tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67183797368508714642024-03-13T10:25:10.928-07:00Hampstead Village Voice — Editor's Occasional Blog.A satirical, irrerverent and often controversial magazine for Hampstead Village. Out in September!Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-66646487708559545432022-03-16T05:46:00.010-07:002022-03-16T06:09:34.549-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6YqqmZTdOMEroqjWNDlfdhx4ZXpLUP0vgv01OyToH-GknoZpYAYiNOvn2EhSVlLJvfhSElBSos4W6QJDAky4Z1EMZInjuYbJCZLSHqY6uHo4AM1Fg30Tpz_kUjuVe7Q-cuW435Z84vQGAcqOu5tL3IxI35MWZB0KLJAjyA94AzKyIXz3BqcF3cY2a=s3508" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="2481" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6YqqmZTdOMEroqjWNDlfdhx4ZXpLUP0vgv01OyToH-GknoZpYAYiNOvn2EhSVlLJvfhSElBSos4W6QJDAky4Z1EMZInjuYbJCZLSHqY6uHo4AM1Fg30Tpz_kUjuVe7Q-cuW435Z84vQGAcqOu5tL3IxI35MWZB0KLJAjyA94AzKyIXz3BqcF3cY2a=w366-h518" width="366" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>Watcha Hampsters, Hampsteadites and Hampstonians!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">After weeks banging away at publishing my new book <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1739991303" target="_blank">The Joy of Addiction</a></i>, I've also managed to get the spring edition of the <i>Hampstead Village Voice </i>off to the printers ahead of time. Somehow, I've also managed to fit in rehearsals with <a href="https://www.ridiculouswebsite.com" target="_blank">Ridiculous</a> and the occasional cappuccino outside the Wells with Dave <i>The Beard</i>: I honestly don't know how I do it. </span></p><div class="DraftEditor-paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="akn7e" data-offset-key="3aufb-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="3aufb-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span data-offset-key="3aufb-0-0">As for edition 48 of the </span><span data-offset-key="3aufb-0-1" style="font-style: italic;">Hampstead Village Voice,</span><span data-offset-key="3aufb-0-2"> I don't mind telling you, it's a load of rubbish: literally... reams of it. </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our hope is to embarrass Camden Council into finally acknowledging that it has a serious, systemic refuse infrastructure problem. Because before it acknowledges that, nothing will change. Hampstead (Camden) needs an infrastructure fit for 1975. Yes, 1975: because the streets were actually a hell of a lot cleaner then.</span></div></div><div class="DraftEditor-paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="akn7e" data-offset-key="4iq31-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="4iq31-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-0">Also in the spring edition: unwanted über-developments in Streatley Place and the 02 Centre are demolished by <b>Courtney Newton</b> and the </span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-1"><b>High Street Spy</b></span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-2"> respectively. The latter also slags off 'dangerous' e-scooters. In an unapologetic orgy of nostalgia, the legendary Hampstead Pram Race features in our centre-page spread; </span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-3" style="font-weight: bold;">Brigid Shaughnessy</span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-4"> focuses on Camden Council's needlessly brutal tree policy; </span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-5" style="font-weight: bold;">Justine Zwerling </span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-6">reveals a free new app to help women feel safe on the streets; the </span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-7" style="font-style: italic;">Hampsteadite's Diary</span><span data-offset-key="4iq31-0-8"> has all the insider news and goss on the High Street's to-ing's and fro-ings. </span></span></div></div><div class="DraftEditor-paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="akn7e" data-offset-key="8aojq-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8aojq-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-0">There are a couple of splendidly Hampsteady stories including </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-1" style="font-style: italic;">When Hampstead Had More Pigs Than People</span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-2"> (by </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-3" style="font-weight: bold;">Adam Yamey)</span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-4"> and </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-5" style="font-style: italic;">The Landlord of The Wells Gets Himself Barred, </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-6">adapted from my new book </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-7" style="font-style: italic;">The Joy of Addiction </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-7">(I've mentioned it twice, I think I got away with it).</span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-8"> </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-9" style="font-weight: bold;">Sandy Markwick </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-10">reviews </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-11" style="font-style: italic;">Anoint my Head,</span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-12"> another new book by </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-13" style="font-weight: bold;">Andy MacLeod </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-14">on how to fail at being a rock star, whilst </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-15" style="font-weight: bold;">Klaus von Kunst </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-16">drools over the </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-16">101st </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-17" style="font-weight: bold;">Hunter Davies</span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-18"> book,</span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-19" style="font-style: italic;"> The Heath. </span><span data-offset-key="8aojq-0-19">101 not out: pretty impressive stuff, Hunter.</span></span></div></div><div class="DraftEditor-paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="akn7e" data-offset-key="e34d8-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="e34d8-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="e34d8-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia;">HVV48 will be out on the 1st of April 2022... or maybe even earlier!</span></span></div></div><div class="DraftEditor-paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="akn7e" data-offset-key="72vtg-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="72vtg-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="72vtg-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you again so much for all your support.</span></span></div></div><div class="DraftEditor-paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="akn7e" data-offset-key="d5ket-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="d5ket-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="d5ket-0-0"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein</i></span></span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="d5ket-0-0" style="color: #241e12; direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="d5ket-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Editor knee-high in refuse bags.</b></span></span></div></div>Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-88545242033420130262021-05-13T08:12:00.029-07:002021-05-15T04:25:37.292-07:00Hampstead Village BID Ltd: Thanks For Your Money, now sod off and no, you don't get to vote!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pDHpdecHjqc/YJ07wifPbxI/AAAAAAAABes/4w1C0ED_EaM8sV7lGYrSXiav_euMcBQugCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/E0LMbTiX0AwyEld.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="382" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pDHpdecHjqc/YJ07wifPbxI/AAAAAAAABes/4w1C0ED_EaM8sV7lGYrSXiav_euMcBQugCLcBGAsYHQ/w493-h382/E0LMbTiX0AwyEld.jpeg" width="493" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i> Small businesses are being denied the right to vote in the 2021 BID ballot</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Dozens of small businesses, charities and other hereditaments have just had their right to vote in the Hampstead BID ballot suspended. Some 50 small businesses who voted in the 2016 ballot have now seemingly, at the last minute, been denied a vote in the 2021 ballot.</span></div><p></p><div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">If the BID wins a second term, these small shops will be at its behest, but will have little or no say in the decisions and representations made by an organisation they did not have the right to vote <i>for </i>or <i>against</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The question is, is it democratic or, for that matter, lawful to disenfranchise such a significant component part of an electorate? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">And is it not unconstitutional for anyone who had a vote in a democratic election in 2016, to then be denied that vote for any reason, economic or otherwise, in 2021? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is one thing for the Hampstead BID and Camden Council to exclude a business from paying the levy because of its economic status, but quite another to remove its democratic right to vote. It's a bit like saying people in cheaper houses don't get a vote in the next local election. