Overlooking the main square, the imposing building that is the Golden Fleece is equally impressive on the inside, but it was the warm welcome from the staff that set the tone for the afternoon.

There were several smaller rooms and comfortable looking alcoves, where lunch could be taken, but we headed straight to the impressive chandelier bedecked dining room.

The dining room was painted in creams and blue with matching uphostery helping to create a relaxing atmosphere, and I was happy that the music, which also added to the ambiance, was playing in the background but not so loud as to interfere with conversation.

We were seated at a table in a corner of the room where an elegant French antique style beautiful mirror hung on the back wall, and I noted that the tables had been carefully placed to ensure a degree of conversation without fear of being overheard, though we were so loud we could probably be heard out in the car park.

Our waitress, Charlotte, charming and efficient, guided us through the extensive menu, explaining that the seasonal menus featured the finest locally sourced ingredients. As importantly she brought the wine list and later the pudding menu.

After much deliberation and a few changes of mind, all watched by our ever- patient waitress, we settled back sipping a very palatable Rioja and awaited our food.

As a vegetarian I have come to understand that it can be quite a test for a kitchen to provide anything above the ordinary, so I ordered the BBQ tofu burger, which came with a portion of fries. It didn’t look big, but given that this was lunch and I didn’t eat any more that day, you can draw your own conclusions.

One friend chose a Fajita Quinoa bowl with added chicken but declared herself beaten by the time it came to the third wrap, Our other friends ordered a Fleece Burger, which was a 6 oz beefburger also served with Fries and a Ham and Chicken pie served with thick cut chips. All delicious and all filling.

Not so filling however, that we couldn’t find room for a delicious pudding, my lemon curd cheesecake was perfectly tart and the others expressed their satisfaction with Chilled Chocolate Fondant. 

Four coffees, later with the Golden Fleece’s famous and obligatory three maltesers each, and to a chorus of cheery goodbyes we were ready to walk off a lovely lunch in a lovely market town and bid farewell to Thirsk, but hopefully not for the last time.

For more information: The Golden Fleece, Thirsk

The Golden Fleece Hotel, Eatery and Coffee House
Market Place, Thirsk
North Yorkshire, YO7 1LL
Phone: 01845 523108
Email: mailto:goldenfleece@innmail.co.uk
 

Mum, she of the far reaching voice, (well she was a military nurse in the war) used to boom: I hope you’re minding your manners or I’ll want to know the reason why.

The remembered childhood frisson of nervous sniggering was my companion, plus outright hilarity, as I began to read Minding the Law for such is Scott’s style. Crikey, what a task though and just as well he led the 2^nd Battalion Scots Guards in the Falklands War, amongst other triumphs – not that Scott would have been a match for my mum, let me tell you. But how on earth did Michael Scott arrive at the gates of the first Complaints Commission? Indeed, what is the Complaints Commission?

As civilian life loomed for the author, The Bar Council which regulates the behaviour of barristers, interviewed and appointed Michael Scott, with his distinguished war record but no legal experience – crucial to an unbiased approach – to head its first Complaints Commission. Whose complaints?  The public’s complaints against the legal profession.

In at the deep end doesn’t really cover it, because who would show Scott the ropes when the ropes were as new as he?

So off the author goes, drawing us into a different minefield to that experienced in the military world. It is, however, still a place in which one should  tread carefully in the search for justice, as he encounters hostility, distress, desperation, not to mention scrutiny by others, including journalists.

In Minding Your Manners – oh sorry, Minding the Law, we laugh, wince, bury our heads in our hands overcome with sadness, narrow the eyes aghast at the complainant, muttering, ‘What were you thinking?’.

Minding the Law is a marvellous page turning book: accessible, fascinating, and in his  silent responses to some legal beagles and those from the other side of the coin I heard my mum’s voice. It is not only hilarious, but also sobering as we meet many of the disparate characters and complaints, some, by  no means all,  worthy of a second look. But that’s the thing: that has to be decided by the Complaints Commission. It is a world with which we are mostly unfamiliar, though I did go to Winchester Prison to ask our builder, in for GBH, to return on release and finish the job. (He did, dear reader)

But back to Minding the Law. As well as amusing, it is thought provoking, absorbing, worrying, never patronising and most importantly, revealing on so many levels. Read it, I insist, as the Complaints Commission endeavour to decipher the wood from the trees.

