2019 - The year in Blogs!

The year is nearly done. It will be interesting to read what the history books make of 2019. It was meant to be the year of #Brexit, but nothing much happened. We had a general election where Boris promised to "get Brexit done" but the first decision he took as to go on holiday for Christmas. To be honest I don't blame him. Of all the sins he will commit this year, going for a rest after a hard election campaign isn't one of them. Prime Ministers are human like the rest of us and need some rest and relaxation. He has a massive majority so he doesn't need to rush around in fear of defections removing his majority. He can do it at his own pace. At this timeand of year I look back, and not in anger, to see what set my blog juices flowing. Here is my pick of the year, month by month

January

Our big news in January was the development proposal for The Midland Hotel being withdrawn. This was the culmination of a long campaign by the local community, which we paid a key role in. Yet another success for the Barnet Eye -
Announcement from the Save The Midland Hotel Campaign
...

February

February saw a guest blog from Mark Amies documenting the decline of Edgware High Street. Mark has campaigned long and hard for The Railway Hotel to be reopened and generally for a better envionment in the area -
Edgware - A suitable case for treatment - A Guest Blog by Mark Amies


March

In March we reported that Parliament had adopted many of the recommendations we support via the Save London Music Campaign, a movement we helped found

The Save London Music Campaign welcomes Parliamentary report into live music


April

We like to showcase the good in our area. In April we listed ten sports that you can take part in locally. This was very well received.

The Saturday List #215 - Ten Sports you can participate in in Mill Hill...

May

The blog this year that I received the most private messages about was our blog detailing how to report historic sex abuse. I was shocked when a close personal friend told me that reading this had lead to a conversation with his adult son, where it emerged that abused had occurred when his son was a child, perpetrated by a family members partner. As a result of my blog, this was referred to the police and the victim has started to have counselling. Sexual abuse is one of the most corrosive things that can happen to anyone as a child. I am so glad I published this

How victims can report historic sexual abuse

June

In June, we published a world exclusive. We detailed Boris Johnsons plan to push through Brexit. This was before he'd even won the leadership. It is quite spooky reading this.

Exclusive - The insiders guide to how Boris Johnson will save the world

July

In July, we saw the most popular blog of the year. Long time local resident Richar Wilkinson detailed some of his experiences growing up in Mill Hill in the 1950's. The blog was so popular that Robert Elms on BBC Radio London featured it on his show!

Growing up in Mill Hill in the 1950's - A Guest blog by Richard Wilkinson


August

This blog started as a result of Barnet Council trying to stop me criticising them on the Barnet Times website, where I used to write a blog. In July they passed a rule gagging not only me but all Barnet residents. This was my first blog of August. It is tragic that the council has even more contempt for local people than it did in 2008 when I started writing the blog. It is all very sad

Barnet Council votes to gag residents and reject a Climate Emergency

September

In September we published a quite astonishing blog, detailing how the new Thameslink trains do not automatically reboot after a power failure and needed a qualified engineer to restart them. This was uncovered after a network wide power outage decimated services.

Why Thameslink's new trains can't cope with a power outage

October 

In October we saw the Diamond Anniversary of Motown records. It gave me a chance to pick my top ten Motown tunes. Motown started in Detriot and the name Motown is an abbreviation of Motor Town as there was a huge car industry in Detriot. As my Dad worked in car repairs, I felt a special affinity. Guest blogger Mark Amies wrote an amazing article for The Londonist on how London was Europe's motor City, well worth a read!

The Saturday List #235 - My Top Ten Motown Tunes

Novemeber

November was pretty much dominated by the General Election. However the Remembrance Sunday blog, about how my Father was shot down over Rumania in 1944 flying a bombing mission for the RAF will always be special to me

Remembrance Sunday, Recalling the sacrifice of the RAF, my Father and his crew

December

And finally. Just as we started the year with a Mark Amies guest blog, we finish with one. His amazing chronicle of the story of Airco, the worlds largest aircraft factory, in Colindale, during the first world war.

Still Standing – Colindale’s Hidden Aircraft Factory - A guest film and blog by Mark Amies

I found this footage of the first "deluxe" flight from Hendon on Pathe News. Strange to think this was over 100 years ago. I can't say what 2020 will be like, but I promise to try and keep you informed and make it interesting. Have a great new year.



Have a great New Year!