Poll Result

As you will see the result of the poll on dispersal orders resulted in a victory for the supporters of the orders.

Only 12 people took part in the poll out of a population of the village ofabout 2,000. Its also true that, ubfortunately, you have to subscribe to Google to take part in polls on the blog, so, perhaps what the poll really tells us is that supporters of the dispersal orders are more likely to be Google suybscribers.

What that means is anyones guess.

The Fire Next Time.

So oil  prices are on the rise again as a consequence of Iran cutting off oil supplies to Britain and other western nations. Rising oil prices, whilst of course a concern to everyone have particular impacts in semi rural areas like ours in terms of rising fuel and transport costs but there are bigger issues ay syake here.

Iran cut off oil supplirs to a number of western countries because those countries had imposed sanctions on Iran because of the belief that Iran's nuclear programme is increasingly being geared towards the production of nuclear weapons. At the same time. Iran.s ally, Syria is becoming engulfed in a civil war between President Assad and his allies and a large segment of the Strian people who are increasingly recieving support from anti Assad forces from neyond Syria's borders ranging from Israel and the USA to Saudi Arabia and Al Quesa.


What we are seeing in Syria seems to me to be the beginning of a new middle east war with a range of forces, dstensibly opposed to the Assad regime, but whose real target  is Iran. This is a war at the moment being fought through proxies but that stage will inexitably end when Israel bombs Iran's nuclear facilities. Either before or  after this Britain and its european allies will enter the fray and the resulting conflict will make Iraq and Afghanistan look like  a playground fight at a primary school.

If this analtsys is anywhere near correct, a few pence on a litre of diesel may be the least of our worries.

AS SOON AS THIS PUB CLOSES/

I promise that this will ne the last post on the subject of pubs for a while, but one explanation for what seems to be manym to be the state's war on pibs is that, if people are discouraged from going to pubs , it removes an area of public life where people can gather and agitate against government policies.

Although this is an attractive idea to the conspicy  minded, I have yet to see any evidence that pubs are hotbeds of subversion, Certainly, in the 70s and onwards I remember pubs with a left wing clientele in most of the big cities that I visired, less time was spent p[lotting to advance the final overthrow of capitalism then listening to endless rows about the relevance, or otherwise, of  Trotsky;s Transitional Programme anongst the 57 varieties of followers of 'The Old Man' or, whether Tony Cliff was right in describing the soviet union as state capitalist rather then communist,

Historically , the real subversive activity in Britain through the 18th and 19th centuries went on in the coffee houses through groups like the London Corresponding Society and and The Chartists and whilst its true that Karl Marx spent a good deal of time in London pubs he was there for the beer rather then for the revolution. Its also worth remembering that large parts of the emerging socialist movement were militantly teetotal.

So, rather then the government persecuting pubs for political reasons I suspect that their agents are spending their time in the likes of Costa Coffee and Starbucks, drinking overpriced Latte and playing 'Spot The Subversive'.

Closing Time.

Sorry to keep returning to the subject of drinking, but its difficult not to in a place like Silverton where the three pubs provide the main focus of social interaction.

Given that its generally accepted that a;cohol is a powerful and potentially dangerous drug, but that it has been an intehral part of most human societies, at least, since the beginnings of agriculture and that it use has been problematic in advanced societies, particularly in Britain over the past few centuries, you might think that  a government might wish to make sure that its use was largely restricted to controlled envioronments and that it was not as easily and commonly available as a packet of crisps. Historically, this was indeed the position until the 1980s with booze onlt being available through the public house or the off Licence. With the rise of the supermarket chains and the deregulation of controls on the availability oof alcohol, the demon drink has now become a part of the weekly shopping basket on a scale not previously available to most working people with the supermarkets blatentlt using cheap booze as a majopr form of loss leader.

At the same time the public house, once the centre of much of the social life of Briyain, has increasingly found itself unable to cope due to the end of the tied house system, the inability to match the purchasing power of the supermarkets, increasingly severe licensing comditions and rocketing tax and utility bills.  Also, more controversially, the ban on smoking has also taken its toll. the outcome has been widespread pub closures that in rural areas where the pib was a vital part of village life, a contributing factor to the devestation of many rural communities.