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The fact these disenfranchised businesses might have their right to vote denied, with no notice, after having paid the BID in good faith for 5 years, is beyond jaw dropping. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Surely, every business and charity that voted in the 2016 election, regardless of its rateable value status, must also have a vote in the 2021 ballot? The BID may as well tell them: <i>thanks for voting last time and thanks for your money, now sod off! </i>I'm not sure if it's closer to communism or fascism, but this certainly ain't democracy.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">We asked Genny Fernandes, Camden's Business Engagement manager if there was any way to reinstate the voting writes of <i>all</i> the businesses who previously had that right. Because taking a vote away from someone that previously had it within a given constituency is clearly unconstitutional, quite probably illegal and certainly unethical. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>She replied: 'T</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">he BID regulations are set nationally and are clear that only businesses with a rateable value above the threshold set by the BID are required to pay the levy and so are invited to vote</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">, in order that they can have a say on how the levy in spent in the area.</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; margin: 0px 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u></u> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; margin: 0px 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>'</u>Businesses with a rateable value below the threshold would nevertheless benefit from the BID activities outlined in the business plan, such as jet washing of the pavements and increasing the profile of Hampstead through programmes designed to drive footfall, should a successful ballot be undertaken.'</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; margin: 0px 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u></u> </span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">She seems to have forgotten, or is unaware that they will also benefit from the bullying, strong-arming and, in the case of PR, favouritism that has been a feature of the BID for the last five years. And if Hampstead is to be a Business Improvement District, shouldn't that be for <i>all </i>businesses. And ought not <i>all</i> businesses have an equal say? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">How convenient that all 50 businesses who've had their vote suspended, signed a petition in 2019 to remove the BID. Funny that. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The truth is, the BID knows full well it was going to lose by a landslide and so gerrymandered the list of 'hereditaments' to ensure a chance of another term. This time, if it wins, it will only be extorting monies from medium and big businesses. So that's alright then.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As for the Vote No To BID Campaign 2021, unless Camden's electoral department decides to reinstate the votes of those small businesses who were, until now, permitted to vote — what would have been a landslide defeat for the BID, might now be a much closer run thing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">We have contacted Hampstead's MP, <a href="https://members.parliament.uk/member/4518/contact" target="_blank">Tulip Siddiq</a>, and her office tells me they will be looking into this. I'm hoping she will take the disenfranchising an electorate very seriously and ensure the 50 small businesses, many of whom are her constituents, will get their votes back.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Ballot opens on the 21st of June 2021 and closes at 5pm on the 28th of July 2021.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The result will be announced on the 29th or 30th of July 2021.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sebastian Wocker</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Editor </b><br /></span></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hampstead Village Voice</span></b></div></div></div></div></div>Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-85423759894675968722021-01-12T09:59:00.009-08:002021-01-20T07:14:47.186-08:00COVID Distribution Blues<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v6UD7UeN5xA/X_3eyAAXVcI/AAAAAAAAA-o/SA06icuUYskvfd5tPEy4uqM02C-EX7FEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_5721.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="774" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v6UD7UeN5xA/X_3eyAAXVcI/AAAAAAAAA-o/SA06icuUYskvfd5tPEy4uqM02C-EX7FEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w580-h774/IMG_5721.JPG" width="580" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Voice is available now! Just about. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Parim at Heath News II in South End Green.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Watcha!</span></span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0"><span>The <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> has now gone up to £3 a copy. </span></span><span>Well, we've got to keep up with the cappuccino inflation rate haven't we. </span><span>And, when I saw </span><i>The Oldie </i><span>on the shelf for £4.95, I thought bugger, we're selling ourselves short. </span></span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8qihs-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span>Ten years ago when we last raised the price of the </span><i>Voice</i><span> from a pound, cappuccino's were about £2. Try going to Gails now with two squid and see where it gets you. </span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="esb5-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="esb5-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span data-offset-key="esb5-0-0"><span>Moreover, as we've the small matter of the COVID lockdown to contend with, it's taking us a bit longer to get it to the shops. </span></span><span>Us? Who am I kidding? I can't very well ask Dave </span><i>The Beard</i><span> or Simon </span><i>The Space Cadet </i><span>to drive me and the mags to shops can I! I'm pretty sure that's illegal unless you're in possession of a leaf blower or building a basement cinema off Church Row. Nonetheless, I am under contract with Rishi Sunak's HMRC to stay in business or forfeit my self-employed Corona-dole, so off to work I go.</span></span></div></div><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="a9gnk-0-0" style="margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="a9gnk-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="a9gnk-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So I've been trundling about on a bicycle in a virtual space suit both working and exercising at the same time. And I can tell you, the safe distribution of magazines in lockdown is a jolly cumbersome and exhausting business. On the bright side, there's one less spluttering jogger on the pavements because I'm far too exhausted to contemplate exercise after work.</span></span></div></div><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="2dbhd-0-0" style="margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="2dbhd-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2dbhd-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #241e12;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); white-space: pre-wrap;">There's all that waiting around for shops to be empty enough to enter safely; frequent sanitisation; fumbling about in gloves to write an invoice or put up a poster... Have you ever tried writing an invoice out in winter gloves with steamed up glasses? Or handling blue tack? I'm not taking those f_ing gloves off to handle contaminated cash, I can tell you.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="9rpsc-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="9rpsc-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="9rpsc-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But this isn't work that can be done from home so it's a case of doing it very slowly, methodically and safely. I did bump into Harry 'The Hatchet' Taylor of the <i>CNJ</i> who caught me using his weekly paper to dry a poster board. How embarrassing was that! Using Harry's carefully crafted words as a cleaning utensil right in front of him. Still, I live to tell the tale.</span></span></div></div><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="a2lnb-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The good news is, the 'Winter of Discontent' edition is already at all the usual Hampstead outlets (apart from Village News which is, for the time being, closed) and Belsize Village too. I might brave Whampers t</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">omorrow.</span></span></div><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="83du3-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="83du3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="83du3-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Toodle pip!</span></span></div></div><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="2iov5-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="2iov5-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2iov5-0-0"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Basti Wocker,</span></span></div></div><div class="_2TO-components-SimpleRichTextEditor--paragraphElement" data-block="true" data-editor="6t2v5" data-offset-key="45gav-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(36, 30, 18); color: #241e12; margin: 1em 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="45gav-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="45gav-0-0" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Editor in Nuclear Suit.