Michael Scott Minding the Law. The hazardous and hilarious world of handling complaints against barristers. HB. Marble Hill Publishers £16.99 Available on Amazon Prime.

If, like me, you find it annoying to read a great review, start making plans, only to discover that all the tickets have been sold – read on…

I am writing this without (as yet) having seen the production, but all the elements are present for an excellent evening’s entertainment. However, if you prefer to wait until the review, feel free to come back and read my thoughts, but if that means that you can’t the get a ticket, don’t blame me.

Could there be a more perfect setting of Midsummer Night’s Dream, the latest offering at Holland Park Opera?

This summer, sensational historical performance ensemble Figure return with a fresh staging of Shakespeare’s classic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Unbridled desire meets magic as Figure stages Shakespeare’s celebrated play, accompanied by Mendelssohn’s enchanting orchestral score.

Figure’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will feature Mendelssohn’s famous incidental music. Mendelssohn wrote the extended ‘Overture’, followed by numbers such as the ‘Wedding March’.

Reuniting the play with this glorious music, Figure’s musicians will be playing instruments modelled on those from Mendelssohn’s time, including the rarely heard ophicleide.

As Midsummer’s Eve approaches, four young lovers and a troupe of am-dram artisans venture deep into the woods, but little do they know about the amorous antics about to ensue … In the enchanted forest, fairies rule and mischief- maker Puck is on hand to ensure the course of true love is anything but smooth. With trickery, havoc, and chaos afoot, it isn’t long until love triangles, mistaken identities and magical transformations begin to unfold.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A play by William Shakespeare with orchestral, vocal, and choral music by Felix Mendelssohn. Dates Thursday 29th June – Saturday 1^st July 2023 Running time

2 hours, 45 mins (including interval)

Location Opera Holland Park Theatre, Ilchester Place, London W8 6LU

Tickets are priced £20 – £100 and can be purchased at https://operahollandpark.com/productions/a-midsummer-nights-dream/

It was a strange weekend over Bank Holiday at the CCA because, though they were closed for business and one might suspect all were at rest – wrong – for Marion and Bob worked like trojans to prepare for the new flooring, which as you can all imagine was no easy task. So much heavy furniture to move… The sack barrow was a Godsend, apparently, especially when moving the desks from the office. Frost Magazine can well imagine.  Then there was the garden area, because once the new floor in the corridor was started; there would be no access. So, what a transformation has occurred with new plants purchased from the Elm Tree Garden Centre, plus a few additions from Aldi, a few pretty hangers for the fence, with many a thought give to ensure that there would be  easy access to the kettle for a must-have cuppa. As you can see, all the plants have found a home. Lord, the work involved, with Marion planting, and Bob making music with his screwdriver.  Give these two a medal, Frost Magazine says.

Monday arrived, with Corey too, who got on with the job while Marion and Bob beavered on, sorting out more planting.  First though, the office carpet lifted, doors off, and it seems some work will be needed on the those, which requires a bit of planning, but it’s a doddle she’s been told! Meanwhile, back on the plant front:  Marion decided that though it’s hard work, it’s very therapeutic deciding what plants to put with what.

Marion had placed an advert on social media to see if anyone had a wheelbarrow looking for a new home, the lovely Julie replied, the wheelbarrow was collected and delivered to the centre. First to paint it, and then plant  with an array of foliage.Wonderful and as the summer moves on it  will be a   blaze of beautiful colours and fragrances.

As for the flooring everything went to plan, with super-star Corey intent on working nightshift to ensure that the flooring is completed for the little Didi dancers on Saturday morning.

There is still some finishing to do on the patio area, then Marion and Bob can move over to the other side of the building behind the new gates with hopes that this area can be concreted. ‘At the moment it is like a patchwork quilt,’ says Marion, so for now, up will go the hanging baskets. Oh hang on, they’re already done. These two work at speed.

Before

       After

By the end of the week the flooring was done, and our unflappable duo got out the sack barrow and began to put everything back in its place, including the pictures on the wall. Frost Magazine truly feels they should be awarded a medal.  Any minute now our two old codgers (Marion’s description, Margaret wouldn’t dare) can relax, knowing their beloved Centre is up and running again for the use of the community.

