Spring has sprung amid terminal decline

The clocks have gone forward - must have taken me that hour to reset all the clocks, watches and assorted gadgets this morning - so Spring's officially here, although the rain is battering off the window as I write. What was that old saying - 'March roars in like a lion and goes out like a lamb'? There's nothing docile about our weather today - it seems the distinct seasons as I think I remember them winter have gone for ever. Yesterday I put out a washing for the first time this year and I was joined by my cat Paddy, who took his usual vantage point in among bushes - flowering much earlier this year due to the mild winter - to await any unsuspecting bird. By nighttime we had icy winds and flurries of snow.
I blame Alex Salmond!
Anyway, top story of the week has been Heathrow's new Terminal Five. Opened in a blaze of publicity by HM The Queen, the new terminal was hailed by British Airways as taking Heathrow into the 21st century. As you'll be aware the spin hasn't quite been backed up by the actualite (wee touch of French there, more later) and it has been one monumental ****-up. If you are going to ****-up it's probably just as well to make it a proper ****-up, so full marlks to BAA for the scale of this shambles. It's reassuring to know in this constantly changing high-tech world that Britain still leads the way in ****ing up big style. The Dome, the Scottish Parliament, now Heathrow and doubtless the London Olympics to look forward to - we can do it! Well done chaps! Highlight of the week was the BA press officer reading a brief statement before running away from the press corps. BA's head honcho finally appeared to say that he takes full responsibility and that this 'was not our finest hour'. Really? He'll be resigning immediately then? I'd imagine there is more chance of you and your bags arriving at your destination at the right time than there is of that happening.
Take Three Girls
Let's hear it for the girls! Three leading ladies hit the headlines for different reasons this week:
Carla Bruni, wife of French President Sarkozy, enchanted the press with her winsome ways, casual elegance and panache (I told you there would be more French, didn't I?) The new Mme Sarkozy has that certain 'je ne sais quois' (that's enough French - I failed my 'O' Level)and she has the media fawning at her feet. Mark my words, readers, this is the latest Jackie Kennedy/Princess Diana figure. Prepare yourselves for dozens of articles, hundreds of words and thousands of pictures for years to come ...
One former First Lady who possibly won't mind being knocked off the front pages - for a few days at least - is failing Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who was caught lying about her time in Bosnia earlier this week. The brave Mrs Clinton recalled stepping off a plane in war-torn Bosnia 12 years ago, having to run for cover to dodge the flying bullets. The truth, apparently, was somewhat more benign - she stepped off the plane to be greeted by a young Bosnian girl bearing a bouquet of flowers and was quickly whisked away to her hotel. Bullets? Flowers? I's an easy mistake to make, and time does play tricks on the old memory, eh Hills?
Anyway, it wasn't a lie. Not at all. In that quaint way the Clintons have of mis-using and abusing the English language - remember 'I did not have sexual relations with that women'? - the fragrant Hillary claimed she had 'mis-spoke' about her Bosnian visit. Mis-spoke? Desperate times call for desperate measures and these are desperate times indeed for Clinton, the great 'mis-spoker' - or should that be bare-faced liar? It's only words ...
And finally, closer to home, oor ain wee gem Wendy Alexander. Readers of this column will know that I am not Wendy's greatest fan, so you will not be too surprised to hear that I was not overwhelmed by the Leaderene's speech to the Scottish Labour Party conference at Aviemore yesterday. The party's last remaining heavweights have been wheeled out to support Alexander at Aviemore, and Wendy stunned the expectant nation with a call for .. wait for it ... Socialist policies! Whatever next - honesty? Despite the fact that Nat-bashing has proved to be a turn-off for voters Wendy has decided on a campaign to show the SNP up as right-wing 'Tartan Tories'. Looking at New Labour's track record, she's been badly advised and her announcement that she will 'expose the dishonesty of the SNP' is a huge mistake. Wendy would be well advised to steer well clear of words like 'honesty', 'integrity' and 'truth' as long as she is in office - every time she uses one of these words she presents the SNP with an open goal - and they have proved that they are pretty effective in hitting the target.
The Sporting Life
Hitting the target is something Hibs couldn't manage at the Fir Park tattie-field yesterday and the defeat is a real dent to our hopes of finishing third and clinching the Eufa Cup place. Hearts did us a favour in beating Dundee United, who in my view are favourites to finish third, but Hibs couldn't capitalise on this rare show of generosity.
The Scottish Premier League championship is effectively over as a competition, with Rangers now six points clear of Celtic with a game in hand. Celtic look incapable of even scoring against Rangers never mind beating them twice, which is what they would have to do as well as hoping that Rangers slip up against one of the also-rans.
It's also clear-cut at the bottom, with sorry Gretna now relegated.
What interest remains centres on the race for third place between Dundee United, Hibs and Motherwell and also the battle for the final top six place, finely poised between Falkirk, Hearts and Aberdeen who are all separated by just one point. Not exactly riveting stuff if you are more interested in the titanic struggle between the giants at the top of the English Premiership, is it?
I caught the Old Firm game on Setanta yesterday - not a footballing classic by any means but all of the usual blood and snotters with yellow cards aplenty. I would imagine that the game attracted a huge worldwide audience; meanwhile on terrestrial TV BBC Sport focused on cycling and ITV had the University Boat Race. Thrilling ...
Entertainment
While I gave BBC's sporting output a miss, I did catch some excellent TV on the Beeb this week. For me, Holby Blue, Casualty and Holby City are always worth watching and the best thing on TV just now is not Ashes to Ashes - I don't think the second series is anything like as fresh or funny as the first - but The Curse of Comedy. Ken Stott played tragic alcolic Tony Hancock this week and it really was a stunning performance. This series is bound to win awards - next week Trevor Eve takes on Hughie Green - and I mean that most sincerely friends I really do ...
Despite what I have said above I don't watch a great deal of telly as a rule, and in the free time I have I try to listen to some music. The album I've played most this year is 'Passion Play' by Nightwish, but the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration 'Raising Sand' is a very close second. I've listened to it a lot of recent weeks, and while I'm not a huge fan of country music this is a gem of an album. Get it on your turntable, pop-pickers!
Work and Community
We got our 301st edition off to print on Thursday and once again the NEN itself made the front page. The key review meeting with our board and staff will take place on Wednesday and we'll have a clearer idea then of what we plan to do to survive.
I explained our predicament at Wednesday's community council meeting and there's a strong level of support there - as there seems to be in the wider North Edinburgh community and even among the local councillors of all parties. How this goodwill can be converted into a feasible working business plan is the key now.
I tried to contact British Airways to see if they have any advice to offer on crisis management, but apparently their press spokesman is still running ...!