</span></span></div></div></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /> </span></p>Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-39734829830451589092020-11-26T11:14:00.004-08:002020-11-26T11:30:16.432-08:00A COUNCIL IN DENIAL<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ir0nacSiuD4/X7_zmhjx3tI/AAAAAAAAA8M/WEOrP_LpsgAuNaZ3hT3PBWmkF6hbPT-7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/EnlU-NoXIAAmDdg.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="385" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ir0nacSiuD4/X7_zmhjx3tI/AAAAAAAAA8M/WEOrP_LpsgAuNaZ3hT3PBWmkF6hbPT-7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w513-h385/EnlU-NoXIAAmDdg.jpeg" width="513" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The rock bottom of Frognal — It doesn't get any lower...</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I've spent the last few days to-ing and fro-ing between submitting my heartwarming new addiction memoir <i>The Joy of Addiction</i> to literary agents and reporting that mound of <i>umskah</i> at the bottom Frognal via The Twitter. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">To be honest, I don't know which has been the more painful experience. Both have involved the hitting brick walls. At least the odd literary agent replies with a friendly rejection. Camden and its councillors, meanwhile, have sent me to Twitter Coventry — it seems they only answer to nice, fluffy tweets. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I'm generally a Labour voting kind of guy, but this dreadful Labour council has now blocked a desperately needed review into the systemic failures of our waste management <i>infrastructure</i>. I've put the word in italics because the throwing of plastic bags onto the pavement does not vaguely constitute a refuse infrastructure. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Still, according to Cllr. Adam Harrison, Veolia are doing a top job and are well worth their £338m contract. Fuck me, which Camden is he living in? Not the Frognal bit obviously. Nor Flask Walk, Rosslyn Hill, Lithos Road, Finchley Road, West End Lane, Blackburn Road, Kingsgate Place, Delancey St... all with regular mounds of rubbish similar to the one pictured above. The borough clearly needs a top to bottom review of its entire refuse infrastructure. Seriously, I'm thinking of moving to Napoli. Apparently they've discovered dustbins.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In any case, <i>The Joy of Addiction</i> does at some point bang on about causing harm to myself and others as a squandering teenaged wastrel in the 1980s. By the end of the book — just in case Netflix want a happy ending — I admit I am in denial and powerless over my addiction; that my life has become unmanageable. A few Camden Councillors and Veolia board members might do the same.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Basti Wocker</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">London 26/11/2020</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">PS. The winter edition of the <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> is due out 15th January 2021.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-81887621059669141882020-06-22T04:10:00.001-07:002020-06-23T02:02:50.121-07:00VIVA HEMP-STONIA!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>No, it's not photoshop. They actually did this!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the 30th of March, a fellow calling himself the Diamond Cockney Geezer sent us a picture of this simply magnificent Transport for London botch job. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At first we thought it might just be a premature April fools jape. Yet, after making enquiries with both Camden and TfL, it became clear this was indeed a genuine cock up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yes, they actually did write 'HEMPSTEAD'. They even appeared to have got the 'S' the wrong way around so, whatever it was they were smoking, must have been pretty potent stuff!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In any case it was simply too hilarious a gaffe not to have on the front cover and we all need some cheering up, so here it is in all it's Hæmpstead glory!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Better still, the summer edition is on it's way and will be available at a limited number of local shops this <b>Thursday 25th of June</b> then free online from the <b>1st of July 2020.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Viva Hæmpstonia!</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #241e12; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Editor in dishwasher. </span></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-54287824463362161292020-06-20T11:17:00.006-07:002020-06-20T17:27:06.895-07:00DISGUSTED SHOPS DEMAND REFUND <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.7px;">SHOPS FURIOUS OVER BID </span><span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.7px;">LOCKDOWN INVOICES</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Sebastian Wocker</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Local shops are fuming at the Hampstead Village BID Ltd (BID) after it continued to invoice businesses and charities in full during the coronavirus lockdown.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Despite receiving extra government funding in response to COVID-19 and claiming it reduced staff costs by 60%, the BID still saw fit to invoice paralysed Hampstead businesses for its controversial levy from the 1st of April 2020.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Renate Jon who runs the hair salon in Heath Street said “What are they thinking? Nobody’s earning and still they send us bills for services we never even asked for?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Richard Weaver who manages the Hampstead Community Centre told us, “The BID had the cheek to send us a letter explaining it received government financial help for 3 months, but still charges us for the full year without even providing any services.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Rino Mollura who runs the Coffee Cup, Villa Bianca, Piccola and Fish Cafe said: ‘‘Hampstead’s businesses are practically on their knees and now this stupid, pointless bill arrives. Are they crazy?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “If they really are working for the community, they’d just refund struggling businesses what we paid them last year and cancel these new invoices.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> The BID had sent out a letter in May 2020 stating that: “As the BID levy is a mandatory requirement, Camden Council [The BID’s debt enforcers] are required by law to invoice in full. However, the BID recognises some businesses may have cashflow issues and may need to discuss their own payment arrangements. Please do get in touch with Marcos Gold our BID Manager who will be able to discuss individual plans.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But Dame Hilary Blume who runs the Charities Advisory Trust said: “I phoned twice, as suggested, but there was no reply. What possible argument can there be to charge charities, state schools and an NHS surgery to improve Hampstead High Street?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mr Gold told us: “I was unaware she had reached out as I have no voicemail or email from Dame Hilary. She has contacted me before. I am more than happy to discuss with each individual business their levy bills.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But there appears to be little appetite for cosy chats with the BID managers among the downtrodden ‘hereditaments’ of Hampstead. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Countless shops, restaurants, charities and pubs have told us, in no uncertain terms, they will definitely not be paying the BID levy this year or, as one shop owner put it: “...any other year either!” </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> And why should they? 70% of the 243 businesses, charities and schools who’ve been forced to pay it over the last four years, never wanted the thing in the first place and consider it rotten value. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I spoke to Council Leader Georgia Gould and suggested it was questionable that a limited company could force money out of charities, state schools and struggling businesses by making a council act as its debt enforcer — even during normal times, never mind at the height of a pandemic. I also asked her whether the council would still be summonsing businesses, charities, schools or NHS surgeries that refused to pay the levy in lockdown? </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Cllr. Gould, who told me she’d have to check up on it, was unable to comment immediately, but agreed to get back to us. Ten days later we received a reply from Camden Council’s Business Engagement Manager who confirmed invoices had already been sent out but, crucially, that: “enforcement action will not be taking place for the time being and that this will be reviewed over time.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Probably wise. There is now less than a year to go until the second BID ballot in Hampstead’s history. Unlike the first, there will, this time, be two campaigns and a more aware and determined opposition. