Safety

Emmeline has just asked me an interesting question. She is considering coming to live here and wants to know if Greenwich is a safe area. What do you lot think?

I'd have thought that generally it is pretty safe - you have to pay a bit of attention at night in some bits, but that would go for anywhere in London. I have never felt really edgy here - but then I don't tend to wander round silly places on my own in the dead of night. I'd value your thoughts on this one...

La Cucina di Soteri

Nelson Road, SE10

This is a classic example of a place that promises slightly more than it delivers, IMHO. It looks fantastic - perched on the corner of the road opposite Nauticalia and Dreadnought Library and painted a jaunty yellow, this family-run Italian really looks the business.

I always get just a little excited when I go in - and yes, I do go in on a reasonably regular basis (given that trying to test out all the eateries in Greenwich doesn't allow much in the way of return visits save for the excellent Kum Laung.) The welcome is always friendly, the interior bright, modern and promising in bright shades of yellow and blue, the menu also quite interesting, usually with a special that actually changes.

And the dishes are quite good. The pasta's fine and the pizza is freshly made and not bad. But in my humble opinion, that's all it is. It isn't fantastic, which it really could be. Obviously it's better than somewhere like Pizza Luna, the worst pizza I have ever eaten, but this is a family-run Italian restaurant - the pizza should be amazing, not just not bad. There is something truly wonderful about a superbly-made pizza, however simple the topping - that skinny-thin, slightly bubbly, unevenly-shaped dough, covered with truly tomatoey, well-made sauce (guess who's on a diet just now and can't have any) and baked to perfection. Sadly, La Cucina's version just doesn't do it for me - it's almost there - but not quite.

One thing that La Cucina is good for is group meals - something at which they excel - and virtually every time I've ever been in there it's been full of parties - birthday, work and anniversary-style. Everybody always seems to be having a good time and there is plenty of bonhomie from the staff and space for such occasions (including an inexplicably large empty space downstairs where the loos are.) For that reason it's not really the best place for intimate diner-a-deux.

I will keep going to La Cucina di Soteri - it's good for pre-cinema visits and lunchtimes - but I really wish they'd up their game on the food. Just a little more effort and they could be stunning. Sadly a cry that could apply to so many eateries in Greenwich...

Free Guided Walks

David passed this onto me - a series of free blue badge guide walks this week - worth a gander, don't you think?

http://www.eastlondonguides.com/

Red Bull Air Race

Anyone would think I actually liked sport, the amount of international sporting events I've gone to this year. The truth is that I like international sporting events when they're on my doorstep and The Red Bull Air Race is just the latest event that's been attracted to Greenwich.

From last Thursday onwards you could hear them warming up - the noise those tiny little planes, designed to do things planes should never do, is really quite remarkable.

We had tickets (standing only - did you see the price of them?) for the Saturday qualifiers and a large bunch of us bowled up reasonably early round the side of the Dome to wait for "the show" to begin...

I felt rather sorry for any determined walkers - I imagined some poor sod who'd taken the last three weeks to walk from Clayfurlong Farm to the Thames Barrier, never deviating. This, in my fertile imagination, was their last day. All they had to do was make their way around the tip of the Peninsula and get to Woolwich to be able to say they'd walked the Thames Path. The proper route around the Dome was totally shut (was this legal?) and my imaginary hiker would have been forced to cross the Peninsula and never officially finish their journey. They'll just have to come back next year when, presumably, the path will be closed off for the International Synchronised Swimming finals...

But back to the race. As you walked up you could see pictures of the pilots with various not-very-vital statistics. They all looked pleasingly grizzled - it's rather good to see sportsmen who are neither about 18 years old and ridiculously muscular nor, if not the former, darts players. No food and drink was allowed in (which I thought was a bit off - they could hardly use the excuse that people might throw things at the pilots - I'd have given a prize to anyone who'd actually succeeded, given the speed they were going at) which meant you had to buy the usual overpriced festival food (nice to see Greenwich Inc cashing-in - always good to know we have our own local overpriced festival food) though at least it gave you something to do while you waited for "the show" to begin.

When it finally did begin, I rather wished it hadn't. We had been hoping for a display of aeronautics or at least something to watch, but it actually consisted of the world's most ignorant commentator (who freely admitted he wasn't yet up to speed) yabbering on about utter crap, occasionally joined by an American who was at least enthusiastic and knew one end of a plane from the other. Just in case any of you lovely people weren't there, I'll give you a taster. Here are just some of the amazing facts I gleaned whilst waiting for flying to begin. I'd hate you to miss out...

1) London is 1100 years old. It could be even older.

2) Canary Wharf was 'regenerated' for the Olympics.

3) The Dome ("Tony Blair's White Elephant") was specially reopened for the Red Bull Air Race.

4) The Thames was closed for the race (that will explain all the flooding. The water had to go somewhere...)

But onto the race. Basically there was a series of inflated pylons making up the course, that the pilots had to fly through at various angles, doing loops and turns and flicking the plane from side to side for the slalom bit without getting penalties for "improper flight attitude" (mooning out of the window, perhaps?) It was, actually, quite exciting - and this is from someone with NO interest in aeroplanes, races or flying displays. Each of the pilots did a test flight round the course, and at this point the American who actually knew something was very useful in telling us who was who, and the planes were different enough to be able to remember.

It was actually quite easy to be able to tell who was going faster than anyone else and how they were doing (they went one at a time, of course - when you're flying at speeds of over 400km you don't want to clip a wing) so you could actually root for individuals.



To be honest I really rather enjoyed it - the only thing that drove me nuts (apart from the commentator) was the noise pollution. I'm not talking about the planes, of course. I'm talking about the god-awful cliched rock 'music' that blasted over the speakers every time a pilot began his little race for glory. Were they scared that some bloke risking his life to fly between tiny little pylons at stupid speeds wasn't exciting enough? I'm getting so sick of the generic rock that clutters everything we have to listen to - from radio traffic bulletins to any kind of 'extreme' sport. It devalues both the concept of music - and whatever this rubbish is supposed to be 'enhancing.'

It took until the second round to see what I'd really secretly hoped would happen - someone flying into a pylon. It exploded with a satisfying bang and the poor pilot was disqualified (though not hurt - it was effectively only a giant balloon bursting.)



But they'd made such a fuss beforehand about how quickly the teams could change a pylon I was desperate to see them in action. It took about two minutes to completely rebuild one. Most entertaining.

For the record an American called Mike Mangold in a souped-up aerobatics plane won (is this the equivalent of drug-taking, I wonder) but the British guy is overall leader of the series. But frankly I didn't care. I just liked seeing planes going very fast round a circuit. Little things please little minds...

2nd Annual Metro Drag Race

I don't often do 'previews' but this one sounds such fun I thought I'd let you know about it. I thoroughly approve of New Traditions.

