As promised/threatened (delete as appropriate) I’m continuing on with the pledge to relaunch the Song of the Day feature, and today proves ska is universal.
From Yekaterinburg in Russia, Lollipop Lorry have worked their way to the top of the international ska scene over a twelve year period, getting kudos through a tour of Mexico this year, where the scene is at its apex.
It’s refreshingly fun and carefree sunshine music, as ska should be, and this tune is out today. If anyone could translate I might know the subject, but the amusing speed dating video suggests a frustrating man-hunt! You just have to pick one, Svetlana, we really are all that rubbish, (excluding myself obviously!)
They first caught my attention and affection three years ago when covering the Gaylettes’ rock steady classic, Silent River (Runs Deep) in which one third of Bob Marley’s backing singer trio, The I-Threes, Judy Mowatt takes the lead vocal. Judy’s range is such that this was no easy feat, which front lady Svetlana made a cracking job of, in a sultry and distinctly Russian tinge; I’m smitten, don’t tell the trouble and strife… long distance relationships never work out!
Meaning to bring back this simple and quick feature for a while now, and what better opportunity than a new tune from Cardiff’s reggae virtuosoes Captain Accident and the Disasters?
Nice mellow rock steady number this one, with a sombre theme and contrasting clown in the video. Bring on those happy, happy clowns, for a band who supported Toots and the Maytals on their 2016 UK tour, who Toots Hibbert liked so much to invite them back to do the same for the follow two tours, it could only be more talent than “accident.”
And that’s my song of the day!! Very good, carry on…..
Venturing over to the Barge tonight to catch crazy corsets and getars shenanigans with the Boot Hill All Stars. So, to get me in the mood, supporting act Dry White Bones gets our song of the day…. yee-ha!
And that’s my song of the day!! Very good, carry on…..
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Never fails to bring a smile, Gecko breezes the feel good factor once again with this heartwarming, summery song. Backed up with the most wonderful video produced by Cas Janssen out of many quirky self portraits sent in from worldwide fans; how utterly brilliant can you possibly get?!
And that’s my song of the day!! Very good, carry on…..
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I could scrutinise my archives, like a minister’s accountant, but without doing so I highly suspect Lady Nade has had a song featured on our Song of the Day feature once before.
Futile to check, as if I’ve implimented a ruling of one song per artist on our feature, which I haven’t. And even if I had, I’m my own boss here, and have every right to override it. And for what? What purpose?
I’ll tell you, shall I? If only to share and spread the word, this is a gorgeous tune, with a video nodding to her home city, Bristol, and its hint of topical affairs, despite the conotations of the song not revealing a similar notion, rather a classic theme of romance.
But the soulful expertise of Lady Nade makes it look so easy, and in this beautifully executed breezy ballad, one can only gasp at her skill and wallow in its splendour.
And that’s my song of the day!! Very good, carry on…..
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Here’s a thing, did you know the Michael and Janet Jackson duet “Scream,” is cited as the world’s most expensive music video, totaling a cost of $7 million? And Wacko dished the cash out of his own pocket?
Despite critical acclaim at the time, reaching number 3 in the UK pop charts, and the retaliatory nature of the song against the tabloid assault on Michael after sexual abuse accusations, I thought, and always will think, it was a bit shit, to be perfectly frank!
Look, I mean, okay, bit harsh were the allegations, so MJ thinks, I know, I’ll bag myself a B-movie spaceship, take my sister off the planet, buy us both matching knobbly jumpers, dance about in zero g, and cough up seven million dollars for someone to film it, that’ll convince the fans I’m not a complete fruitcake.
They didn’t even save enough pennies to get it filmed in technicolor. Input sad face emoji.
Compare and contrast to Devizes-own Jon Amor, who, with just the creativity of Lucianne Worthy, a big chunk of inspiration from Jim Henson and some snazzy blue loafers, pulls off this absolute beauty for the track Rider from the latest album Remote Control.
Smashed it, guys, and it’s in colour too. Proof you don’t gotta do a Wacko Jacko and push the boat out as far as Mars to accomplish something all together entertaining.
And that’s my song of the day!! Very good, carry on….
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Having a great album reviewed fairly recently on Devizine doesn’t exclude you from being in the spotlight of our Song of the Day posts. And if it ever does, call me out on it. Just ask me who hell I think I am, Vlad the Impaler, or something similar.
Check the review of Buy All That $tuff by Andy, here, or just enjoy today’s video, Night Terrors, exposing where the band practice, under the beds of children, obviously! Which kinda makes we wish I was a kid again, as there were no bands practicing under beds back then. Just once I’d like to have discovered, I dunno, the Bangles perhaps, practicing under my bed!
And that’s my song of the day!! Very good, carry on….
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Song of the Day hoggers! Yes, they’ve had a song featured on our song of the day feature once before, and yes, they’ve had so many thumbs up on Devizine in general, thumbs are starting to ache, but The Lost Trades have a new song, getting another thumbs up, a sneak from the forthcoming album, and it simply, without question, has to be our song of the day… I’m the editor, what I sez goes, sue me if I’m wrong, I double dare you!
And that’s my song of the day!! Very good, carry on….
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My classic excuses don’t wash in an online era; the dog ate my Song of the Day blogpost, I’m certain I put it in my bag when I left school, bull like that.
I know, right. It’s been a while since my last Song of the Day, a post I promised on a daily basis but failed, miserably. I got nothing, no excuse that’ll wash. But the moment you hear this tune from John Smith and Jolyon Dixon, the duo known as Illingworth, you’ll understand the need to bring it back.
They’re the Kenco of local music, instantly, each new song comes across as a rock classic, sounding as if it’s always been swimming around in your head.
But Man Made of Glass is emotionally topical and contemporary. Just, go on, have a listen, and I might be persuaded to realign my promise to bring you a song of the day each day, else I’ll have to change the title to song of the month, which is a bit lack lusture of me.
Pulling my finger out, if you’re looking for someone to blame; Netflix. There, it’s out there. Why has every fair idea got to be flipping twelve season series of 200 episodes each, consisting of a drawn-out narrative a better writer could’ve concluded in a hour and half movie? For God’s sake, bring back live music!
Anyway, I’m waffling, feel free to stop me; that’s my song of the day. Very good, carry on….
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Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter, Maple Glider releasesd a new single today, “Good Thing.”
Her striking emotionality is at the centre of her performance, which opens with her light and velvety voice accompanied by a sparsely strummed guitar. She wastes no time in revealing the state of sadness she’s in, offering such tenderness and introspection that the listener feels as though they’re inside her bedroom as she plays for herself. Eschewing a traditional chorus, the repeated refrain is more a bookend to each verse. The emotional apex hits in verse three, turning the song into a spectral folk powerhouse with the revelation that she’s cutting ties before things turn sour.
Ziestch explains: “I wrote this song out of a place of defeat. I was really heartbroken at this point, and very confused. I like the feeling of my independence and I think I was afraid of putting energy into the wrong people. Sometimes we make decisions out of fear and sometimes it’s because we know that it is the best decision to make. Those lines can get very blurry.”
And that’s my song of the day. Very good, carry on….
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We are the mods, we are the mods, we are, we are, okay, you get the gist. Imagine Kate Nash is Doctor Who’s assistant, and they tracked back to Carnaby Street in 1963. If she dressed and performed without raising suspicion that they’re time travellers, you’ve got a general picture of the fantastic Emily Capell.
On one hand, this is fab retrospective meddling, on the other it’s lively and fresh fun, with a beehive hairdo.
There’s nothing here not to like, unless you’re a ret-con rocker and if so, I’ll see you on Brighton beach, pal. All I ask is you aim for the face, so you don’t crease my suit.
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I know, I accept your question, and let me just say, I think it’s a very good question, one which I fully intend to answer in the fullness of time, but first, let me just say this, and this alone, and let us be totally sure that this is the correct time to, indeed, as you ask, for me to answer that question, one which I think is a very good question, as I may or may not have said and I really feel it is a question which needs answering….and so on, and so forth….
Think I’ve got what it takes for national politics?! I can waffle shit for Queen and country, and yes, I promised a Song of the Day feature everyday, and I haven’t delivered on that promise for a few days now, and any excuse I could provide wouldn’t be fully truthful. That’s why I believe I’ve got what it takes, my capacity to lie is acute, and my moral responsibility is pretty much shot, besides I couldn’t possibly mess it up further than it already is anyway, so yeah; I might stand.
The fact you’re probably all watching real politicians waffling about the easing stages of lockdown, is neither here nor there. I’m going to slip our song of the day in now, when you least expect me to.
And it’s wonderful, earthy folk outfit Strange Folk, with a track called Glitter. You may recall them playing the Vinyl Realm Stage at Devizes Street Festival, you may not. But enjoy, it’s gorgeously fantastical, the kind of escapism we need right now.
Back to reality, why they gotta keep calling it a “roadmap,” for crying out loud? Boris navigating for real and you’d end up driving headlong into a lake.
Strange Folk they might be, but not as strange as those leading us, I might add. The announcement will be on all night, while the Daily Mirror managed to sum it all up, hours prior to the conference, in one neat graphic.
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on…..
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Nigel writes to confirm he’s from the “Devizes side of Bristol!” Had to laugh about the perceived strictness of an obnoxious aging school teacher, and feel I should explain. While Devizine does offer local news subjects, since lockdown we’ve blown up our border control and now rampage internationally when it comes to featuring arts and music. So, it makes hide nor hair what side of Bristol you come from, or even if you come from Bristol Connecticut, if I like it or I think my readers will, I’ll mention it, and despite the title, Boring, yeah, I do.
Seems we’re alike, Nigel, least in the concept don’t judge a book by its cover, because this nugget of quirky art-pop reminds me of Talking Heads and is far from boring. Nigel explained the meaning, “[it’s] written after spending time with people who only seem to like the sound of their own voice – warning, I may be one of them!” Yep, me too. But if we’re not one of them, we all know one who is.
“The song started off as a Stones/Pistols rant,” he continued, “and has developed into a soft indie rock stomp, with an added lyrical twist at the end.”
It’s the first single from a forthcoming album, Hello Mystery, which I think we need to review nearer the time. Until then, that’s my song of the day, very good, carry on….
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Can you go twice on our Song of the Day feature? No, certainly not, one shot is all, get over it!
Wha? Cabin fever, me? Getting tetchy, perpetual rain the only visible sign of spring, going to need Google maps to locate my local pub if it ever gets back to normal, whatever normal is, been so long, forgotten, might need retraining in how to order a pint… ah, okay, point taken. I’m calm….
Here we go with the brilliant Big Ship Alliance reggae band, who may’ve had a Song of Day before but hey, when you hear this you’ll realise why I’m making the exception to my steadfast iron ruling.
My Life, it’s called, featuring Mitchell Joseph Thompson, and the Alliance introduces us to the incredible Kiano Taylee. At 13, it’s an emotive and sentimental debut single, capturing teenage anguish, bullying and family issues which bear heavy on modern youth. Moving stuff.
For the record, I was young once too, you know. But, don’t let me get started on my memoirs, it’s a longwinded tale of nothingness but reading the Beano and eating spaghetti hoops. But, that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on…..
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A tad shocked my car fluked its way through its MOT today, first time. Going on the theory good luck is a positive virus, maybe I should get a lottery ticket.
It’s your lucky day too, Song of the Day needs no introduction; Lady Nade, ’nuff said?
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on…..
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Ever just float around your favourite social media site with no objective in mind, to unexpectedly find something which pounces on you as utterly brilliant, and wonder why you’ve not heard about it before?
Took a second of watching this to establish it’s one of those rare occasions, and not just a pointless scrolling exercise for your index finger. You know the kind, where you only see your mate’s unappealing dinner, a wonky, windup political opinion, or video of a young prankster posing as a magician hoaxing eye candy on a Florida beach.
Took a further second to confirm it’s not to be confused with senior easy listening giant, Andy Williams, rather an indie-pop Bristol-based singer-songwriter namesake, but with an added middle J, a penchant for a funky riff and eye for a beguiling tune.
Check this cracking danceable video out, where one could ponder if the middle J stands for “Jacko!”
Not that I’m usually one to allow a cracking video convince me, even with dancing stormtroopers. So, you should note, he’s on his third album “Buy all the $tuff,” of which you can, here. I’m reckoning I need a window to review this fully in the near future. For now it came as big as a nice surprise as spotting an unidentified circular yellow object in the sky this morning, for a near halfhour! Amazing.
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on…..
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Self-taught multi-instrumentalist, singer and actor, Darling Boy, aka Alexander Gold adds reminisces about his game childhood with this video for his new single “Tea Drinkers of the World.” An unusual move for this brand of indie-pop, but a colourful and entertaining 16-bit retro game fashioned video; enjoy.
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If you’ve not heard of The Lost Trades before, you must be new to Devizine! Not a problem, we welcome newbies with open arms.
For further information we have a search bar, use it!There are plenty of archived features on The Lost Trades, Phil Cooper, Jamie R Hawkins and Tamsin Quin: enough for Devizine to be an official fan club! These Song of the Day posts are brief and are not intended to be full reviews.
They’re also about introducing you to artists we’ve not, or hardly ever mentioned much of before. Today’s case differs.
I should explain, we’ve followed the individual careers of this local vocal harmony trio since the website’s creation, and they’re three out of many in through doing this, have become personal friends.
Naturally, there’s a danger to the bias of honest criticism in a reviewer befriending the creators; mainstream artists use “enemy” as a term to describe NME journalists.
Although they’re aware I’d be critical if there was ever anything to be critical about, this is also, never a problem, because, simply, the awkward situation never arises.