The present government has made much of creating the 'Big Society ' where people are encouragedto play an active part in their local communities.  If government is serious about this intention, it needs to take active steps to protect and encourage the further existence and growth of the viyal part of Briyish life, the local pib. Sadly, until the politicians end their obsessive worship of 'the free market' and their dependence on donations from some of the supermarket chains its unlikely that the continued survival of the local public house will be assured.

The Great Drama Of Life.

Its the time of the year again when the Silverton Drama Group  perform their annual gebruary show. This year it is a musical comedy entitled 'The Devil In Disguise'. that pokes gentle fun at the village and some of itsinstitutions.

Those who participate in The Drama Droup, and indeed those who watch the performances, get a good deal of enjoyment out of the shows but they are not for everyone. Not being attracted to stage performance, I would never wish to participate in one and I  prefer film  to stage  as a medium of entertainment.

I prefer to watch the great drama of life in which, as William Shakespeare pointed out, we all play our parts. from birth to death we all play our part in the great drama of life which began long before we weere born and will end, hopefylly, long after we have left the stage. There is no script and we probably never know for sure whether our parts were as stars, supporting cast, walk ons or extras. If there is an audience we never hear their boos or applause  and any director there may be gives us no precise instructions.

And when we leave the stage yhjere are no curtain calls. 

International

Nice to see that this blog is attracting occasional readers from beyond the UK. Its nice to know that events  in a small Devon village attract some interest beyond these shores. So lets say a big hello  to our occasional followers in Germany, Latvia, Russia, The United States, Canada and Brazil.  You should al pop over for street market in August. I am sure you would all be welcome.

More Drinking Matters.

While on the subject of drink and its consequences, I believe that one measure being considered by government is an extra charge on bars and clubs that stay open after midnight in order to cover the extra expense incurred by local authorities in order to clean up and repair damage caused by late night revellers. One can see a certain logic to this when applied in the major towns and cities, but, if its applied more generally, why should licebsed premesis in places like Silverton where late night mess is non existant to minimal be forced to pay  an added tax ?.

We all know what one of the main causes of late night drunken disturbances is, namely, the habit of people 'preloading' on cheap booze  bought from the supermarkets  and consumed before they even get to the pub or clib. perhaps, therefore, government might consider an extra tax on supermarkets, but I wont hold my breath on it ever happening. One thing is for certain, there was a lot less public drunkenness and underage drinking when the only outlets for the sale of alcohol were off Licenses and the local pub.

Drunk And Disorderly.

David Cameron, in his wisdom, has decided that its time to tackle the problem of public drunkeness.  I assume. that like the rest of us he has been watching telly documentaries that feature half naked young women throwing up and performing blow jobs in the bushes whilst their ,ale counterparts kicj the crap out of their matrs for chatting up women they regard as their property or attempting to batter unfortunate health workers in A&E departments because they dont get seen quickly enough.

Cameron's answer to the problem is, as usual, to turn to the USA for answers, notably yje introduction of 'Drunk Tanks' where the pissed  can be left to sober up overnight   and more police in A&e units, although wgere these extra coppers will come from at a time when police numbers are being cut is another matter. Then there is minimum pricing per unit of  alcohol but I ssuspect that the drinks industry, still a major contributor to Tory party funds may well have serious objections to that idea.

Perhaps its too much to expect that Cameron might give some consideration to the factors that make so many working people want to get shit faced from time to time. Overwork, over taxed and underpaid in insecure jobs with the invreasing certainty that they will have to work until they drop may well ne motivating factoes in their desire to blot it all out.

And, you mihjt wonder why the police just dont use the old charges of Drunk and Disorderly or Breach Of The Peace to deal with those who make a public nuiscence of thenselves whilst plastered.  The reason, I suspect, is that too many charges and court appearences would push up the crime figures, something that no political party wants on their record come election time, Better to throw the culprits in the ;Drunk Tank' overnight, sober them up, kick  them out  and get a few cleaners on the minimum wage to mop up the vomit the day after.

