Post Festival

Greenbelt Management Group meeting today. For once an opportunity to spend a bit more time than the rushed few hours on a Monday night; a bit more space to review, ponder, dream.

Gill starts proceedings with a time of devotion. Within this she suggests that it is fitting that Greenbelt occurs at the end of the summer. This timing she proposes, gives us a rounding off of the season, we don’t rush off on holiday, we have space after the festival to reflect, to let things sink in.

Of course this flies in the face of the theory that Steve F and I have developed and I share this with her later. After all this fancy-smancy time for reflection is all well and good, but what about getting time to play out in the sun?

All things considered I’m not swayed, I remain committed to the campaign; what we need is an extra bank holiday in June so we can move the festival forward. All we’re lacking is a fully willing ‘martyr’ (Kathryn, your equivocation has been noted my love) and the humdinger of all causes to get the public rallied. Of course having a catchy tune to head things up is a nice to have, but I’m sure if we get the rest sorted, Stevie Wonder would help us out…

For now though, the festival maintains its position in the late August part of the calendar and the considered view is that it marked its place this year particularly well.



A group of us head off to Brick Lane for a curry this evening at a place called Preem. Banners claim that it has been lauded as the best curry house on Brick Lane by various respectable publications. The food is good, but if this is the best Brick Lane has to offer, then it’s running a way behind Rusholme, Bradford or Birmingham. Still I keep such thoughts to myself (I understand how unreconstructed Londoners struggle to cope with such criticisms…). Still I include it here, Steve L would be disappointed if I didn’t cover matters of curry in my blogs...



After the meal we head on to Spitz at Spitalfield market to meet up with other Greenbelt makers for a post-festival party.

Lots of my favouritest people all in one place – excellent!

An excellent evening of much drink, catching up and laughter. Some time after one am we’re turfed out and the fabulous Steve is true to his word and drives me back to my folks’ place. It feels very weird to be driving through the area I grew up in with a friend I met many years after leaving the locale…sort of like one of those mad dreams where different sections of your life meet up.

Not sure this is a good feeling.