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Editor's tuppence worth. </b>T</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he Hampstead Business Improvement District Ltd (BID) showed it's true colours during the coronavirus lockdown when it decided to bill struggling Hampstead shops, charities, restaurants, schools and pubs for services it was not providing and which most of the shops didn't even ask for. It even billed charities, New End state school and the NHS surgery, Keats Practice, in Downshire Hill. The BID is a blot on Hampstead's land scape and has to go. </span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Emmanuel Mustafa Goldstein.</span></i></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-71383155050567570512020-06-03T10:26:00.006-07:002020-06-03T10:26:53.107-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We have just received this update from Hampstead SNT.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I thought you might be interested to see our sergeant’s update on the disturbance on Hampstead Heath yesterday evening. This was a much nastier incident than I’d understood initially and I didn’t appreciate the extent of the disorder until I read John’s update. John was one of the first officer’s on scene with other SNT officers. When the crowd turned on them they had to call for back up, involving around 30 officers, some of whom were called in from other areas. I understand it took about an hour and a half to restore order. John himself was injured but thankfully not badly and he is back on duty today, having been on shift until 4.00 this morning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are aware that there has been a lot of media attention relating to an incident that occurred yesterday evening on Hampstead Heath. We would like to provide further details relating to this incident and the subsequent five arrests made. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Police were made aware at 1800pm of a large group of approximately 150 young people gathered on Parliament Hill Fields. Our initial concerns were non-adherence to social distancing guidelines. A number of individuals within the group were consuming alcohol. A small group of officers attended to engage with the group. During this initial attendance, a robbery was reported and an allegation made that individuals within the larger group had stolen an electric scooter. A suspect was detained but officers asked for further police support due to the number of young people present and the increasingly hostile and obstructive behaviour displayed by some members of the larger group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Officers arrived to assist and while monitoring the crowd at a short distance, a fight broke out among a small group of young females. Several individuals were seen throwing punches, kicking parties on the ground, and pulling hair aggressively. Officers intervened immediately, but became surrounded and faced a difficult challenge in calming the crowd. A number of other fights erupted within the large crowd despite police intervention. Officers requested further support. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the aggressive and violent behaviour began amongst themselves, many members of the group became hostile and aggressive to officers that were trying to prevent further violence. Five police officers were assaulted including being slapped, punched, pushed and spat on. Officers on scene who arrived to help used reasonable and proportionate force to try and prevent crowding and a further breach of the peace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In total, five young people were arrested for the following offences – four for assaulting an emergency worker and one for failing to leave a dispersal zone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Three females and one male were charged. They will appear in court for assaulting police & common assault at a later date. A young male was released under investigation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We would urge young people and their parents or guardians to remember there is still a requirement to adhere to social distancing, not to gather in a group of more than 6 people not from your household.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hampstead Heath is a welcoming open space for local residents and visitors. This will not change. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For those engaging in anti-social and violent behaviour in our community, it will not be tolerated. Do not engage in violent behaviour towards one another. Do not engage in violent behaviour towards emergency workers, it is not acceptable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hampstead, 3rd June 2020.</span></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-49819948730164964362020-03-31T13:07:00.003-07:002020-03-31T13:43:52.919-07:00SO MUCH FOR RUBBER GLOVES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Safety First! We're not touching letter boxes and for good reason...</i></div>
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<i>Nearly all the shops are closed, so getting the magazine out safely has proved a logistical challenge. <b>Emmanuel Goldstein</b> explains how much care needs to be taken in what used to be a run of the mill exercise.</i><br />
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There is a reason why the <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> is not putting the new spring edition directly into letter boxes but, instead, only dropping them in front of covered doorways.<br />
Firstly, the coronavirus can be transmitted via hard surfaces like metal, so touching hundreds of letter boxes would be foolish. Especially as I've noticed the new <i>Evening Standard</i> distributors have been stuffing doors with their sordid little rag and, frankly, I don't know where they've been. Even if they are wearing gloves, the virus might accumulate after they've touched all those letter boxes and I'll leave the rest to your imaginations.<br />
Secondly, Britain is famed for this rather annoying stuff called <i>rain, </i>so we can't very well throw the mag on the door mat unless it's properly covered.<br />
So I've made it my policy to thoroughly wash my hands before going out, only do a very small delivery at a time and not to touch <i>anything</i> other than the mags to ensure they arrive COVID-free at your door. I also wash frequently with 99.9% anti-bacterial hand wash en-route.<br />
The only time I do wear the surgical gloves is when I pick up the mags, which involves opening two doors in Well Walk. As soon as I am out, I immediately dispense with the gloves in a bin, whack on the anti-bacterial hand wash and off I go — clean as a whistle!<br />
A bit extreme? Possibly. But I ain't taking chances. This is the <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> and we do stuff properly!<br />
If you haven't got a covered front door mat but would like to read the mag, it is now viewable free online at: <a href="https://www.hampsteadvillagevoice.com/online.html">https://www.hampsteadvillagevoice.com/online.html</a><br />
And, if you can donate £2 or even more to help keep the <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> going, that'd be grand! Just email: <a href="mailto:info@hampsteadvillagevoice.com" target="_blank">info@hampsteadvillagevoice.com</a> for details.<br />
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Or you could brave <b>Mag One</b> in Rosslyn Hill or 3 shops in South End Green (M&M, Heath News, London) and 1 in Belsize Village (Late Late Store).<br />
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Stay safe everyone and remember... #2mMatters!<br />
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Now go and wash your hands!<br />
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Lots of love,<br />
<br />
Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein<br />
Ed.<br />
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-38338299545083207992019-12-02T08:48:00.004-08:002019-12-02T09:16:46.673-08:00ANOTHER HAMPSTEAD 'LUNG' UNDER THREAT FROM OVER-DEVELOPMENT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Under threat: These lush, green gardens are home to a host of wild birds and other animals and an essential 'lung' just off the highly polluted Finchley Road. They would come under threat if Camden permits this unwarranted development. The already fatally-congested area would become yet more chaotic were HGVs to partially block off Arkwright Rd.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Red Frogger</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An ‘appalled' group of neighbours are battling against Camden Council’s planning department, who have, quite inexplicably, recommended approval for an application to build two, large, multi-million pound houses in the green back gardens of Arkwright Road, Hampstead. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The neighbours have protested about the projected 'serious and unwarranted' overdevelopment, density and overpowering nature of the proposed structures, and the resultant deprivation of daylight, amenity and privacy for their homes, as well as the huge impact on already heavily congested roads during any construction. