onionbagblog

You may prefer the photographic evidence in the blog post below, but for me, the official heralding that spring has arrived around these estuary parts is the publishing of the spring edition of Wivenhoe News.

Hurrah!

Town and Uni Clash Over Proposed Road is the lead story. With a byline of *ahem* Jason Cobb (blimey!) the news piece documents the recent lively Nottage meeting about @Uni_of_Essex’s Knowledge Gateway, and the traffic disruption is will cause those travelling in from the Tendring Peninsula.

The front page is shared with a photo of a very dashing young man about town. Workers of Wivenhoe features the rather charming Mark Andras and his local building business. I hear the good man builds rather decent kitchen extensions…

The Editorial lead describes the recent Environment Agency work as:

“Napalm-like treatment of the sea wall.”

Peter Kennedy pens a moving piece on page 3 all about the recent floods suffered by our Wivenhoe namesakes centred on Wivenhoe Dam in Australia. For all the recent CO7 woes regarding the vandalism by the Environment Agency, such devastation Down Under brings home the message about the importance of protection.

Back down to local matters, and if you want to define Wivenhoe, then ‘sitting somewhere between Theydon Bois and Hatfield Peverel‘ would suffice. Not geographically correct of course, but fine work with Wivenhoe News being sandwiched between the two locations, in proudly picking up the silver place in the 2010 Essex Community Magazine Awards.

In anticipation of Lifeboat Week (6th - 11th June,) Jane Hughes writes about The First Lifeboat: Henry Greathead’s Original. The as ever excellent Arts News wraps up Christmas Presence, the Denis Wirth-Miller retrospective at the Minories, recent events up at The Lakeside (“…no longer as austere and drab“) Moving Image (hurrah!) Jardine (hurrah! hurrah!) and even the Hub (hurrah! hurrah! hur… oh - you get the idea.)

David Williams reviews a selection of CD’s that are available at Wivenhoe Bookshop, and then there is a brief para all about the rather bizarre arrival of Sinterklaas down at the Quay in December (which incidentally I have deliberately chosen not to blog about. Having been asked why by a number of sources, then I will add the diplomatic answer of finding it all rather surreal for 2010.)

Moving on…

Nottage News reports on the buildings update for our fine nautical place of heritage. The Film Club is mentioned, as well as looking ahead to the annual Summer Exhibition.

Ian Valentine then updates on the state of the local bell ringers.

Blimey.

Anyone living in lower Wivenhoe will no doubt testify that the men and women of bells are indeed in fine form, what with the weekly Wednesday evening rehearsals, and the peeling out of a quick chorus shortly before 10am on a Sunday morning.

Ding dong. Get in there.

Restoring the Royal British Legion reports on the good news of a planning application and possible listed status having been submitted. A decision is due later in March.

The fine work of the locally based ADP Theatre receives a positive write up on page 12, as well as reviews of recent events at St Mary’s, such as the Cavendish Consort and The Odd Tale of Odstock.

The wonderful Wivenhoe panto gets the star treatment overleaf (“Energetic! Hilarious! Charismatic!“) as well as a quick plug for Oklahoma being performed by the Wivenhoe Gilbert & Sullivan Society from 15th - 19th March at the Loveless Hall.

Plans for the May Fair are mentioned on page 14, as well as a call for ideas and inspiration for the fascinating Off the Rails project down at The Station. The brilliant Bookshop updates on the forthcoming Philosophers course, the Reading Group (now staged within the splendour of Jardine) and the branching out of the Bookshop to stage intimate live music. All accounts suggest that Fiona Harman’s Drum performance was the perfect start to this recent venture.

Wivenhoe in Bloom and Open Gardens take a green-fingered approach overleaf. With spring finally having settled in these parts, the time is almost here to proudly show us what you’ve got. Anyone interest in a half-seeded lawn?

Wivenhoe Allotments ponder the woe of the extreme winter, whilst the fine Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s Bird Watcher Supreme, writes of his good fortune during the cold snap in being able to spot fifteen waxwings down by the Colne - and the exact location for this rather rare appearance? Um… in the bushes that have now been bulldozed by the Environmental Agency.

Whoops.

Coppicing with the Wivenhoe Woods Working Party is explained, as well as a fascinating write up of the fungi forage that took place in Wivenhoe Wood during the autumn.

The centre page diary events are as packed as ever (and soon to be shamelessly added to the Wivenhoe Forum diary…)

Early 80′s events centred on Wivenhoe Port, and in particular, a plausible tale of smuggling and intervention by the Belgium Old Bill, are written with the perfect prose from Bill Ellis on page 22.