Partly, I believe, this is because Devizine isn’t a job, it’s a hobby, and if I thought for a second I’ll unjustly slag anyone off for kicks, then the whole objective of it is compromised. Though it’s a delicate balance to provide honest content and maintain relationships with the talented subjects, there’s no reason to wreck a career, and I’d sooner avoid scribbling anything on the matter at all.
The fact if you do search for the Lost Trades or the musicians which make the trio up, you’ll find a fair amount of matter on the subject, can therefore mean only one thing: there never is a problem because they’re genuinely awesome, and this would still be the case even if they hated my guts. Which I’m not ruling out, but suspect it’s unlikely; least I can hope for is they think I’m a headcase. A friendly headcase, but a headcase nonetheless!
Still, it’s a great song, as ever, with a fascinating homemade video fusing Jamie’s enthusiasm for stop motion animation. Get it here.
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on….
If you came here looking for an original song by upcoming hopefuls, look away. Chippenham’s Blondie & Ska may not be groundbreaking or looking for a mainstream recording contract, a Blondie tribute act who fuse ska and Two-Tone classics into their repertoire, but what they do they do with a barrel load of lively fun. And, in a nutshell, lively carefree fun is the backbone of ska.
Heores of the live stream currently, booking Blondie & Ska for a party or pub gig in the future, and you can gurantee, if fussy music devotees tut, the majority will be up dancing. For this reason enough, I blinking love this duo, but that alone is plentiful. Like their Facebook page for details of future free streams, it’s an entertaining, unpretentious show.
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on….
Anytime is a good time for some roots reggae, Sunday morning, doublely so.
Enter one of my favourite current reggae bands, from Madrid, the Emertarians.
They always remind me of an occasion, at a festival in Andalusia. I watched this great French reggae band. The slighty rotound frontman looked rather like the late, great Jacob Miller. After the performance I noted he was standing close to me, watching the following act. I went over in hope of telling him how much I enjoyed their music, praying they spoke English.
I momentarily regretted my school French lessons, which I spent making homemade comics out of text books, as he replied with an adamant no upon asking if he spoke English.
All the vocabulary my intoxicated mind could conjour was “tres bien,” so I repeated it perpetually in true Del-Boy fashion!
Otherwise the meeting was the awkward silence of communication breakdown, in which I suspected they thought I was completely nuts. Not so far from the truth.
So, I namedropped Jacob Miller and suddenly we had understanding and mutual respect for the man. My point is, sometimes the Emertarians sing in Spanish and sometimes English, often the Spanish ones more emotive, but reggae has no language barriers, because it’s spiritual meaning and uplifting ambiance is universal. As with the French Jacob Miller-alike, we were on the same song sheet….
Naturally at that conjunction, I rolled a joint.
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on….
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Congratulations go to folk duo Antonie & Owena for winning the G.S.M.C award for Best Album this year. Yet it’s not their first award, winning best duo at last year’s GSMC, and others. Here’s Something Out of Nothing, which I think explains all you need to know about how and why they won it!
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on….
Even portions of expressive contemporary pop, the ambience of post-goth and downtempo electric blues of trip hop makes this Staffordshire singer, Darla Jade really someone to watch. With a haunting uniqueness about her voice and style, there’s shards of Evanescence fused with Beth Orton. It’s somehow individually chartable but would also appease alternative rock or goth aficionados alike.
Subscribe to her YouTube channel, hear her own stamp on Radiohead’s Creep, and realise, her talent is so very special.
And that’s my song for the day. Very good. Carry on….
Facebook memories posts a year ago this week we rocked up in the Celler Bar raising money for the Waiblingen Way Fire fund, and makes me stops and think about the years I’ve been smashing out articles on Devizine. So many artists and bands we’ve mentioned, I rarely forget about them, this one I admit I nearly did. Most likely because I didn’t get the opportunity to attend Stoke-on-Trent’s teenage country sensation Emily Lockett’s gig at Dean’s Country Club, then operating at Devizes Cons Club, later at the Cavalier.
So, nice as it is to discover new talent, equally important is to recap. Emily must be nearing her twenties now, and as a musical prodigy from aged 5, her expertise shines through in a matured sense now. This track, Front Porch says it all.
Hi, yeah s’me, keeping up the Song of the Day feature like dedication was as word I know the definition of!
No excuses not to, I mean I am of the generation when Roy Castle clasped his trumpet weekly, ready for the signing off of “Record Breakers.” No, it’s not a euthanasim, Google it whippersnappers.
Might also explain my fondness for brass. Brass is class, and a vital element of ska. Yep, four tunes in and I couldn’t resist sharing some ska with you.
It’s a commonly misguided notion that ska is a retrospective cult here in England. It tends to convey a bygone era of Two-Tone records, boots and braces.
Yet today, while said stereotype has a grounding, ska is an international phenomenon, particularly in South America. I did write a piece about this region’s love for ska, and how it’s roots out of Jamaica bare a different tale from our own.
To show you how fresh it can be elsewhere in the world, and it’s not a reminiscence for a load of overweight balding pensioners as perceived in the UK, here’s all-female bar one Mexican band, Girls Go Ska, who I’m secretly in love with, (so secret they don’t even know themselves….until they use Google translate!) doing an instrumental jam.
Girls and ska; what’s not to like? Have a lovely rest of your day. Very good. Carry on….
If, in hosting the launchpad at Doca’s Festival of Discovery, I’ve recently been harking on about youthful emerging talent, this unfortunately doesn’t fit into that age bracket, no matter how young at heart those good old Trowbridge boys feel, doing what they do best; rocking out and having a barrelhouse of fun with it….
A third album from those Junkyard Dogs, Homecoming Queen, which I should’ve mentioned sooner, because it drives a buzz into your step, and doesn’t come up for air. The magic of the Junkyard Dogs is hidden in the top hat of how they tackle each one of these twelve tracks with the same classic Chicago blues template. The rabbit they pull from it is the freshened, frenzied chop they bring to each one. No matter if there’s poignant matter in the original narrative, or not, it’s exhilarating throughout and a whole heap of merriment.
Without meticulous research, it seemed at first there’s covers and originals mixed, but it really doesn’t matter which are which, because it flows seamlessly, and you wouldn’t care to wonder while being too busy dancing around your kitchen to it. The title track suggests this, despite the name sounding authentic Americana, I believe it’s original; could be wrong. But, by title and seemingly apt for their forte, I thought the jump blues tune Ice Cream Man must be an original, and was surprised to find a 1953 John Brim version of it!
With this expert showmanship of electric Chicago blues, jazzy at times, Delta at others, although it’s studio recorded, it captures the very essence of a Junkyard Dogs live show, where cover choices seem to be governed only by the law; if it sounds lively and fun, play it, and play it loud!
But there’s raw blues history honoured here too, often in songs we’ve grown to associate with differing genres, due to modern popular covers. For example, the opening song, Dave Bailey Quintet’s 1961 Comin’ Home Baby, which, through Mel Tormé’s jazz cover, is more often associated with the mod scene rather than axemen of old time blues, like these dogs.
Also respectfully paying tribute to John D. Loudermilk with a driving, piano beating Tobacco Road, rather than the English garage version from the ironically named Nashville Teens, is gold, and no matter if it’s far more current, like George Thorogood and the Destroyers’s Bad to the Bone, it’s slide guitar swagger isn’t missing with the Dogs’ version.
Though the best example is surely Green Door, originally recorded by Jim Lowe in ‘56, but best remembered today by the Shakin’ Steven’s cover; either way, both were saccharine rock n roll verging on bubblegum pop, but the Dogs unleash a jazzy edge and honkytonk guitar to that tack piano, and it’s like denim never trended in 1981. The vibe of this is reworked enough to cause me to wonder what really was behind the green door, and discover doors to illegal clubs during America’s prohibition era were painted green; something I never pondered on when I was eight!
Whatever the Junkyard Dogs throw at themselves is fair game, even when they slow the tempo for Elmore James’ The Sky Is Crying or Howlin’ Wolf’s signature Smokestack Lightening, it remains uplifting, and never as mellowed as the originals.
If Little Waters’ jump blues Just Your Fool is bang on the money for The Dog’s style, neither do they falter on wider choices, like the boogie-woogie of Amos Milburn’s One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer, or when Bull Moose Jackson’s Nosey Joe tests their skills in big band, those Junkyard Dogs rinse them all with equal precision and passion, and make for a set of stylised and flowing tributes encompassed under their irresistible house style.
Actually, after I said about the originals merging, diving deeper into Homecoming Queen, it seems Homecoming Queen is the only original on the album Homecoming Queen, but I stick by what I said, because it’s got a driving honky tonk fashion which perfectly fits into this cracking album of otherwise blues makeovers and homages. Junkyard Dogs got their mojo working; listen to this, and catch them live as they gig frequently on the circuit, and it’ll work on you.
If, in hosting the launchpad at Doca’s Festival of Discovery, I’ve recently been harking on about youthful emerging talent, this unfortunately doesn’t fit into that…
It’s going to be all hip hop hooray at Trowbridge’s Birdhouse when Bristol’s award-winning boom bap rappers The Scribes arrive on Saturday 21st November…. The…
Sad news for Marlborough, especially for the tourist industry, as the Polly Tea Room announced its closure today, after 114 years…. The iconic tea rooms…
Today is the first anniversary of the Devizes Area Youth Lounge on Sidmouth Street. With free afternoon sessions on Mondays, Thursdays and one for SEND…
There’s no fooling you; this headline is Mc-deliberately misleading! There’s not even a burger, just a clickbait sesame seeded pun. I had to grab your…
It’s quite well know, it is fair to say, that in writing “Frankenstein” in 1816, Mary Shelley invented an entire new genre of fiction – that of Science Fiction. She was eighteen years old, not yet married to Percy Shelley the poet and author although they had eloped almost two years earlier while Percy was still married to his first wife. What is maybe less widely known is that appalling weather conditions during 1816, following the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia the year before, had forced her and Percy plus Lord Byron, Claire Clairmont, and John Polidori to be effectively shut up indoors. To pass the time, Byron suggested that they each write a ghost story. The rest, as they say, is history …
It’s quite normal of course for theatre productions of “Frankenstein” to naturally cover the story of Victor Frankenstein’s education, and idea to create human life and the subsequent turmoil of his relationship with the resulting creature, and the poor creatures tortured life seeking companionship while being reviled by all. But Whimsico Productions have taken the opportunity to make the writing of the novel a key feature of this production, and director and writer Lottie Dance (with a little help from Mary Shelley 😉) has created an intertwined tale of the weather trapped group, around and within and between the story of “The Modern Prometheus”.
Yet this show is so much more than that – this is not just a play within a play, or two plays acted out side by side. Oh-so-cleverly the characters of Percy, Byron, Claire and John reflect and are the same as various characters in the fiction itself. Byron “in real life” is an arrogant, self-confident bully, and son it is for Victor Frankenstein, both played by Laurence Tuck with convincing style. Similarly, the Master’s no nonsense, brash personification with the five protagonists is reflected in an excellent portrayal of “The Creature”; excellent because Liam Green presents the creature as just not-quite-human with feelings and desires, rather than some pantomime lurching, monstrous beast.
Charlotte Spiller plays the central role of Mary with aplomb, a true presence on stage, unfazed by Byron’s bullishness, besotted with Percy. Maya Higorani makes her Whimsico debut as Claire Clairmont, Justine and Agatha, and Douglas Murdoch represents John Polidori, the writer and doctor. Percy Shelley is devotedly portrayed by Ethan John Parker who also throws Henry and Felix into his stage mix, while Morgan Waters plays Elizabeth, Walton the ship’s captain narrator, and Safie.
And I must mention the wonderful bespoke music for this show, devised by Brodie Marshall, underlying every scene with mood setting music of high quality. This show is worth a visit just for the music alone.
And so the performance delivers two stories; one well known, the other a delightful insight into what may have happened in Villa Diodati, Geneva in that May and June of 1816. Altogether is a cleverly crafted piece, delivered on a beautifully simple black box style set (I do like a black box me!), with wonderful period costumery. It runs Wednesday 11th November to Saturday 14th, at 7.30 pm at the newly re-furbished seated Rondo Theatre in Larkhall, Bath.
It’s going to be all hip hop hooray at Trowbridge’s Birdhouse when Bristol’s award-winning boom bap rappers The Scribes arrive on Saturday 21st November….
The Birdhouse has fast become a staple venue in our county town, providing free music every weekend and a town centre platform for a plethora of local acts. Yet, even if you’ve only a passing interest in hip hop, it’s an ideal opportunity to visit The Birdhouse, because, from tongue-twisting conscious rhymes to amusing improv freestyling, dope beats to unbelievable live beatboxing, The Scribes waxing lyrical will astound you……
If my heroes of hip hop rest in the old school, an era and ocean away, if I can say at least I’ve seen Run DMC live, but boom bap masters who can really spit complex, rapid-fire lyrics, like A Tribe Called Quest and the Fu-Schnickens, I’m unlikely to ever witness, and if I did they’d probably be too full of bravado to give me the time of day, The Scribes are top of the UK scene right now, and they’re nice enough to come over to say hi; they’ve even placed our logo on the poster, a nice touch to get a preview, even if I intended to anyway!
Because they rocked out the Muck & Dunder in Devizes four years ago, as they do wherever they go, but Devizes is hardly hip hop central, hence my point; you don’t have to be Eminem to appreciate the Scribes show. It’s an amazing and unique booking, Claire and Chloe of the Birdhouse, one which I’m making a beeline for, looking forward to, will report my findings, but highly recommend you pay The Birdhouse a visit on Saturday 21st November rather than read about what you sorely missed!
Better start my crazy legs retraining. St John’s Ambulance on standby; see you there!