Paul and Darren have kindly reminded me that at 7.00pm on 11th August, you can, outside the Rose & Crown, meet the contestants for the 2nd Annual Metro Drag Race. The race begins at 8.00pm.

Don't worry - it's hardly the Marathon - just down King William Walk, around the market, round the Powder Monkey where there is the small obstacle of knocking back a shot (think of it as a hurdle) and back to the R&C - but then would YOU want to race 26 miles in a fabulous frock, wig and high heels?

Last year's winner, Xana Xanax (the only palindrome drag queen from the Antipodes) is favourite, naturally, but there's plenty of opportunity to challenge "The Fastest Thing on Heels." If you don't think you'll manage to be fastest, there is also a prize for Best legs and Most Expensive Drag (the one that earns most for Metro Centre, the charity supported.)

If you fancy joining in, call 020 8265-3311 - or just turn up to cheer the racers on...

So Organic

Turnpin Lane, SE10

I was rather sad to see the art gallery on Turnpin Lane close a couple of months ago, and with the unsettled nature of the market just now I had assumed it would be just another empty shell for the next few years.

So I was delighted to hear from Stuart that the dead shop's boots had been filled already by a local internet company branching out into the real world. So Organic has been featuring in the women's glossies for sometime, supplying mail-order health, beauty and household goods and with a fairly big internet presense but it didn't have a shop where you could actually go in and see the stuff for yourself before buying.

It's all very light and airy (not always an easy task in the gloom of Turnpin Lane) and modern-feeling. When I first heard about it I was worried that it might compete with the fabulous Greenlands Health Foods but actually I think that although there is some crossover, they generally compliment each other well. Greenlands focuses on what you put inside your body, So Organic's shop seems to be more interested in what you put on your body.

The main shop sells cosmetics - all organic, cruelty-free and brands I didn't really know. Friendly, enthusiastic staff take you through the different lines with an almost exhausting exhilaration, but it is quite infectious and although I needed a nice cup of (herbal) tea and a sit down afterwards, they did succeed in making a considerable sale out of me.

The back room has the slightly less glamorous but equally interesting household-y-toiletry side of the business. Simple white shelving sells everything from recycled stationery - rulers made out of plastic cups and notebooks recreated out of juice cartons - to smelly gifts for teenage girls. There's a tiny men's section, a somewhat larger baby collection and some organic bedlinen which was not open to feel but is possibly something they should consider since it looked lovely and unbleached but a bit - well - scratchy.

At the back of the shop, huge vats of various Ecover products lie in wait to refill old containers - something to be applauded indeed.

The massively friendly staff were at pains to point out that there were MANY more items on the website; that there just wasn't enough room in the shop to display everything (and one glimpse at the site will confirm that) but for me, the shop still felt a bit empty. I'm not suggesting they fill it to the gills, but there was definitely a spot more room (in my book) for lovely displays to keep me in there. It didn't take long to see what they had, buy some of it and leave. I know it's a small shop and they presumably don't want to encourage too much extended browsing, but I do like shelves with stuff on. Never call me a minimalist. Give me an Aladdin's Cave any day.

www.soorganic.com

Thames Gateway Bridge

Oh Bloody hell. Is there ever going to be an end to this one way or the other?

Knit Nurse very kindly told me (and now it's just been on the local news) that the government has passed the buck - once again - and been unable to make a decision about the Thames Gateway Bridge proposal. So. More delay, expense and uncertainty while we fork out for yet another inquiry.

This way no one's a winner (well - I guess the guys doing the inquiry make a few bob.) Friends of the Earth don't get the decision they wanted (to ditch the scheme) TfL doesn't get the decision it wanted (to go ahead with the scheme,) and the rest of us certainly don't get the decision we wanted (which was basically just to have a decision so we could take it from there.)

It's a political hot-potato and the government don't want to be the ones holding the steaming spud when the music stops, as they were when the Dome was first mooted. But this can't just go on and on, surely? To have years and years of indecision helps no one - not Friends of the Earth who can't be sure they are ever going to win, not the people in Thamesmead and around who are desperate for investment. And those Blackwall Tunnel queues we're suffering on a daily basis are here to stay while Central Government sits on the fence.

If you want the depressing detail, you can find it here. But don't expect to enjoy it...

http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1512063

Danson Stables

Have you ever had one of those Sundays where you're desperate to "go out" but don't have any real set plans? You know there are good places out there that you still haven't visited yet, but somehow the weather's not that great, your energy's not that high and besides - you're hungry?

That was us last weekend. I like to go out and do stuff but I'm not always quite as wired and targetted as I could be. "Let's go and find a nice country pub we've not already been to," we said, and set off with no plan at all in our heads.

This is always a bad thing. With theoretically all the time in the world, I reject places on the stupidest grounds. One pub is too noisy-looking, another is too rural. The next is too urban; I don't care for the windows-or the hanging baskets-or the 4x4s- or the local herberts in another. "But do they do food?" I whine about the next, "Yes, but it's family fun day" about the next (something I avoid at all costs.) And the weird thing is that the hungrier I get, the more pointlessly fussy I become.

We drove round and round - pretty much literally in circles until we had virtually decided to just come back to Greenwich or Blackheath, when it occurred to us to try the pub at Danson House

Danson Stables are just that - the old stable block, built just after 1800 from the remains of one of the wings of the house which had been demolished, all set in Capability Brown gardens - turned into a really not-bad-at-all pub. It's kept the compartmentalised feel - there are lots of different rooms so that it feels quite nice and cosy - it's a nice balance between bright and modern and traditional homely and a pleasant way to spend a lunchtime.

I get the feeling that this used to be a chain - there is something 'corporate' about the signage - but there is absolutely no indication of any kind of name, so I'm wondering whether it has been taken back into private ownership, just keeping the signs. A website I found said it was Bass, but it seemed out of date and I can't find anything about it anywhere else. I asked a waitress and she didn't know - a sure sign that there isn't any big corporate owner, I'd have said.

The food is predictable pub grub, but no less enjoyable for it. The portions are large - almost too large - and generally well-cooked. The gammon steak was huge and came with so much veg you couldn't see the plate. I suspect that my linguine had been made several hours beforehand and was the scrapings out of the the bottom of the pan - crispy and oily, but actually I confess I really enjoyed it - even the scrapy-bits. I felt sort of guilty for this since it was all the naughty oily cheesy sundried tomatoey bits and I should have complained - Gordon Ramsay would have had quite a lot to say about it - but frankly however 'old' it was, it was actually very yummy. So I have no taste. Shoot me.

There was music but it wasn't overbearing, the service was friendly and the beer not bad. Generally all good things.

As luck would have it there WAS a family fun day going on in the grounds of Danson House, but the pub itself was large enough to cope and despite there being lots of families it didn't encroach on us adult drinkers and the balance worked very well. The sheer number of people who had chosen to bring the kids indicates that the child portions are a hit.