The Circumnavigation of St Barba of Mersea by Peter Goldsmith continues the maritime theme. The ace Transition Town Wivenhoe provide an update, alongside the equally ace Wivenhoe Pets (Murphie settling in rather well, thank you very much.) Some online bore then bangs on about the Wivenhoe Forum (whaddya mean, you *still* haven’t joined, blah blah blah…)

The View From the High Street with Tom Roberts looks back on past Wivenhoe winters, making comparisons with the snow of 2010, and explaining rather helpfully some of the urban myths about clearing the snow away yourself.

Bernard Jenkin MP uses his column to try and explain the abolition of PCT’s, as well as pressing the case for a cleaner Colne. Mr Mayor Brian Sinclair explains WTC matters, covering the closure of the police station, Cook’s Shipyard progress (slow…) the new Medical Centre (stationary) and the continuation of the closure of Queens Road.

LibDem Colchester Borough Councillor Mark Cory (Wivenhoe Cross ward) uses his column as an election launch ahead of voting this May. Meanwhile Labour’s Councillor Steve Ford adds his views on the closure of Clingoe Hill and the Knowledge Gateway. Plus any local Cllr column wouldn’t complete without the mention of potholes.

Essex County Councillor Julie Young keeps up the familiar local themes - Knowledge Gateway, Queens Road, potholes - as well as the ongoing debate about making Station Road a 20mph zone.

Speaking of our friends up at the University, the Essex Book Festival, the recent Ofsted report on the Nursery and the Town and Gown Dinner conclude events centred around Boundary Road and beyond.

Obituaries are provided for David Adams and Gerry Oliver.

News From Our Schools uplifts the mood, with ample enthusiasm for our young folk. Millfields School has a Young Reporters theme, encouraging pupils to pen pieces all about recent news around the school community. The recent performance by a selection of Millfields pupils at a prestigious concert at the O2 is rightfully celebrated.

Broomgrove are equally enthusiastic about the community ethos of both the Junior and Infant school. News of the Colne Community School May Fair (15th May) is also mentioned.

WivSoc reports back on recent committee meetings, mainly covering planning, as well as a call to arms for more active local involvement. The incredibly community spirited Ellie Gornall writes about The Hub, Wivenhoe’s fantastic facility for young folk around the town.

Emma Cameron’s Vivid Gaze exhibition at Jardine is reviewed, as well as Guy Taplin’s recent retrospective as the Messum’s. “Wivenhoe’s alchemist of driftwood” is a fine working title for one to trade under.

Finally and Flying the Flag for Wivenhoe Folk Club reports on the successful move of the fine folkies up the road to The Flag for the monthly music sessions.

Wivenhoe News is sold at the Co-op, Crossways, the Post Office, Bryans Newsagents and the lovely Wivenhoe Bookshop.

The copy deadline for the next issue of Wivenhoe News is 1st May.

If it’s Wednesday Week then it must mean that it’s time for a meeting of the lovely Wivenhoe Society committee in the library upstairs at the Nottage.

Hurrah!

Not that I officially sit at the top table for the local group that has Wivenhoe, its heritage and its future at its heart - simply that I have been very kindly invited to come along to the meetings as an interested observer. I think that’s a polite way of putting that I’m a nosey parker.

With kitten commitments eating into my early evening (update: we have litter tray lift off. Oh Lordy…) no surprises that I was running slightly late as I headed quayside.

No worries - the first agenda item was a report on the most recent Wivenhoe Town Council meeting that took place on Monday. Our fine man from the Council was double-booked (and possibly double-parked) and so we had a read out of the minutes from the fine Chair.

It was an interesting blow-by-blow account of potholes, police station sell-offs and public convenience refurbishment updates. It was also a repeat performance for me, and so I wasn’t going to be taken in by any cliffhanger.

Mr Mayor‘s bike left unlocked outside The Greyhound, you say? It ‘aint gonna be a happy ending, fella.

Sticking with WTC, and WivSoc heard how our local councillors are a little cash strapped right now. Not in a personal sense - although there’s no dosh to be made out of volunteering for civic service - but as a consequences of the cuts coming our way via Colchester Borough Council and beyond.

The consequences for WivSoc are all connected to the Colne clean up on the 10th April. Breaking tradition, and WTC has asked for a small payment to cover the cost of two employees to help take away all the crap that has sadly found its way by the banks of the Colne.