Hope springs eternal - see you next week!

Glass Half Full?

Last week was another short working week but quite an eventful one. I took a holiday on Monday after the previous week's Cheltenham exertions and Friday was a public holiday, so only three days in the office. However the three day week could well become the norm ...
On Tuesday I was brought up to speed with all the ramifications of last week's council decision to 'disinvest' in community newspapers. Mary also had meetings with Forth councillor Elaine Morris and Martina McChrystal, the lead officer in Forth and Inverleith for Communications and Engagement, a rather gloomy meeting of the Edinburgh Community Newspaper Trust and there was a meeting of the NEN board too. The upshot of all this is that there is little or no support for community papers within the current administration, and the money on the table from last Thursday's council meeting is only to be used to fund redundancies brought about by the winding-up of the various papers.
This leaves the NEN with a shortfall of around £27,500 per year - money we will have to find if we are to continue as we are presently. Realistically, that's unlikely. However the bulk of our funding is received through North Edinburgh's Community Regeneration Fund - soon to be replaced by Fairer Scotland Funding. It seems likely that this funding will continue at least until the end of the current calendar year, so we do have some breathing space to put together a rescue package.
There is to be a joint board/staff 'brainstorming' session early next month to see if we can come up with any ideas on how we can salvage the situation. I do think that we can continue, although perhaps in a scaled down format working reduced hours, reduced pagination and perhaps even doing away with door to door delivery. The situation is difficult, but not impossible and we do have the luxury of some time - sadly something the Gorgie/Dalry Gazette, with only ECNT funding, doesn't.
I'm still optimistic about our short-term future at least, although I wouldn't want to predict beyond Christmas.
BBC at it's best
I had a few evening jobs to cover last week but I did manage to catch a couple of BBC dramas which encapsulate everything that's good about the BBC (I am a huge fan of the BBC - despite constant criticism and interference from politicians I still see the BBC as one of our national treasures and something that should be cherished). The Passion was excellent (I only caught one episode, but I know how the story ends anyway!) and the new series on BBC4 'The Curse of Comedy' was superb - last week focused on the fraught relationship between Harry H Corbett and Wilfred Bramble, the stars of Steptoe and Son, and it was terrific. If the rest of the series is as good as the opening drama we're in for a real televisual treat and I'm looking forward to this week's film which has Ken Stott playing the role of Tony Hancock.
Last week the BBC was also heralding the fact that it has secured the rights to Formula One coverage - I can't say that I am particularly excited about that. Grand Prix races inevitably seem to hinge on how fast cars can clear their pit lanes these days and I don't see a lot of excitement there. Maybe I'm missing something, but give me the drama of the Embassy World Darts from the Lakeside any day!
It's a public holiday again today so it's another short working week, although we go to print on Thursday so it's going to be busy few days, but I much prefer that, anyway.
Tomorrow I'll attend the funeral of Jimmy Stewart, who was the Evening News Circulation Manager for many years. I first met Jimmy when I started with the Scotsman in 1974 and he was a real character - and a good crooner too. Recently I've bumped into him at the Unionist Club where he was becoming an active and enthusiastic member. I was amazed to read that Jimmy was 79 - he didn't look it or act it, and I'll miss seeing him around - he was one of life's good guys and was always really fun company. I'm sure there will be a huge turnout at his funeral.