My Bloody Valentine.

It was good to see at least, a few people turning out for the alternative Valentines Night  Indian Banquet at The Lamb
 last night. Those who attended had a good meal in pleasant surroundings without a rose or a guitar player in sight.  From what I hear, nany others preferred to avoid the overpriced, faux romantic fayre provided by other establishments for more individual ways of spending the festival of love, which in one case involved going to the cinema to see a new version pf one of the Star Wars films in 3D. Hopefully, the card industry has also taken a beating and there is at last a backlash against their overpriced cards and the accompanying tat.  Any decline in the commercial festival of excess that St Valentines Day has become at least has the effect of allowing those of us without 'that someone special' in our lives to feel a little less guilty about not being in a relationship.

Dispersal Order.

The introduction of a dispersal order for the village by the police seems to be causing a considerable degree of controversy.  A number of posts on the What's On In Silverton ?. Facebook page have attacked the order as being unesserily restrictive on the social life of younger people within the village. On the uther hand, when the matter was raised at the January meeting of the Parish Council no one spoke against it and in conversations since, quite a number of people still seem to be in favour of the move.
In order to get some idea of opinion before the public meeting on the issues around anti social behaviour and potential remedies to be held on march 6th, I have set up a poll on this site on the dispersal order issue.  Closing date 21/02/12.

Boy Racers

Someone I know, lost a beloved prt vat under the wheels of a speeding motorist on  Coach Road Road the other night. I know that cats are not everyones favorite animals wirg rgeir tendanct ro dig  up gardens and slaughter birds and snall animals, but to their owners they are often part of the  family.

 The problem is, that some drivers seem unable to see a reasonably straight piece of road, even in an urban area, without having to put their foot on the accelerator, seemingly engaging in the fantasy that they are at Le Mons or Brands Hatch. Personally, I suspect that too much exposure to computer games and the likes of 'Top Gear' have a lot to answer for.

Sadly, , one day, it may well not be someones beloved pet cat that comes to a sudden end on Coach or Wyndham roads but a small child, the consequenses of which would scar the lives of the victims fanily and the perpetrator for the rest of their existence, Before this happens I suspect that the introduction of speed humps and a 20mph speed limit are likely to become part of village life.

Parish Matters

Fust a brief note on last nights parish council meeting. Genny Roach reported that the request for dispersal orders to counter anti social behaviour in the village have now bbeeb granted. I regard the fact that such an order has now been granted hufglights a failure by the community to resolve its intergenerational ptoblems and it is to be hpoped that the more positive atmosphere currently existing around the issues will mean that the dispersal orders have a short shelf life. Hopefully, things can be progressed further throufg the public meeting due in early march although the fact that no members of the public attended the meeting last night to discuss the issues mwans that there is still work to do.

The council also voted to contribute money towards a street partyfor the forthcoming diamond jubilee 'celebrations'.  As a life long republican I shall be taking no part in the proceedings, or anything to do with the  beacon at Christ Cross. I still hold to the view that if if the village wants a party they would be better organising an annual St Georges Day event.

Coming Soon

I am currently working on some rather more serious posts including one on the war on drugs in a local context and on social housing. As I also have some personal business and parish council documents to read, the blog may not update for a day or two.

Balls.

It that time of year again, when the england rugby shirts  come out of the attic and the sales of Guimmess in the pub take a sudden jump. Tes, its six nayion time again and the Lamb was predictably busy yesterday for England's first outing of the contest which resulted in a victory over scotland  in The Calcutta Cup, played at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

I noticed yesterday, that quite a few of those who turn up in the pub when the game is onm, dont actually watch the match, but spend the entire proceedings chatting to their mates,  only taking time out from chatting and drinking to cheer in the appropriate places when their team scores. When I lived in Prestwick  we had the even more interesting phenomena of Welsh rugby fans who came from wales, booked in at a local hotel, and watched the Scotland v Wales game at Murrayfield on the TV in our local pub, The Toll Bar. Why anyone would want to go all the way from wales to scotland, to watch a rugby game being played seventy miles away on Tv  when you could see the same game in the comfort of your own local, is beyond me, but  , that like those in The Lamb, who turn up when the match is on but dont watch it, I suppose thar a sense of group solidarity and a sense of occasion is the point of the exercise.