Sad news for Marlborough, especially for the tourist industry, as the Polly Tea Room announced its closure today, after 114 years….
The iconic tea rooms popular with tourists and residents announced it was closed due to rising costs. Blaming the cost of living crisis, a note on its door said “it is impossible to run a High Street business in the UK in these circumstances.”
It is unfortunate, I see it slightly differently. Of course, we live in challenging times, but I paid a visit to the Polly Tea Rooms last month. It was disappointing and not the same exclusive experience it once was.
The building was once the Half Moon Inn, which closed in 1812. The Polly was established in 1912 by Miss Jean Leath Hay and Miss Janet McCloud, one of whom had been a suffragette.
When my family first moved to Wiltshire in the late eighties, we acted like tourists and did the tourist attractions; including the essential trip to the delightful and iconic Polly Tea Rooms. Pensioners poured off of buses, stopped there on the way to Stonehenge, and spilled into the Polly. It put Marlborough on the tourist map.
As an urban teenager, I felt like Dr Who and had gone back a hundred years in time; the green carpeted creaky floorboards, the Victorian decor, teas in vintage teapots and selection of “posh”cakes, and impeccably well-mannered waiting staff in period dress. It was worth the extra coinage in comparison to other tea rooms in the town.
After decades of living back in Essex, last month, I brought my mum back to Wiltshire for a visit, wanting her to re-experience the delights of our county. Marlborough was hot on her list and included the essential trip to The Polly Tea Rooms. I was shocked to see it stripped of the antique decor, with a contemporary run of the mill coffee stand, American diner styled seating added to grouped tables, a lack of interesting cakes, and the staff, dressed in modern coffee shop attire, had the customer service skills of late night petrol station cashiers. It immediately felt uninviting, like any typical and commercial coffee cafe chain; one step away from scanning that QR code to order!
They had a reasonable breakfast deal, which ended at midday. We were on time by ten minutes to take advantage of it, as I had not had breakfast, while my mum, being in a hotel, already had and was content with a cake. But by the time we were served, midday was two minutes past, and although they honoured the deal, the waiting staff scorned me for mentioning it.
I did not want eggs, so they kindly asked if I wanted to swap them out, and I said yes. The swap out really tips my judgement on a cooked breakfast, so I was glad they offered! But when the substandard plate came out, low and behold, the egg was staring up at me. Without apology, they whipped that plate away and took a further twenty-five minutes in which to remove the offending item and return it to me, with no sign of the swap-out item. By which time the teapot was empty and mum’s cake was as much history as the ethics of the once proud Polly Tea Rooms.
See, if it’s the policy of an establishment not to honour breakfast item swaps, then though it won’t bode well with me, it is what it is. But to enquire if a customer wants to swap, and to then not bother adjusting the order, is the worst; the worst cooked breakfast crime imaginable!
We left rather disappointed, but being it was a historic establishment, I didn’t want to kick it while it was down, so, though tempted, it wouldn’t be fair to mention it here. But now it has sadly ended, I feel I must, because it serves as an example that anyone in the hospitality industry should not forgo quality simply because it believes it is safe due to tradition and/or historic interest or location. You can not rely on decades of historic tradition because people talk, assess, and spread word faster and more effectively than ever before in this online world.
Tradition is key in Wiltshire. It is highly important; if you have it, don’t rely on it. You must maintain it to survive. You must make the experience of visiting your establishment something unique, something either different, or strengthened by the traditions it once upheld, if it had one.
Polly gone, but some weeks later, I paid a visit to Tea Inc, snuggled in the Ginnell, a tiny back lane in Devizes. I wish I could have come to terms with the fact that just because an eatery is concreted into tradition, times change. Tea Inc is new, particularly if compared to the 114 years of the Polly!
I wish I would’ve taken my mum here instead, I will next time, because she would love it! The owners have no idea I’m writing this, I don’t do advertorials, nor do I flatter anyone, but this quirky little tea room is the ultimate tea experience.
It does precisely what The Polly should have done if it had any intention of staying around to round up its reign off to 120 years. Tea Inc is cosy, welcoming, and quirky. It has the single most unbelievable menu of teas, and by comparison with grabbing a bulk standard cuppa in a cardboard cup from your average coffee chain, it’s actually cheaper, too.
I was taken aback at how many different teas there are, and there’s detailed information on them all. There’s no teabags here, all freshly served with a glass, an appropriate filtered dispenser for the tea type, be it an insulated pump or a mini modern urn, and even an egg timer to tell you when to pour, for the most perfect cup of tea you will ever experience. They truly are tea scientists!
In 1966, the Polly Tea Rooms survived a fire, destroying its upper floors and giving it its bungalow look, but it seems it could not survive these challenging times. It is likely that a hefty fine for its owners in 2023, for racially discriminating against former employee Natalia Zeh at a tribunal in Bristol, didn’t do much for their reputation or finances, but they’ll go on, blaming the cost of living crisis, while we must question it’s seemingly down to poor management.
As social media opinion on the news spreads, it seems not all was well at the Polly, with a plethora of negative comments concerned with its mismanagement. Despite those mentioning such concerns, there’s also those blaming a Labour government, although Marlborough defaulted to a Reform constituency, by bad boy Danny K’s treachery, and one keyboard warrior even goes on a limb to randomly connect migration to the issue. We’ve had the wrath of Danny K in Devizes; thankfully, we retain a tea room in the aftermath!
Tea Inc. is everything the Polly Tea Rooms should have been to sustain its rightful place on the High Street, rather than confined to Wiltshire history as a memory. So, if anyone plans to buy and renovate the relic of the Polly, take a tealeaf out of Tea Inc’ book!
Wiltshire Music Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Ken Scott as Chair of its Board of Trustees…. The appointment comes at an exciting moment for Wiltshire Music Centre as it continues to expand both its artistic and learning programmes. Alongside a programme of ambitious live music that celebrates curiosity across genres, the Centre supports musicians and music-lovers at every stage of their journey through education, participation, and community projects. From introducing children and young people to music for the first time, to creating progression pathways for emerging musicians and opportunities for lifelong learning, Wiltshire Music Centre is committed to ensuring that exceptional musical experiences are accessible to everyone.
An experienced chair, Non-Executive director, and strategic leader, Ken brings a wealth of expertise spanning commercial business, financial services, governance, and the charitable sector.
Ken has held a number of senior leadership and governance roles across both the private and charitable sectors. Until January 2026, he served as Chair of the Lending Standards Board, the independent body overseeing voluntary standards across the UK banking sector. He currently chairs JLC Distribution Ltd, supporting the company’s international growth and expansion.
His extensive charitable governance experience includes nine years as Senior Independent Trustee at St John’s Foundation in Bath, where he chaired both the Investment Committee and trading subsidiary, overseeing investment strategy and long-term financial sustainability. He has also chaired Westway Trust in London, leading significant governance and organisational development.
Ken’s executive career includes serving as Group Chief Executive of ILX Group plc, where he led a major business turnaround and established the organisation as a global leader in project management training and digital learning. Earlier leadership roles included Group Chief Executive of Hamptons International and Executive Director of Avco Financial Services. He began his career with HSBC, ultimately becoming Regional Director for the bank’s largest UK region.
Tessa Armstong, Interim Chair of the Board, said, “Ken brings an exceptional combination of strategic insight, governance expertise, and leadership experience. As Wiltshire Music Centre continues to grow its impact across the county and beyond, his experience of leading complex organisations and supporting sustainable growth will be invaluable. Most importantly, as a musician, Ken brings a love and a passion for music – vital in a venue that celebrates musical curiosity in all its forms. We are delighted to welcome him as Chair.”
Ken Scott, new Chair of the Board, said, “Wiltshire Music Centre is a remarkable organisation with a clear sense of purpose and an ambitious vision for the future. I am excited to be joining at a time when the Centre is building on its strong foundations and expanding its contribution to the cultural life of Wiltshire. I look forward to working with fellow trustees, staff, artists, supporters, and partners to help realise that ambition.”
Sarah Robertson, Executive Director at Wiltshire Music Centre, says “As we look ahead to the next phase of Wiltshire Music Centre’s development, we wanted a Chair who could bring strategic clarity, commercial insight and a genuine commitment to public benefit. Ken offers all of that and more. We’re investing in ambitious artistic programming, creating clearer learning pathways for people of all ages and abilities, and building on our role as a venue where audiences, learners, and musicians come together. Whether through inspiring concerts, youth programmes, community participation, or partnerships across the county, we’re determined to make Wiltshire Music Centre the musical heartbeat of Wiltshire.”
Wiltshire Music Centre‘s new strategy sets out ambitions to present distinctive and adventurous live music, create learning opportunities with clear progression routes, strengthen its position as the musical heartbeat of the county and build a resilient organisation capable of sustaining its impact for future generations.
Today is the first anniversary of the Devizes Area Youth Lounge on Sidmouth Street. With free afternoon sessions on Mondays, Thursdays and one for SEND youngsters on Tuesdays, it has become a safe social space for year 7 and up to gather, and shows no sign of flailing in popularity….
I dropped in to meet some of the kids, and Steve Dewar, who, as deputy director & youth work chaplain for the Wiltshire Youth for Christ, is the mastermind of this project, as well as many others in our locale, including the mobile youth cafe and Roots and Shoots, a football club set up with Wiltshire FA.
I admit, I thought I was turning up for an adult gathering, with councillors and supporters of the project, and kids would “rock up” later, after returning home from school to change and grab a snack. Instead this was just the usual afternoon open to the kids, and as such a great opportunity to see this brilliant place in action. I could hear the merry sounds of young people enjoying a natter down the street; it was jammed in there, and I realised these kids are coming here straight from school, to be greeted by Steve and his team of volunteers, and supplied with hot chocolate and cake.
Upstairs there’s a tech space, a kitchen, and meeting rooms, but downstairs is where it all happens. Steve explained there’s limited people who can gather upstairs, and thoughts returned to me of my chat with councillors Rosemary and Jonathan last week, where Jonathan suggested the project was outgrowing the available space. It certainly appeared this way this afternoon.
Steve stressed some outside garden space would be great as well as space to run extra activities, events and workshops, pointing out they often have a number of bikes parked up on the street. For now, though, they were proud of the space they had created, and looked after it.
It’s not good to give residents a reason to complain, like bicycles obstructing the pavement, but from what I witnessed, there’s a lot worse our young people could be getting up to. Here there’s their choices of music, video games, a whole racing sim, air hockey and table football, but most of them favoured chatting over a drink and snack. There was a marvellous atmosphere of social engagement, a united demographic across schools, from Devizes, Lavington and Pewsey Vale. And in this, there was a respectful feeling where they were free to discuss matters between themselves away from the restricted confines of school, home, or dare I say it, online. Although, I suspected most of them were here to more simply enjoy themselves and socially engage.
One observation I made; no one had their phone out! A couple of girls took a trip to Light & Sound, and showed me the David Bowie vinyl they brought; I was impressed and surprised by their choice! Others freely came and went, but the most important observation was their interactions with Steve, who chatted to them on their level, with natural ease, and they treated him with the utmost respect. When he asked them to tidy the empty cake wrappers, for example, they did so, and it wasn’t akin to a bossy parent or teacher scenario, it was out of mutual respect for this wonderful space he and the team had provided, and they had contributed to with their ideas.
The general ethos might be on fun and social engagement, but I felt if the kids needed someone to talk to, they could rely on him. I asked Steve if youth came to him with any issues they might have, and he replied sometimes they do, and advice was on hand for them. But for the most part of it, it’s a safe space to socialise, and that’s what they really need most. I mentioned the stereotypical and out of touch youth clubs of my era, of how vicar’s broken pool tables and watered down orange squash felt patronising to us, but the DAY Lounge is something of their own creation, modern and chic. They democratically decided on the name, and designed the layout; it was, effectively, their space, and Steve was on hand to advise, encourage and engage whenever they required him to.
Steve spoke of the need for more volunteers as well as the idea around expansion, and of funding, where it seemed youth projects in more urban environments took their fair share of grants, yet rural areas, like here, being perceived as more affluent, therefore private investment was incorrectly assumed by the powers that be as sufficient to operate this and other similar projects. The Day Lounge operates for year seven and over, and while primary school ages have facilities supplied, usually this is the age bracket which gets forgotten about, and shoulder the blame for antisocial behaviour; but that’s a direct consequence of a lack of projects like this, or one which no one is available to help and no one wants to be involved with.
I argue antisocial behaviour is a spectator sport; modern proof of this is when perpetrators film themselves doing it, whereas in our day it was chanting kids standing in rings surrounding the misbehaviour. While you may not be able to socially engage those few ringleaders, you can take away their potential audience, by providing them with some things to do, and a place to gather and do them. The answer really is that simple, and places like the Day Lounge really are proof that they are crucial to this ongoing development.
Happy 1st birthday to the Day Lounge, a brilliant project that serves the young community well, but only served me with the dream that I wish I was younger; that orange squash the vicar would provide in my era was so diluted, and the felt of the pool table was torn! I hope that we’ll see future anniversaries of the Day Lounge, and the expansion of this amazing project.
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Christmas at the Rowdey Cow; because nothing says Christmas like an ice cream! Or at least, it works for me; I’d eat ice cream through a heatwave, I’d eat ice cream on an Arctic expedition! But there’s more to our lovely ice cream parlour farm cafe than just ice cream; although the ice cream is… erm, the cream of the crop, if you’ll pardon the pun?!
Jingly bells! Christmas this year starts at The Rowdey Cow towards the end of November, when they announce their Christmas menu. It’s confirmed! They will have some seasonal flavoured beauties stocked up in their ice cream freezer this Christmas, for your careful selection, but they’re not telling us what they are yet!