So chill the wine, lift a glass to Marion and Red Shoes Bob, and have a great week-end, particularly our two superuper heroes.

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square

Anne Marie Laureys Crossover of Thoughts 2020 Photo Peter Claeys

Michael Brennand-Wood Storyboard2 Orange Dancer with Cosmic Skirt

London is burgeoning with exhibitions and sometimes the smaller ones can easily get overlooked. This is one exhibition not to be missed, and as it is a mere 4 minute walk from South Kensington Underground Station there really is no excuse for not popping in.  These two artists were brought together, because in the words of the curator, ‘both are going beyond,’ with their work, in an exhibition that juxtaposes the simple with the complex in a delightful thought provoking exhibition.

Both artists push their interaction with the material they work with, to go beyond the expected. Michael Brennand-Wood taps into his lifelong knowledge of embroidery and lace-making in combination with modern day techniques to create multi-layered sculptural textile works. Anne Marie Laureys begins her process by throwing a classic vessel that she then alters with the help of time and gravity; reshaping, remoulding and refolding the clay over and over again until the work has found its voice.

The exhibition is quite small, covering two rooms, but the gallery seems ideally suited to displaying the works, and an hour and 30 minutes flew by.

Michael Brennand-Wood has an international reputation as one of the most innovative and inspiring artists working in textiles today. Here he creates a new body of work called Storyboards. Taking the figure of Gulliver bound to the ground with thread as its starting point encapsulating a feeling of being trapped and unable to move.

The pieces seem at first viewing to be deceptively simple, a base of images and some scraps of text forming a collage, over which are dozens if not hundreds of pins linked by different coloured threads.

This really is a case of the more that you look the more you see. At first the threads seem to be a metaphor for holding someone or something in place, a little like Gulliver’s travels. The more threads the stronger the binds.

Look again and you will see that threads are also used as linkages, directing the eye through the story board from one point to another.

I realised that the threads also depicted movement e.g. the rigging on a sailing vessel and the pirouetting of a ballet dancer as well as the inability to move, because of the threads.

An eclectic collection of items are woven into each piece, a part of a floor tile; some hardened mercurial solder splashes taken from another artist’s studio floor; images from the artist’s childhood books; a small wooden frame; and even the artist’s grandmother’s door key, personalising the work, but also inviting the viewer to use these items to evoke feelings that arise from one’s own experience of such items.

These multi layered works are taking stitches to a different level and in doing so develops depth creating a sort of three-dimensional pointillism.

The ceramics in this exhibition demanded an iron will, such was their tactile appeal.

Belgian ceramic artist Anne Marie Laureys begins her process by throwing a classic, symmetrical pot. Whilst the clay is still soft and wet, she pulls, folds, pinches and punctures it. The tension of the clay underneath her fingers dictates the way the folds take shape, her pieces appear to have a spontaneous, unplanned quality.

However, Laureys takes her time to find the shape of a vessel, remoulding and refolding the clay over and over again until it speaks with her unique voice. No two works are ever the same. 

Each piece had a fine surface of what I initially took to be fine sand, added prior to the firing process, but was in fact fine crumbs of clay, together with some minerals such as nickel, iron and copper which renders the ceramic a velvet like visual quality rather than the usual shiny glaze.

These sculptural pieces range in colour from terracotta, bronze to pale blues and violet and have an organic feel, such that it is almost possible to discern the evolution of each piece.  The artist does not begin with a fully formed idea of what she is working towards or how the piece will look when finished, but rather takes her cue from the process.

There isn’t much time to visit this exhibition but it will certainly make you glad that you made the effort.

Venue: 4 Cromwell Place, Gallery 12, London, SW7 2JE, UK.     Dates: 30th May to 4th June 2023.    Wednesday to Saturday 10:00 – 18:00; Sunday 10:00 – 16:00

The lads from JLA arrived early in the week, and it was a  very sad day for all of us, as we said our good byes. We  have such fond memories of Graham, he had so many funny stories to tell.

As always, the Columbia Community Association came to everyone’s rescue, and moved them on, as people came and went: Dianne, Pauline, Brian, Ruth, Linda and little Liam – yes, a constant stream and a good old chin wag which was  just what the doctor ordered.

