Mailwatch(ed) Forum

However poor an area is in terms of private sector jobs, central government can at least make sure it's got a nice hospital and roads.

This approach benefits everyone, unlike subsidies for car plant buyouts that end up in director-shareholder pensions.
Defence is the strongest sector where ministers can push a button and plants open at locations of their choosing. And public sector regeneration in metropolitan city centres since the 80s have been mainly successful.

The London equivalent of those wankers who buy the house next to the village church and complain to the council about the noise of the bells.

Although we haven't lost the bells, we did lose the church clock striking the hour...

Good news here. Sounds like Westminster Council (which the Tories won back) can't do anything about it.

Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, has suggested he will overrule a residents’ society that has vowed to challenge all new applications for pubs and restaurants in Soho.

The Guardian revealed last week that the Soho Society, a residents’ group established in 1972 aimed at “preserving the character of Soho”, voted for a new licensing mandate, meaning it will challenge all new applications for bars and restaurants in the area, including renewals of existing licences.

It will also object to any venue that wishes to open beyond “core hours”, which Westminster council decrees end at 11pm. Many have complained that it is very difficult to get a drink or a meal in central London after 11pm due to the “core hours” policy.

Khan said this is “bad for London” and that new powers granted to him by government, coming into force later this year, will allow him to “extend London’s late-night offer”.

The Guardian revealed last week that the Soho Society, a residents’ group established in 1972 aimed at “preserving the character of Soho”,

Pornographers, jazz and Maltese cosh gangs?

Youngian wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2026 12:54 pm Pornographers, jazz and Maltese cosh gangs?

You ever seen this? It's great.

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2026 1:19 pm

Youngian wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2026 12:54 pm Pornographers, jazz and Maltese cosh gangs?

You ever seen this? It's great.

Jack Spot, former king of the underworld Was he born on probation like the Pirahnna Brothers?

Jack Spot seems like a nice chap in that film, doesn't he?

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Wed Jun 03, 2026 10:01 pm Jack Spot seems like a nice chap in that film, doesn't he?

He wore hand-stitched suits and wound up with a hand-stitched face.

I take it Jack's interned rivals weren't Japanese or German mobsters.

News from Falmouth, where an expansion of the port to allow more cruise ships to stop there is being planned.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... uise-ships

The environmental arguments are above my pay station, so I leave those out. But some of the other arguments here are pretty ridiculous. Are we really to believe that people who arrive in Falmouth don't spend money in shops and restaurants? The writer did find one shop where they don't spend money, so it goes right in to the article. The increased footfall maybe exaggerated- it seems like a booming business this year, with 80,000 passengers expected. We can probably assume that the predicted 200,000 a year is exaggerated. But if it isn't and it's agreed to be too many, can't the port restrict numbers to what it's comfortable with? This sounds like an opportunity that lots of coastal places would kill for. If, as a couple of people say, the passengers just get off the ship and go somewhere else, which sounds unlikely, couldn't the town get some more attractions together.

I went to Falmouth about 5 years ago in mid summer and it was nice. I don't recall it being Padstow-like in overcrowding either. I don't get the problem really.

Youngian wrote: ↑Thu Jun 04, 2026 7:13 am I take it Jack's interned rivals weren't Japanese or German mobsters.

They were Italians, the Sabinis from Clerkenwell. The main Sabini, Charles (known as Darby), was 50 when the war broke out and would have been pretty anglicized, having been born in Holborn. He was interned for about a year only, but then got nicked for handling stolen goods and sent to prison for three more years.

This sounds like an opportunity that lots of coastal places would kill for.

Who's up for a cruise to Jaywick?



Not saying Jaywick couldn't do with the money, mind.