A ‘friendly and constructive conversation’ followed. I’m no kiss and teller: in fact I’m lucky if I ever get to reach the kissing stage. But I’m breaking no confidences is stating that the balance sheet of the WivSoc probably can’t stretch to TWO groundsmen, Sunday overtime et al.

At a wider level, this opens up very real questions about who actually holds the responsibility for looking after the Colne: CBC? WTC? WivSoc? *shhh* Dave’s #bigsociety?

Blimey.

It’s all about doing your bit, and helping out wherever and whenever you can. We are blessed in Wivenhoe to have wonderful organisations such as The Hub youth club and Transition Town Wivenhoe, both of whom have very kindly offered to lend some helping hands on the big day of the riverbank clean up.

The river is sadly looking a right old mess heading out towards the Hythe. Time allowing and I sometimes stop to pick up the odd can. Many hands make light work. Two WTC groundsmen may make light work, but they will also lighten the load on the WivSoc bank account.

Speaking of which, I’m playing my cards closer to my chest than a 44FF gifted young lady who is holding all the aces: Yep - it’s only the WivSoc Treasurer’s Report.

A small amount of money has been made from selling calendars. Costs have occurred in printing out the Newsletter up at University, plus the very kind donation from WivSoc to Wivenhoe in Bloom (£200 seeing as though you ask. I think the tight lipped 44FF gifted young lady has just undone a singular bra strap.)

The Secretary’s Report confirmed that the speaker at the WivSoc AGM in April will be the Director of Colchester Arts Centre. This is an ace choice of guest, with three decades of sex, drugs and rock’n roll to tell tall tales of. Oh - and Fairport Convention.

Other AGM plans are now all in place. Most importantly these include the news that Dave Harrison, the Wivenhoe Wine Toaster Extraordinaire is well on the case. Or even the cases.

Chin Chin.

Perhaps the most important part of the evening was the monthly analysis of planning applications. Wivenhoe is full (so said the man who has just moved in…) Even minor alterations can have an impact upon the local infrastructure.

The application for a block of flats along Rectory Road has been withdrawn. WivSoc welcomes this, taking the view that the original plans were cramp and ill conceived.

But the real biggie when it comes to proposed new buildings right now is all about that other lot over the river. The planning application has now been formally submitted for the redevelopment of Rowhedge Warf. It seems that our near neighbours are about to go through what Wivenhoe went through over the past two decades with the residential opening up of the waterfront.

With the original application for 300 new builds being thrown out by CBC, the developers have now come back with a proposal for 170 new homes on the site of the empty wharf.

Don’t be fooled by the reduction - this is the application for only the first stage. Today’s Cook’s Phase 3 is the future Phase 3 for our friends at Rowhedge. A total of 250 new builds is believed to be the aim of the developer.

And so what interest is all of this to WivSoc? Well… that beautiful scenic waterfront view just as the sun is setting over West Quay could look drastically different in a decade from now.

The derelict wharf ‘aint exactly a beauty spot right now, but the opportunity is there to guide and advise as to what might take its place, and help keep the Colne a scenic place in which to live around.

The newly submitted plans seem to suggest that an access road will be built right along the Rowhedge waterfront. On a practical level this allows more property to be tightly packed in.

WivSoc takes the view that the increase in traffic levels, and subsequent noise, are sufficient reasons to oppose this. An access road behind the first row of houses, similar to West Quay, would seem more sensible.

The new set of plans has dropped the proposal for a series of tall residential properties. Two and a half storey is now the average height, with a single flagship taller property as the centerpiece, designed to mirror the splendor of our own St Mary’s.

Good luck on that one.

And so the Rowhedge redevelopment seems inevitable, and if put in place sensibly, most certainly an improvement on the current abandoned wharf. But there’s a huge gulf between local sensibilities and the balance sheet of a corporate developer.

Moving on…

A domestic planning application for Belle Vue Road was briefly touched upon. I have a personal policy of publicly not passing any judgment on non-commercial planning applications - there but for the grace of God, ‘n all that twaddle. Did I mention the plans for a skyscraper extension to our back garden?

Concluding the planning update and the application for Cedric’s Bus Garage has been withdrawn. No reason has been stated. CBC has turned down the planning application for a care home for special needs kids on Cracknall Close, up towards Broomgorve.

Planning sorted, time for some Front of House hospitality. We’re talking in particular here the annual competition to see who can tart up their two up, two down best with hanging baskets and other fauna and flora. Excitement is building within WivSoc (seriously) with the publicity, prizes and judges being organised.