                                     
Ian, from Fred Stobbard came to drain the radiators ready for the new valves acquired by AC.T but sadly the valves weren’t the right size so back to the drawing board, but all CCA’s garden orders are now here.   Red Shoes  Bob worked hard to assemble the bench and made sure he was the first one to sit at it. Short lived once Marion spotted him. ‘Come on Bob there is work to do.’ Altogether now, ‘Boo boo boo.’

The bench has proved to be so popular the team have decided to order another two; happy days in the sun to look forward to. On that note, some new parasols are being ordered – can’t have anyone suffering from sun stroke.

Arthur, the decorator came, and proved to be a proper gentleman. He carried a load of gear in for the girls from Cultural Creatives.  He is very much Mr Popular. There are now working radiators in the toilets, with a pull cord system now installed in the disabled toilet. All external emergency lighting is now operational and extractor fans are fitted in both toilets.

Mariusz, the Polish plumber came, to change the valves on the radiators, however, oops, wrong ones again. Marion and he had a good old chin wag about her times in Gdansk where she interviewed for care assistants. So many happy memories of her times in that beautiful city.

The CCA’s  hanging baskets have been delivered, and with the help of Darren and Liam they are up and looking fantastic. Mind you, they are well cable tied as some areas have had a spat of baskets disappearing overnight and Marion would not be pleased if the same thing happened here.

Some absolutely fabulous exceedingly expensive prints,  were donated. arrived and the team were thrilled, and grateful. No doubt Bob will be hanging them any minute now.

There was no coffee morning this week because the CCA were treated to the  spectacular REDCOAT SHOW, which has been sold out for weeks. It was as fabulous as everyone hoped: really good belly laughs, lovely buffet and everyone having a good time. Such a wonderful way to end the week.

Be aware: the CCA is closed for business Monday to Friday this coming week as Cory Barnes from CJ Carpet Fitters, is laying new flooring in the corridor and office. The team, of course will be pottering around doing some gardening work. They have baskets to hang and planters to fill.

Marion is actually considering painting a few car tyres as people can do fabulous things with these, and she and Bob just happen to have a friend who can supply some. ‘ I wonder if Alan Titchmarsh would draw us a design, might give him a ring over the weekend.’ I bet she does too.

The CCA, joined by Frost Magazine, hope you have an amazing Bank Holiday and long may the sun shine.

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square

Glorious early summer: the gardens are beginning to bloom, roses are almost out, wysteria is smelling sweet.Our wonderful ‘Frank, the Family Butchers’ have commissioned Louisa Loves Painting to produce a window masterpiece hailing the approaching season. Welcome to Thirsk, welcome to summer.

May blossoming along the beck, the petals tinged with cream, the cuckoo spit blooming.

                             Buttercups fill the meadows, yellow dust on your shoes.

It makes me come over all Cider with Rosie and Laurie Lee. I met him years ago at a Hay on Wye Literary Festival. Such a charmer, as robust and sensuous as his books. He signed my copy of Cider with Rosie.

Pop into Rural Arts at the old Courthouse, to see what’s on now, and check the new programme – from July onwards.

Stop a moment at the Carlton Miniott village shop and PO, the tables are out on the front lawn, the charity books are displayed on the patio in front of the windowboxes. Sit down, browse through a couple, make your choice. Pop something in the tin for Altzeimer sufferer’s.

Then nip off home for a cuppa and why not a cream and jam scone from award winning Thomas’s in Thirsk.

Such a time, such warmth in Thirsk, such a buzz of bees which are so well served by wild flowers and numerous hives. Happy days, oh yes indeed.

For more information: https://visitthirsk.uk/

Carlton Stores: Carlton Road, Thirsk

Louisa Loves Painting: Instagram @louisalovespainting and Facebook

Email: Louisa.ac.art@outlook.com

Thomas the Bakers:   https://www.thomasthebaker.co.uk/

Frank Family Butchers: Frankfamilybutchers@outlook.com and Facebook

Rural Arts The Courthouse: https://www.ruralarts.org/

Frost Magazine was deeply impressed with the Thirsk Coronation Concert, held at St Mary’s, and I, as editor, simply had to grab Matthew Atherton, the organist who not only played the organ, but collected together and rehearsed the moving, and totally excellent choir and found the time to compose the anthem: Oh Lord, grant the King a long life.

