MILLENNIUM A.D.
So it's been and gone and I guess that not too much has changed.
The Millennium promised so much but died a death as just another New Year
celebration but with extra fireworks!
We all know about the London Eye project and how it has become something
of a laughing stock, but the Dome is an incredible achievement and just
seems to be lacking the support it needs. There are, in my view, two
reasons for this.
One is that the national newspapers seem determined to put it
down and let's be honest, at twenty quid a lump, many visitors won't need
too many excuses to keep away. The second reason is fairly obvious. Just
as all representatives of the trade enquired during its early days - how
do the visitors get there other than by the cramped Underground?
Call Sign was probably first, when in a February 1998
article, Stephen Berndes (R14) asked that very question. He went on to
suggest that DaC could cash in with some publicity by offering a free
service from the Dome. That didn't go down too well with some drivers and
was, perhaps, asking too much. Nevertheless, that article was published
two years ago today, yet no one at the top has thought that making such a
huge attraction should have included massive car parking facilities to go
with it.
Can you imagine Disney opening up a theme park and not
allowing parking? Some may say that cabs are allowed in so why worry, but
this project is far too big to be serviced by a lone taxi rank. You have
to bear in mind that this is not a set-down and pick-up process. Take
somewhere like Madame Toussaud or even Harrods - there is always the
chance of a return trip, but at the Dome, passengers will go in the
morning and return in the evening. In the middle will be very little cab
work, so ranking up will be pretty pointless.
And even that much is uncertain as Allen Togwell was recently
forced to drop a passenger at the barrier, told that he could go no
further and that his passengers would have to walk! Not allowing black
cabs through is different to what we were told initially. Allen contacted
the Dome authorities and was told there was now a change in plans and ALL
passengers must now be dropped just right of the barrier.
It's too late anyway now; it is what it is. The planners and
builders etc obviously felt that it would be better if any land that might have been used for car parking would be of better use as something more financially profitable - ie hotels etc. So long as they don't blame the public. All I know is that I shall be going as soon as I can find the time and I'm looking forward to it. But I'm not looking forward to the two-way journey...
MILLENNIUM CALL SIGN
Thank you to all those of you who waylaid me to tell me how much
you enjoyed the Millennium special issue of Call Sign. In all honesty, the
decision to put out the 'special' was made for me by the Post Office whose
warnings of post early for Christmas meant that I had to complete the mag
in seven very hard days as against the usual three weeks! Hence much
archive material.
But I'm glad that you liked it and to those of you who
suggested a regular 'Flashback' page, I shall be doing it whenever there
is room. Once again, your kind words are very much appreciated...
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
There is little that computers cannot do nowadays. The problem
though is that they are not totally infallible - even though they think
they are! Mine proved that, halfway through doing this issue when it
decided to make it's own plans! Suddenly I had to transfer all my
information from one machine to another - usually a fairly simple
operation but only when you are not in a hurry!
My old machine obviously knew that a quick change-round was
urgent and did everything it could to delay me. The bottom line of all
this is that if you find many errors, it could well be my old machine's
revenge for unceremoniously dumping it!
TALK OF LONDON DRAW
Many of you will have entered the on-going Call Sign draw
where each month one name is pulled out of the office hat and that
person is presented with a table for two or four at the excellent Talk of
London night-club/restaurant (see the Call Sign ad and draw result). Those
whose names are not drawn out are re-entered each month together with any
new names.
Last month, thanks to the Talk of London, I was invited along
courtesy of the Management to sample the evening's fayre. My wife and I
took our three children and their partners and we really had a great time.
Some of you will tell me that I'm only saying that because I have to, but
that is untrue. We had a wonderful evening - leaving after the last dance
at 12.35 am.
The food is every bit as good as you could possibly expect at
an establishment where all the guests want to eat at the same time! The
choice was also very good including a vegetarian dish and a fish dish. The
cabaret is excellent and represents a form of entertainment seen all too
rarely nowadays - singing, dancing and comedy all performed to the highest
of professional standards.
The star of the cabaret is Carl Wayne, former leader of the
sixties pop group The Move - whose 1967 single Flowers in the Rain was
forever imortalised by Tony Blackburn as the first-ever record to be
played on Radio 1.
The ninety-minute cabaret section is pure fun and enjoyment.
Following that, you can take to the dance floor and burn off all the
calories that you have no-doubt put on!
And for those who think that the drinks must cost the earth?
Well they don't.
Don't forget, if you take anyone to the Talk of London who
hasn't already booked there, the Management will give you £7.50 for each
person. And at £37.50 a head, they are in for an evening to remember...
1999 AGM
As always, I look forward to seeing many of you at the AGM (and
yes, it IS the 1999 one!). As I've said before, even if I were not the
Editor of Call Sign I would still attend, however, for those of you who
believe that you do not have to attend anymore, can I just offer you a
money saving suggestion. If you do not intend coming along, then you MUST
have used the postal vote facility. If you do not attend and haven't
previously voted, then you will cop for fifty quid...!