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Camden’s proposed acceptance of the application is contained in a 53 page Draft ‘Members Briefing Pack’ which contains several serious misstatements of historic fact as to previous buildings in the area, and various inconsistencies and contradictions regarding Camden's own Planning Guidance and Policies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Was this to go ahead, it would mean significant construction in a conservation area, against Camden Council’s own stated policy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The developers have already had to withdraw their earlier application to build three houses in the face of some 80 objections by neighbours and local community organisations. Although these would be ‘luxury villas’, the applicants would pay Camden Council just £58k in affordable housing compensation as part of a 106 Agreement; a tiny fraction of the millions that would be made when these new properties are sold on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They point out that the ribbon of gardens reaching down from Frognal to the Finchley Road is one of the last remaining green areas and animal habitats in the vicinity. Camden’s apparent siding with developers flies in the face of current global and national concerns about environmental impacts through loss of trees and green corridors. (This is not an urban brown field site). </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Camden dismisses the point that granting the application would create a precedent for other neighbouring owners to follow suit; yet another application to build 9 flats in the nearby garden of 17 Frognal is already being considered by the Planning Department.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are also complaints that the Council , while working in close association with the developers, has not provided proper community consultation with neighbours most closely affected by the proposals, nor have the developers themselves done so, despite stating that they had.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: #bf9000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No date for a hearing has yet been set.</span></span><br />
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-6575286648802111652019-05-21T16:38:00.004-07:002019-05-21T16:50:50.053-07:00Summer Edition Takes Out BID<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #241e12; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dearest Hampster,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #241e12; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">The new front cover of the magazine is such a closely guarded secret that we won't be publishing it</span><span style="color: #241e12; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> online until publication day. So here's the contents page of the summer edition which will feature a jaw-dropper of a story on the incredible extortion racket that is the </span><i style="color: #241e12; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hampstead Village Business Improvement District Ltd.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #241e12; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've no problem calling it an extortion racket, because that's exactly what it is. And any lawyer who wants to make a case out of that had better look the up word </span><i style="color: #241e12; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">extortion</i><span style="color: #241e12; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in a dictionary before sending any nasty letters.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="dkf43-0-0" style="color: #241e12; white-space: pre-wrap;">Legal or not, we always new the BID was dodgy, and now we've seen it's income and expenditure for 2018/19 and its projected books for 2019/20 we can report exactly how dodgy. And the answer is </span><span data-offset-key="dkf43-0-1" style="color: #241e12; white-space: pre-wrap;">very</span><span data-offset-key="dkf43-0-2" style="color: #241e12; white-space: pre-wrap;"> dodgy indeed. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="dkf43-0-2" style="color: #241e12; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="dkf43-0-2">The new <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> will be out on the </span><span data-offset-key="dkf43-0-3" style="font-weight: bold;">1st of June 2019</span><span data-offset-key="dkf43-0-4"> and it pulls no punches.</span></span></div>
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<i style="color: #0b5394; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein,</span></i></i><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="color: #241e12;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Editor in law suit (with dictionary).</span></b></span></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-48343111986854615812019-03-21T11:12:00.002-07:002019-03-22T06:37:59.017-07:00WILLY TO REOPEN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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by Emmanuel ‘Mustafa’ Goldstein </div>
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On the 14th of March, just three days before the recent Camden/BID v James McGrath court hearing, Camden Council closed down Mr. McGrath’s pub, the King William IV, after a surprise health inspection. The council’s reason? Alleged Mice.<br />
Locals have confirmed that they've never once seen a mouse there and we concur.<br />
The timing of the closure – just two weeks after a story broke in the <i>Hampstead Village Voice </i>revealing the council offered the pub a £5k rates credit – £2k of which was to be ‘offset’ against a BID bill in order to vacate the court hearing was, to say the least, curious.<br />
It was to be a big weekend for the pub. The Six Nations, Cheltenham and, crucially for an 80-year-old Irish landlord, St. Patrick’s Day, all fell immediately after the Council’s enforced closure.<br />
Is it beyond the realm of possibility someone with a vested interest - pardon the pun - might have <i>ratted</i> to the council about these alleged mice?<br />
In any case, the pub has been thoroughly sanitised and reopens on Friday 22/03/19 after an enforced 8 day closure. And the <i>Hampstead Village Voice </i>says: Jimmy’s a local hero for fighting off these BID sheisters and standing up to the council.<br />
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If you’d like to read the full report and help support the <i>Hampstead Village Voice,</i> please feel free to join <a href="http://www.patreon.com/hampstead" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/hampstead </a>from only £2 a month.</div>
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<b>CAMDEN COUNCIL | BID v KING WILLIAM TIMELINE</b></div>
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<b>11/10/18:</b> Camden | BID v King William Highbury Magistrates, first hearing: adjourned. </div>
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<b>17/11/18:</b> Camden | BID v King William Highbury Magistrates, second hearing: adjourned.</div>
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<b>05/02/19:</b> Camden writes to King William IV offering pay pub £5k ‘rates credit’ and offset £2k to pay the BID and vacate court hearing.</div>
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<b>06/02/19:</b> King William IV’s counsel writes to Camden declining its generous offer.</div>
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<b>01/03/19:</b> Hampstead Village Voice breaks story on Camden’s attempt to pay rates credit and vacate court hearing.</div>
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<b>14/03/19:</b> Camden inspectors close the King William IV due to alleged ‘mouse infestation’.</div>
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<b>17/03/19:</b> Camden Council | BID v King William IV court hearing takes place. Adjourned.</div>
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<b>21/03/19:</b> King William IV reopens after an enforced 8 day closure.</div>
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<b>29/04/19:</b> New date for court hearing. 10am. Highbury Magistrates’ Court.</div>
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Emmanuel ‘Mustafa’ Goldstein</div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-23487768435720058502019-03-19T13:53:00.002-07:002019-03-21T10:18:40.087-07:00WILLY’S LANDLORD: “I’D RATHER GO TO PRISON THAN PAY THE BID.”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is the third occasion on which 80-year-old Jimmy McGrath, landlord of the King William IV has been dragged to Highbury Magistrates’ court and it won’t be the last.<br />
He refuses to pay Hampstead Village BID Ltd's 'levy' on principle and is being seen by many businesses as a local hero - a martyr to the cause. He's certainly taking one for the team.<br />
But the reason he might well win this case isn’t because the BID extorts money from the 70% of Hampstead businesses, schools and charities who didn’t vote for it; nor that Camden Council acts as debt enforcer for the private limited company – nor even that several businesses have complained of being repeatedly coerced and harassed by the BID’s unapologetic management.<br />
These certainly are just some of the reasons he and an increasing number of 'hereditaments' – as the BID likes to call them – do not wish to pay it, and why on Monday the 17th of March 2019, he told the court: “I’d rather go to jail than pay the BID”.<br />
District Judge Julia Newton couldn’t quite believe her ears: ‘I’m sorry Mr. McGrath, I couldn’t quite hear what you said. Could you please repeat it?’
Mr. McGrath did so unashamedly. “I’d rather go to jail than pay the BID.” It was quite a moment.<br />
More eyebrows were raised too when, after nearly an hour of cross-examination, and already having read various documents, Camden’s tax officer, Charles Quick, admitted he couldn’t read the date on a document in front of him because he’d forgotten to bring his glasses.