On the 20th November, there’s a special Countdown to Christmas event taking place from 5:30pm until 8:00pm. You could be toasting marshmallows, getting cosy watching Christmas films, and there will be craft activities, festive food, drinks, and, of course, ice cream!
There will be a Christmas tree stall and a mini market, there’s a complimentary mince pie, and mulled wine or hot chocolate on arrival, and of course, provided you’ve been good all year, there’s a visit from a very special guest; he’s coming at 5:30, so be there on time. It’s £2 parking per car, which you can book on their website, HERE.
Santa Claus though will also be dropping into the Rowdey Cow on various mornings throughout December, and you, yes you, could be having breakfast with him! Breakfast with Santa happens on the 6th, 20th, 21st, or 22nd, where you can kick off the yule with a magical morning at Rowdey Cow. be quick though, because the 13th December has already sold out.
Enjoy a relaxed continental breakfast in the café, with the option to upgrade to a cooked breakfast on the day, then head over for a chat, story time, and a photo with Father Christmas and his cheeky Elf. Every child receives a special gift, making it a perfect December treat for families looking to sprinkle a little extra Christmassy joy!
I’m getting so excited just typing this, I might hang up my stocking now…and put a flake in it too!
There’s no fooling you; this headline is Mc-deliberately misleading! There’s not even a burger, just a clickbait sesame seeded pun. I had to grab your attention one way or the other because Devizes East has a town council by-election on 12th November. Such things rarely get a good turnout, but I met the clear favourite of this two horse race, whose surname happens to be MacDonald; that’s my excuse for the foolery, and I’m sticking with it….
It certainly didn’t feel like I was meeting a prospective councillor, in the Black Swan so close to Halloween, and nothing about it was in any way spooky! In my usual rush I hadn’t prepared any Robin Day fashioned questions, yet artless Devizes Guardian candidate Rosemary MacDonald had minimal sales pitch, and no matter how I phished for sensationalism, she certainly had no intention of returning potshots from the opposition.
I return to report my findings in all honesty (other than the slightly misleading headline!) that, as I suspected, Rosemary is the warm and friendly listener ideal for the position. Professionally, I refrained from inappropriately asking her for a cuddle, but even as a hugger, I wasn’t let down by both her welcoming personality, motivation and her experience! In reflection, I suspect Rosemary figured immediately this isn’t your typical political interview, and professionalism isn’t my forte!
Although neither of us wished to dwell on recent misinformation being spread on social media by the Devizes Conservatives regarding this by-election, it felt important to example it for the purpose of highlighting my ethos; I don’t require, welcome or find it at all necessary to involve national politics in local affairs.
Seemingly in desperation to retain the seat, it does appear unfounded claims and even baseless official complaints have been made by the Conservatives group, intentionally to discredit Rosemary personally, and the Guardians’ majority over Devizes Town Council, where it is that the realities of the issues highlighted are misinformed, or actually the responsibilities of Wiltshire Council rather than the town council. This highlights the often unscrupulous gameplay, generously funded by the national party, of councillors backed by this national party, praying on voter’s misunderstandings of which local tasks are assigned to which council; don’t be fooled, know your onions!
On the importance of keeping the dirty tactics of national politics out of town councils, Rosemary reflected, “personally I think it should, because the town council should be here to serve the people of Devizes, and the powers that the town council have are fixed. A lot of the party political issues are either at county level or national level. And so for Devizes, it’s a case of who’s going to do the best job for the town. There are great people across all parties who would do that, but I think when you’ve got a party political thing coming in from over the top, you’ve got expectations that you’re going to do things in a certain way. And I think the joy of the Guardians is they’re independent. We’re a loose coalition of people who all just want to put Devizes first, and that really appealed to me because I’ve had to spend my whole career being apolitical.”
Rosemary worked in Devizes for twelve years running the Wiltshire Community Foundation, where they set up different programmes to support people across the whole county. Later in our chat she exampled one known as One Degree More, a programme for young people to get bursaries. “I’ve had to work with whoever’s in power with the roles that I’ve had at the community foundation,” she explained, “and so I’ve had to work with Conservatives, Liberals, and Labour. So to me, the colour didn’t matter. It was a case of who was fighting for the community itself and who was going to make the best use of the opportunities that the town has.”
“The thing about the local political scene is it’s the end that matters. It’s what are we trying to achieve? And all the arguments seem to happen around the means of how we get there. And that’s fine. You should have a healthy debate and you need people with opinions different to yours, because otherwise you’d just all do the same thing and it might not work. You need people to question and challenge, and that’s absolutely right. But we all should be working from the same ends. There’s no point in having a combative approach. It’s more about, what are you bringing to the table, how does that work, and are you adding to the solution that we need to define?”
I should state that leader of the Guardians, Johnathan Hunter was also present. I assumed he was only here to get the teas in, but when he said, “just to chime in,” he wanted to express how Rosemary’s agenda is all about community. “We’re not saying that we want to keep national politics out of Devizes,” he said. “What we’re saying is, let’s make sure Devizes has a local flavour and purpose. Where that clash comes with national parties is that there’ll be a percolation coming through from the party, a party purpose, which ultimately feeds into local issues and local people, which then discounts local people and local purposes. We always say, the Guardians first and foremost are your neighbours, your friends, local volunteers, working in the town, serving in the town.”
The idea, it seemed, is that local issues are not so overcomplicated it requires the time wasting bickering associated with national politics. I sighed at my own example, of Boris Johnson and Jeremey Corbyn unable to compromise, where proactive solutions went out of the window. “That’s a really good example,” Rosemary praised, “in their case, they were arguing about the ends because they both wanted a different destination. And I think we don’t have space for that in Devizes. We need to agree on what we want to see. Because it’s not that difficult. Everybody wants a cleaner town, a thriving marketplace. They want loads of opportunities for their young people. They want to have an active, vibrant heritage and arts scene.”
Rosemary was keen to add her main reason for moving to Devizes was the arts and “all the things going on.” She spoke about driving here from Westbury to work on New Park Street, “and all I could think was Devizes is an amazing place. There’s so much going on here. And since I’ve been here, I haven’t been disappointed. I still haven’t been to all the things that I want to go to. So I’ve been dipping my toe into various things like the Food Festival, the Arts Festival, and carnival and Lantern Parade. I have yet to see the Confetti Battle because it’s never fallen when I’m actually in town. That’s something I would really love to see!”
We spent some time praising the town, whereby Jonathan did some history of the Guardians, expressed his dedication to the Guardians was due to their association with the community, and how Rosemary’s angle was centred around community matters. “Clearly we don’t have the resources of a national political party,” he said and explained they’ve not produced multiple leaflets due to waste; just one, summarising all they mean. “But what we do have is amazing people, friends and neighbours around us who do great things.”
This is where we continued onto Rosemary’s experience running the Wiltshire Community Foundation, and the support programs and bursaries it provided. I figured this funnelled into her pledge to youth projects and how her experience would be beneficial. “The thing is that knowing who to go to for funding is really important when you’re a small charity,” she said. “I know loads about that because I’ve worked in that world for the best part of sixteen years.”
Being isolated and unaware of entitlements and benefits was one of many issues the foundation set to solve. Rosemary spoke about the Surviving Winter scheme, how leftover funds the elderly didn’t personally require were used in their partnership with Age UK and the Fire Brigade Warm and Well Team, who would do checks on older people. She talked fondly about a six million pound fund she set up for care leaders, “because when children leave care, they go from being fully looked after to £60 and living on their own. We asked the network of community foundations to come up with ways that they could support care leavers.”
Clearly, Rosemary has the relevant skills to secure varied projects, like the youth scheme. I wrongly called it a fund. “It’s not a fund,” she explained, “it’s about looking at youth and what’s available for them in the town; that partnership approach, and seeing where we can secure funding from. It’s very hard to raise funds from a town council, there are other ways of attracting investment into these things. And I see lots of things and I’m thinking, I know somebody who might want to help with that, and that’s my thinking.”
I proposed an importance of involving youth in the process, to which they agreed, and it so happened they were off to the Day Lounge immediately after our chat, to meet with a group of young people feeding ideas for a youth festival next summer. Jonathan suggested they could outgrow the space of the current Day Lounge, suggesting the centre was “only the start of it,” and praised the coming together of local businesses and the community to make the Day Lounge possible, when unfortunately there had been huge cuts to youth provisions.
I never wish to make the association with youth and antisocial behaviour, buy others do, and the Conservative candidate’s affluenza suggestion to throw more police officers at it when they’re short of budget as it is, has become central to the Conservative campaign. How do they feel about this?
“Antisocial behaviour I think is very complex and it’s a multi-age issue,” Jonathan remarked, “I’ve been personally talking to various people, different agencies, but young people get branded, you know. I’ve said this as a chair of a charity of homeless people, those people get branded as well. But it’s multi-dimensional. One of the reasons I’m so passionate about backing Rosemary’s candidacy, is because we need skilled practitioners in our midst who know what key to turn at the right time.”
“Young people need to be included and need to be the architects. So Rosemary’s pitch It’s all about listening and engaging, not just about young people, about a multitude of things. I think we’ve got to really tune into who those voices are that can enable this stuff. And from a political point of view in the council, there’s lots of myths and legends out there that other parties put out in terms of what the council can and can’t do. But isn’t it refreshing to have some engagement that’s local?”
“I’ll give you a good example. Rosemary’s campaigning at the moment with Fraser, her husband, because Rosemary wants to engage residents. Rosemary doesn’t want to go around putting leaflets through letterboxes and walking down the path to the gate again. Rosemary’s talking to people. And I think by doing that, we’re hearing lots of stuff from residents. What about this? What about that? How good is it that we’ve got an opportunity, somebody who’s prepared to listen and roll up their sleeves?”
Rosemary replied, “I had some great conversations this morning,” around the Eastleigh Road and Longcroft areas. “I was talking to all sorts of people as they were walking their dogs, and people who answered their doors and some were saying ‘I haven’t got time;’ that’s actually fine. I was just introducing myself, and others were like, ‘oh we’ve had your leaflet, and ‘I just want to say hi, you know, and ask if you’ve read the leaflet.’”
Rosemary spent some time expressing concerns for a lack of career opportunities, skills-based learning, local universities, and housing for the younger generation. “It makes it very difficult for young people to find their opening, to find their chance to go and see what the world of work is like and to learn how to be face to face with people. Because a lot of that’s a skill that young people are having to learn later on in life now. And that face to face experience is so invaluable. It’ll set them up for the rest of their lives. So we need to be doing something where we can provide more opportunities for young people.”
“We need housing that they can afford, which isn’t going to be sunk into rent,” Rosemary said, “which is non-recoverable. We need more shared ownership. I was delighted to walk through a housing estate off Roundway Park, and there are some shared ownership houses there which are out for sale and that’s good. And they’re lovely; but let’s have ten times that amount. We don’t just want retired people moving to Devizes. We need to have the whole fabric and the demographic in this town. Otherwise, who’s going to look after the old people?!”
“We need to invest more in our social housing agencies, you know, our social housing landlords, because they’re the ones who provide affordable homes and then, to use them, to have land that they can use to build places that are not stuck in the middle of nowhere. You don’t want them stuck in the middle of nowhere. You want the housing in the town where people can get around.”
Rosemary told me feedback from her conversations with residents included support for the town centre shops, anti-social parking and pedestrian crossings in the ward, and the possibility of a train station. “A Guardian perspective is we’re not sat on the edges commentating and throwing grenades in. We’re doing something about it. So speaking to enforcement, speaking to Wilshire Council, working together.”
Even if flexible at times, I came away thinking this was the most honest and open political interview I’ve ever done. While their manifesto existed purely from which derived from resident’s feedback, the balance of it was based upon Rosemary’s relevant experience to collate the responses and find the best solutions. At times so much it felt like the tables were turned and I was the one being quizzed for my thoughts on matters!
It differs vastly from the opposition’s less abstract agenda of things they felt the town required, such as pulling weeds from pavements. This brings into question if the Conservatives have engaged with public opinion on the same level, intend to get their gloves on and pull the weeds out themselves, or if it’s pie in the sky. Perhaps they’ve been too busy criticising and lambasting The Guardians to concentrate on public opinion? I could ask, would honour it, but being the candidate Laura has banned me from her Facebook page, I get the impression they do not welcome my correspondence. Alienating the public in this way is in stark contrast to a candidate willing to listen.
Jonathan spoke of The Guardian’s “holistic and collaborative approach, rather than cheap shots coming in,” in which he exampled their claim the Guardians “took the benches away. Actually,” he corrected, “the benches were taken away to be cleaned and then replaced immediately. So, you know, we’re not in that space. We are standing back and looking at the bigger picture, and that’s why we are so supportive of Rosemary’s campaign, because it’s bigger picture thinking, and it’s looking at that kind of engagement with the community.”
Jonathan could not stress enough the point that they didn’t want adversarial combat, “we see all councillors as colleagues, core collaborators, and friends, working together. That’s what we would always want. We don’t want to use language like opposition, because one has to then think, opposition to what? Opposing? What are you exactly opposing? Because all of our work is community-led, community-driven. Opposition is language from Westminster.”
That’s the whole point of having a party of independent councillors, isn’t it? Not for the want of trying to coax Rosemary’s personal political sway out of her, she didn’t give. She simply replied, “I can tell you, I am an issue voter. I look at the issues that I’m concerned about, and then I look at what the responses are from each party, and my vote on the national stage will be for the party that is going the way I want to see issues tackled. I don’t have a particular leaning, which is partly because during my whole career I’ve had to be apolitical. I haven’t had the luxury of being able to pin my colours to a particular mask and be absolutely certain that they are right on all things forever. I’ve had to work in the grey, I’ve had to work with people from many different parties, and I’ve never found it a problem because I truly believe that people don’t go into politics to ruin people’s lives. Everybody who goes into politics at whatever level, at least initially, they want to make people’s lives better.”
