Save The Red Lion, Isleworth!

I've just got over losing The Hobgoblin in Staines, a very fine music venue in Staines.

Every Monday, when we can, we go to the Jazz club built around Trevor Tomkins incredible drumming and his contacts in the world of British Modern Jazz. 

 

It's unique; the best of Modern Jazz in a friendly old fashioned pub.

 

This is Paul Morgan on Monday night lighting up the bass; 

 

 



It's as good as anything you'd see at Ronnie Scott's and you can park outside.

This is Dave Newton on keyboards on the back row - Robyn (who knows a thing or two about Jazz rates  him very highly) while in the foreground is Alan Barnes who was just amazing on Sax - breathy at one moment, screaming at the next. He is really up there.

 

 

So anyway, we knew something was wrong when the cats (Ronnie, Roxy and Ginge) disappeared.

 

It turns out this magnificent pub is for sale and while that wouldn't normally matter too much, it does these days.

 

Once upon a time no one made too much money running a pub but they made a living. Now, the property prices have risen so much, pubs are worth real money; much more than you could ever make just running it as a pub.

 

 

And so they are all bought up and turned into shops or flats or houses and our culture dies.

 

The Red Lion in Isleworth isn't just about Jazz on Mondays; they have Folk and Blues, there's Rock and even community plays.

 

They have Pantomimes...for goodness sake.

 

There are amazing beer festivals.

 

It's eccentric.

 

It's the centre of it's community and we love it.

 

And now we may lose it.....except that a campaign has started to petition the council to declare the pub a 'Community Asset'.

 

It's important; if that status is granted the pub can be sold but it can only be used as a pub and not converted.

 

This has an important effect in reducing it's value to the level of a pub and goes towards ensuring it's survival.

 

I don't have details of the petition but send me your email and I'll sign you up on Mondays when I'm there.

Meanwhile when I have an e-address I'll post it here.

 

Since I wrote that I have a link and here it is;

 

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/list-isleworth-s-red-lion-as-a-community-asset

 

Please take a look - this is a worthy cause.

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 

Raise a glass to 38 Degrees please.

When I started this Blog it was because I knew I had to do things in a completely different way to what I was used to - these people at 38Degrees have been trying new things too. It often doesn't work, sometimes I don't agree with them - this time I think we should all raise a glass, while it lasts!

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

 

Jeremy Hunt: breaking the law

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David Babbs - 38 Degrees <action@38degrees.org.uk>	4:12 PM (22 hours ago)
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Dear friend, This is HUGE news. Today, we got the verdict in the court case against health secretary Jeremy Hunt, which 38 Degrees members helped to pay for. It's the result we had all hoped for: the judge ruled that Jeremy Hunt acted illegally. He's been ordered to scrap his plan to cut A&E and maternity services at Lewisham Hospital, south London. [1] This is fantastic news for the people of Lewisham. But it's also great news for the rest of us. If Jeremy Hunt had got away with this in Lewisham, no hospital would have been safe. When the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign decided to take Jeremy Hunt to court, thousands of us from all across the UK stepped in to help. Together, chipping in whatever we could afford, we raised the £20,000 they needed to launch their legal challenge. [2] It's not often that ordinary people come together to take the government to court. That was an impressive achievement in itself. But to win – and to prove that Jeremy Hunt is breaking the law – is simply amazing. There will be so much more to do if we're going to stop and reverse this government's damaging attacks on our health service. In Lewisham, there's a chance the government may appeal the court's decision. Everywhere else, there are cuts, privatisation, and low care standards for us to battle against. Today is a great win - but the Save our NHS campaign will need to go on tomorrow! But let's take a little bit of time to celebrate first. Here are two ways to toast this success: 1. Raise a glass this evening to all the people who made this breakthrough possible. The 38 Degrees members who donated. All the other 38 Degrees members who are involved in the Save Our NHS campaign. The brilliant local campaigners in the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign who have worked tirelessly for months. The crack legal team at Leigh Day solicitors. And the wonderful local NHS staff who've just kept going despite their hospital being under threat. 2. Forward this e-mail to any friends or contacts who could do with a little bit of inspiration. Sometimes it can feel like it's impossible for us to make a difference. Today's success proves that when enough of us work together, we really can. People power works! Here's what Dr Louise Irvine, chair of the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, has to say: "We're delighted by the judgement and the support we've got from Lewisham and beyond, especially from 38 Degrees members who donated to make today's victory possible and helped give us the confidence to stand up to Jeremy Hunt in court". Thank you for everything you do, David, Susannah, Ian, Travis, Blanche and the 38 Degrees team