I'd say this isn't a bad place to while away a Sunday lunchtime - just avoid the linguine if you don't get off on pan-scrapings. Me? I'd have exactly the same thing again...

Buses

One of the 'free' newspapers that REALLY gets up my nose is The Londoner - a really rubbish collection of mayoral propaganda that does nothing except big-up stuff we either already know or just don't need to hear. It truly annoys me that I indirectly pay for this extremely poor 'journalism' and blatent publicity machine (whether I support him or not is irrelevant - I would disapprove of this bloomin' useless waste of trees and ink whoever the mayor was.)

But when it drops through the door alongside the other free newspapers I do always give it a brief flick-through in case there is ANYTHING worth knowing.

The headline today says that bus fares are going to be 10p cheaper. Initially I thought "oh goodie" - for about ten seconds. But the thing is, I don't think we actually need to persuade people to use the buses any more - most are happy enough to give public transport a go. What we do need are a few more actual vehicles to take all the passengers who have been already converted to bus travel.

Take last night - pretty typical. I came out of North Greenwich Tube - not late - maybe 10.45/11.00pm. There were NO buses of any variety at any stops. Plenty of would-be passengers though all hanging about waiting for - well - any form of bus. Eventually a 108 bowled up, so I thought I'd get that and walk the rest of the way rather than waiting for anything more appropriate.

Trouble is, that's exactly what everyone else had thought too. I didn't expect to get a seat, but I DID hope to board the bus. Actually to be fair, I did manage to, just about, squeeze on, by asking people if they'd mind moving up a bit, which they did, albeit grudgingly. The guy drove like the clappers, ignoring red lights on the peninsula left, right and centre, though at least we couldn't be thrown about too much as we were all packed so tightly.

I'm obviously not moaning at a drop in fares. But encouraging more people to use a bus that's already too full seem crazy to me. Far better spend all those extra 10ps on a couple of extra buses, IMHO.

Hortus

Blackheath Village, SE3

This is the kind of yummy, rather posh gardening shop that it's unlikely we'll see in Greenwich just at the moment, the nearest equivalent being the lovely florist in Royal Hill, though it's not quite the same. It is extremely tasteful in every respect ( a tad too tasteful, possibly?) and I wander around it like a little girl in Claire's Accessories, dazzled by all the finery but wondering whether my pocket money will actually stretch to anything at all.

To be honest that's not a very good analogy at all. Claire's Accessories sells cheap tat and even the poorest little ballerina can normally afford something. But cheap - in any sense of the word - is not what Hortus is about. Quality is the name of the game here, and though you'll pay for it, there is no doubt that whatever you pick up here will last longer than one party for under-10s. (That's enough dodgy analogies - Ed.)

OK, back to the gardening. Outside Hortus sits a selection of beautiful, fashionable plants, ranging from the simple to the exotic, and another selection of lovely, lovely pots to put them in. I am always particularly taken with the blue-and-white ceramic pots that come pre-weathered. I WILL buy one of those at some point.

Inside, there are lots of gardening accessories that I would say are intended more as presents - either for friends or as a personal treat - than as basics. Gorgeous gloves, pastel tools, curious ornaments and objets d'art. Not sure about the terracotta 'slug catcher' (because if it works, at some point it needs to be emptied - yeuch) but all the unusual gadgets and pretty versions of old Victorian curios are perfect for a gardening friend.

If you're not into gardens but you like being IN gardens, there is loads of 'outdoor living' stuff - barbecues, picnic gear and dozens and dozens of candles and candle holders. Once again, this is no bargain basement, but it's all LOVELY and lovely has to be paid for.

Out back there's a tiny gravel area with all the architectural plants, fibreclay and cast iron planters in traditional and contemporary designs and curious ornaments. I particularly like the potting bench (obviously not for sale) which really feels like it gets used.

Back inside again, they have a little selection of cheese and wine accessories - like labels for cellars, decanters and cheese knives. There's a small selection of books and other gifty-type things - everything beautifully and tastefully displayed. It's somewhere to visit for birthday presents. And one day I will actually buy something for me...

Apparently they also do floristry, landscaping and garden maintenance, though the website is a bit minimal on detail...

www.hortus-blackheath.co.uk

The Beach - Island Life

Well - it's not the Bahamas. But it is close and given that the weather is so effing foul just now (and that the school holidays are upon us) a little beach all of our very own under cover, however fake, is at least a bit welcome.

There is still so much room in the old Dome (especially now they ain't getting the casino) that they are having to be a bit more imaginative with what they do with the cavernous hole that even the Government couldn't fill...

So, like the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern, they're looking at BIG installations - and preferably ones that will bring in cash.

The beach is a miniature Dome - the 1000 tons of sand are mounded up into the dome shape, and the giant yellow tent pegs are represented by plastic palm trees with fairy lights in them. It's surrounded by sharks. I'm not going to comment on that particular analogy.

There are also deckchairs, rafts and lifebouys and lots of little buckets and spades for kiddies (old and young) to play with. Above it beams a golden sun which turns into a moon at night (7.00pm I think - the waitress said that she's never actually managed to catch it changing - one second it's a sun, the next time she looks it's turned into a moon.) It's quite fun, ever so slightly kitsch but at least they're making an effort.

We arrived during the 'downtime' when they reset the sand after a day's playtime ready for the evening activities - everything from DJs to film screenings. The Martini-sponsored "Terazza"is all white and 1960s/70s retro decor - goovy shaped seating and funky screens/. We sat in egg-shaped retro '60s seats (v. difficult to get out of when you've had a couple, I discovered) and had an expensive Martini-based cocktail - they don't do any other kind of drinks. Annoyingly, they don't actually do straight Martinis either.

We weren't actually there for an activity - we were just early for something else, so I can't comment on the events, but it did occur to me that there didn't seem to be many good places to sit to get a really good view of the screen for the films, so get there early.

It's a fun place though, and where it will score will be in the "what do we do with the kids" quandary during the summer holidays...

But thinking back to the Turbine Hall. I wonder what happened to those curly slides? I know they were SUPPOSED to be art - but they were great fun - and they took up lots of space, Dome organisers...

click here for a timetable of events on the Beach

100 Caulifowers

I confess I don't quite understand today's subject. Kate sent me a tantalising mail about a bizarre largescale art work based on life at Combe Farm. I'm not exactly sure where it stood as I've only got old maps which don't have any real landmarks on them at the point it would be useful, but from what I can guess it stood more or less around Westcombe Park Station and its lands ranged across the peninsula. Kate has sent me a fascinating book which I will be reading and dissecting for your delight and delectation soon.)

Apparently it grew hundreds of cauliflowers and, from what I can tell from the email an artist, Kerry - I cannot find her second name though I'm sure someone will enlighten me - will be looking at the concept of food miles by taking old supermarket veg boxes, noting what was originally in them and how far they travelled to get to Greenwich, then replanting them (using green-waste compost) and sowing cauliflowers with the help of local residents, and turn them into an art installation.

