GHOST TOWN

On a more reasonable note of racial harmony and how it should work, The Specials' Ghost Town is 30 years old this week.

White, black, didn't matter, they united in a love of British Ska and fusion.

OK, so like most in the 80's, they were left wing but at the time, as they say, the devil always has the best tunes.

Enjoy, and happy 30th Ghost Town!

ONE FOR MR SHARP

I was amused to see this in the Standard on Friday -

Nightclub entrepreneurs Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling are soon to launch Maggie’s, a new Eighties-inspired club in Chelsea, in honour of Lady Thatcher... Lucky club-goers will hear famous speeches from the Iron Lady playing in the loos. Thatcher memorabilia will vie for space on the walls, along with such paraphernalia as A Team action men and A-ha platinum discs. Timmy Mallet, John McEnroe and Bananarama will be depicted in a giant mural.

Gilkes, who is also behind the clubs Barts and Kitts, explains: “Duncan and I love the general style and music of the Eighties but have always found Eighties nights to be cheesy and naff. We wanted to create somewhere which totally encapsulates the period, from its history to its music, drinks and style, where people can relive or indeed live this amazing decade for the first time. We want to open a nightclub that transcends politics but it will be open in time for the general election.”

Pic ht: Tory diary

COMMUNITIES

The Right Honourable the Baron Mandelson of Foy in the County of Herefordshire and Hartlepool in the County of Durham, First Secretary of State and Lord President of the Privy Council and Secretary of State for Business and Secretary of State for Innovation and Skills, and Church Commissioner


So Mandy is to continue with the music licencing levy which will cost voluntary groups up to £20m in extra cash.

Bascially if you have a radio in a charity shop staff room, hire out a church hall for discos etc, or maybe you run a sports club, then now you will have to pay a licence for music.

140,000 charities, 6,750 charity shops, 66,440 sports clubs, 4,000 community buildings, 5,000 rural halls and 45,000 religious buildings will be affected.

This is intolerable and will effect communities the length and breadth of the UK. The hiring of church halls gives much needed revenue to parishes, let alone what the effect will be on fund-raisers for sports clubs, charities etc.

As Cranmer puts it:

Having effectively shut down post offices and local pubs, Labour Ministers now have our village halls, scout huts, charity shops and church halls in their sights. This is a heartless charge on community buildings and charities.

JUKE BOX

Thought you'd like this JUKE BOX

From 1950 to 1999 it plays 20 hits from that year, just change the date in the addy!