Going Underground.

There was mention in the post about the New Hal of my gran's friend, Lil Andrews. Lil was a well known local character who, when I was very young in the 1950s, occupied one of the redbrick corrages in the High Street along with her son, Ralph 'Sailor' Andrews, a former mariner, One day Lil was unfortunate enough to kose her false teeth down the loo and, in an effort to recover them, 'Sailor' excavated the sewage outflow pipe in the garden.

Luckily  for all concerned his efforts were in vain   and a new set of dentures  had to be purchased.

The New Hall.

I  was reminded the other day, that to many newer Silvertonians, The New Hall is little more then just a name and some are not even sure where it was located. I thought therefore, that it might be worth posting something about the Hall and some of what went on there, without getting too sidetracked with the controversy that surrounded its clusure in the late eighties, a matter that may well be  worth a post in  itself on another occasion, 

What was known as The New Hall was in fact, two buildings that stood on what is now the vacant plot opposite The Silverton Inn.  The building that faced  directly onto Fore Street was the older building, probably a couple of hundred years old at its demolition, that was known toolder villagers as 'The Audit Rooms'. This was a two storey, yellow plastered building that you entered via a passage which had two meeting rooms one on  either  side near the main entrance. besises meetings of the parish council and other bodies, the rooms were also used for whist drives and bingo, My earliest memories of whist drives in the neeting rooms was when my grandmother, Mabel Rutland (1892-1981) ran weekly whist drives there on a friday night in the 1950s and early 60s. If you ventured into the room during these events it would be through a thick haze of tobacco smoje and you would see the likes of mt gran and her pals such as Lil Andrews, Kate Warren and Mary Sutton playing their cards and exchanging the village gossip of the day. All were characters worthy of blogposts in their own right,

Beyond thge meeting roos, on yhe right hand side, was a kitchen and around a sharp left had cornerm werre the stairs to the upper floor and also the lobby that led to the New Hall proper and toilets.

The upper floor of the old building consisted of one long room that had been used for the village dances prior to the construction of the New Hall proper in 1928.  Wnen I was young the upper room was used by The Mens Club and contained two full sized snooker tables which remained there until the building  was demolished.  As far as I know the tables were then removed to The Silverton Mill Social Club but I dont know what became of them after the closure of the mill and the club. After The Mens Club folded the room was used by the Boy Scouts and The Silverton Youth Clun of the late sixties, I believe it was still osed by youth organisations in the seventies and eighries.

Back downstairs and rgeough the lobby you entered The New Hall proper, This consisted of a long room with a substantial stage and changing facilities at one end. The building had been opened in 1928 and donated to the village by The Reed and Smith paper company, then owners of The Silverton and Stoke Canon paper mills. The Mew Hall was the main venue for dances, concerts and plays and frequent jumble sales. When young, I can well remember the concerts which featured our local performers, although I doubt if any of them would have made it to 'Britain's Got Talent'.  I am sure that Silvertonians of a certain age, will never forget Flor Vittles performing the 1950s hit 'Tom Dooley' complete with noose or the rendition of 'Danny Bot' by Sid Hutchings accompanied by the reverend Guy Sanderson on piano, who later became Bishop Of Plymouth.

Other highlights of the hall, that I can remember, were The Twist Club of the early 1960s Where the teenagers of that period twisted the night away to the sounds of Tim Tree and The Thunderbirds  A shadows inspired local band and later in the decade The Silverton Youth Club events of which I was a part. The Royal British Legion also held their dances there before the advent of The British Legion Club, and of course, there were the hunt balls but they were not something that many of the local youth participated in.  In the eighties the hall was the venue for performances by the much loved, and missed, Silverton Players who produced a series of well suppported pantomimes.