I think they'll be creating two beds on the peninsula, one on the site of old allotments (not hard to find if you check an old OS map,) one on the site of an old market garden (ditto) and planting out the caulis and some rhubarb (I'm not convinced that's the right time of year to do that, BTW) and letting them overwinter before making the momentous decision whether to harvest the food or let it go to seed in the spring (a no-brainer, I'd have thought.)

So. Have I got it right so far? I've not been able to find much more out - the website that Kate sent me - http://www.independentphotography.co.uk/ - although utterly fascinating, didn't seem to have anything more about the project and when I googled it all could find was the faintly sinister-sounding Veg Management Guide.

But from the email Kate passed onto me it sounds a most intriguing idea - and would be even more so if the beds ended up as permanent on the peninsula. Personally, I'd be tempted to ditch the caulis (yeuch) after the point was made and establish some nice rhubarb beds - maybe Kerry could design some funky forcers for lovely first-crop stuff, but probably that's not really the point. Still. Art you can eat. What's not to like?

If you're interested in getting involved, get down to Peninsula Square outside the Dome NOW (Sat 21st July) until 3pm as I've just noticed what the date is. Tut to me for being so slow on the uptake.

If you get along, or involved, do tell me what it's all REALLY about!

Chavs, Arcades and the nature of Blogs

Scared of Chives asks two valid questions:

The old Woolwich on Trafalgar Road becoming an games arcade? (sorryif this is already covered elsewhere...). 5/10 years' ago peoplewere saying 'East Greenwich will come up in the world' Now it's is -or is becoming - a chav's paradise. Ladbrooke's, potential lap-dancing club, beauty saloon...and now the arcade.

Also, do YOU have to start the debates/threads... or am I missing something? I know it's a blog not a message board but might become abit self-indulgent otherwise?


The Phantom replies:

Hi SoC - yes - sadly, nothing to do with the council, Mary Mills (among others) is furious, but the games arcade is going ahead despite local and council opposition. We can only guess what will happen with the Plaza.

With regard to the starting of posts - bizarrely, although this looks like a message board it is actually my personal blog, and is, as blogs tend to be, TOTALLY self-indulgent, for which I make no apology. It's just my thoughts on local things - and there are several other excellent local blogs which do the same.

Some, like GreenwichWatch, concentrate on issues; personally I like to be a bit more diverse, but each has its own place. I live in hope that more people will do the same - the more blogs there are the more people who actually give a damn we'll get in Greenwich. At some point I'll be including a links section with a list of my favourites.

I welcome with both arms all the lovely people who comment here (and if someone suggests a subject then I usually try to cover it if I haven't already - we've spent some time on the games arcade already)but this is essentially just a blog. I'm always delighted if people read what I have to say, and I try to read what everyone else says back, but it's not really a 'community' site and anything (apart from comments) that goes up is my choice...

The Chatham Chest

One of the few things that I actually remember from school history lessons was the Spanish Armada. I remember that Francis Drake was playing bowls at Plymouth (there was a good illustration in my Ladybird book, all colourful doublets, cheery British hearts-of-oak and stormy skies,) that there was a chain of beacons dramatically lighting up the country like that bit in Lord of the Rings and that the Spanish were whopped.

Later I found out that Drake's bowls might not have happened, that they were a bit academic anyway since the beacons took bloomin' days to get lit - they could have sent a messenger in half the time - and that the Spanish very nearly didn't get whopped - but that's Progress for you and the history I learned was much more romantic than today's tedious 'serious' historians who shatter dreams by telling you "what really happened..."

But I digress already. What happened immediately after the Spanish Armada wasn't particularly romantic in anyone's book. Sailors, soldiers and other sea dogs who fought in the fray came back with all manner of horrific injuries, many of whose included missing sundry limbs or other body parts. There was absolutely no provision for these former 'heroes' and they lived pathetic lives, languishing in gutters, begging and generally making an embarrassment of the British Navy. Even the healthier ones found that there wasn't enough cash in the coffers to pay them off on discharge.

One man was really bothered about this, and in 1590, Sir John Hawkyns got together with his mate Sir Francis Drake to set up what may well be the world's first pension fund. The Chatham Chest was (is) exactly that - a giant treasure chest that was kept in Chatham Dockyard ( one of the big naval homebases up until the 1980s.) The basic premise was that 6d would be taken from every sailor's wage each month - quite a sum at the time - and that the chest would be used to pay pensions to the unfortunates who were injured at work. It was on a sliding scale - so much for one leg, so much for two, so much for an eye etc. etc. Each pensioner also got a lump sum, which had the amazingly modern-sounding name "smart money."

It all sounds absolutely fantastic, but there isn't a pension fund in history that hasn't had a few ups and downs. Right from the start the idea of fraud was top of the list of problems the founders anticipated, and the chest was cunningly constructed with five locks. Each key was given to a separate person, each of whom had to be present to get at the loot.

The problem wasn't really one of individual embezzlement though. Although the cash flowed to start with, it wasn't long until the chest became an unofficial cash cow for any purpose that the navy needed a little extra for. For starters, there was no way of ensuring that the money deducted from wages actually ever reached the chest, and even once it was in there, the money mysteriously got syphoned off for various purposes. The sailors themselves probably began to get suspicious when they started receiving their wages in sixpences.

After another skirmish with the Spanish, there were more limbless sailors who needed pensions than there were healthy ones to pay-in and it all got to be yet another deep embarrassment for the navy. Sam Pepys noted in 1667 that there just wasn't enough money in the coffer to pay everyone - and even he accepted that it "will make us scorn to the world." Eventually Central Government chipped in, albeit most ungraciously.

So why am I writing about this? Because when it was finally decided to build a hospital at Greenwich for these tragic, limbless maritime figures similar to the one at Chelsea for ancient soldiers, the contents of the Chatham Chest were eventually brought here and merged with the hospital trust to create an integrated pension system (of sorts.) Mind you, it took until 1814 to complete the merger.

All this sounds a bit negative, but actually the Chatham Chest was actually a truly important move. It was essentially one of the very early beginnings of the welfare state, especially when the government accepted, to some extent, that they had a duty of care and in that alone, it was a success.

The chest itself belongs to the National Maritime Museum, but if you want to see it, you'll need to go to Chatham Dockyard Museum, which is the most sensible place for it to reside, since it was born and used there. Actually Chatham Dockyard is a rather excellent place for a day out for Greenwich, but that's for another day...