A request was then considered from WTC for a call of interest in helping to put together plans for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in the town next year. WivSoc collectively may be supportive of the Monarchy, but then again WivSoc *may not* be collectively supportive of the Monarchy. Either way, no official Royalist response is being sent back to the Town Council offices.

On the Social front and a quick read of the officer’s report suggests that WivSoc is one wild abandon of a social party, with an occasional eye on planning applications.

Possibly.

Bookings are already coming in for the November Craft Fair (phew - rock ‘n roll.) A serious fiscal debate then followed, regarding the raising of the entry price from 20p to 50p. It is under such circumstances that revolutions take hold.

The fine Wivenhoe Folk Club and Transition Town Wivenhoe group have both been offered free stalls for the WivSoc Fun Day on 10th September. The rather excellent Judith Chalmers popular combo band has been booked once again for the Post Christmas Party on 7th January.

The NAP minutes were then up for discussion. Once again, I refer my honorable friend to the answer I gave some three weeks ago.

And finally, Any Other Business - always the best part of any local meeting, and the one time when I feel like taking to my feet for a spot of stand up.

But there wasn’t much to laugh about when we went over the escalation during the past month of the blatant vandalism of the Colne vegetation by the Environment Agency. This is an area that was discussed in mild terms last month when the signs first went up.

What has happened in-between has been well documented. There’s one hell of a difference between the posting of some A4 signs along the Colne, and the complete destruction of the once wonderful area of natural beauty.

With spring finally starting to shoot through along the estuary, the one uplifting thought to come out of the very depressing debate was the hint of some guerilla gardening taking place by the Colne.

Cripes.

And then a final, final item agenda, which seems to have slipped into our little local patch almost undetected. Heads up the good folk of the Queens Road Resident’s Association who were very early on the case in highlighting the proposed waste dump site across the river at Fingringhoe Wick.

What is up for grabs here is essentially landfill:

“Thames and Colne have a plan to import and process waste at Ballast Quay. Part of the company’s plans for the expansion of four quarry sites in Fingringhoe involves the import and processing of inert waste material to infill the quarry sites. Processing of the waste will take place at Ballast Quay.”

A huge variety of materials are proposed to be part of the project. This includes plastic and other non-biogradable items. Where this leaves the long-term plan of flooding the marsh remains to be seen.

Of more immediate concern is the 24/7 schedule for the operation. The noise of the mechanical machinery will travel around 1km in distance - easily within reach of the residential accommodation down by Wivenhoe Quay. It is also expected to be a light pollutant as well.

As this is a business proposal and not a residential property development, it seems that the usual channels for alerting and consulting with local residents has passed by under the radar. WivSoc is going to urgently raise the matter with Essex County Councillor Julie Young, and Bernard Jenkin MP.

And so that was WivSoc for another month. With issues covering major commercial and residential development, down to the cost of entering the Craft Fair. The agenda reflects the diverse issues currently taking place around the town, and likewise the need for a diverse range of local representation.

Once again, I feel guided to point you in the direction of the membership page on the WivSoc website. If you join up rather prompt, you might just be in time for the AGM, the debate and… the booze.

Chin chin.

A slight concern over recent weeks as it seems that my little hyperlocal patch of Wivenhoe missed out on any Chronicle action over the Christmas period. But then come Saturday night, and I heard tales of the legend that is Scoop Scarpenter wandering around the town, delivering copies of the esteemed Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle.

The hyperlocal news cycle is continuous. Early Sunday morning, and with a hangover just starting to kick start my day, and there was Scoop, making a lunge for my letterbox with the February 2011 edition.

Hurrah!

And so here’s a brief headline updates of what’s in the Chronicle for Wivenhoe locals this month. Brightlingsea locals, lovely though I’m sure you are, can go and bugger off. Or start your own hyperlocal blog…

Local Police Station To Be Closed is the lead story.

“The decision by Essex Police to close their station at Brightlingsea, and their office in the High Street at Wivenhoe, and move their personnel to work out of the town’s fire stations has been met with considerable local dismay by residents.”

This is a win / win story for the Chronicle, covering both patches of the circulation footprint. Scoop has taken the story further, conducting a “random verbal poll,” probably in The Station, I’d wager.

Chin chin.

We discover from the results:

“There is almost disbelief that the police office will be transferred to a site adjacent to fields on the outskirts of town.”

This feeling of “disbelief” is deduced from a sample of 70 Wivenhoe locals, with only five residents thinking that the closure of the police station is not a matter for concern.

