Local News from Hendon?

 Being a Mill Hill resident, I was a bit puzzled to see a magazine called local news for Hendon. Mill Hill isn't Hendon, is it? Back in the day when we had proper local papers, we had the Hendon Times and The Mill Hill and Edgware Times.

Opening the magazine, I initially thought it was an Estate agent flogging their wares, when I saw this

On closer examination though, I realised that there wasn't actually any real news from Hendon. There was a lot of guff saying what a marvellous job the current government are doing and a few suggestions that the other lot might do a worse job.

Now I am not going to use this blog to make political points. I am quite sure that everyone who reads it is perfectly capable of making their own minds up.   What does mildly irritate me is the blatant attempt to disguise a political pamphlet as a local news magazine. Now I wouldn't mind so much is there was some genuine, proper local news in the magazine. Maybe a list of local dog shows, school fete's, exciting new restaurants opening up?

After scouring the magazine, I eventually found a note saying who the publisher was.  I am not a fan of this sort of thing. I am absolutely sure that Ameet Jogia, who the leaflet is promoting is a lovely chap. He is the local Conservative candidate. I am pretty sure he wants to do a marvellous job as MP, if he wins. I'd love to interview him and find out what he really thinks about local issues, because the sad truth here is that, despite a lovely OK! style magazine, I am none the wiser.

So what would I ask Ameet. Here are ten questions that concern me, as a Mill Hill resident.

1. Why does Mill Hill Broadway station still not have proper step free access to platforms 1-3? Technically there is step free access from platform 4, but trains don't usually stop at that platform and the wheelchair entrance is usually locked. A bridge with lifts should have been installed years ago, so people could use the entrance in Bunns Lane Car Park if they have mobility issues.  The current MP promised this in 2010 and fourteen years later has not delivered it.

2. What will you do to improve the ambience of Mill Hill Broadway? It is looking tired and there are many closed and derelict looking shops. The current MP promised Mill Hill Residents that he'd deliver a vibrant High Street, where people would "open up businesses like cheese shops". Sadly no cheese shop has been seen and the Broadway has gone to rack and ruin.

3. The M1 dissects Mill Hill. It brings noise and pollution. Most similar motorway in urban areas have proper sound baffling and measures to mitigate fumes. Mill Hill Broadway bus station has one of the worst air quality measurements, having been built under the M1 and having diesel powered buses sitting in it. What will be done to improve it?

4. Last year, I had to have an operation to treat aggressive prostate cancer. I went to see the Royal Free Oncology team to discuss radiotherapy. The procedure, which has seen me free of cancer after nine months, completely continent and with sexual function, was not available on the NHS, I had to go private. What will you do to ensure that the best treatments for men suffering from Prostate cancer and other cancers are available to all, not just people like me, who have workplace insurance?

5. For the last ten years, myself and many others have been campaigning to get the grade II listed building, The Railway Hotel, in Edgware reopened and renovated. It has become an eyesore. What practical measures will you take as MP to stop property developers doing such things?

6. My sister in law works as a teaching assistant at Mill Hill County High School. She was telling me that it is almost impossible for the school to recruit teachers on the low rates of pay that the government policies mean  they are able to afford. What will you do to improve teachers pay, to ensure our schools have the best teachers?

7. My Father and my mothers Father were both immigrants, who came to the UK to fight for liberty and justice. Our local immigrant communities including the Indian, Jewish, Italian, Caribbean, African and Eastern European  (to name a few) have vastly improved our local community.  What will you do to ensure that migrant are not demonised and their contributions are recognised?

8. I run a small business that supports over 25 jobs in Mill Hill. We operate in the music sector, which generates about £5 billion worth of revenue per annum for the UK economy. What support for the sector do you support? Specifically, what will you do to support grassroots music venues in the constituency of Hendon.

9. What will you be doing to clean up our local waterways, such as Folly Brook that are contaminated with raw sewage? Do you support stiff financial penalties for water companies that cause pollution and do you think the government has done enough to regulate sewage discharge by water companies.

10. The local Labour candidate is campaigning to save the Midwife led birthing unit at Edgware Hospital. My son was born there. Such units are very popular and are far cheaper to run than Maternity units and remove the workload of low risk births from hospitals, exposing women to less risk of MRSA etc. What is your view of this closure and why do you think the government is making such false economies?