Secret Garden Wildlife Centre revisited

I'm feeling lazy today, so I thought I'd let Kori tell you about her experiences running a birthday party for a bunch of excitable 4 year-olds. If you remember, she was asking about the Secret Garden Wildlife Centre in the middle of Greenwich Park, which is available for hire on a self-catering basis from Royal Parks. She has sent a very detailed account of her experience which I think would be interesting to many:

She writes:

The party went down well, with about 10 kids and their adults. (The hall has a limit of 20 people. I think we had a few more than that but as most individuals were outside at any one time, I didn't worry about it).

The building itself is long, narrow, and the slightest bit musty, as it is obviously closed up for days at a time-- but just what we needed for a place to set out loads of food, drinks, and presents on the tables provided-- and we could have used the space for indoor games and activities if it had been rainy. I think they must use the building for school groups and/or nature clubs, as there are cabinets full of art supplies, etc in one of the rooms.

There are 3 toilets: I normal size, 2 child-size (cutest little toilets I ever did see). Small 'kitchen' at the back has an urn and sink but no appliances so is really just a prep space for whatever food you bring with you. I made about 50 sandwiches there!

From outside, you would truly never know this building was even there! When the very helpful park ranger showed it to me, she said as we approached that I must remember to walk at about a 45-degree tragectory from between a particular bin and the following bench, just to the left of a certain tree, to find it again on my own! She was not wrong. I didn't see the door in the dense row of trees (the other side of which is the deer enclosure) until I was nearly right in front of it.

And yes, we did get to see quite a few deer. They seemed quite a young herd and were completely unperturbed that several 4-yr-olds were watching them through the windows along the side of this shelter.

I wouldn't hesitate to use this building for such an occasion again, especially if the weather was sunny again, as the area just outside is ideal for kids to play in without being in the way of passers-by, and there were bunches of low trees nearby for them to have adventures in as the day wore on. The ranger did ask us not to have any sports equipment/outdoor games in that part of the park, but less than 100 yards away (on the other side of the fence marking off this garden section of the park), such toys would be fine.


If you're interested, the contact details are:

Greenwich Park Office
Blackheath Gate
Charlton Way
Greenwich
London
SE10 8QY

Tel: 020-8858-2608
Fax: 020-8293-3782

Greenwich Reach

Tom asks a question I can't answer, so I'm passing it onto you folks that know more about this kind of thing than me:

Do you know what is going on at Greenwich Reach, the developer's namefor the little peninsula at the mouth of Deptford Creek? From theriver there appear to be a number of earth movers on site after yearsof inaction.On top of this it would appear that the original owners of the landhave sold-up:"Disposal of Greenwich Reach, SE10. Completion has taken placeto Roamquest Limited, part of Galliard Homes, for £111.8 million. This eightacre cleared site is on the South bank of the Thames, overlooking Canary Wharf. The site currently has planning consent for 980 residential apartments and71,155 sq ft of commercial/retail space."from Derwent London press release 13th July.There was talk of building a new pier and even a cruise liner terminalat one stage but a google search throws up some fairly unremarkablearchitects drawings of generic docklands flats.

The Phantom replies:

I have absolutely no idea about this, but I suspect that if it was going to be anything more interesting than bog-standard 'luxury' flats they'd be shouting it to the rooftops. Here's hoping I'm wrong...

Indigo 2

Last week I received a mail from James who'd just been to the Indigo 2, but I decided to hold his thoughts until I'd been myself and could comment too.

I'd chosen the Blind Boys of Alabama mainly because it was an almost guaranteed good night out - they've been going for about 900 years and if they don't know how to work an audience by now...

At the time of booking there was no seating plan of anywhere in the building so I had to take a chance. Just this once, I decided to push the boat out and go for the mysterious 'King's Row,' where, in exchange for money, you too can become a VIP.

You know you're a VIP because you get to go in a different entrance to everyone else and, when you get in the elevator, someone pushes the button for you (in case you got it wrong, I wonder?) You also get your ticket checked at least four times, but at least it's by the lovely Stepford Staff who are friendly to the point of obsequiousness.

The bar (read 'cash cow') is swanky indeed - all furry tiles, mirrored walkways, retro fittings and circular wooden booths - really very nice indeed, but you don't really get a chance to enjoy it. The reason is simple.

Unallocated seating. You've paid top-whack for King's Row seats, but once you get in there it's a free-for-all. Most seats are not bad, some are very good and two (at either end) are utterly appalling ('restricted view' is not the word - the speakers COMPLETELY cover the stage and are pointing away from you so you don't even hear it properly. I'd be furious if the only seat left was one of those two.) This means that you do really need to get there at the time on the ticket, despite its being at least hour before performance, to bagsy seats. For last night's concert, everyone was very civilised, but I could see fisticuffs at some gigs.

TOP PHANTOM TIP

Bring a woolly as a marker, or make your own portable cardboard "reserved" notice. It doesn't guarantee your seats would be kept but at least you don't have to sit there for an hour. There is table service so you could just sit there, it's a pleasant enough experience and gives you a chance to get to know your neighbours.

You can't bring glass into the auditorium, but plastic is allowed, and you can either have a bottle of wine put into a jug or kept behind the bar for you. There is only bottled beer available. I did see people downstairs with pints, but couldn't check the facilities as there was no way of getting down there - they're totally separate.

This all might sound as though I don't like Indigo 2 - and that couldn't be further from the truth. If you can get there early enough to get a good seat (we arrived 15 mins after the doors opened and we had very nice swivellly seats - not the best, but still v. good. The ones on the front of the front row seem slightly better than the ones that have tables, but there's not much in it) then you'll have a great time.

The place itself is bigger than I had expected, the sound is good, the view (save those two seats) seems pretty ok anywhere and the whole place itself is fresh, clean and - well - just a good place to see things. Some might find it a bit 'sanitised' but it's horses for courses - there are some great 'authentic' venues elseswhere for other nights. This is AEG and they don't do grunge.

We sneaked up to the Grand Circle to check out sightlines and although the action looked a lot further away (obviously) the seats we checked seemed good.

The Blind Boys themselves were fabulous, rousing Gospel music to warm the cockles of the most atheistic of hearts. The sight of a septugenarian - nay, octogenarian - rabble-rouser being mobbed by girls a quarter of his age will stay with me for some time. And Amazing Grace, House of the Rising Sun-style, the Gospel equivalent to Sorry I Haven't A Clue's ' One Song to the Tune of Another,' was both hauting and moving.

Frankly poor Mavis Staples had a hard act to follow. She was full of power as always, but never managed to eclipse the headliner. I'm not sure why they put them on in that order. I had assumed it was so that the older act could get back home to bed, but as we left we found (and congratulated, of course) the Blind Boys drinking in the bar, so that could hardly be the reason.

I can't comment on the ground floor of the club. Can anyone else?