Thanks to Rosemary and Jonathan for their time, and to everyone else, I apologise if I brought you here thinking you were going to get a Big Mac and McFlurry in Devizes, but at least that was the only thing I was being deceptive about, unlike the Devizes Conservatives!
Well, what else is there to oyez about? Congratulations must go to our Devizes Town Crier, Charlotte Howard-Macdonald, again today, as Brian Mathew MP tabled…
by Ian Diddamsimages by Gill Morrell and Penny Clegg How all the other passions fleet to air,As doubtful thoughts and rash embraceddespair, And shudd’ring fear, and green-eyed jealousy- Merchant of Venice, Act 3 Scene 2, William Shakespeare O, beware, my lord, of…
If you came to this monster mash last night you’d be excused for finding it hard to believe it was only a couple of years ago when I published about the formation of Devizes-based band Burn the Midnight Oil, as the high hopes I predicted for them were truly displayed for a Halloween party at The Southgate last night. As they’ve taken to using the explosive quote “utter dynamite” I once hailed about them, their progress verges on the cataclysm of the fireworks display at the end of time and space…..
The bus prematurely got me to this most comfy and hospitable tavern, historically renowned (I guess we can call it now) for its dedication to showcasing local live musical acts; needless to say I treated myself to a Rosie’s Pig; proper scrumpy priced well below the average fiver-plus pint. If I topped this up with a few extras as the evening progressed I’ll leave to your imagination, but you can usually judge by the quality of my photography skills!
A few mingled in the usual humble pub fashion, as, gradually, fancy dress clad revellers amassed in anticipation. Usually at this early stage you’ll witness band members tweaking and tuning last minute, but, professional to their core, every T was crossed and I dotted prior, and they had sneaked off for a bite to eat and likely planned their attack. This method builds excitement in the crowd, and, akin to a concert of international celebrities, Burn The Midnight Oil colourfully burst into the locally legendary alcove attired horrifically Halloween, and brewing with the confidence they’d create an electric atmosphere. Said confidence sure wasn’t cocky; they pulled everything out of the bag, and delivered a perfectly felicitous show.
Something of a homecoming, Burn The Midnight Oil are spreading their infectious vibe further afield, but as they do, they’ve established a loyal fanbase here, so the ambience was one of celebration, not just because of the spooky occasion meshing with their often dark themes, but more so because here’s a Devizes export going places, and we stand united in praising such an accomplishment.
Yay to the stipulation of ghostly themed covers, such as the obligatory Monster Mash, most apt for the band’s electric blues origins, Santana’s Black Magic Woman, plus perhaps most divinely suitable for Chrissy’s sublime sultry vocals, Dusty’s evocative Spooky, but really, Burn The Midnight Oil have reached the point where their originals are equally and knowingly appreciated locally.
Being a family affair of Devizes live music aficionados, banter and song dedications can be handsomely distributed through the crowd, and this rewards such gigs at The Southgate that communal experience you won’t get forking out for Taylor Swift at the 02 arena! For this occasion Chrissy handed out pumpkin pie and shot apéritifs during the interval, and judged fancy dressed participants.
Returning to their original outpourings, we were treated to a new song, a work in progress live debut, and presented with their recent tracks undoubtedly more positive in subject and commercially viable than their earlier, darker and often melancholic themes. With this, the most recent song Blood Sweat & Tearswas presented early in the set, whereas one of their first tunes, Werewolf, despite it being appropriate for Halloween, was saved for the encore, of which, such was the applause, they honoured about three of them and still had to make excuses that time was called!
This implies progress made causes them to compare objectively the worth of their earlier output against the newer songs; assessment and self-analysis is a positive attribute for the creative process. The proof was in the pudding, this was an insanely brilliant performance with more depth than ever before, and an added guest guitarist they picked up on their journeys. It was presented with passion and the perfect balance of an upcoming band forming a professional backbone, while retaining the communal ambience of a local watering hole and audience they’re familiar and fond of. The sum of these parts is the kind of memorable night you’ll take home with you, with the added promise to yourself to make a beeline for another Burn The Midnight Oil gig in your vicinity.
If you’ve any suspicion you’ve been shortchanged recently with Devizes’ live music scene, The Southgate sticks to the same guns it always fired, levelling up any deficit; if the roof is still intact after last night, Jon Amor Trio arrive this afternoon for their monthly residency, and you best believe the party continues in our very own jukejoint.
People power in Devizes! Due to pressure from Devizes retailers and councillors, Wiltshire Council today revised their plans for essential cable works in Devizes, originally…
by Ian Diddamsimages by Jim McCauley The power of three. Three men. Three apartments. Three items of furniture. Three snacks bowls. Three types of drink…
There’s a number of ways you can support Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance and raise funds for this vital charity, with many entertaining upcoming events;…
Real life Little Red Riding Hood, Lille Røde comes to The Queen’s Head in Box on Saturday November 28th; beware wolves!
Sounding something like St Vincent meets Chappell Roan and playing on fairy tale origins, Lille Røde, Danish for ‘Little Red,’ is a dynamic, four-piece indie-rock act, delivering sharp, theatrical relief in a world of mismanaged politics, misguided social interactions, and systemic misogyny.
The band is the ultimate creative vehicle for singer-songwriter Anna Mountford. After an established UK career beginning with starring roles in London’s West End shows, such as Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, Mountford went on to become a regular fixture on British TV, in shows like Holby City, Silent Witness, The Giblet Boys and Jack of Hearts.
In her teens, Anna packed up her life to pursue a childhood dream in Los Angeles. Instead of a Hollywood fairytale, she encountered a massive culture shock; a modern wilderness filled with “wolves” lurking in politics, religion, health care, law enforcement, education and relationships.
Realising she had completely misread the hopeful futures promised by the pop culture of her youth, she created Lille Røde. Named as a nod to her love of Nordic noir, the songs flirt with the radical notion of slaying metaphorical wolves. The music serves as an unflinching post-mortem of career-spanning trauma, dissecting heavy personal and societal themes with a razor-sharp edge. Her 2015 track Meteorite was included in a Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition playlist. Most recently her song Run Away was featured on BBC Introducing in the West.
Writing for a generation caught between the nostalgia of Doris Day and Back to the Future, and the harsh realities of contemporary culture, Lille Røde delivers a visually compelling live experience. Anna is a consummate storyteller and her lyrics are engaging and unique. Her growing catalogue explores identity, heartbreak, and social issues with honesty, dark humour and a strong sense of personality.
Backed by radio exposure, a proven track record at festivals and established venues across the South West, Lille Røde brings a natural, polished stage confidence that goes far beyond just playing the music. Ambitious, experienced, and fiercely original, they are fully equipped to bring an unforgettable, high-energy show to any audience.
From Facebook requests, Lille Røde has selected two support acts for the gig at The Queen’s Head in Box on Saturday 28th November, and we fully approve! The wonderful Jess Chivers and Devizes-own gunslingers of Americana groove, Burn The Midnight Oil.
Grandma, what big teeth you have, but what cheap tickets you have too! Tickets are a nip for such a show at only a fiver; all the better to eat you with!
Chedworth, Gloucestershire; proud village soloist, songwriter and model Flora Fiora is kicking the tyres and smashing windows in with a new single, and it’s about…
The Wharf Theatre in Devizes is thrilled to announce a major new chapter in its artistic programme: the theatre has officially become a registered screening…
A ladies-only club, four gloriously eccentric rooms and a barista in a bowler hat: The Dressing House is anything but ordinary. Devizine contributor Charlotte Howard…
Look, right, I’m not at the top yet, but it’s in clear sight. A round number, of the half century kind, awaits me atop the hill, and there’s no stopping the ride to get off.
I guess reaching these milestone ages causes you to analyse your life somewhat, and if there’s one thing I do know in all my years, it’s that I’ve told some colossal pork pies. Some real stinkers. I don’t know why, other than occupational hazard as a journalist, I’ve no excuses, not one which will wash with you clever lot.
Whether it be for the prestige, the glory, or, sometimes just for the sheer hell of it, just because the golden opportunity arose and I couldn’t stop myself, they just slipped out.
I’m not proud, just saying, you know, get it off my chest. Not compulsively, though, I’d go as far to say the majority of what I say is true.
Why do people say, “I’ll be honest with you…” ? Well duh, I sincerely hope you do anyway, it should go without saying. But the phrase immediately raises the alarm; I’m guessing a whopper is on its way. I never use that phrase on principle. The principle I don’t trust myself to keep to it.
See, what with the whopper, the real damaging kind of fib. I consider my track record on that quite good, I tend to lie to big myself up, but not to put others down. I tend to lie to make light of a situation, rather than darken the notion. I tend not to lie to anyone I trust not to lie to me, and I’ve seen too many of them backfire anyway, so, I’m done with lies, filled my quota but retain decency in not being overly destructive with them; quantity not quality!
And anyway, I don’t lie here, cos I trust you all, I really do. This isnt a tabloid, this is me. Clearly you get what you see, which might be a waffling clown but, hey.
So, Harmony, from Chippenham, on the subject of liars; she’s not singing about me, no sir, not when I say with all the honesty left in me, this young singer-songwriter I’ve discovered via Sheer music, has got something really special. And even if I was lying, which I’m not, I’ve shared the video, to prove it.
And that’s Song of the Day, for the third day. It’s become a popular feature, overnight, honest.
Should you choose to believe that!
Have a lovely rest of your day. Very good. Carry on….
Newly-formed just a year ago, this Birmingham-based seven piece reggae band, Big Ship Alliance started out as possibly the only tribute act to reggae legend Freddie McGregor, but on track to record their own material they’ve teamed up with the outstanding UB40 tribute act, Johnny2Bad for this gorgeous topical debut single.
Featuring Robbie Levi and Stones, aside from my love of all things reggae, the song’s positive message of togetherness and unification during this era of the pandemic makes it more than apt for my second “song of the day” post. Though I did say I wasn’t intending to write anything like a review on this feature, just let you enjoy the tunes, and this is kinda heading a little bit “reviewy.” Probably cos it’s such a nice tune.
I also promised not to waffle; but I’m here now. Something about having your cake and eating it goes in rather appropriately at this point!
More so than being my song of the day, I believe this should be, as the Big Ship Alliance say themselves, “the anthem for 2021!”
Determined to make this feature a goer, as of yesterday’s pledge to add a song each day, ingeniously titled “song of the day.” I know, right, it scares me at times, I’ll be honest!
So, enjoy this fantastic tune, let the good vibes roll and have a great rest of the day. Same time tomorrow then?
Irregularly I share a music video to our Facebook page with the status “song of the day,” or week, or whenever, as if it’s a daily occurrence. When the reality is it’s a big, fat fib on my part, it’s only when I happen to find such a video and can be arsed to share it. What-cha gonna do, sue me?
So, just in case your lawyer says you have a case, I thought I’d streamline this sporadic idea for 2021, make it an actual feature on the site rather than a Facebook post, and show off that I know what long words like “sporadic” mean.
Little more gone into it than this, you should be used to it by now. I’m not going to review them, just embed them here for your own appraisal and entertainment purposes. Potentially, it’ll be a groundbreakingily breif post, a simple but effective phenomenon, and something I can do without missing the Simpsons.
The challenge is consistency; whether I actually stick to the idea or, like others, it’ll be a flash in the pan. Who knows, this could be the start of something beautiful, this could be the thing they’re talking about in decades to come. A holographic Ken Bruce could be asking “what was the very first Devizine Song of the Day” in a Pop Master 200 years from now.
And you can answer it with who I bestow this honour, Atari Pilot. They’ll be revelling in the triumph of the hour if it wasn’t lockdown, I bet.
History in the making then, the only issue I foresee is I over-waffle any old crap, which is, incidentally, not what’s happening now and rarely does here; I had to explain myself, didn’t I?
Okay, I get message; here it is then, enjoy the tune, enjoy the rest of your evening. Good job, carry on.
If, in hosting the launchpad at Doca’s Festival of Discovery, I’ve recently been harking on about youthful emerging talent, this unfortunately doesn’t fit into that age bracket, no matter how young at heart those good old Trowbridge boys feel, doing what they do best; rocking out and having a barrelhouse of fun with it….
A third album from those Junkyard Dogs, Homecoming Queen, which I should’ve mentioned sooner, because it drives a buzz into your step, and doesn’t come up for air. The magic of the Junkyard Dogs is hidden in the top hat of how they tackle each one of these twelve tracks with the same classic Chicago blues template. The rabbit they pull from it is the freshened, frenzied chop they bring to each one. No matter if there’s poignant matter in the original narrative, or not, it’s exhilarating throughout and a whole heap of merriment.
Without meticulous research, it seemed at first there’s covers and originals mixed, but it really doesn’t matter which are which, because it flows seamlessly, and you wouldn’t care to wonder while being too busy dancing around your kitchen to it. The title track suggests this, despite the name sounding authentic Americana, I believe it’s original; could be wrong. But, by title and seemingly apt for their forte, I thought the jump blues tune Ice Cream Man must be an original, and was surprised to find a 1953 John Brim version of it!
With this expert showmanship of electric Chicago blues, jazzy at times, Delta at others, although it’s studio recorded, it captures the very essence of a Junkyard Dogs live show, where cover choices seem to be governed only by the law; if it sounds lively and fun, play it, and play it loud!