You probably feel that grab is too strong a word? Wrong –  I grabbed and refused to release this modest musician until he had told me more about his career.

Matthew started learning the piano at about the age of 4.5yrs: ‘My mother tells me as soon as I could stand upright as a baby I was trying to play anything with a flat surface – she recalls me even trying to play the house plant with its large green leaf.’

So, moving on from the joys of leaf playing, why the organ? Matthew as a young boy heard them in church. In particular,  St. Mary’s Church at Wath near Ripon, Ripon Cathedral, and Christ Church in Pennington, Lancashire. Ooops, hang on, Lancashire? But apparently the organ was built in Yorkshire so no disloyalty then.

‘The latter I think is the first ever church organ I saw and heard aged about 5 when taken to church with my father’s mother and sister.’ The passion was ignited, reaching a crescendo (is this too much, I ask myself?) after hearing Ripon Cathedral’s triumphant organ being played full pelt by Ronald Perrin when he  was a couple of years older.  Matthew was then allowed to try the village organ in Wath which is still intact and a fine instrument. Sadly for Matthew, when he pulled out all the stops, it didn’t sound a bit like the music in Ripon Cathedral. Ah, a bit like life’s rich pattern.

To the rescue came a succession of piano teachers, in particular Mrs Helen Blythe and Mrs Bronwen Brindly from the Ripon area. Lessons always ran over the allotted time slot, such was the teachers’ enthusiasm and committment, and even more so when exams appeared on the horizon.  Matthew remains in touch with both his mentors. 

The organ teachers it appears were a more formidable breed, mainly because Matthew was so in awe of cathedral organists. ‘I was not a sporty child (nor, it must be said, am I as an adult) and I revered cathedral organists like youngsters revere footballers or other sports personalities, so you can imagine how I felt. I was enormously privileged to have had the tutors I have had and particularly wish to acknowledge Mr Ian Little, Head of Music at Ampleforth College – I did not go to school at Ampleforth, but had lessons privately with Ian thanks to a recommendation by a family friend. Ian was a tremendous teacher and fantastic choirmaster.’ 

Matthew told me that he thought Ian Little was the youngest cathedral organist in the UK in the 1980s when he was appointed organist and choirmaster of Coventry Cathedral. Ian instilled in Matthew the need to aspire to play with refinement and elegance. ‘We did a lot of work on technique and pedal playing following the practices of the famous Italian organist Fernando Germani. I was also very privileged to have been allowed to have lessons with Canon Dr. James Lancelot, the organist and master of the choristers of Durham Cathedral. James had, and still has, a very prestigious reputation.’  Matthew recalled his first  lesson with him when – having played the Finalé from Louis Vierne’s 1st Organ Symphonie on the Durham cathedral organ –  Dr Lancelot added, after the encouraging part of the conversation, ‘“98% of the listeners would probably have not noticed the misreading in the middle part of bar x, however, do always remember the 2% that will.” It is a lesson Matthew still applies to his playing and teaching.

This brought our conversation back to the Coronation Concert where the decision was taken that the choir should perform without the orchestra in order to give the players a break. But perform what? Matthew came across text from the Book of Common Prayer used at Charles 11 Coronation in 1661. Oh Lord, grant the King a long life, that his years may endure throughout all generations. Unable to find quite the right setting in the works of early composers, he toddled off to the piano and composed his own, which was to some extent inspired by the wonderful VOCES8.

The choir thought it a stunning anthem and they set about rehearsing under Matthew’s leadership. 10 weeks later they were concert ready, 100% honed to perfection, none of this 98% for our gang, thank you very much.  But then they wouldn’t entertain anything other than perfection, would they, with the composer at the helm.

So it happened that the choir sang the Anthem in St Mary’s Church, Thirsk, during the Coronation Concert, conducted by the composer Matthew Atherton. I  swear the roof lifted, and around me tears ran. It was profoundly beautiful, as was the whole of the concert.

Eventually I released my hold on Matthew, and dusted him down, but only after he had promised to let me know when other concerts were to take place.

Facebook: Matthew Atherton, Organist & Pianist

Instagram: matthew_atherton_music