Swinbrook Village

If ever someone served to change my mind about having an elected 2nd House, Nigel Lawson does it in this thoroughly independent, intelligent, matter of fact, discrediting of the fallacious Stern Report on Global Warming.

Watch it here

Then call your local MP and tell him/her you'll have none of it (along with Bird Flu). They'll do anything to keep your eye off the ball.

Someone sent me this today - worthy of display

You may well ask who would think to park across someone's gates like this for 5 hours - unless you happen to be that person, in which case thought doesn't enter into it.

Even Quill is bemused

Note available spaces

Answer: Some calligrapher in the village hall (brainless)

I've given up approaching these kind of people. They look at you as if you're an unreasonable troublemaker. Next time it's clamped.

I assume that most of you (and there must be some of you, as all these hits on the site can't just be the Police) understand that I write posts for myself. Just a way of mulling things over in my mind and I'm not bothered if you care.

Over a week ago, I wrote to the Stow on the Wold Police to ask for certain information to be made available to me in order to ascertain better my position and options with regard to an allegation made against me by Mrs X for which I was arrested and not charged.

A polite and not unreasonable request, I thought.

In the interim, I decided that I had best find out what my rights to this information are and what excuse they would come up with for not giving it to me.

Twenty minutes later, I Googled my way through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and saw all the obstacles that were placed before me and the procedures that necessarily follow in pursuit of information from Public Bodies.

It took me 20 minutes to find out about absolute, qualified and class exemptions on which Public Bodies (including the Police) could hang their hat on in order to keep from me the information requested, as well as the fact that any request from any person to a Public Body for information is to be treated as a request under the FOIA, whether it states so or not. In general, a reply is due within 20 days. Absolute exemptions are things like National Security, Tony Blair's sleaze account and Cameron's IQ.

This reply should be in the form of a reason for the denial of the disclosure, outlining the exemption on which the Public Body relies and if it is a qualified exemption whether it has failed the Public Interest Test (PIT) and, if so, for what reason. This seems to me to be the gist of the matter after 20 minutes research.

Quite surprisingly, after less than a week, I received an answer phone message from a Sergeant at Stow on the Wold (I had written to the Inspector) to say that the information that I requested was given by Mrs X (well I never) and as such was a restricted document (shades of GCHQ). However, she can make a new statement for a Civil Action re-iterating what she told the Police (Sorry, Judge, I'm bringing an action against Mrs X regarding her statement to the Police but I can't give it to you in evidence and show you where she has lied or misled them and caused my arrest, in the meantime let's look at this new concotion she's made up for you, doh!).

In any event, the choice of exemptions is limited and they are class, qualified and require a PIT. They have not been put to me in a proper manner so I have written back for detailed clarification. It is also an obligation on the part of the Public Body to outline the procedure if I am dissatisfied.

One can't help feeling that an appointment with someone in authority might just settle the matter expeditiously. But, if a paper chase they want, a paper chase they'll get (and all their Blogs complain about the paperwork load?).

I'm thinking of Quill in the garden on a Summer's day. A Fly is buzzing the hell out of her and driving her mad. She snaps at it once or twice but has the sense to get up and walk away to somewhere else for peace and quiet and lets the Fly get on with it's business.

Be in no doubt - I am the Fly.

Two birdies have told me that this is a very good pub with excellent grub since it was taken over by ex chef to Andrew LLoyd Webber (this won't put me off), Paul Griffith with his wife, Mandy. I haven't been yet, so this is next on the list for sampling. Will report…

Firstly, to be fair, I have to say that I resisted writing about the restaurant in case I should be accused of sour grapes as I had tried for it prior to the refurbishment. I had things to say but was waiting for another villager to comment about her experience of "crappy" fish cakes and so I desisited.

But I'm not getting any younger and she has not been quick enough to re-iterate what she had told me privately and, having now heard much the same from someone who knows someone in Chadlington, I feel that I can give my view.

My friend and I, accompanied by Quill, toddled into the place on a Monday lunchtime. There were about 7 other patrons who were sitting eating at tables.

First the good points: Dogs are welcome and this is not a small consideration in my view (as long as they are well behaved), so full marks. The young staff are pleasant and helpful, though it remains to be seen how things operate on a busy Dinner night (I'd say probably the same but I don't know for sure).

Tony ordered the Steak and Ale Pie (£11.50) and I opted for the Sirloin steak, medium rare (£14.95) along with a bottle of Cahors (£15.00).

The food arrived pretty promptly and Tony tucked into his pie, declaring it delicious. It was served in a ramekin not much larger than one you'd use for a Creme Brulee so three mouthfuls later and it was gone. He was impressed, too, with the 3 carrots lying beside it along with their stalks (maybe Londoners don't know they grow that way?).

Sad to say, my Sirloin was about as thin as it could be cut without a laser. It might as well have been a minute steak. There is no way to produce flavour from such a thin cut and still declare it medium rare (which it was). It was accompanied by 'string' chips which overlay 2 large diameter dark brown mushrooms of little flavour. This was a very dark meal and I wondered why someone couldn't have gone outside, picked some Nettles and wilted them onto the plate just for colour. A fried tomato would have done but it still wouldn't have made much difference to the tasteless meat.

I was disinterested by now but I think Tony had Sticky Toffee pudding (£5.95), declared it delicious and was finished in 2 mouthfuls. The bill was £60.00.

We both had coffee - no complaints but, really, is it impossible for restaurants in this country to offer you a complimentary top-up, especially if you're not busy (most people would probably say 'no, I'm driving', anyway). This comment applies to any English restaurant.

Conclusion: I may have just been unlucky with the steak but it seems to me (and I've heard this from someone else) that the ethos here is to give you as little as possible for the money. The portions are simply too mean. I got back home and started fretting about what I could cook and eat that evening - I was hungry.

This is not a village pub anymore - It can't afford to be - but I can't agree with the person who describes this as a Gastro Pub. You only have to visit the Havelock or the Bollo in London to see, feel and taste the difference.

added 22 Feb 2007: We shared a Bread & Olives to start with (£?). Was good.

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