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But Mr. Griffiths was more interested in Camden's three-man legal team forgetting to bring along a crucial piece of evidence than their spectacles. The document in question? A legally binding information ‘insert’ sent out with all 241 BID invoices.<br />
Before long the QC was to reveal, what might well be, the killer blow for Hampstead Village BID Ltd...<br />
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If you’d like to read the rest of the report and help support the <i>Hampstead Village Voice, </i>please feel free to join <a href="http://www.patreon.com/hampstead">www.patreon.com/hampstead</a> from only £2 a month.<br />
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Sorry darlings, no more Mr. Nice Guy. Writers have bills too!<br />
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Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein<br />
<b>Editor in public gallery.</b></div>
Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-31363903201133614362019-02-21T01:35:00.002-08:002019-02-21T01:37:27.899-08:00VOICE LOSES STRIPES OVER ZEBRA?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">Well, we can't always get it right.</span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Both the printed front page and cover story became something of an 'historical document' before they even reached the shops – and this only a day after I proudly told Robert Elms on BBC London Radio: </span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">"we have an advantage over the <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ham & High</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Camden New Journal </em>because we're quarterly so can take our time over getting story's right..." Well that backfired a bit, didn't it. D'uH!</span></span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">What you see above is up-dated online version of the <i>Springo</i> edition's front cover - below the updated cover story. This unavoidable mishap all happened due to </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">Camden and TfL changing their minds on the zebra's fate</span><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;"> </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">after</em><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">we'd gone to press. And, despite repeated requests the previous week, they neglected to tell us about it. </span></div>
<span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">In any case, the zebra is saved and the printed version has become a 'must have historical document' before it even hits the shelves. Nonetheless, the whole point being to save the zebra and, having campaigned so hard to do so, the</span><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;"> </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">Hampstead Village Voice</em><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;"> is more than happy to take this one for the team!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">Long live the zebra! Down with the Toucan! Pelican? Traffic lights? Whateva!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</span><br />
<span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">Editor in Abbey Road.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: center;">Below: the updated on line story. For the 'must have historical document' go to your local newsagent on the 28th of </span><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic";"><span style="caret-color: rgb(64, 43, 26);">February 2019.</span></span><br />
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-48353434994204203542018-10-13T04:52:00.002-07:002018-10-13T05:26:51.749-07:00Editor Gets Scrunched by BID Chairman.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Autumn Edition 2018</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A</span>lbeit the autumn issue focusses mainly on rubbish of the Veolese variety, there are also two exceptionally feisty reports on the Hampstead Village BID Ltd which, were you to ask local businesses what they thought of it, they'd almost certainly answer 'Rubbish!' </div>
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Well, at least 70% would. We know this because a) despite grandiose claims from Camden Cllr. Richard Olszewski in the <b>Ham</b><span style="color: red; font-style: italic;">&</span><b>Eggs</b> that "a majority of businesses" voted for the thing, in reality only 30% of the eligible 243 businesses actually did and b) we conducted a poll of 100 businesses which resulted in over 75% being vehemently against the thing. And when I say vehemently, I mean as in Gauls versus Romans. So we can't wait for the next ballot now everyone knows what it does... or rather doesn't do.</div>
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You see, the main story in the current edition is about how a) the BID's chairman violently scrunched this magazine's editor's hand and phone in Back Lane last June and b) the whole BID thing is an utterly pointless exercise. Unless of course you're the BID's CEO who receives a stipend of up to £40k a year. What the chairman gets out of it other than getting to physically abuse local rag editors or going down in everyone's estimation is anyone's guess. Read on...</div>
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Toodle Pip! </div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</i></span></div>
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Editor (bruised).</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The follow up story, which is almost certainly twice as good, is in the </span><i style="text-align: left;">Hampstead Village Voice</i><span style="text-align: left;">, at newsagents and splendid bookshops now for £2.</span></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-33503022133647322732018-08-09T13:17:00.002-07:002018-08-09T13:23:44.836-07:00Awfully Sorry. Forgot All About This Blog.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Summer Edition is still in the shops...</div>
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Howdy Hampsters,</div>
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Sorry! I actually forgot all about this blog thing and so neglected to report on arguably our best ever edition of the <i>Hampstead Village Voice, </i>still in newsagents now. </div>
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What with my band <i>Ridiculous</i> playing its debut gig at the Dublin Castle in June, the completion of my book <i>The Joy of Addiction</i> in July and all the legwork that accompanies said projects – not to mention getting the summer edition out – the blog has slipped down the old priority list somewhat.</div>
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And there was that Giles Coren purple patch in which your man got Rupert Murdoch to pay for our dinners at Café Hampstead and we both gleefully reviewed the restaurant. Giles in the <i>The Times</i> and moi in the <i>Hampstead Village Voice. </i>Happily, I also coaxed the Coren into writing the Forward to my book. Now all I need is a literary agent and a publisher. S'ppose I'll have to make some sort of effort to go and get one.</div>
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Equally happily, Mr. Coren sang the praises of your favourite local satirical rag in his piece so, seeing as it's raining, I'll stick a scanned version up here for the weekend in case you missed it. </div>
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He called my piece a "jolly read" and as usual his is too.</div>
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Viva Hampstonia and toodle Pip!</div>
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Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</div>
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Ed/singer/author/tea person.</div>
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Gilesy baby does a little Hampy Voice service and writes a jolly piece.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Note to Rupert Murdoch: to sue for copyright infringement, please send a postcard to: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="text-align: left;">1 London Bridge Place</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;"> London SE1 9GF.</span> </span></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-30890284789737831752018-02-26T17:04:00.005-08:002018-02-26T17:07:56.974-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: left;">The </span><span style="color: #402b1a; font-family: "century gothic"; text-align: left;">Spring Edition Takes No Prisoners</span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";">The spring edition has a real humdinger of a cover story that exposes the <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Hampstead Village BID Ltd</span> for forcing a much loved, state-funded institution into paying its gratuitous levy. Worse still, the BID forces the council to force this state funded institution into paying it. The Spy calls for an end to this nonsense and a change to the legislation that allows it.</span><br />
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> Yet more of a coup, we welcome broadcaster, former MP and top writer </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Martin Bell</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> as a regular columnist and he'll be sharing with us his most original</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";">View From The Burb.</em><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> And there's a rather special interview with song writing legend </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Ken Howard</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> who penned songs for Elvis, wrote a BBC play about John Lennon and, rather handilly, lives downstairs from </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";">Hampstead Village Voice</em><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> editor Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> </em><br />
<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><i> </i>We've top stories from renowned writers </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Red Szell</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> and </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Charles Harris</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> and there's the latest goss on</span><i style="font-family: "century gothic";"> Ye Old White Bear, Burgh House, The Ladies' Pond </i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">and Hampstead's splendid new jazz venue, </span><i style="font-family: "century gothic";">Hampstead Lounge & Jazz Club.</i><br />