But there’s raw blues history honoured here too, often in songs we’ve grown to associate with differing genres, due to modern popular covers. For example, the opening song, Dave Bailey Quintet’s 1961 Comin’ Home Baby, which, through Mel Tormé’s jazz cover, is more often associated with the mod scene rather than axemen of old time blues, like these dogs.
Also respectfully paying tribute to John D. Loudermilk with a driving, piano beating Tobacco Road, rather than the English garage version from the ironically named Nashville Teens, is gold, and no matter if it’s far more current, like George Thorogood and the Destroyers’s Bad to the Bone, it’s slide guitar swagger isn’t missing with the Dogs’ version.
Though the best example is surely Green Door, originally recorded by Jim Lowe in ‘56, but best remembered today by the Shakin’ Steven’s cover; either way, both were saccharine rock n roll verging on bubblegum pop, but the Dogs unleash a jazzy edge and honkytonk guitar to that tack piano, and it’s like denim never trended in 1981. The vibe of this is reworked enough to cause me to wonder what really was behind the green door, and discover doors to illegal clubs during America’s prohibition era were painted green; something I never pondered on when I was eight!
Whatever the Junkyard Dogs throw at themselves is fair game, even when they slow the tempo for Elmore James’ The Sky Is Crying or Howlin’ Wolf’s signature Smokestack Lightening, it remains uplifting, and never as mellowed as the originals.
If Little Waters’ jump blues Just Your Fool is bang on the money for The Dog’s style, neither do they falter on wider choices, like the boogie-woogie of Amos Milburn’s One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer, or when Bull Moose Jackson’s Nosey Joe tests their skills in big band, those Junkyard Dogs rinse them all with equal precision and passion, and make for a set of stylised and flowing tributes encompassed under their irresistible house style.
Actually, after I said about the originals merging, diving deeper into Homecoming Queen, it seems Homecoming Queen is the only original on the album Homecoming Queen, but I stick by what I said, because it’s got a driving honky tonk fashion which perfectly fits into this cracking album of otherwise blues makeovers and homages. Junkyard Dogs got their mojo working; listen to this, and catch them live as they gig frequently on the circuit, and it’ll work on you.
Witnessed amazing fireworks for Confetti Battle in Devizes, and I hopped eastwards to that sacred hippy haven in the Pewsey Vale, The Barge at HoneyStreet;…
As you’re probably aware, because there’s been lots of people kicking up a scene, Wiltshire Council’s recycling centre booking system being trialled at Devizes, Lower…
Immediately after the weekend which saw press photographers ejected, so they could savagely beat women at the Birmingham Reform conference, as if someone threw a…
Tributes to Chippenham’s community activist, poet, actor, and event compere Brian Reid poured onto social media today, as the sad news of his passing spreads……
I’ve found myself sympathising about post-punk recently, how they scrambled around in the dark somewhat, taking pot shots at reggae, claiming a “new wave,” or…
Singers and players of instruments of The Southwest assembled for an album celebrating the ninetieth anniversary since Emperor Haile Selassie I was exiled to England,…
It’s quite well know, it is fair to say, that in writing “Frankenstein” in 1816, Mary Shelley invented an entire new genre of fiction – that of Science Fiction. She was eighteen years old, not yet married to Percy Shelley the poet and author although they had eloped almost two years earlier while Percy was still married to his first wife. What is maybe less widely known is that appalling weather conditions during 1816, following the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia the year before, had forced her and Percy plus Lord Byron, Claire Clairmont, and John Polidori to be effectively shut up indoors. To pass the time, Byron suggested that they each write a ghost story. The rest, as they say, is history …
It’s quite normal of course for theatre productions of “Frankenstein” to naturally cover the story of Victor Frankenstein’s education, and idea to create human life and the subsequent turmoil of his relationship with the resulting creature, and the poor creatures tortured life seeking companionship while being reviled by all. But Whimsico Productions have taken the opportunity to make the writing of the novel a key feature of this production, and director and writer Lottie Dance (with a little help from Mary Shelley 😉) has created an intertwined tale of the weather trapped group, around and within and between the story of “The Modern Prometheus”.
Yet this show is so much more than that – this is not just a play within a play, or two plays acted out side by side. Oh-so-cleverly the characters of Percy, Byron, Claire and John reflect and are the same as various characters in the fiction itself. Byron “in real life” is an arrogant, self-confident bully, and son it is for Victor Frankenstein, both played by Laurence Tuck with convincing style. Similarly, the Master’s no nonsense, brash personification with the five protagonists is reflected in an excellent portrayal of “The Creature”; excellent because Liam Green presents the creature as just not-quite-human with feelings and desires, rather than some pantomime lurching, monstrous beast.
Charlotte Spiller plays the central role of Mary with aplomb, a true presence on stage, unfazed by Byron’s bullishness, besotted with Percy. Maya Higorani makes her Whimsico debut as Claire Clairmont, Justine and Agatha, and Douglas Murdoch represents John Polidori, the writer and doctor. Percy Shelley is devotedly portrayed by Ethan John Parker who also throws Henry and Felix into his stage mix, while Morgan Waters plays Elizabeth, Walton the ship’s captain narrator, and Safie.
And I must mention the wonderful bespoke music for this show, devised by Brodie Marshall, underlying every scene with mood setting music of high quality. This show is worth a visit just for the music alone.
And so the performance delivers two stories; one well known, the other a delightful insight into what may have happened in Villa Diodati, Geneva in that May and June of 1816. Altogether is a cleverly crafted piece, delivered on a beautifully simple black box style set (I do like a black box me!), with wonderful period costumery. It runs Wednesday 11th November to Saturday 14th, at 7.30 pm at the newly re-furbished seated Rondo Theatre in Larkhall, Bath.
It’s going to be all hip hop hooray at Trowbridge’s Birdhouse when Bristol’s award-winning boom bap rappers The Scribes arrive on Saturday 21st November….
The Birdhouse has fast become a staple venue in our county town, providing free music every weekend and a town centre platform for a plethora of local acts. Yet, even if you’ve only a passing interest in hip hop, it’s an ideal opportunity to visit The Birdhouse, because, from tongue-twisting conscious rhymes to amusing improv freestyling, dope beats to unbelievable live beatboxing, The Scribes waxing lyrical will astound you……
If my heroes of hip hop rest in the old school, an era and ocean away, if I can say at least I’ve seen Run DMC live, but boom bap masters who can really spit complex, rapid-fire lyrics, like A Tribe Called Quest and the Fu-Schnickens, I’m unlikely to ever witness, and if I did they’d probably be too full of bravado to give me the time of day, The Scribes are top of the UK scene right now, and they’re nice enough to come over to say hi; they’ve even placed our logo on the poster, a nice touch to get a preview, even if I intended to anyway!
Because they rocked out the Muck & Dunder in Devizes four years ago, as they do wherever they go, but Devizes is hardly hip hop central, hence my point; you don’t have to be Eminem to appreciate the Scribes show. It’s an amazing and unique booking, Claire and Chloe of the Birdhouse, one which I’m making a beeline for, looking forward to, will report my findings, but highly recommend you pay The Birdhouse a visit on Saturday 21st November rather than read about what you sorely missed!
Better start my crazy legs retraining. St John’s Ambulance on standby; see you there!
Sad news for Marlborough, especially for the tourist industry, as the Polly Tea Room announced its closure today, after 114 years….
The iconic tea rooms popular with tourists and residents announced it was closed due to rising costs. Blaming the cost of living crisis, a note on its door said “it is impossible to run a High Street business in the UK in these circumstances.”
It is unfortunate, I see it slightly differently. Of course, we live in challenging times, but I paid a visit to the Polly Tea Rooms last month. It was disappointing and not the same exclusive experience it once was.
The building was once the Half Moon Inn, which closed in 1812. The Polly was established in 1912 by Miss Jean Leath Hay and Miss Janet McCloud, one of whom had been a suffragette.
When my family first moved to Wiltshire in the late eighties, we acted like tourists and did the tourist attractions; including the essential trip to the delightful and iconic Polly Tea Rooms. Pensioners poured off of buses, stopped there on the way to Stonehenge, and spilled into the Polly. It put Marlborough on the tourist map.
As an urban teenager, I felt like Dr Who and had gone back a hundred years in time; the green carpeted creaky floorboards, the Victorian decor, teas in vintage teapots and selection of “posh”cakes, and impeccably well-mannered waiting staff in period dress. It was worth the extra coinage in comparison to other tea rooms in the town.
After decades of living back in Essex, last month, I brought my mum back to Wiltshire for a visit, wanting her to re-experience the delights of our county. Marlborough was hot on her list and included the essential trip to The Polly Tea Rooms. I was shocked to see it stripped of the antique decor, with a contemporary run of the mill coffee stand, American diner styled seating added to grouped tables, a lack of interesting cakes, and the staff, dressed in modern coffee shop attire, had the customer service skills of late night petrol station cashiers. It immediately felt uninviting, like any typical and commercial coffee cafe chain; one step away from scanning that QR code to order!
They had a reasonable breakfast deal, which ended at midday. We were on time by ten minutes to take advantage of it, as I had not had breakfast, while my mum, being in a hotel, already had and was content with a cake. But by the time we were served, midday was two minutes past, and although they honoured the deal, the waiting staff scorned me for mentioning it.
I did not want eggs, so they kindly asked if I wanted to swap them out, and I said yes. The swap out really tips my judgement on a cooked breakfast, so I was glad they offered! But when the substandard plate came out, low and behold, the egg was staring up at me. Without apology, they whipped that plate away and took a further twenty-five minutes in which to remove the offending item and return it to me, with no sign of the swap-out item. By which time the teapot was empty and mum’s cake was as much history as the ethics of the once proud Polly Tea Rooms.
See, if it’s the policy of an establishment not to honour breakfast item swaps, then though it won’t bode well with me, it is what it is. But to enquire if a customer wants to swap, and to then not bother adjusting the order, is the worst; the worst cooked breakfast crime imaginable!
We left rather disappointed, but being it was a historic establishment, I didn’t want to kick it while it was down, so, though tempted, it wouldn’t be fair to mention it here. But now it has sadly ended, I feel I must, because it serves as an example that anyone in the hospitality industry should not forgo quality simply because it believes it is safe due to tradition and/or historic interest or location. You can not rely on decades of historic tradition because people talk, assess, and spread word faster and more effectively than ever before in this online world.
Tradition is key in Wiltshire. It is highly important; if you have it, don’t rely on it. You must maintain it to survive. You must make the experience of visiting your establishment something unique, something either different, or strengthened by the traditions it once upheld, if it had one.
Polly gone, but some weeks later, I paid a visit to Tea Inc, snuggled in the Ginnell, a tiny back lane in Devizes. I wish I could have come to terms with the fact that just because an eatery is concreted into tradition, times change. Tea Inc is new, particularly if compared to the 114 years of the Polly!
I wish I would’ve taken my mum here instead, I will next time, because she would love it! The owners have no idea I’m writing this, I don’t do advertorials, nor do I flatter anyone, but this quirky little tea room is the ultimate tea experience.
It does precisely what The Polly should have done if it had any intention of staying around to round up its reign off to 120 years. Tea Inc is cosy, welcoming, and quirky. It has the single most unbelievable menu of teas, and by comparison with grabbing a bulk standard cuppa in a cardboard cup from your average coffee chain, it’s actually cheaper, too.
I was taken aback at how many different teas there are, and there’s detailed information on them all. There’s no teabags here, all freshly served with a glass, an appropriate filtered dispenser for the tea type, be it an insulated pump or a mini modern urn, and even an egg timer to tell you when to pour, for the most perfect cup of tea you will ever experience. They truly are tea scientists!
In 1966, the Polly Tea Rooms survived a fire, destroying its upper floors and giving it its bungalow look, but it seems it could not survive these challenging times. It is likely that a hefty fine for its owners in 2023, for racially discriminating against former employee Natalia Zeh at a tribunal in Bristol, didn’t do much for their reputation or finances, but they’ll go on, blaming the cost of living crisis, while we must question it’s seemingly down to poor management.
As social media opinion on the news spreads, it seems not all was well at the Polly, with a plethora of negative comments concerned with its mismanagement. Despite those mentioning such concerns, there’s also those blaming a Labour government, although Marlborough defaulted to a Reform constituency, by bad boy Danny K’s treachery, and one keyboard warrior even goes on a limb to randomly connect migration to the issue. We’ve had the wrath of Danny K in Devizes; thankfully, we retain a tea room in the aftermath!
Tea Inc. is everything the Polly Tea Rooms should have been to sustain its rightful place on the High Street, rather than confined to Wiltshire history as a memory. So, if anyone plans to buy and renovate the relic of the Polly, take a tealeaf out of Tea Inc’ book!
Wiltshire Music Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Ken Scott as Chair of its Board of Trustees…. The appointment comes at an exciting moment for Wiltshire Music Centre as it continues to expand both its artistic and learning programmes. Alongside a programme of ambitious live music that celebrates curiosity across genres, the Centre supports musicians and music-lovers at every stage of their journey through education, participation, and community projects. From introducing children and young people to music for the first time, to creating progression pathways for emerging musicians and opportunities for lifelong learning, Wiltshire Music Centre is committed to ensuring that exceptional musical experiences are accessible to everyone.
An experienced chair, Non-Executive director, and strategic leader, Ken brings a wealth of expertise spanning commercial business, financial services, governance, and the charitable sector.
Ken has held a number of senior leadership and governance roles across both the private and charitable sectors. Until January 2026, he served as Chair of the Lending Standards Board, the independent body overseeing voluntary standards across the UK banking sector. He currently chairs JLC Distribution Ltd, supporting the company’s international growth and expansion.