In response, Essex Police point out that the majority of calls for Wivenhoe are coming in from *ahem* the University, which will now be closer to our fine police officers, once the move to the Fire Station takes place in March.

But it’s not all about the old Bill in The Chronicle this month. For those of a flag flying persuasion, celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee may be of interest:

“Wivenhoe Town Council is setting up a working party to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Several Councillors are involved, but they would like two or three members from the community to join the working party.”

I’m up for half of this suggestion - the party part. With personal plans for the Royal Wedding currently being put in place (based roughly around trying to avoid the happy couple) then no surprises that the Diamond Jubilee has yet to make it into my diary.

Given the Regal occasion, how about something based around Queens Road? It could even be an anti-street party, with the road opened up for traffic once again.

*HUGE irony insert there, btw…*

But let’s keep it positive. Page 2 of The Chronicle carries the story of Wivenhoe Eyecare picking up an Excellent Customer Service Award at the Colchester District Business Awards, 2010. Congratulations to all involved.

Poetry Wivenhoe is given a plug for 24th January at The Greyhound, as is the Folk Club for the 3rd February (no longer at The Greyhound, but now bedding down rather well up at The Flag).

Keeping it cultural and p.6 reports on the Gilbert and Sullivan Society production of Oklahoma! I really wish Mr G & S didn’t add an exclamation mark to their well-known body of work. I studied the Chronicle G & S Soc to Perform Oklahoma! headline for all of five minutes, yet still couldn’t see the joke. Hey hoe. 15th - 19th March is the run, with performances, as ever, at the William Loveless Hall. Tickets are on sale at both post offices.

Meanwhile, any news piece which states:

“There will be no bar and therefore revellers attending should arrive with their own drink and glasses…”

…gets the thumbs aloft from me. Mr Mayor’s “Forces Sweethearts” dance will be taking place on 12th February at, um, the William Loveless Hall, raising funds for our fine Mayor’s Charity Fund.

And that’s about yer lot from this month in the brilliant Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle. Now then - who is friendly enough with the good Scoop Scarpenter to have a very kind word, and try and sort out a plug for the growing Wivenhoe Forum in the March edition?

The Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle is distributed free amongst local households. Additional copies are 25p from local newsagents.

Well this was all a hell of a lot of fun. Midweek in the Wivenhoe Congregational Hall and I found myself witnessing the latter stages of the rehearsals for the Wivenhoe Pantomime.

Hurrah!

Jack and the Beanstalk (with a very local Wivenhoe twist) will be entertaining locals at the William Loveless Hall at the start of the New Year. The run stretches from 19th - 22nd January, with a matinee performance on the Saturday afternoon.

The process of putting of on a pantomime is a complex affair. Working under the professional guidance of Wivenhoe local @MatthewLinely, plans for the show have been put in place since April of this year.

The script comes via Wivenhoe comedy legend Brian Ford. Anyone who is familiar with Brian’s open mic floor spots at the Folk Club will know what to expect.

A keen and eager band makes up the cast. What was wonderful to see was the range of Wivenhoe locals that have stepped forward to take part. The rehearsals are rather random, with plenty of knockabout humour as the evening develops.

The lead role of Jack is being played this year by Wivenhoe Comedy Club favourite @HazelFunnyFarm. What with putting on the Funny Farm at the Cricket Club this Thursday, and stepping up a gear with panto rehearsals, it’s all no laughing matter…

Tickets for the pantomime are on sale now from the High Street Post Office and Premier Crossways Store. £4.50 is a bargain price for the Wednesday and Thursday productions. £5 will buy you a weekend ticket (with the evening performances expected to be rather lively…)

You can follow @wivenhoepanto on twitter for insightful updates into the artistic process. Failing that then there’s some good old-fashioned knockabout humour bouncing back and forth. For more information, the group also has an email address for further communication.

Many thanks to @MatthewLinley for kindly agreeing to the podcast catch up below.

There’s always been a folk element to m’blog.

Blimey.

And so for the second time in a fortnight, I pulled on a chunky polar neck sweater (seriously) and set off out for an evening of traditional acoustic entertainment in North Essex.

On offer on Monday night @ColchesterArts was the great Dick Gaughan. Oh the irony of a Socialist folk hardliner, singing songs of Scottish national identity on a cold Monday night in Sunny Colch.

But first the Arts Centre - I actually got slightly lost wandering down the High Street, heading towards the back of The Odeon.