As promised, here is what James had to say about the first night at the place:

I thought I would let you know what a great night we had at the 02 on Monday evening watching Jools Holland. It was the first time anyone had performed in the smaller Indigo 02 which holds about 2300 people. It is a great little venue with unbelievably acoustics, Jools and his many band sounded great. It was my second time to visit the 02 I went the week before to watch Snow Petrol but the larger arena was half empty and the atmosphere was not that great although the ban were really good. The indigo 02 was totally buzzing and everyone was up dancing and having a great time. I recommend this venue to anyone and the tickets are very reasonably priced.

Pavilion Tea House

Greenwich Park

There is always something a bit "corporate" about tea houses in parks - whether council-run or, as in this case, by Royal Parks. And within that format you're never really going to get anything truly cosy and unique, but within its limited remit, The Pavilion Tea House up by the Observatory does pretty well.

It helps that it's not only got a great situation - right at the top of the hill, within designated grounds of its own which can afford fantastic views from between the gaps in pretty, leafy shrubbery, but also a sweet, traditional building that feels very 'park-like.' I can't find out how old it is, but I'm guessing the early years of the 20th Century or maybe 1920s (does anyone know?) It's very pretty and inviting.

Inside it's bright and light and clean, and having been made 'accessible' has nice wide aisles easy to manoeuvre around on all but the busiest days. There aren't that many seats inside - presumably they're working on most people only going to the park on good days; I suppose with a historic building they don't have much of an option anyway. The service is friendly.

They make an effort in sourcing the food they sell - fair trade and organic where possible (it gets double points for serving the fabulous Union Coffee Roasters coffee.)I've not tried the premises-cooked food, which I guess I should, as its clearly where all the effort goes in. The menus seem interesting - maybe someone here can comment upon it; I have only ever had the tea/coffee and buns.

There's ye olde tea-bag-in-a-mug problem, of which I disapprove - how hard is it to supply a few teapots - and on my most recent visit, there was only one kind of milk at the serve-yourself milk and sugar table. The buns are bog-standard - chocolate fudge/scones/rock cakes and the usual Burts crisps. Nothing to complain about, nothing to get excited about, but a general all-round ok option in the middle of the park.

It's recently been re-landscaped and it's got a much bigger garden now, surrounded by chestnut trees, yew hedges and big tubs of splendidly blousy blooms. The tables are solid and come with big parasols (handy, given the weather we have just now) and plenty of opportunistic birdlife.


They advertise Weddings and functions there - anyone been to one? It feels a bit 'public' to me, even cordonned off, but you can't knock the views...

If you're really after individual, make your way down to Royal Teas or Buenos Aires, but if you're already in the park and want to enjoy a reasonable cup of tea and a bun in a pretty garden, then the Pavilion Tea House is really rather nice...

Rose & Crown Refit

Stockwell St SE10

We were all a bit concerned when the Rose & Crown suddenly shut down a few months ago. Bitter experience has often seen such an event followed by a designer refit and a takeover from a well-known local chain, and some column inches both here and elsewhere were taken up with rumour and speculation as to what would happen to this much loved, gay-friendly boozer.

It re-opened a couple of weeks ago, but it's taken me a little while to actually get there to test it out. Firstly, it absolutely, definitely isn't Greenwich Inc, and it looks like it. They've made an effort - trendy wallpaper with floral designs and industrial 70s-esque lights hanging from the ceiling over the bar. But much hasn't changed and actually this refit still leaves the pub ever-so-slightly un-hip, of which I approve. I don't feel entirely comfortable in places that are so fashionable they set my teeth on edge, and this refit, though making a big effort, has managed to kept a quaintness that works.

Bombadier is the only 'proper' beer I could see - the choice isn't fabulous - and despite the ENORMOUS framed chalk board with an initially sumptuous-looking wine list, a closer peek reveals that it really consists only of the Jacobs Creek / E&J Gallo variety - nothing at all out of the ordinary, which is a shame.

As I approached the newly spruced-up, but still traditional-feeling exterior (which does look good) it looked really full, though I quickly realised that of course it was going to be busy outside - that was where all the smokers go these days. I stepped inside, earning myself quite a look from Olivier seated opposite who clearly thought I was some kind of turncoat for not going into his establishment, and easily found a seat indoors.

It's a pleasant, friendly sort of pub, and though the drink isn't the best I've ever had, it was a nice enough place to while away some time before going to the cinema. But I have one concern.

While I was there, it seemed that the clientele had fundamentally changed. When I first arrived, there were only what looked like local teenagers drinking there. Plenty of them, but very obviously straight. Rather later I spotted one gay couple coming in, and there are a couple of posters in the loos advertising gay events, but I was surprised.

Tell me, folks. Is this still a mainly gay pub? And what do you think of the refit?

Squeeze

I have been sent some fab pics by photographer Warren King who was at the historic Squeeze reunion gig at the Albany on Thursday.

I have a soft spot for local band Squeeze - even down to admitting to owning some seriously dodgy memorabilia such as an original limited edition dead-baby-bird-pink vinyl 7" single of Cool for Cats, but didn't make it on Thursday so I'm particularly grateful to Warren for sending in some pics. He says it was a great gig - the first time Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford have been seen together since 1999.

Apparently the atmosphere was fantastic, even if security got a bit over-enthusiastic. I am looking forward to hearing more about that incident...

I can't include all the pics here, or I'll get in trouble with the Phantom Webmaster for hogging all the space, but if you're like to see more, contact Warren at warren@wkphotography.co.uk

Eyebrow Waxing (ouch!)

The Phantom Webmaster, who swears it is not for personal use, (a likely story...) says they "have a friend" who wants to know where to go to get their eyebrows waxed.

My recommendation would be Anita at House of Beauty at the Blackheath Royal Standard. I don't know whether she waxes eyebrows as I have never asked, but she seems to wax everything else (lock up your pets) and she is fast, efficient and very, very nice. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Rathmore Benches Revisited

I've had a fascinating email from Carol of Greenwich Mural Workshop and thought it was so interesting that I would post it in its entirety.

Carol writes:

Rathmore murals were painted in 1979 called " Charlton, Past, Present andFuture". The benches were constructed in 1980.

They were commissioned by Irena McFarland, then senior Youth Worker at thecentre. Paul Stephens( not Paul Simmons), also involved in the Centre,worked with us on the benches.
The theme for the murals and benches were agreed with local residents andyouth centre workers and users, and yes in response to a point you made Ithink, they were deliberately socio-political to reflect the aspirations ofthe local residents, also because that was the genre of GMW.

Each section of the walls reflected the theme of the benches. So from westto east - the first section showed portraits of local people debating /accosting national politicians, the second, people printing leaflets andposters, above the benches of faces; the next above the flames showed imagesof people welding and repairing parts of barges / boats, reflecting localinterest in re-establishing a working economy linked to the river Thames;the fourth section showed people growing food using wind, solar and waterenergy - way before the current interest in climate change etc.