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"><i> </i></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Mr. Goldstein</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> indulges in a new column called </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";">Corporate Watchdog</em><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> in which he exposes the deserving household names of corporate Britain with an iron fist: </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";">AA Home Insurance? You're Better Off With The Burglars</em><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> pretty much does what it says on the packet.</span><br />
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> With </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Klaus von Kunst</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> rounding up the Arts scene, </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Carla Le Pond Antoinette</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> deciphering transgender <i>politik</i> and the </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic"; font-weight: 700;">Ministry of Silly Names</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "century gothic";"> on page something or other... it's the issue that will have you wrapped in an enigma in a riddle in a mystery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Viva Hampstonia and Toodle pip!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</i></span><br />
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-15578109695828902692017-09-25T04:41:00.001-07:002017-09-25T07:30:35.072-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A Ghastly Hampstead Cosa Nostra?</span></b></h2>
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I don't usually publish articles in the current edition of the <i>Hampstead Village Voice </i>online. After all, our struggling local newsagents need to make enough dosh to meet their bills. What they don't need is a sordid little mafia bullying them, breathing down their necks and forcing them to pay up wads of money when they don't want to. This is exactly what a company called Hampstead Village BID Ltd is doing. Worse still, this private limited company has somehow managed to use Camden's electoral system to win a rather dubious ballot, then recruit Scamden Council to act as its summons-wielding debt collector. It's all quite unspeakable. </div>
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There's also another story about all this in the FINANCIAL CRIMES section of the Autumn edition, but you'll have to go to a newsagent and spend a whole £2.50 to read it. Yet, unlike the BID Ltd, we are not forcing you to part with your money against your will. Read on and share so that businesses and general public alike might be made aware of this thoroughly despicable practice.<br />
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Toodle Pip and do we not like bullies!<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</i></span><br />
<b>Editor in hot pants.</b><br />
PS. If you own a Hampstead business, have fallen victim to this reprehensible little mafia and want to be rid of it, you can email: goodbyebid@outlook.com where a band of like-minded businesses are getting together to fight it off.<br />
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-45023827567561098782017-05-15T08:04:00.002-07:002017-05-15T08:31:20.910-07:00TAKE A DEEP BREATH... OR DON'T<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>By Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</b></div>
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Pollution is the issue of the day, so pages 1 and 7 address it. I've actually taken to escaping London at every opportunity because coughing my lungs out is not what I signed up to when I was accidentally born in Islington then moved to Well Walk, aged one. Having been demoted to Arkwright Rd, the epicentre of that ridiculous school-run, well, it's positively <i>Chokestead</i> around here.</div>
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Ah, the Joy of Gridlock! Even the Heath seems to be overrun with parky-tractor-traffic these days. And if we can't even go on the Heath without a diesel exhaust in our faces then, yes, society has completely lost the plot. </div>
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It's one reason I'm encouraging people to vote for Tulip Siddiq (Lab) in this last-minute General Election: her opponent, Claire-Louise Leyland (Con) foolishly voted in favour of the Heath Dams and, in-so-doing, has placed herself firmly in that room, for which there is no key - because surely all true Heath loving Hampsteadites will have chucked it into the Ladies' Pond.</div>
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Talking of the Ladies Pond, one of its regulars Karla Le Pond Antoinette<b> </b>will be joining me on this blog from this day forth. Indeed, all being well, she'll probably completely colonise it. We need doers in this movement (Brian) and let's be honest, I've been neglecting my blogging duties of late. You may know Madame Antoinette from our <i>Pond Life</i> page and it cannot be a bad thing to have a little more feminine energy flowing through the <i>Hampstead Village Voice's </i>veins. </div>
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The new edition is in the shops and, befitting it's 10 year anniversary status, it's bigger and better than ever. But oh no! It now costs £2.50... then again, surely we're allowed to put the price up every ten years.</div>
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Viva Hampstonia and Toodle Pip!</div>
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Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein,</div>
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<b>Editor voting for Tulip Siddiq.</b></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-46256881879442539922017-01-24T08:08:00.001-08:002017-01-24T15:22:33.964-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>WHOOPS! BRITS SEND MISSILE TO</b></span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> FLORIDA BY MISTAKE AND LONDON AIR UNBREATHABLE</b></span></div>
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Dearest Hampsters,</div>
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If you can see this post through the London pollution then, may I ask, why isn't the Mayor of London doing what they do in Paris and order private citizens to stay out of their cars for a day? And why does the British government not apply EU directive 2008/50 which halts all major construction whilst air pollution is at a very dangerous level? </div>
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I'll tell you why. Because this country's full of selfish, ignorant, money-grubbing arseholes who put their comfort and industry before the breathing of fresh air, that's why.</div>
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"Children's lungs? Fuck 'em! We've got cash to make and huge SUVs to ponce about in!" </div>
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We may as well all be living in Trump's Brave New World... Oh shit, we are.</div>
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The good news is that the new <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> is here to save our Hampstead spirits from the filth and corruption of Big Brother Trump and his new<i> Airstrip One</i> poodle Theresa Maybe.</div>
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If it's not too passé by then, we'll get Ken Pyne to sharpen his 'poodle bashing pencil' and furnish our new political correspondent Helmut 'Schmidty' Schmidt with a cartoon for the Spring edition, which will be out in May, Theresa.</div>
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That's if a Trident missile hasn't accidentally bombed Florida and caused all out war between Britain and the United States. Oh wouldn't that be a laugh! Imagine it: our armed forces accidentally bombing the USA. </div>
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As Mr. Withnail once famously yelped from the front seat of an old Jag, "Go and get your new <i>Hampstead Village Voice </i>now darlings... you haven't got a chance!"</div>
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Toodles!</div>
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Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</div>
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Enemy of Big Brother.</div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-14868993976247700412017-01-12T11:55:00.000-08:002017-01-12T11:55:26.754-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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WINTER EDITION AHEAD OF SCHEDULE!</div>
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HURRAH! The Winter Edition (HVV29) of the <span class="highlightNode" style="background-color: rgba(88, 144, 255, 0.14902); border-bottom-color: rgba(88, 144, 255, 0.298039); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; padding: 0px 1px;">Hampstead Village Voice </span>has, after much toil, flu and caffeine, been sent to the printers. Here's its intestines.... It should be out before the 1st of Feb 2017 if Trump's 'TOTALLY BIGLY DÉJÀ VU' (page 34) hasn't nuked us all by then.</div>
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Emmanuel Mustafa Goldstein,</div>
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Enemy of Big Brother - more than ever!</div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-34906502148580336072016-01-16T13:58:00.001-08:002016-01-16T14:27:38.376-08:00FOREIGN SALES SOAR!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Winter 2016 Edition</span></div>
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Not content with spreading the gospel of the <i>Hampstonian People's Un-popular Front</i> to the exotic lands of <i>Belsize Parkistan, Golders Green Already, Whampers and Al Highquaida,</i> the <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> is now available in, of all places, St. John's Wood A.K.A. <i>The Wood of Singeon: </i>the news-stand outside St. John's Wood tube station and the legendary <i>Peirera News</i> at 35 St. John's Wood High Street, to be precise.<br />