In what is becoming something of a recurring theme on m’blog of late - the last time blah blah blah… But yeah, back in the undergraduate days and @AnnaJCowen and I went to the newly opened Arts Centre in the summer of ’93, only to find that the band had split up on route to Sunny Colch.

Cripes.

No chance of Dick Gaughan going the way of Paris Angels. Unashamedly spiky, but with a warmth in his voice to make you believe, the folk hero’s appearance in the old church wasn’t preaching, but it certainly was uplifting.

Gaughan is the guitar player that Billy Bragg wishes he could be. Couple this with the story telling style in his songs, and you’ve pretty much got a fantasy folk hero.

The man can even get away with a rambling introduction ahead of a song, describing in great detail the historical significance in terms of the revolutionary timeline, and then… play an instrumental.

A brief beer break, and I felt alone in the Arts Centre for not having brought along a book or my knitting. I somehow bluffed my way through downing a pint of Guinness.

The fine bar staff were even applauding - not me, but the sense of suspension and storytelling craft that Gaughan carried on with after the knitting break. He isn’t the most natural of performers, but that’s the appeal. This is raw folk. It only adds to the message in the music.

An encore-dodging sprint down the High Street for the last train back to the Hoe - I really couldn’t tell you if Gaughan finished his set with a Girls Aloud melody.

Keeping it at a #hyperlocal level, and a parish notice for any local folkies to remind you that the Wivenhoe Folk Club has a change of venue for the November get together.

The Masonic Lodge along The Avenue will host Johnny Silvo on Thursday night. I’m not sure if Scottish Socialism will be on the agenda, but the combination of folk and Freemasonry sounds like a lot of fun.

There’s always been a folk element to m’blog…

Thursday night is Folk Club night in Wivenhoe.

Oh Lordy.

Well, once a month it is, anyway. There’s always been a folk element to my music, as the NME phrase once went back in the day. This isn’t actually too far from the truth. Michelle Shocked’s first gig in the Fair City back in ’88, an avid fan of the legendary Here Be Dragons radio show, and even ownership of a Fairport Convention double album - yep, there’s always been a folk element to my music…

Which is just as well, seeing as though I entered upstairs at The Greyhound early evening on Thursday, and walked into what appeared to be a Who’s Who of Wivenhoe performing artists. Entry wasn’t strictly on your ability to strum out three chords, but I experienced a mild nervous moment, pondering if Mull of Kintyre rendition would be required before last orders.

The Wivenhoe Folk Club is legendary. It attracts many of the leading performers on the UK folk circuit, and is supported by a sizable gathering of equally talented local artists. Meeting once a month, November’s gathering was deemed an Open Mic affair.

But first off, this just in: Wivenhoe Folk Club is on the move. An announcement was made before the first chords echoed around the surreal Mediterranean surroundings upstairs at The Greyhound:

“We have outgrown the venue. As from next month, the Folk Club is moving to the temporary home of the Freemason’s Lodge up along The Avenue.”

Blimey.

Rest assured, lovers of traditional folk and fine ale - a temporary bar will also be in place at the home of the trousers shaking Freemason’s of this parish. And so this was to be my first, and last, visit to the Wivenhoe Folk Club at The Greyhound. Best make the most of it; best get the Guinness in.

Chin chin.

The evening at The Greyhound got off to a lively start, with some wonderful innuendo about great big shining prize marrows. The atmosphere was set for the following three hours. I was grinning after only half a pint of Guinness.

What is wonderful about these Open Mic evenings is the genuine participation and cooperation from the floor. Everyone here is a performer, dahhhling, and so the entire room shares in the chorus and adds a unique local Wivenhoe feel to some traditional, and contemporary folk songs.

All styles are catered for here - sea shanties, blues, choral harmonising and even a spot of poetry. It was *almost* enough to make me take to the floor and strum out my legendary two chord bash through of Mull of Kintyre. Except I only know one and a half chords, and so my movements for the evening were only between table and bar.

I felt something of a fraud, being one of the few non-performers on the evening. I thought it puerile to take to the stage and try some of my freefall experimental jazz poetry, five pints or no five pints.

So yeah - a lively and entertaining evening, and sadly possibly the last meeting of the Wivenhoe Folk Club at The Greyhound. The esteemed Johnny Silvo will be taking to the stage at the, um, Masonic Lodge on 18th November.

Membership enquiries can be made via Denise on 01206 827759. You won’t find a friendlier meeting of folk minded folk this side of Sunny Colchester.