Swing in to action

There seems to be a children's playground refurbishment programme happening in the area. About time too.

New fencing around the Slade swing-park and I noticed that the refurb work on the Winn's Common playground is in full swing [phew just about managed to shoe-horn an lame pun in there - ed]. I see that the new equipment being installed is the utterly excellent Kompan range; I find them very inventive and superbly designed. The swing parks in Welling have had the Kompan equipment for quite some time, not that I'm saying Greenwich needs to pull their socks up, but I just prefer to let my children play on interesting rust-free equipment in an environment free of broken glass and dogs. Maybe I'm just picky?

Not sure if the Slade equipment will receive an upgrade or not but I would jolly well hope so.

Comedy On The Common dot com

Our dear old Comedy On The Common now has a gleaming, brand spanking new website. Check it out for further comedy nights and more.

At a loose end on Sunday 25th January? Well why not enjoy a night of belly laughs at Comedy On The Common.

Got a whole lot of stuff to show on t'internet? Need to promote your good self? Want a website designed? Of course you do. WEEG will do it.

Modern architecture

I've been eager to see the architect plans for the Plumstead Manor School tuck shop for a while and have been pointed in the direction of the school's own website. In place of the pub is a modern glass construction with contemporary topiary. Looks very generic suburban architecture [at this point, I'd like to invent a new word - genurbantecture] in the style of the sports centres in Beckenham and Crook Log, Bexleyheath.

This is modern architecture without being offensive, although some would protest that this glass proposal would be a carbuncle on the face of Plumstead Common. As an example of contemporary genurbantecture, I like it. Of course, it's not aping the classicism of the existing school building, but that's good. It's not sympathetic to the Victorian terraces, but I think it's sympathetic to the Common. Time moves on and design moves on.

I'd be interested to see how the building will eventually look.

Art Deco Co Op

I've just stumbled across a website which has documented the fabulous Co Op Building in Woolwich. I love this building. It's strong, iconic and should be kept. I'm all for architecture and town planning to move forward, but this gem will probably be replaced with a diluted building of the utmost blandness.

Here are one of the photos from the site. Apologies to the webmaster for duplicating it.

What a toilet

I like this sign, but I'd wonder if it indicates a unisex facility.

really nice signage

I sent Weegee, my chief photographer down to the Slade to capture the gorgeous signage above the butcher shop facade. Well here it is - in color.

Makes you feel proud doesn't it?

I've also taken a photo of an abomination of a shop sign. It's the seeping kebab image.

Actually, this one is pretty tame in comparison to the one I originally saw; you get the message though.

Yum yum. Well, lovely listeners, you can be rest assured that it doesn't belong to any take away in The Shire.

Local stuff

All quiet in da hood. Even pikey car sellers have been quiet. It must be those posters nailed to the trees. A bit of information to tell the greasy tax dodgers what's what; they don't like it up 'em. Having said that, a couple of dodgy cars have turned up, but still nothing like before. Pity really as I was going to buy a sledgehammer in the Ablair summer blue cross sale.

I thought I'd give two mentions to local businesses.

1) The butcher at the Slade. I absolutely love their new shop signage. I don't know how long it's been changed, but it is stunning. Sign-writing is a dying art, taken over by horrible printed vinyl signage, the absolutely worst offenders being kebab shops. The name of the shop is a must, but why oh why do we need a background image of a seeping roll of steaming lamb? I think I saw this abomination along Green Lanes.

So when I get some spare time, I'll pop down to the monastery and get the chaps to knock up a scroll/certificate and present it to the butcher shop for services to the enhancement of Plumsteadshire.

2) I'll not be presenting one of those scrolls to The Ship or SJ's Lounge.

I'm sorry, but SJ's Lounge just says 'porno shop' to me. It's great that they've made the effort, but man alive, I really did think a sex shop had opened in the village. At least we can be grateful that SJ hadn't opted for the printed vinyl 'seeping lamb' shop sign.

As for The Ship, I still cannot bring myself to go in. The whole place just gives off an odour of naffness. The appalling signage, the total disregard for the architectural exterior, the characterless interior. The Peter Stringfellow school of thinking, but done really badly.

I'll have to photograph the butcher shop and post it here, just to make myself feel better.

oh no to logo

I love the new 2012 Olympic logo; it's so clever.

If you turn your head 90 degrees, you can almost see a graphic designer (stuck in the 80's new romantics phase), laughing in the face of Lord Coe.

Genius.

So glad my taxes are being spent on World class creative agencies.

Wolff Olins, shame on you.