Winners and Losers

My thousands of readers will have noticed that I failed once again to make my regular Sunday post last weekend. The excuse this time - I was down at Cheltenham for the Gold Cup and only returned home late on Sunday evening.
I've been a fan of jumps racing for many years - those old steeplechasing campaigners come back year after year, unlike their soft and cossetted flat racing relatives who may only run a few times - often only for a season - then retire to stud. The jumpers become old familiar friends (though, like friends, you may curse some of them them occasionally!)and National Hunt racing remains something of a sport, a tradition other than a big business.
I've wanted to go down to Cheltenham for the annual National Hunt Festival for over 25 years, but for a number of reasons it never happened. Instead, I've taken annual holidays to watch the races on telly, either at home or, in my Scotsman days, in the pub. However as a birthday present for me last year Caroline arranged a trip (or is that a pilgrimage?)down to Prestbury Park for the Gold Cup on Friday.
Cheltenham is a notoriously difficult meeting to find winners - huge fields, mind boggling handicaps and the absolute cream of jump racing from the UK and Ireland trained to peak fitness for those races in March. There's over twenty races and I think I'm doing quite well if I can bag a winner per day (the Festival used to be held over three days but was extended to four a few years back).
Since I left the Scotsman in 1999 I haven't followed the form as religiously as I used to in the run-up to Cheltenham, but because I was actually attending the meeting this year I decided to subscribe to Timeform and do some homework beforehand. It paid dividends too - two winners on the opening day and another two on Thursday's ten race card (Wednesday was postponed due to high winds causing structural damage to the course) meant that I was well in front - as long as I didn't lose too heavily on Gold Cup day I would finish the week in front (something I haven't achieved since the unforgettable See More Business - my favourite ever horse, and not just because I won a lot of money on him - triumphed in the Gold Cup in 1999.)
However that proved a challenge - the rescheduled card offered nine betting opportunities, and because you are down there you really can't just stand and watch without placing a wager with those cheery Irish bookies, can you? Well, the day was a marathon not a sprint - we left our hotel in Bromsgrove at 9:15 and it took two hours to reach the course; the roads were jam packed with racegoers and you envied those lucky (and rich) folk who travelled to the course by helicopter - and there were dozens of them. Anyway, our early departure meant we arrived in plenty time for the first race and we had time for a leisurely stroll round the various stalls and a chance to soak up the atmosphere before the first race at 12:30.
I won't bore you with details of the racing: suffice to say that, despite my having spent hours poring over the form book, I failed to get a horse even placed in the 12:30, the 1:05, the 1:40,the 2:15 or the 2:50. Despondent? No - even despite the fact that Caroline - no student of the turf but picking horses because she 'likes the name' - was collecting from the bookies after almost every race!
I believed that Kauto Star would win the Gold Cup although I wouldn't back him at short odds, so I had a small bet on an outsider called Knowhere (guess where he finished? No - he was sixth!) and watched the most eagerly anticipated Gold Cup clash in my lifetime. As it turned out, it was not the neck and neck struggle up the famous Cheltenham hill that many pundits had predicted and racing enthusiasts had hoped for - Denman (Kauto's stablemate) galloped his rivals into the ground and had them all beat a good way out. I don't think Kauto Star showed his true form (perhaps the good to soft ground was tackier than he likes) but take nothing away from Denman. He looks an awesome beast and he's truly a worthy champion.
On to the Foxhunters - this race for amateur riders traditionally follows the Gold Cup and I've had the winner here a few times over the years. And yes, I backed a winner at Cheltenham!!! Amicelli won well, and at a very rewarding 33-1.
I didn't back another winner but Amicelli ensured that the day didn't prove too costly.
It was an experience I'll always remember so thanks, Amicelli, thanks Caroline and thanks Cheltenham for the memories - the women dressed a la Royal Ascot in chiffon and ridiculously high heels (spotted later up past their ankles in fine old Gloucestershire mud), the seething throng that packed the Guinness village, the hard-working bookies who handed over money with a smile (honestly!) and the legion of happy drunks wandering around the car park in near dark looking for their lost coaches. Magic.
We spent the rest of the weekend with Esther and Peter in Birmingham - as ever they were generous hosts and we enjoyed a few (well more than a few)drinks in one of the many new waterside bars which have sprung up since Birmingham's canal has been regenerated. That area was really run-down but it's now really bustling with bars, restaurants and small craft shops; it seems that this is one regeneration that has proved a success.

