Saturday, January 12, 2008

Seasonal Drunkenness

I read today that, astonishingly, there were a number of churches who held their midnight mass at 6pm on Christmas Eve.

The reason?

Because of the fear of disruption from drunken people.

This fact was used in the context on a commentary about 24 hour licensing policy.

Undoubtedly the introduction of extended licensing hours has played its part in the increasing problem of drink related anti social behaviour and disruption. However, I do wonder how many of those who attend church on Christmas Eve inebriated have at the very least begun their drinking at home, if not completed it there too.

Until we control the sale of cheap alcohol through supermarkets and off licenses we will be unable to control the problems associated with excess alcohol consumption.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Nostalgia for Hartland

I watched part of Sense and Sensibility on BBC1 on New Year's Day.  Good, but not as good as the film version on first viewing.  That's actually an unfair comment probably, the tv version clearly has neither the budget of the film, nor of course the sublime Emma Thompson.
I thought I recognized the cottage to which the family move and indeed my recollection proved correct with this article in the Daily Telegraph today.
I spent my teenage years living on this part of the North Devon coast.  It's near Hartland and made me feel very nostalgic for Summers spent in Westward Ho!, Hartland and Bucks Mills.