The Saturday List #430 - My top ten false economies

Pic Tesco Value Soup Can, 2004 - Banksy Explained

We've all done it at some point, haven't we? You know the feeling. You've had a hard day at work, you have a cold and you really fancy a bowl of nice soothing Heinz Tomato soup and some toast, you nip down to Tesco's (other supermarkets are available) to buy some and you see that the own economy brand is half the price, if you buy four tins. So rather than executing the plan, you decide to save some money, although actually you don't, because you've bought twice as many tins at which has ended up costing you twice as much. You get home, put the soup on the stove, put the toast in the toaster, when they are done, put them on a tray, and sit down to watch the news, with your tasty treat. The only problem is that the soup tastes nothing like Heinz. Rather than feeling comforted, you just feel worse! It is thin, watery and disgusting and you are lumbered with three tins of the stuff. In short, it is a false economy. 

It got me thinking, what are the top ten worst false economies that you can buy. Here's my pick

1. Economy toilet paper. This is the worst. You see the price. Whereas the premium brands are a tenner for six, you can get 24 for a fiver. The only trouble is that when you get home, the sheets are tiny, and worse, when you've done your business and you go to clean up, your fingers go straight through. The ultimate yuk, but you only have yourself to blame for being a cheapskate.

2.  Woolworths football boots. Sadly, this is something that future generations will never know the joy of. My mum was a cheapskate. She loved a bargain. As a result, when I was at school, my mates all had Adidas boots, but I had Winfield boots, the cheap Woolworths brand. I loved Woolworths, but their own brand clothes and shoes were awful. It was a source of much ridicule, quite apart from the fact that they would fall to bits after a couple of weeks.

3. Cheap Plonk. I like a nice glass of wine. I've given it up for lent. But over the years, on too many an occasion, I've been tempted by the price of the cheap plonk. You get it home, you light the candles, put on the Barry White and settle in for a romantic evening, then take a sip. Vinegar would be better. Worse than that, your beau knows you are a cheapskate.

4. Cheap Vacuum cleaners. I don't know how many times we've fallen for this one. Over the years, we've had a number of Henry vacuum cleaners. They are robust, well made and work well. But it seems that every time they finally pass away, we make the same mistake. We buy a cheap replacement, that doesn't work properly and breaks down after a couple of weeks. Never again (Until next time).

5. Cheap hotels. I've only done this once. You know the score. You want a few days away, but you want to keep costs low. You think a bit of sunshine will do the trick. SO you book the cheapest possible hotel. For me, this was in Thessoloniki in Greece. It was cheap. It was very cheap. Sadly, in the middle of the night, I was woken by mice and rats bouncing on the bed. Even worse, in the morning, I was covered in blisters where bugs had bitten me. I vowed 'never again'.

6. The cheap fried chicken shop. When I've had a couple of beers, I have to admit that I am partial to a bit of fried chicken. This dates back to when KFC opened in Colindale. We'd go out of our way to go there, as would half the drunks in North West London. It was the food of the gods. Sadly, KFC generated a whole raft of cheap knock off versions. A few years ago, I went for one in central London after a gig. I was starving. I went in, was given a box full of chicken and chips. As I left, I noticed a hygene rating of 1. Never mind, I thought. It has been deep fried. Sadly, when I took a bite, it was leathery and cold. The chicken had been standing for hours. Worse still, it wasn't cooked through. I just threw the whole lot in the bin. I like to think I spared myself Salmonella.

7. Cheap ham slices. When I was little, every Sunday Dad would take us to 'the Little Shop'. He'd buy freshly carved, thick sliced ham. It was delicious. We'd have it in sandwiches for tea. Mum would rant about the price. She decided to reign in the spending. She bought some cheap, sliced ham from Budgen and told Dad she'd already got some. When the sarnies were served, we greeted it with horror. Dad exclaimed that "this isn't ham, this is rubber". Mum realised that this wasn't a battle she'd win. I've studiously avoided such muck ever since.

8. Cheap own brand tea bags. I've always loved Typhoo, PG Tips and Tetleys tea. On occasion though, I've made the mistake of being seduced by cheap own brands. They taste like dishwater. Avoid at all costs.

9. Flowers from the garage. I think most guys have been there. We forget a birthday/valentines day/anniversary. We decided to repair the damage at the last minute. We nip into the garage, pick up a bunch of flowers and go home. Sadly we've forgotten to remove the £3.99 sticker and it is clear that not only are we a cheapskate, but we are a thoughtless one. They are usually half dead and by the time you get them home are wilting. Avoid at all costs.

10. Processed cheese. I love cheese. A mature cheddar, a nice bit of Roquefort, a good Stilton, to name a few. Sadly though, I have on occasion been seduced by the cheapness of processed cheese. It tastes of nothing and has a horrible after taste. The worst sort is the slices that they put on cheeseburgers, but just about any processed cheese is disgusting. 

What are your top ten false economies. 

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If you fancy a night out, why not come and see my band, The False Dots on Sat 23rd March at the Beehive in Bow