His extensive charitable governance experience includes nine years as Senior Independent Trustee at St John’s Foundation in Bath, where he chaired both the Investment Committee and trading subsidiary, overseeing investment strategy and long-term financial sustainability. He has also chaired Westway Trust in London, leading significant governance and organisational development.
Ken’s executive career includes serving as Group Chief Executive of ILX Group plc, where he led a major business turnaround and established the organisation as a global leader in project management training and digital learning. Earlier leadership roles included Group Chief Executive of Hamptons International and Executive Director of Avco Financial Services. He began his career with HSBC, ultimately becoming Regional Director for the bank’s largest UK region.
Tessa Armstong, Interim Chair of the Board, said, “Ken brings an exceptional combination of strategic insight, governance expertise, and leadership experience. As Wiltshire Music Centre continues to grow its impact across the county and beyond, his experience of leading complex organisations and supporting sustainable growth will be invaluable. Most importantly, as a musician, Ken brings a love and a passion for music – vital in a venue that celebrates musical curiosity in all its forms. We are delighted to welcome him as Chair.”
Ken Scott, new Chair of the Board, said, “Wiltshire Music Centre is a remarkable organisation with a clear sense of purpose and an ambitious vision for the future. I am excited to be joining at a time when the Centre is building on its strong foundations and expanding its contribution to the cultural life of Wiltshire. I look forward to working with fellow trustees, staff, artists, supporters, and partners to help realise that ambition.”
Sarah Robertson, Executive Director at Wiltshire Music Centre, says “As we look ahead to the next phase of Wiltshire Music Centre’s development, we wanted a Chair who could bring strategic clarity, commercial insight and a genuine commitment to public benefit. Ken offers all of that and more. We’re investing in ambitious artistic programming, creating clearer learning pathways for people of all ages and abilities, and building on our role as a venue where audiences, learners, and musicians come together. Whether through inspiring concerts, youth programmes, community participation, or partnerships across the county, we’re determined to make Wiltshire Music Centre the musical heartbeat of Wiltshire.”
Wiltshire Music Centre‘s new strategy sets out ambitions to present distinctive and adventurous live music, create learning opportunities with clear progression routes, strengthen its position as the musical heartbeat of the county and build a resilient organisation capable of sustaining its impact for future generations.
Today is the first anniversary of the Devizes Area Youth Lounge on Sidmouth Street. With free afternoon sessions on Mondays, Thursdays and one for SEND youngsters on Tuesdays, it has become a safe social space for year 7 and up to gather, and shows no sign of flailing in popularity….
I dropped in to meet some of the kids, and Steve Dewar, who, as deputy director & youth work chaplain for the Wiltshire Youth for Christ, is the mastermind of this project, as well as many others in our locale, including the mobile youth cafe and Roots and Shoots, a football club set up with Wiltshire FA.
I admit, I thought I was turning up for an adult gathering, with councillors and supporters of the project, and kids would “rock up” later, after returning home from school to change and grab a snack. Instead this was just the usual afternoon open to the kids, and as such a great opportunity to see this brilliant place in action. I could hear the merry sounds of young people enjoying a natter down the street; it was jammed in there, and I realised these kids are coming here straight from school, to be greeted by Steve and his team of volunteers, and supplied with hot chocolate and cake.
Upstairs there’s a tech space, a kitchen, and meeting rooms, but downstairs is where it all happens. Steve explained there’s limited people who can gather upstairs, and thoughts returned to me of my chat with councillors Rosemary and Jonathan last week, where Jonathan suggested the project was outgrowing the available space. It certainly appeared this way this afternoon.
Steve stressed some outside garden space would be great as well as space to run extra activities, events and workshops, pointing out they often have a number of bikes parked up on the street. For now, though, they were proud of the space they had created, and looked after it.
It’s not good to give residents a reason to complain, like bicycles obstructing the pavement, but from what I witnessed, there’s a lot worse our young people could be getting up to. Here there’s their choices of music, video games, a whole racing sim, air hockey and table football, but most of them favoured chatting over a drink and snack. There was a marvellous atmosphere of social engagement, a united demographic across schools, from Devizes, Lavington and Pewsey Vale. And in this, there was a respectful feeling where they were free to discuss matters between themselves away from the restricted confines of school, home, or dare I say it, online. Although, I suspected most of them were here to more simply enjoy themselves and socially engage.
One observation I made; no one had their phone out! A couple of girls took a trip to Light & Sound, and showed me the David Bowie vinyl they brought; I was impressed and surprised by their choice! Others freely came and went, but the most important observation was their interactions with Steve, who chatted to them on their level, with natural ease, and they treated him with the utmost respect. When he asked them to tidy the empty cake wrappers, for example, they did so, and it wasn’t akin to a bossy parent or teacher scenario, it was out of mutual respect for this wonderful space he and the team had provided, and they had contributed to with their ideas.
The general ethos might be on fun and social engagement, but I felt if the kids needed someone to talk to, they could rely on him. I asked Steve if youth came to him with any issues they might have, and he replied sometimes they do, and advice was on hand for them. But for the most part of it, it’s a safe space to socialise, and that’s what they really need most. I mentioned the stereotypical and out of touch youth clubs of my era, of how vicar’s broken pool tables and watered down orange squash felt patronising to us, but the DAY Lounge is something of their own creation, modern and chic. They democratically decided on the name, and designed the layout; it was, effectively, their space, and Steve was on hand to advise, encourage and engage whenever they required him to.
Steve spoke of the need for more volunteers as well as the idea around expansion, and of funding, where it seemed youth projects in more urban environments took their fair share of grants, yet rural areas, like here, being perceived as more affluent, therefore private investment was incorrectly assumed by the powers that be as sufficient to operate this and other similar projects. The Day Lounge operates for year seven and over, and while primary school ages have facilities supplied, usually this is the age bracket which gets forgotten about, and shoulder the blame for antisocial behaviour; but that’s a direct consequence of a lack of projects like this, or one which no one is available to help and no one wants to be involved with.
I argue antisocial behaviour is a spectator sport; modern proof of this is when perpetrators film themselves doing it, whereas in our day it was chanting kids standing in rings surrounding the misbehaviour. While you may not be able to socially engage those few ringleaders, you can take away their potential audience, by providing them with some things to do, and a place to gather and do them. The answer really is that simple, and places like the Day Lounge really are proof that they are crucial to this ongoing development.
Happy 1st birthday to the Day Lounge, a brilliant project that serves the young community well, but only served me with the dream that I wish I was younger; that orange squash the vicar would provide in my era was so diluted, and the felt of the pool table was torn! I hope that we’ll see future anniversaries of the Day Lounge, and the expansion of this amazing project.
by Ian Diddams images by Wharf Theatre An artist expresses their personal thoughts. The rich and powerful use their positions to shut that expression down…
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Christmas at the Rowdey Cow; because nothing says Christmas like an ice cream! Or at least, it works for me; I’d eat ice cream through a heatwave, I’d eat ice cream on an Arctic expedition! But there’s more to our lovely ice cream parlour farm cafe than just ice cream; although the ice cream is… erm, the cream of the crop, if you’ll pardon the pun?!
Jingly bells! Christmas this year starts at The Rowdey Cow towards the end of November, when they announce their Christmas menu. It’s confirmed! They will have some seasonal flavoured beauties stocked up in their ice cream freezer this Christmas, for your careful selection, but they’re not telling us what they are yet!
On the 20th November, there’s a special Countdown to Christmas event taking place from 5:30pm until 8:00pm. You could be toasting marshmallows, getting cosy watching Christmas films, and there will be craft activities, festive food, drinks, and, of course, ice cream!
There will be a Christmas tree stall and a mini market, there’s a complimentary mince pie, and mulled wine or hot chocolate on arrival, and of course, provided you’ve been good all year, there’s a visit from a very special guest; he’s coming at 5:30, so be there on time. It’s £2 parking per car, which you can book on their website, HERE.
Santa Claus though will also be dropping into the Rowdey Cow on various mornings throughout December, and you, yes you, could be having breakfast with him! Breakfast with Santa happens on the 6th, 20th, 21st, or 22nd, where you can kick off the yule with a magical morning at Rowdey Cow. be quick though, because the 13th December has already sold out.
Enjoy a relaxed continental breakfast in the café, with the option to upgrade to a cooked breakfast on the day, then head over for a chat, story time, and a photo with Father Christmas and his cheeky Elf. Every child receives a special gift, making it a perfect December treat for families looking to sprinkle a little extra Christmassy joy!
I’m getting so excited just typing this, I might hang up my stocking now…and put a flake in it too!
There’s no fooling you; this headline is Mc-deliberately misleading! There’s not even a burger, just a clickbait sesame seeded pun. I had to grab your attention one way or the other because Devizes East has a town council by-election on 12th November. Such things rarely get a good turnout, but I met the clear favourite of this two horse race, whose surname happens to be MacDonald; that’s my excuse for the foolery, and I’m sticking with it….
It certainly didn’t feel like I was meeting a prospective councillor, in the Black Swan so close to Halloween, and nothing about it was in any way spooky! In my usual rush I hadn’t prepared any Robin Day fashioned questions, yet artless Devizes Guardian candidate Rosemary MacDonald had minimal sales pitch, and no matter how I phished for sensationalism, she certainly had no intention of returning potshots from the opposition.
I return to report my findings in all honesty (other than the slightly misleading headline!) that, as I suspected, Rosemary is the warm and friendly listener ideal for the position. Professionally, I refrained from inappropriately asking her for a cuddle, but even as a hugger, I wasn’t let down by both her welcoming personality, motivation and her experience! In reflection, I suspect Rosemary figured immediately this isn’t your typical political interview, and professionalism isn’t my forte!
Although neither of us wished to dwell on recent misinformation being spread on social media by the Devizes Conservatives regarding this by-election, it felt important to example it for the purpose of highlighting my ethos; I don’t require, welcome or find it at all necessary to involve national politics in local affairs.
Seemingly in desperation to retain the seat, it does appear unfounded claims and even baseless official complaints have been made by the Conservatives group, intentionally to discredit Rosemary personally, and the Guardians’ majority over Devizes Town Council, where it is that the realities of the issues highlighted are misinformed, or actually the responsibilities of Wiltshire Council rather than the town council. This highlights the often unscrupulous gameplay, generously funded by the national party, of councillors backed by this national party, praying on voter’s misunderstandings of which local tasks are assigned to which council; don’t be fooled, know your onions!
On the importance of keeping the dirty tactics of national politics out of town councils, Rosemary reflected, “personally I think it should, because the town council should be here to serve the people of Devizes, and the powers that the town council have are fixed. A lot of the party political issues are either at county level or national level. And so for Devizes, it’s a case of who’s going to do the best job for the town. There are great people across all parties who would do that, but I think when you’ve got a party political thing coming in from over the top, you’ve got expectations that you’re going to do things in a certain way. And I think the joy of the Guardians is they’re independent. We’re a loose coalition of people who all just want to put Devizes first, and that really appealed to me because I’ve had to spend my whole career being apolitical.”
Rosemary worked in Devizes for twelve years running the Wiltshire Community Foundation, where they set up different programmes to support people across the whole county. Later in our chat she exampled one known as One Degree More, a programme for young people to get bursaries. “I’ve had to work with whoever’s in power with the roles that I’ve had at the community foundation,” she explained, “and so I’ve had to work with Conservatives, Liberals, and Labour. So to me, the colour didn’t matter. It was a case of who was fighting for the community itself and who was going to make the best use of the opportunities that the town has.”
“The thing about the local political scene is it’s the end that matters. It’s what are we trying to achieve? And all the arguments seem to happen around the means of how we get there. And that’s fine. You should have a healthy debate and you need people with opinions different to yours, because otherwise you’d just all do the same thing and it might not work. You need people to question and challenge, and that’s absolutely right. But we all should be working from the same ends. There’s no point in having a combative approach. It’s more about, what are you bringing to the table, how does that work, and are you adding to the solution that we need to define?”
I should state that leader of the Guardians, Johnathan Hunter was also present. I assumed he was only here to get the teas in, but when he said, “just to chime in,” he wanted to express how Rosemary’s agenda is all about community. “We’re not saying that we want to keep national politics out of Devizes,” he said. “What we’re saying is, let’s make sure Devizes has a local flavour and purpose. Where that clash comes with national parties is that there’ll be a percolation coming through from the party, a party purpose, which ultimately feeds into local issues and local people, which then discounts local people and local purposes. We always say, the Guardians first and foremost are your neighbours, your friends, local volunteers, working in the town, serving in the town.”
The idea, it seemed, is that local issues are not so overcomplicated it requires the time wasting bickering associated with national politics. I sighed at my own example, of Boris Johnson and Jeremey Corbyn unable to compromise, where proactive solutions went out of the window. “That’s a really good example,” Rosemary praised, “in their case, they were arguing about the ends because they both wanted a different destination. And I think we don’t have space for that in Devizes. We need to agree on what we want to see. Because it’s not that difficult. Everybody wants a cleaner town, a thriving marketplace. They want loads of opportunities for their young people. They want to have an active, vibrant heritage and arts scene.”
Rosemary was keen to add her main reason for moving to Devizes was the arts and “all the things going on.” She spoke about driving here from Westbury to work on New Park Street, “and all I could think was Devizes is an amazing place. There’s so much going on here. And since I’ve been here, I haven’t been disappointed. I still haven’t been to all the things that I want to go to. So I’ve been dipping my toe into various things like the Food Festival, the Arts Festival, and carnival and Lantern Parade. I have yet to see the Confetti Battle because it’s never fallen when I’m actually in town. That’s something I would really love to see!”