This was linked to a wish to establish allotments on the corner of Rathmore Road andCharlton Church Lane, then a derelict site which was subsequently developedby the GLC for housing.
The doorway had a Mexican image of life - an eagleholding a snake in its beak, an artistic reference to Los Tres Grandes -Siqueiros, Rivera and Orozco - all muralists in the 1930's working on anational programme of mural painting within an education programme teachinga mainly illiterate indigenous population their history and education, andartistic mentors for GMW muralists. The pillars boasted images of the Rowantree - also a symbol of life.

The water bench was to remind us that Charlton lay on the river Thames andhistorically relied heavily upon it for work. The gable - the centralsection showed modern day Charlton-supermarket shopping, moderntransport-buses, motorcycles, computers, skateboarders. Either side werehistorical references including the Bottle Kiln once sited at the end ofRathmore Road - I believe, but certainly locally, market sellers, chairrepairers, the first train, Woolwich ferry, horse-drawn trams etc.

Throughout portraits of local people figured as characters in the mural andduring the painting of the mural we had a "portrait chair" where peoplepassing by were invited to sit and had their portrait drawn and subsequentlytransferred to the wall.

Sounds a bit worthy, visually I don't think it was and it was certainly wellreceived then. So it is particularly uplifting to find that people still think the benches are worth comment.

The benches were repaired about ten, possibly longer ago, but then no money has been forthcoming to do it a second time, plus it is a lengthy anddifficult job. However your site and people's comments have inspired us tolook into finding funds to repair them again.

For us it was an interesting project as we had to pioneer thebench construction and eventually took advice from a boat-builder, using theconstruction method adapted from making the hulls of concrete boats.

The Phantom adds:
Just a thought - but how easy would it be when you get a new commission, to add in a 'trust fund' contingency for upkeep? Presumably the amount wouldn't need to be huge and could be ring-fenced, the interest earned keeping it in line with inflation. I am always saddened by things that were once 'projects' loved by the locals, opened with great pomp by dignitaries and then abandoned to vandals, weeds and Time.

The first time I saw Rathmore Benches was at night, lit by sodium streetlamps and it was an almost magical sight. By day, they are still lovely but would be even more wondrous with a bit of a spruce-up...

No matter. They continue to delight passers-by such as myself 27 years on from their construction and I for one thank you, GMW...

Greengrocers

Donovan asks:

I've just moved to the heart of the East Greenwich conservation area, not to be confused with whatever ends up being the 'Heart of East Greenwich', and your blog has been tremendously useful in searching out things like dentists and the fishmonger. I know we've got the Tesco, M&S and Coop now but is there a proper greengrocer's within walking distance?
Also can you recommend a doctor's surgery?

The Phantom Replies:

Aaah, Donovan, there's the rub. I know of only two proper greengrocers within walking distance since the lovely old couple who used to run the fruit & veg stall outside the Co-op retired, and although they're both within walking distance, they are both "destinations" rather than a quick nip round the corner. Orange & Apple at Blackheath Standard, which I haven't got round to reviewing yet, but will soon, I promise, is a great old-fashioned greengrocer with friendly, knowledgeable service, and The Creaky Shed is a wonderful, very trendy, but extremely good greengrocers in Royal Hill.

East Greenwich is desperately in need of a proper greengrocers within a few minutes walk. As more people (such as your good self) move into the area, and the "Heart of East Greenwich" (whatever that will be) takes shape, perhaps someone will be inspired to be brave and start one. We can only hope...

As for doctors in your particular area, perhaps The Vanbrugh Group Practice in Vanbrugh Hill will fit the bill. I have have heard only good reports of them.

Pizza Luna

I need your help on this one folks. I know that Pizza Luna is directly in the line of the tourist trade and isn't actually aiming at locals, but surely it cannot be as shockingly bad as I experienced the other day? Perhaps the chef was away? They were having a bad week? I was having a bad week?

Let me explain, then maybe you can chip in your experiences and I can see whether there was just one gigantic blip going on the day I went or whether it truly is appalling.

Walking inside I didn't really hear any serious alarm bells. Simple wooden tables and bright, average-looking decor, mismatched cheap china and a menu with absolutely bog-standard pizza/pasta choices - well, that describes some of my favourite eateries. So often the plainest menu creates the most delicious food, so in the spirit I ordered a basic pizza and a cup of tea - it seemed that sort of place.

Still it seemed good. The waitress was utterly charming and the place was full - admittedly of people with rucksacks, bumbags and guide books. I was by the window and enjoying the general bustle of a Greenwich Saturday afternoon.

My tea arrived. A teapot. More marks. Sadly it turned out to be a pot of the motorway services variety, and it promptly evacuated itself all over the table, which meant I had to use my only paper napkin to mop it up. What was left of the tea was perfectly drinkable though and I was still happy.

My pizza arrived. At first glance it wasn't bad - clearly made in some sort of frame or pan, it had all the requisite colours and I tucked in.

I have never eaten such a poor pizza in my life. I have no idea whether they actually WERE using supermarket 'basics' brand frozen versions - but it certainly tasted like it. The bottom of the base was like a biscuit - completely dry (though not crispy) on the outside, yet curiously pale - this was not an over-baked example. But if all the moisture was out of the bottom, the middle of the dough was totally uncooked, with that grey line that underdone pastry takes. The top of the base was just soggy - wet pastry. On top, flaccid tomato and onion watery stuff floated, gathering in the centre.

On the table next to me, a German couple called over the waitress, checking to see whether what they had ordered was actually what they had received, as they couldn't tell. She went off, then came back and sunnily announced that yes, they had what they had ordered. The German man sniffed again at it and shook his head, but nevertheless had a go.

I was trying to eat my own pizza, with little success. It just wasn't going down. No point in sending it back - they all looked exactly the same. A family left, leaving most of what they had ordered. I have been brought up to clear my plate, but I didn't manage even half of this meal. The German couple left, leaving most of theirs, too.

I paid up (leaving a tip for the waitress - she was the one good bit about this experience) and nipped to the loo. The door locked using a screw, and the flush was a bit of nylon wire sticking out of a hole with "pull" scrawled in black marker pen on the wall.

Pizza Luna isn't, actually, the worst meal I have eaten in Greenwich. But it bothers me that this place, so obviously aiming at foreign tourists, is just taking the cash and running, knowing it won't get a repeat booking, and contributing to the World's idea that British food is crap.

So please. Tell me. Was this all some horrible blip? Is it normally tasty food? I am prepared to be guided by you on this one. Should I go back and check this out again, in the knowledge that most of you think it's a great place? Or is my dismal experience sadly typical?

Spem in Alium

It all started as a bet, really. The glittering Alessandro Striggio, fresh from the Medici court in Florence, had written a glorious Mass in 40&60 parts for Cosimo Medici who had dreams of being recognised as the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Striggio had gone on tour with his mass, doing the usual round of function gigs - various noble weddings, christenings, and gala dinners, not to mention the odd coronation and command performance, all with the idea of impressing the local nobs enough to support Cosimo in his quest for power.