Yes even the hearts and minds of <i>The Wood</i> are now to be conquered and the <i>Hampstonian People's Un-popular Front </i>will not rest until Big Brother's evil empire is quashed forever and Hampstonia can again be happy, joyous and free as it was during the Cold War. Oh, how we miss the cold war... You knew where you were back then. <i>Duck and Cover </i>and <i>Mutually Assured Destruction</i> all day long. Ay, them were't days!<br />
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Viva Hampstonia!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Emmanuel Mustafa Goldstein.</span></i><br />
Enemy of Big Brother.</div>
Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-2032522783504430612015-10-06T05:38:00.003-07:002015-10-06T06:12:33.962-07:00AUTUMN EDITION OUT 15/10/2015.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We've managed to get edition 24 of the <i>Hampstead Village Voice </i>off to the printers. No small feat, I can tell you. The cover of the this autumn's edition features Hampsteadites, <b>Jon Moss</b> (Culture Club) and <b>Robert Powell</b> (actor of numerous roles, not least Jesus of Nasarath) protesting against the ridiculous and un-called for 'parkification' of the <i>Vale of Health</i> on Hampstead Heath: the result of a most dubious dam building project on three [alleged] 'reservoirs' and eight, very small, ornamental ponds. We've seriously ripped into those responsible ie. the Government (DEFRA), City of London Corporation, The High Courts, Camden Council and the Atkins/AECOM consortium in this edition. The truth will out and, as the old saying goes, let's publish and be DAMMED!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">There's also mention of the <i>City of London Corporation's</i> (CityCorp) new attempt to </span>commercialise the Heath, namely its new <i>Open Spaces Bill. </i>We're going to have to look into this because, according to the <i>CityCorp's</i> website, this will result in "residential, commercial and other use" of park-keepers' lodges, toilets and other existing Heath buildings. And we can't have that! It's The Heath not a park and if <i>CityCorp</i> can't be trusted to look after it properly, they'd better sod off and hand it over to someone who can. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meanwhile, h</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">aving been a great help in raising awareness of the scandalous events surrounding the tenure of the dam project by civil engineering firm Atkins, our friends over at the <b>Ham<span style="color: #cc0000;">&</span>High</b> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(as Jeremy Corbyn might put it) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">have now managed to cut our 6,000 strong petition to Tulip Siddiq MP and Elizabeth Truss in half. This they have achieved by mounting posters everywhere announcing only 3,000 Heath Lovers signed the petition. D'uH! So much for accurate reporting. If they had to get it so very wrong, couldn't they at least have printed 9,000?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Viva Hampstonia and Toodle Pip!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel Mustafa Goldstein</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style;"><b>Editor-in-hot-pants.</b></span></span></div>
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-6927496026172376392015-08-15T02:44:00.001-07:002015-08-15T03:49:54.825-07:00DAM-AGE LIMITATION: THE SAVE THE VALE OF HEALTH CAMPAIGN<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bnDEr7niIA4/Vc8Trct3vJI/AAAAAAAAAq0/0CElxa9Upus/s640/blogger-image-68342394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bnDEr7niIA4/Vc8Trct3vJI/AAAAAAAAAq0/0CElxa9Upus/s640/blogger-image-68342394.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The Vale of Health: muddy and that's how we like it. Its a Heath not a park.</b></div><div><br></div>Too little too late? Possibly. But all the earlier campaigns having been ignored by the authorities, to do nothing now would be worse than the City of London Corporation, Camden Council and a High Court Judge allowing themselves to be hoodwinked by Atkins/AECOM, the consortium that stands to benefit from the dams' construction. <div> According to sources, Atkins is on 15% of the total bill that has recently risen from £17m to £23m. Meanwhile, its strategic partner, AECOM, landed the job of 'independent' advisor to Camden Council landing itself £18k for a 37 page report. A tidy sum considering it misled the authorities, public and press into thinking it was 'independent'. How could it be independent if it formed a consortium with the dams' designers and sales people, Atkins, in 2012? A 'three year strategic partnership' is what it says on an Atkins press release. And the result, exactly 3 years later - a huge contract to destroy the Heath.<div> It makes my blood boil that, of all things, Hampstead Heath has fallen pray to these vultures. Companies that have instilled fear of flooding from some fictional storm as a ruse in order to, as director of Atkins, Andrew Hughes, put it, 'put Atkins back into the first division of dam builders'.</div><div> Can we save the Vale of Health and, by the way, deny Atkins and Bam Nutall (the contractors) any payment for a job that simply doesn't need to be done? Can we hold to account the incompetence of Camden Council which failed to properly vet its 'independent' advisors? And can we force action against AECOM for misleading 10 elected councillors into believing they were receiving impartial, independent advice?</div><div> If Elizabeth Truss, the Environment Secretary and, for that matter, Tulip Siddiq MP, pull their fingers out and convince parliament to overrule this miscarraige of justice - both at High Court and Camden hearing level, maybe we can.</div><div><br></div><div>Please sign the petition now: <font color="#000000" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-hampstead-heath" id="yiv5194800450yui_3_16_0_1_1439337198212_3004" class="" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-hampstead-heath</a></font></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Emmanuel Mustafa Goldstein,</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Editor, Hampstead Village Voice.</div>Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-49752787344035280592015-07-15T13:18:00.001-07:002015-07-15T13:27:02.909-07:00SUMMER of CASH<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Run for the hills everybody - the <i>Blue Meanies </i>have taken over <i>Airstrip One</i> and most of Hampstonia too... Nothing's sacred when it comes to power, greed and making loads'a'money in what feels like 1980s Tory Britain all over again. Even Thatcher didn't dig up the Heath. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> The Labour Party's in tatters and Ultra-capitalism's firmly in control of the Old Stead. Oh woe is me... Where's Michael Foot when you need him?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>ALL YOU NEED IS CASH</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So what's Hampstead really about these days? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hampstead Heath? = £23M contract for dam builders, Atkins/Aecom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hampstead Homes? = £3M - £100M.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hampstead's Saucepans? £499 at the new kitchen shop on the corner of Willoughby Road. No I'm not fucking joking. There's even a bread knife on sale there for £279.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's all over for us mere paupers - even the criminals have nowhere to go: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hampstead Police Station? An empty shell of a building until someone comes up with £XBillion squid. It' m</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">illionaires only around here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But at least there's the <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> available while shops last for only £1 from Monday 20th of July 2015.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hurrah! Viva Hampstonia, land of the increasingly less free!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toodle Pip!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel Mustafa Goldstein x</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Editor in debtor's prison.</span><br />
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Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718379736850871464.post-57317989730121165222015-02-07T13:38:00.001-08:002015-02-07T13:47:44.932-08:00LIBERATION FOR USSR... AND BRENT!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Scamden Front, January, 2015. </b></span></span></h4>
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 19px;">Hampstonian forces successfully invaded the USSR (Union of Soviet Scamden Republics) this week with a tactical 'hearts and minds' offensive entrenching the <i>Hampstead Village Voice</i> into various Scamdenite outlets. Our brave forces have also seized control of Highgate's <i>Ministry of Propaganda </i>AKA. Brooksby the Newsagents, 70 Highgate High St. which is believed to be, not in Scamden, but in Haringey - a nation where one can still park for free.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 19px;"> In a sweeping and lethal pincer movement involving both General Simon 'The Space Correspondent' and Wing Commander Dave 'The Beard', Hampstonia's latest manoeuvre has struck love deep into enemy territory and the USSR can now consider itself 'liberated.'</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #141823;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Golders Green too has been freed from ignorance as has Mill Lane in deepest</span></span><span style="color: #141823;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Barnet... or is it Brent? Well, either way it's in the former <i>Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead</i> so go and buy a copy and show your defiance to Big Brother and his evil, corrupt </span></span></span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;">Airstrip One </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;">stooges.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Viva Hampstonia!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Emmanuel 'Mustafa' Goldstein.</i></span></span></span></div>
Hampstead Village Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06513125809221967860noreply@blogger.com0