The New Hall and The Audit Rooms played a large part in the history of the village and pieces of history could be found in the halls from the plates marked as the  one time property of The Silverton Temperence Society that were to be found in the kitchen, to the paintings of Lucy ward that were rescued when the hall was demolished to parish records that were found in an old cupboard.  I suspect it will ne a long time before yje Community Hall gains the same place in the affections of the people of Silverton as The New Hall and The Audit Rooms gained over the generations.

Lying In The Gutter, Staring At The Stars.

During the second world war, whilst on leave from active service in Italy, my late father was walking up Fore Street in the blackout when a Liftwaffe pilot, presumably on his way home after a raid on Exeter or Plymouth, decided to lighten his load by dropping a bomb on yjr hill brhind Livingshayes Ruad where the remains of the crater could still be seen when I was young. My father, having had long experience under enemy attack, dived for the ground and ended up in what the more polite Silvertonians refer to as ' The Leat', but what we older villagers know  as 'The Gutter'.

It reminds us of the perils that may await should the energy saving device of turning off the street lights at midnight ever comes to the village  The danger now, with late pub closing times,  would not be from falling German bombs but more likely from one too many Jaegerbombs.

Fear And Loathing In Silverton

Its now nearly three years since the great travellers site panic gripped the village when a family of new age travellers sought permission to establish a permanent site at Oak Lane in order to pursue their business which revolved around providing facilities for festivalgoers aas I recall.  The village talked of nothing else for weeks and anonymous leaflets were circulated issuinf dire warnings about the possibility of drugs being brought into the primary school amongst other things. The panic culminated in the biggrst public meeting the village had seen in years where there was massive opposition to the planned devolopment.

In the end, the planning application was withdrawn, resubmitted and eventually rejected. The travellers continued to have a trucj on the land they owned and, despite some occasional grumbligs from their immediate neighbour village life returned to normal.

All this was centred well outside the village itself but I await with interest to see what would happen if some other perceived threat came on the scens, Inevitably, one day, we shall have a practising Muslim family move into the village and I wonder how long it woukd be before we have anonymous l;eaflets doing the rounds speculating about a mosque being built on the hall site, The parish Council being replaced by a sharia court and the possibility of  classes for suicide bombers being held in The Dorothy Grainger Room.  We should probably have the local readers of The Daily Star setting up a branch of The English Defence League as that publication seems to give that particular brand of scum uncritical coverage.

What all this tells us is that pleasent villages like Silverton have an unfortunate tendenct ro attract people with a deep fear of a changing world and a wish to return to an agr of simple certainties. Luckily, we still have a majority  still able to keep a sense of perspective about such matters.

Principled Stand.

I was glad to receive the leaflet recently distributed byCouncillor Jenny Roach in which she explains her reasons for rejecting the recent increase of 23% in councillors allowances recently voted through by Mid Devon District Council. At a time when ordinary working people are facing massive increases in utility bills and benefit cuts it beggers belief that a group of people , few of whom could be described as poor could decide to award themselves a rise of such magnitude, especially when other areas of local government are facing savage cuts  in their budgets. Its good to see someone taking a principled stand on such matters.

Too oftenn these days, it would seem that too many get involved in politics both local and national, for reasons of immediate personal gain, or to gain future advancement. It often seems that the party that they commit themselves to is irrevelant as long as it gets them what they want and principles and idealogy are a long way second, This seems to have become more acute the more the three main parties have sought to occupy the same political ground.

Its always good therefore to read of those  who spent a lifetime trying to promote the principles that they lived by usually at no personal gain, often at personal loss.  Such lives are often recorded in the obituries written by my old internet colleague, Mick Hall on his blog Organised Rage,

http://www,organisedrage.com

Mick writes from a political perspective which probably is not shared by many who read this blog. Mick writes from the perspective of a lifelong trade unionist, socialist activist and internationalist with a particular interest in Irish republicanism and the middle east, particularly  Turkey. The people that Mick records in his obituries are  often trade union, community and political activists of the type who never recieve, and would indeed reject honours, and are often only rememberd  by their former comrades or those they represented.  People of principle used to be present across the political spectrum, sadly, howefer they seem to be fading into history.