The posts on PGJITN were a bit thin on the ground this month but it was all happening in other parts of PG and environs.
Wood Green’s Banksy was chipped and shipped to a US auction house, then withdrawn from sale at the 11th hour after a vociferous campaign. New artwork appeared, and in proof that you couldn’t make it up, we heard Poundland declare that they were fans of Banksy’s. Who knew?
In Westminster, our MP David Burrowes was all over the press for his opposition to gay marriage, and in the local corridors of power (also known as Enfield Council), Bush Hill Tory Councillor Chris Joannides hit the national press after being suspended from the party for making inappropriate remarks on Facebook. Read more here
There was news that PG could become better connected (though there could be disruption ahead for our neighbours in the south) – this month London First published its report on Cross Rail 2, this time linking North to South, and with a terminus at Ally Pally. Strictly, this is not new, and there have been proposals for a north-south route since 1901. But the latest proposal echoes TfL’s 2011 recommendations and has the support of Network Rail. You can read the full report here
Still on transport, the latest exhibition at Space Art Gallery features 100 paintings of London Underground stations by Ross Ashmore. Ross is on a quest to paint them all before LU’s 150th birthday celebrations begin. The paintings look fantastic, so please take a look – you have until the Easter weekend.
There were three great film nights in February, all in the space of a week or so. The N21 Festival Crew, led by John Stewart brought us Some Like it Hot, then T W Murnau’s weird and fascinating Sunrise, A story of two humans in which a young wife forgives her husband for trying to kill her in a rowing boat, after which they hit the town in a surreal dream city. Fantastic stuff.
Meanwhile Talkies offered the Blue Brothers and in an amazing coup will be linking up with the Future Shorts Festival on 22 March for a special event at Baskervilles, who will be offering a special film night menu. More on Talkies shortly.
Looking ahead, depending on when you are reading this, there are just 175 sleeps to the Palmers Green festival on 1 September. Meanwhile, April belongs to the Grovelands Park 100th anniversary celebrations and there is still time to enter the Broomfield and Grovelands photographic competitions.
Dont forget also the next Poetry in Palmers Green event on 27 April. Poets taking part will include Nancy Mattson, Martha Kapos, Grevel Lindop, Graham High and Linda How. Entry is £5 (£3 for concessions) and the venue is the Parish Centre attached to St John’s Church.
Sadly, PG came nowhere at all in the list of London’s funniest locations . The nearest* was Muswell Hill, which in 1978 formed the backdrop to the not quite as good Porridge follow up Going Straight in which ex con Normal Stanley Fletcher (Ronnie Barker) tried life on the straight and narrow in Muswell Hill. If you cant be law abiding in Muswell Hill, where can you?
Not certainly in PG where we joined the seeming legion of houses which have heard the pitter patter of burglars’ feet. I don’t wish to cause alarm but Palmers Green Jewel in the North was nearly stolen. Surely vigilante groups would spontaneously have formed.
May spring arrive in your green patch soon.
Sue from PG
*post script. I have recently learned that On the buses was filmed in Wood Green. Funniness creeps closer.
Looking ahead
5-9 March Anything Goes at the Intimate Theatre, presented by Finchley and Friern Barnet Operatic Society
12 March History and Mystery of Oaklands Road: Geoff Jacobs talks about his voyage of discovery researching this history of his road at the Friends Meeting House Winchmore Hill (Southgate District Civic Trust History Group)
27 April Poetry in Palmers Green at St John’s Parish Centre
2 May A Serious Man. The Coen brothers film is the first of Talkies new First Thursdays cinema events at the Dugdale Centre
18-19 May Grovelands Park Centenary Celebrations
6 June The Wave (Die Welle) : Talkies First Thursdays cinema event at the Dugdale Centre
8-9 June Open Studios and Art Trail weekend, Southgate and Palmers Green
4 July Zero Dark Thirty Talkies First Thursdays cinema event at the Dugdale Centre
1 August Chungking Express Talkies First Thursdays cinema event at the Dugdale Centre
31 August Singalong to the Wizard of Oz Palmers Green United Reformed Church Talkies cinema event with fancy dress – part of the Palmers Green Festival event programme
1 September Palmers Green Festival, Broomfield Park