The N(EN)d of the story?

The NEN made the front page of the NEN this month - we've reached the milestone of 300 editions. That's not bad going for a wee community newspaper, so the achievement gave us the chance to blow our own trumpet (and honestly, there wasn't an alternative front page lead this month!)
However the celebration was short-lived - last Friday, we received the news that the city council is to slash funding to the Edinburgh Community Newspaper Trust (of which NEN is part), effectively shutting down the city's wee stable of community newspapers. Now a cut in funding was not unexpected - like every other voluntary organisation in the city we have been anxiously awaiting news of the council's deliberations - but the way in which the news was delivered was disappointing to say the very least. We got an email informing us of the council's recommendations at lunchtime on Friday, with no prior warning of the scale of the cut and giving our voluntary board of directors little time to organise a response before this Thursday's council meeting.
I have to declare on interest here, naturally - I have worked with North Edinburgh News for nine years - but I genuinely believe that the NEN is an important part of community life in this part of the world. It's what many, many people have told me when I am out and about covering stories every day. People like the NEN, and look forward to receiving it every month.
Yes, the council must balance it's books but it seems to me that they have gone for an easy hit here and singled out an organisation that does not easily fir into any of the usual pigeon-holes. There has been no time or opportunity for community newspapers to argue their corner, and it's now left to councillors to debate and decide where funding should go and what projects should be prioritised. I would imagine that the council will go with the recommendations in the report on Thursday, and I think it's a mistake and a real pity - and I would say that whether I worked with the NEN or not.
Whatever the council decides over the future of ECNT, however, there is a lifeline for the NEN at least. The majority of our funding comes through COmmunity Regeneration Funding (CRF), which is now to be distributed through the new Neighbourhood Partnerships. Discussions on CRF funding (actually it's successor Fairer Scotland funding, but I'm trying hard not to bore you here!) have only just begun and there will be an opportunity here to at least put forward a case for the NEN. As I say there is a lot of community goodwill for the NEN, and I feel a campaign coming on ...
While the news from the council last weekend was bleak, I was heartened by the performance of some of the sporting minnows last weekend - in the FA Cup the giants were humbled one after the other by minnows like Bradford and Cardiff, and Scotland, not given a hope beforehand, turned England over at Murrayfield. I don't want to sound like some 'Thought for the Day' clergyman here, but 'you know, sometimes the wee guy can face up to the big guy and win'. We'll see - I won't mention wee Gretna, a true life fairytale that's turning into a nightmare as the club goes into receivership - but, while we may not make it to 400 editions, I certainly don't plan to be writing the final chapter anytime soon.

The Good Life ...

Like the new pad? Archerfield House near Dirleton was home last weekend when the Brydon clan - around 30 family members - descended on the recently-refurbished stately home for part two of Ann's birthday celebration. (To be fair to Ann, she didn't know it was to be part two - the recent Bruges trip was a closely guarded family secret).
It was a tremendous weekend, with absolutely everything laid on - fine food, all the drink you could wish and almost non-stop entertainment. A casino night, golf, go-karting and live music to round off the weekend - with a quiz running over Saturday and Sunday just to make sure that nobody (a) got bored and (b)sat around getting quietly p*ssed! It was an unforgettable experience and lots of fun in the most opulent of settings - I think the bedrooms were roughly the size of my hoose!
How the other half live, eh? Anyway it was back to the real world and sunny Drylaw on Monday to recover - getting too old to handle all these late nights I think!