-on-electric-vehicle-parking-and-charging-around-the-city/content.html

I hope this study will look at general parking and not just focus on EV.

The strategy will include a review of parking in the city centre and district centres and encourage sustainable and alternative travel for some journeys where possible. It’s reco gnised that this will mean some people will leave their cars at home more often and will need access to parking spaces nearby. 

Working for a housing association, my daughter needs her car for her job. As part of her job she has to visit various housing association properties both in the city centre but also in the suburbs.

She already experiences parking issues and quite often cannot park near her home. Finding a space near home is something of a lottery. If the council intends to implement strategies to persuade people to use alternative means of transport, leaving their cars at home, won’t this exacerbate the problem.

Lets assume you change cars and get an EV but you cannot park outside your own home, where are you supposed to charge your new EV.

Only 100 charging points in a city with a population in excess of 200,000. The council needs to be looking hard at the overall strategy for all forms of transport. The infrastructure isn’t there for folks to switch over to EV. It’s no wonder Rishi and the UK government are back pedalling on the banning of internal combustion engine powered vehicles.

Rejuvenation ?


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-4-1895/content.html

The following image, published by The News, shows just one small part of the Waterlooville shopping centre. “Shopping Centre” is a loose term as there aren’t many shops. This particular area contains a couple of coffee and fast food eateries, tattoo parlour and hairdressers. Not really somewhere to go and browse. At the far end is Wilkos, which is scheduled for closure within the next week or so. This due to the collapse of the brand.

This area equates to approximately 20% of the available shop frontage in the town centre. The remaining 80% is in dire need of refurbishment and occupation. The picture below shows the total area that Havant Borough Council (HBC) are hoping to rejuvenate.

As I have said before, I applaud HBCs recent efforts. And the offer of grants to attract businesses into Waterlooville is most welcome. But, I fear it is too little too late.

Any business moving into this town centre is going to have to bring something special to the table. Something that will increase the footfall in the pedestrian area, both to benfit their own business but also to aid any other businesses that also take up HBCs offer.

If I analyse my own reasons for going into the centre of Waterlooville then it nets out to two, maybe three stores. Boots, Celebrations and the grocers. Boots is now a shadow of its former self and I wonder how much longer it will survive.

I used to be a regular shopper in Waitrose, Wilkos, and the butchers with occsional forays into clothes shops if my wife was with me. There also used to be quite a few charity shops but even they have thinned out.

So, there really isn’t much there anymore. Any new businesses need to be providing something really attractive to peek my interest.

I really do hope this new initiative by HBC bears fruit, but I won’t hold my breath.

Portsmouth Car Meet Driver Sentenced


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/19/teenage-driver-who-ploughed-into-pack-of-people-causing-serious-injury-to-two-females-at-portsmouth-car-meet-is-sentenced/content.html

Another positive result for our local police but sadly at the expense of onlookers who were injured by his acts.

The 17 year old driver hit four people, two suffering serious injuries requiring them to be taken to hospital. The other two suffered minor injuries.

At his court hearing, the defendant was banned from driving for two years and will have to undertake an extended test to regain his licence. He was also handed a referral order and was referred to Hampshire Youth Offender Panel for a six-month contract.

Only 17 so he wasn’t “legally” driving for very long and has already lost his license. He will have to retake his test to get it back.

This youth could so easily have been facing a manslaughter charge and be spending time in prison.

Let’s hope he has learnt something from this.

New Police Stations


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-5-1895/content.html

Brilliant !!! We need greater visibility of, and access to, our local police.

On the face of it, opening new, or reopening existing police stations is a good idea.

But, if our local area cop shops are anything to go by, access is likely to be limited.

For my home area you can only call in to Waterlooville Police Station on a Thursday or a Friday between 08:00 and 16:00 but not lunchtimes. Accessible for just two days out of seven.

For Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday you have to toddle over to Havant Police Station but again, avoid lunchtimes. A bit better, they are open three days out of seven.

Obviously for emergencies you dial 999 on any phone and, if you are lucky, the police will come. For non emergency situations there is 101 but my own personal experience of using that number is that you end up in a queue. Almost as bad as trying to get a doctors appointment.

If you get mugged in Waterlooville and have your phone nicked, better hope its on a Thursday or a Friday and not lunchtime. Otherwise you need to find a public phone box that hasn’t been vandalised.

If you can’t walk in to your local police station to report a crime or obtain advice then what is the point.