Dearest Hampstonians, Hampsteadites and Hampsters,
Hurrah! The spring edition of the Hampstead Village Voice is at the printers and will be at newsagents in and around Hampstead from the 1st of April 2025.
It's quite a hefty edition too, going behind the scenes of high street crime and how it is or, rather, isn't being tackled.
We also take a perilous plunge into the Ladies Pond gender 'culture wars' but shrewdly allow both sides have their say. Two anonymous local ladies Mabel Pondweed and Ms. Transponder share very different viewpoints on a topic that's something of a hot potato.
And there's the story of that disgruntled life-drawing teacher who made a bit of a splash on Fleet Street. But our arts critic Dr. Klaus von Kunst reveals a naked truth: when it comes to temperamental artists spitting their dummies out to the press, one can't believe everything one reads.
After that mercifully non-lethal bus crash in South End Green on New Years Day, Tom Kearney writes a powerful piece on a very serious subject that the authorities and their contracted bus operators seem to sweeping under the carpet.
Sadly, there are a few end-of-an-era obituaries. Rex Cowan, Henry Kelly, Ken Howard and Rebecca Mendelsohn were all much loved members of the Hampstead family and will be sorely missed.
On a brighter note, the High Street Spy will keep you up to date with all the local gossip, Vin de Plume gets sozzled on English sparkling wine, Martin Bell pens an unforgiving poem on that twunt Trump and we discover Hampstead's newest and tiniest pub, smack bang in the middle of the village.
So there's plenty to get your Hampstead Heaths into. Talking of which, did I mention a leaked document revealing the City of London's plans to commercialise the Heath? There's a story on that too. Oh, and Terry Gilliam has a few things to say to yours truly in the Hampsteadites Diary.
There's loads of other stuff but you'll have to get the mag to know what.
Viva Hampstonia!
Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein xx
Editor in economic exile.
PS. Remember to turn to page 42.