While he was in Paris, Striggio fell in with some English guys who suggested that he take some time out in swinging 16th Century London, so he visited in 1567, to bum around the English Court with his new mates. We don't know whether he came to Greenwich, but it won't surprise me if they discover that he did - after all, the Court still spent a lot of time here. But it's very likely that he brought his mass with him.

I know it doesn't sound that exciting, but get this. There is no other piece of music in existence like Striggio's Mass, which possibly accounts for the fact that Striggio was the highest-paid musician in the world - it took 200 years before any musician would be paid more.

The bulk of it is written in 40 parts - that's not forty voices, arranged into the usual four parts - soprano, alto, tenor, bass. This is FORTY DIFFERENT LINES - forty voices weaving in and out of each other, each one different. And, in the Ave Maria at the end it bursts into SIXTY different voices, in what Davitt Moroney (more about him in a minute) reckons will sound like a giant vocal Mexican wave (note the future tense, folks.)

But back to funky Elizabethan London. Not surprisingly, Striggio's Mass was a bit of a hit, but it stung a few toffs that it was was written by an Italian. Could no Englishman set such a song, the Duke of Norfolk wanted to know.

Thomas "Teflon" Tallis, a composer who managed to survive every court intrigue and religious controversy in this most flammable of reigns, rose to the challenge with his extraordinary 40-part motet, Spem in Alium sometime around 1570. Sadly for poor old Norfolk, it's unlikely he ever heard it - by this point he was languishing in the Tower for one of ELizabeth's periodic hissy fits. It got worse - he lost his head in 1572.

This is one of the most incredible pieces of music one will ever hear. It's not long - about ten minutes at most - but the intensity of the voices is so powerful that frankly much longer and you'd be on the floor. It's the musical equivalent to rich fruit cake - of exquisite taste and full of every good thing, but to be enjoyed in small doses.

It gets dusted down from time to time, not least by our very own Thomas Tallis Society Choir, whom I heard singing it a couple of years ago as part of the 400th anniversary of Tallis's birth, in St Alfege's church, where Tallis (and his wife) are buried. Tallis spent the last part of his life in Greenwich, in Stockwell St, if tradition is to be believed. Another fine performance was the Canadian artist Janet Cardiff's installation last experienced at the Whitechapel Gallery, but which could stand a repeat booking in Greenwich in my humble opinion.

The next opportunity to hear Spem in Alium will be at the Prom next Tuesday - 17th July. Personally, I find the giant (lack of) acoustic in the Albert Hall is inferior to that of St Alfege's,(which in turn bows to the chapel at the ORNC) but there is another reason to attend this particular concert - or at least listen to it on the radio.

Remember Striggio? Well, after his death, the manuscript for this amazing Mass got lost. It passed from pillar to post, library to library, disappearing completely during the French Revolution.

Enter Davitt Moroney, the Indiana Jones of the choral world. He spent 20 years searching for Striggio's lost manuscript, a task that was made more difficult, he discovered later, because, presumably for travelling, it was all bound into a tiny 'pocket' version and wasn't the whopping great score you might expect for sixty different parts. His search took him across Europe, to the libraries of all the great cities, searching through dusty tomes and scrutinising badly-scrawled catalogues.

He finally discovered the manuscript a year or so ago, in the Bibliotheque National in France. No wonder it had remained a secret for several hundred years. A sort of clerical Chinese whispers had been going on - every time the score had moved, it had been re catalogued with another spelling mistake - which Moroney was forced to follow through from the start. It had lain, undiscovered for centuries in the vaults as a FOUR part work by the obscure (read 'non-existent') composer 'Strusco.' Clearly no one until Davitt Moroney had been inspired enough by that particular catalogue entry to ever get it out of the cover.

Striggio's 40&60 part Mass will be sung for the first time in 400-odd years on Tuesday 17th July at the Prom. No one knows quite what it will sound like, but I for one cannot wait to hear. My only other wish is that there will be a repeat performance in a place with proper acoustics - St Alfege's will do nicely, don't you think?

Chocolate, Movies and Classical Music

Gary will be moving to Greenwich in September to study philosophy and asks the following wise questions:

1) Is there a specialist Chocolate Shop in Greenwich, and if not where is the nearest one?

2)Where would i go to hear some jazz, classical, or improvised music in Greenwich (and failing Greenwich, where is the would be the nearest venue)?

3) Is there an independent cinema, which specialises in foreign cinema, and non-commercial films, (like, eg., the Electric Cinema)in Greenwich, and if not, where is the nearest one?

The Phantom replies:

I am delighted that someone with such good taste is coming to study in Greenwich. Fear not, Gary, there are going to be several fab things here that you will enjoy...

Hopefully people can chip in with things I've left out.

1) Greenwich doesn't have a specialist chocolate shop that I'm aware of. It DOES, however, have a specialist traditional sweetie shop that sells lovely old-fashioned candies from jars. Mr Humbug should satisfy the sweetest of sweet-tooths, but if it's the fruit of the cocoa plant you're after, then you probably need to trek across the heath (a lovely Sunday walk) to Madame Chocolat, which I haven't actually got around to officially reviewing yet, but which is a tiny chocolate shop at the crossroads in the centre of the village and sells minute 'proper' chocs and even has a couple of tiny tables and chairs.

2) Greenwich must be one of the best-served towns in London for classical music. Trinity College of Music (next door to your campus in Greenwich at The Old Royal Naval College) has regular lunchtime and evening recitals during term time, the majority of which are free. You will be able to pick up a programme at many venues around town. There are also odd professional concerts at Painted Hall, The Chapel at The Old Royal Naval College, St Alfege's Church and, if you're feeling flush, at the Dome Arena. St Alfege's church also hosts the Thomas Tallis Choir, which is well-worth catching too. If you're into early music, The International Early Music Festival is held every November, and it's worth picking up a leaflet about events at The Pepys visitor centre.

Blackheath Halls, again across the heath, is a purpose-built classical venue which holds some fabulous concerts.

Jazz at Greenwich is a patchy affair. You're pretty lucky if you like trad - The Lord Hood will become a favourite haunt, and there are other venues that have trad jazz. There's also a peripatetic jazz band that marches around Greenwich with umbrellas and sousaphones at the drop of a flat-fifth.

If you prefer other styles, then you should check out Oliver's, run by the enjoyably eccentric Olivier, which has an eclectic programme and Peter de Wit's, possibly the tiniest Jazz restaurant ever, which despite it's size manages to put on 'lyric jazz' every Friday and Saturday. Other venues tend to be less regular - we sadly lost a lot when Greenwich Inc took over many of the restaurants in the town centre. There is a 'Riverfront Jazz festival' which is an oddity. It has a tendency to rather peculiar progr