We spent some time praising the town, whereby Jonathan did some history of the Guardians, expressed his dedication to the Guardians was due to their association with the community, and how Rosemary’s angle was centred around community matters. “Clearly we don’t have the resources of a national political party,” he said and explained they’ve not produced multiple leaflets due to waste; just one, summarising all they mean. “But what we do have is amazing people, friends and neighbours around us who do great things.”
This is where we continued onto Rosemary’s experience running the Wiltshire Community Foundation, and the support programs and bursaries it provided. I figured this funnelled into her pledge to youth projects and how her experience would be beneficial. “The thing is that knowing who to go to for funding is really important when you’re a small charity,” she said. “I know loads about that because I’ve worked in that world for the best part of sixteen years.”
Being isolated and unaware of entitlements and benefits was one of many issues the foundation set to solve. Rosemary spoke about the Surviving Winter scheme, how leftover funds the elderly didn’t personally require were used in their partnership with Age UK and the Fire Brigade Warm and Well Team, who would do checks on older people. She talked fondly about a six million pound fund she set up for care leaders, “because when children leave care, they go from being fully looked after to £60 and living on their own. We asked the network of community foundations to come up with ways that they could support care leavers.”
Clearly, Rosemary has the relevant skills to secure varied projects, like the youth scheme. I wrongly called it a fund. “It’s not a fund,” she explained, “it’s about looking at youth and what’s available for them in the town; that partnership approach, and seeing where we can secure funding from. It’s very hard to raise funds from a town council, there are other ways of attracting investment into these things. And I see lots of things and I’m thinking, I know somebody who might want to help with that, and that’s my thinking.”
I proposed an importance of involving youth in the process, to which they agreed, and it so happened they were off to the Day Lounge immediately after our chat, to meet with a group of young people feeding ideas for a youth festival next summer. Jonathan suggested they could outgrow the space of the current Day Lounge, suggesting the centre was “only the start of it,” and praised the coming together of local businesses and the community to make the Day Lounge possible, when unfortunately there had been huge cuts to youth provisions.
I never wish to make the association with youth and antisocial behaviour, buy others do, and the Conservative candidate’s affluenza suggestion to throw more police officers at it when they’re short of budget as it is, has become central to the Conservative campaign. How do they feel about this?
“Antisocial behaviour I think is very complex and it’s a multi-age issue,” Jonathan remarked, “I’ve been personally talking to various people, different agencies, but young people get branded, you know. I’ve said this as a chair of a charity of homeless people, those people get branded as well. But it’s multi-dimensional. One of the reasons I’m so passionate about backing Rosemary’s candidacy, is because we need skilled practitioners in our midst who know what key to turn at the right time.”
“Young people need to be included and need to be the architects. So Rosemary’s pitch It’s all about listening and engaging, not just about young people, about a multitude of things. I think we’ve got to really tune into who those voices are that can enable this stuff. And from a political point of view in the council, there’s lots of myths and legends out there that other parties put out in terms of what the council can and can’t do. But isn’t it refreshing to have some engagement that’s local?”
“I’ll give you a good example. Rosemary’s campaigning at the moment with Fraser, her husband, because Rosemary wants to engage residents. Rosemary doesn’t want to go around putting leaflets through letterboxes and walking down the path to the gate again. Rosemary’s talking to people. And I think by doing that, we’re hearing lots of stuff from residents. What about this? What about that? How good is it that we’ve got an opportunity, somebody who’s prepared to listen and roll up their sleeves?”
Rosemary replied, “I had some great conversations this morning,” around the Eastleigh Road and Longcroft areas. “I was talking to all sorts of people as they were walking their dogs, and people who answered their doors and some were saying ‘I haven’t got time;’ that’s actually fine. I was just introducing myself, and others were like, ‘oh we’ve had your leaflet, and ‘I just want to say hi, you know, and ask if you’ve read the leaflet.’”
Rosemary spent some time expressing concerns for a lack of career opportunities, skills-based learning, local universities, and housing for the younger generation. “It makes it very difficult for young people to find their opening, to find their chance to go and see what the world of work is like and to learn how to be face to face with people. Because a lot of that’s a skill that young people are having to learn later on in life now. And that face to face experience is so invaluable. It’ll set them up for the rest of their lives. So we need to be doing something where we can provide more opportunities for young people.”
“We need housing that they can afford, which isn’t going to be sunk into rent,” Rosemary said, “which is non-recoverable. We need more shared ownership. I was delighted to walk through a housing estate off Roundway Park, and there are some shared ownership houses there which are out for sale and that’s good. And they’re lovely; but let’s have ten times that amount. We don’t just want retired people moving to Devizes. We need to have the whole fabric and the demographic in this town. Otherwise, who’s going to look after the old people?!”
“We need to invest more in our social housing agencies, you know, our social housing landlords, because they’re the ones who provide affordable homes and then, to use them, to have land that they can use to build places that are not stuck in the middle of nowhere. You don’t want them stuck in the middle of nowhere. You want the housing in the town where people can get around.”
Rosemary told me feedback from her conversations with residents included support for the town centre shops, anti-social parking and pedestrian crossings in the ward, and the possibility of a train station. “A Guardian perspective is we’re not sat on the edges commentating and throwing grenades in. We’re doing something about it. So speaking to enforcement, speaking to Wilshire Council, working together.”
Even if flexible at times, I came away thinking this was the most honest and open political interview I’ve ever done. While their manifesto existed purely from which derived from resident’s feedback, the balance of it was based upon Rosemary’s relevant experience to collate the responses and find the best solutions. At times so much it felt like the tables were turned and I was the one being quizzed for my thoughts on matters!
It differs vastly from the opposition’s less abstract agenda of things they felt the town required, such as pulling weeds from pavements. This brings into question if the Conservatives have engaged with public opinion on the same level, intend to get their gloves on and pull the weeds out themselves, or if it’s pie in the sky. Perhaps they’ve been too busy criticising and lambasting The Guardians to concentrate on public opinion? I could ask, would honour it, but being the candidate Laura has banned me from her Facebook page, I get the impression they do not welcome my correspondence. Alienating the public in this way is in stark contrast to a candidate willing to listen.
Jonathan spoke of The Guardian’s “holistic and collaborative approach, rather than cheap shots coming in,” in which he exampled their claim the Guardians “took the benches away. Actually,” he corrected, “the benches were taken away to be cleaned and then replaced immediately. So, you know, we’re not in that space. We are standing back and looking at the bigger picture, and that’s why we are so supportive of Rosemary’s campaign, because it’s bigger picture thinking, and it’s looking at that kind of engagement with the community.”
Jonathan could not stress enough the point that they didn’t want adversarial combat, “we see all councillors as colleagues, core collaborators, and friends, working together. That’s what we would always want. We don’t want to use language like opposition, because one has to then think, opposition to what? Opposing? What are you exactly opposing? Because all of our work is community-led, community-driven. Opposition is language from Westminster.”
That’s the whole point of having a party of independent councillors, isn’t it? Not for the want of trying to coax Rosemary’s personal political sway out of her, she didn’t give. She simply replied, “I can tell you, I am an issue voter. I look at the issues that I’m concerned about, and then I look at what the responses are from each party, and my vote on the national stage will be for the party that is going the way I want to see issues tackled. I don’t have a particular leaning, which is partly because during my whole career I’ve had to be apolitical. I haven’t had the luxury of being able to pin my colours to a particular mask and be absolutely certain that they are right on all things forever. I’ve had to work in the grey, I’ve had to work with people from many different parties, and I’ve never found it a problem because I truly believe that people don’t go into politics to ruin people’s lives. Everybody who goes into politics at whatever level, at least initially, they want to make people’s lives better.”
Thanks to Rosemary and Jonathan for their time, and to everyone else, I apologise if I brought you here thinking you were going to get a Big Mac and McFlurry in Devizes, but at least that was the only thing I was being deceptive about, unlike the Devizes Conservatives!
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If you came to this monster mash last night you’d be excused for finding it hard to believe it was only a couple of years ago when I published about the formation of Devizes-based band Burn the Midnight Oil, as the high hopes I predicted for them were truly displayed for a Halloween party at The Southgate last night. As they’ve taken to using the explosive quote “utter dynamite” I once hailed about them, their progress verges on the cataclysm of the fireworks display at the end of time and space…..
The bus prematurely got me to this most comfy and hospitable tavern, historically renowned (I guess we can call it now) for its dedication to showcasing local live musical acts; needless to say I treated myself to a Rosie’s Pig; proper scrumpy priced well below the average fiver-plus pint. If I topped this up with a few extras as the evening progressed I’ll leave to your imagination, but you can usually judge by the quality of my photography skills!
A few mingled in the usual humble pub fashion, as, gradually, fancy dress clad revellers amassed in anticipation. Usually at this early stage you’ll witness band members tweaking and tuning last minute, but, professional to their core, every T was crossed and I dotted prior, and they had sneaked off for a bite to eat and likely planned their attack. This method builds excitement in the crowd, and, akin to a concert of international celebrities, Burn The Midnight Oil colourfully burst into the locally legendary alcove attired horrifically Halloween, and brewing with the confidence they’d create an electric atmosphere. Said confidence sure wasn’t cocky; they pulled everything out of the bag, and delivered a perfectly felicitous show.
Something of a homecoming, Burn The Midnight Oil are spreading their infectious vibe further afield, but as they do, they’ve established a loyal fanbase here, so the ambience was one of celebration, not just because of the spooky occasion meshing with their often dark themes, but more so because here’s a Devizes export going places, and we stand united in praising such an accomplishment.
Yay to the stipulation of ghostly themed covers, such as the obligatory Monster Mash, most apt for the band’s electric blues origins, Santana’s Black Magic Woman, plus perhaps most divinely suitable for Chrissy’s sublime sultry vocals, Dusty’s evocative Spooky, but really, Burn The Midnight Oil have reached the point where their originals are equally and knowingly appreciated locally.
Being a family affair of Devizes live music aficionados, banter and song dedications can be handsomely distributed through the crowd, and this rewards such gigs at The Southgate that communal experience you won’t get forking out for Taylor Swift at the 02 arena! For this occasion Chrissy handed out pumpkin pie and shot apéritifs during the interval, and judged fancy dressed participants.
Returning to their original outpourings, we were treated to a new song, a work in progress live debut, and presented with their recent tracks undoubtedly more positive in subject and commercially viable than their earlier, darker and often melancholic themes. With this, the most recent song Blood Sweat & Tearswas presented early in the set, whereas one of their first tunes, Werewolf, despite it being appropriate for Halloween, was saved for the encore, of which, such was the applause, they honoured about three of them and still had to make excuses that time was called!
This implies progress made causes them to compare objectively the worth of their earlier output against the newer songs; assessment and self-analysis is a positive attribute for the creative process. The proof was in the pudding, this was an insanely brilliant performance with more depth than ever before, and an added guest guitarist they picked up on their journeys. It was presented with passion and the perfect balance of an upcoming band forming a professional backbone, while retaining the communal ambience of a local watering hole and audience they’re familiar and fond of. The sum of these parts is the kind of memorable night you’ll take home with you, with the added promise to yourself to make a beeline for another Burn The Midnight Oil gig in your vicinity.
If you’ve any suspicion you’ve been shortchanged recently with Devizes’ live music scene, The Southgate sticks to the same guns it always fired, levelling up any deficit; if the roof is still intact after last night, Jon Amor Trio arrive this afternoon for their monthly residency, and you best believe the party continues in our very own jukejoint.
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Real life Little Red Riding Hood, Lille Røde comes to The Queen’s Head in Box on Saturday November 28th; beware wolves!
Sounding something like St Vincent meets Chappell Roan and playing on fairy tale origins, Lille Røde, Danish for ‘Little Red,’ is a dynamic, four-piece indie-rock act, delivering sharp, theatrical relief in a world of mismanaged politics, misguided social interactions, and systemic misogyny.
The band is the ultimate creative vehicle for singer-songwriter Anna Mountford. After an established UK career beginning with starring roles in London’s West End shows, such as Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, Mountford went on to become a regular fixture on British TV, in shows like Holby City, Silent Witness, The Giblet Boys and Jack of Hearts.
In her teens, Anna packed up her life to pursue a childhood dream in Los Angeles. Instead of a Hollywood fairytale, she encountered a massive culture shock; a modern wilderness filled with “wolves” lurking in politics, religion, health care, law enforcement, education and relationships.
Realising she had completely misread the hopeful futures promised by the pop culture of her youth, she created Lille Røde. Named as a nod to her love of Nordic noir, the songs flirt with the radical notion of slaying metaphorical wolves. The music serves as an unflinching post-mortem of career-spanning trauma, dissecting heavy personal and societal themes with a razor-sharp edge. Her 2015 track Meteorite was included in a Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition playlist. Most recently her song Run Away was featured on BBC Introducing in the West.
Writing for a generation caught between the nostalgia of Doris Day and Back to the Future, and the harsh realities of contemporary culture, Lille Røde delivers a visually compelling live experience. Anna is a consummate storyteller and her lyrics are engaging and unique. Her growing catalogue explores identity, heartbreak, and social issues with honesty, dark humour and a strong sense of personality.
Backed by radio exposure, a proven track record at festivals and established venues across the South West, Lille Røde brings a natural, polished stage confidence that goes far beyond just playing the music. Ambitious, experienced, and fiercely original, they are fully equipped to bring an unforgettable, high-energy show to any audience.
From Facebook requests, Lille Røde has selected two support acts for the gig at The Queen’s Head in Box on Saturday 28th November, and we fully approve! The wonderful Jess Chivers and Devizes-own gunslingers of Americana groove, Burn The Midnight Oil.
Grandma, what big teeth you have, but what cheap tickets you have too! Tickets are a nip for such a show at only a fiver; all the better to eat you with!
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