Nigello

If Barton Arcade was the upscale tube of shops/odd cafe between St A's Square and the Arndale, then yes, I think I did! (I could search for it and find my own answer, but in the spirit of the '80s, I shan't.) I also used to like the Armenian Cafe for post-club nosh and that bar diagonally opposite Napoleon's whose name escapes me (and my Google aversion).

There is a very big difference between commissioned art (even if it is not to your taste) and the scrawl of territorial tagging.

To tilt the compass northwards, my fave places in Manchester/Leeds from '84--'95 were No 1 Club (first place to play house in the UK, someone said, but I am not so sure, but the gilt and chrome and ?1 cans of icey Breakers lager were great); Hacienda (it was regularly empty during the week and even at weekends it was often quiet, except for certain band nights and, of course, post '88. Nude Night was not as kinky as it sounds - it was funk on a Friday night); Stuffed Olives (subterranean, glamorous, camp, northern but which took on a newer life once Acid House arrived); Cyprus Tavern (rowdy-ish, student-y - when there were hardly any students, compared to now); Rockshots; Corbieres (cellar wine bar with good Goth/indie/New Romo/townie mix and a good jukebox); Archway; New York, New York (Rovers' Return meets Joe Orton's parlour via Walk On The Wildside); Paradise Factory (all was getting a bit too ravy-Davy-gravy for me by then); Le Phonographique (shopping centre-based, downstairs broom cupboard with a novel approach to fire safety and emergency exitry but good al the same); Warehouse; London wise, Nag Nag Nag was a great night as was Sex in Leicester Square way back and Kinky Gerlinky too.

There were people in a mid-revamp property near to the Turkish shop at the upper end of FHR early evening. It looks like it's going to be a bar or caff. Hope it does well.

In my day (in England) they were power cuts....and would last about three days!

Another bank/building society would be good (Co-Op, Metro?) and a revamped Post Office would go down well. Less realistic would be a Byron/Tas/Wahaca/Strada.

Great news - thanks for organising it and thanks to the owners for allowing it to be repainted.

The first pair of seats behind the stairwell upstairs (on a standard double decker), with a window and extra legroom, is like premium economy. Shame that fellow passengers can be verminous: just got off one that was full of discarded newspapers and other litter.

It's a big size - about the size of a block of four sugar bags and is mounted in a small cubpoard so it reduces the depth of the space available. I will measure up and see whether a fridge and a freezer would fit side-by-side.

The manager at the Sylvester Rd office seems like a reasonable man and is approachable, so why not let him know about your concerns?

Louisa, the voice of reason! (No joke, this time)

I was thinking of a fridge and a freezer, separate, with enough space behind and in front to allow circulation. The area has a door and a light/leccy. The gas meter is there already: I suppose the "gas board" (ask your dad) would have to shift that, unless anyone else knows different.

Has anyone used the small space beneath the stairs for fridge/washing machine etc? If so, what were the costs and considerations that needed to be taken? Ta.

I want the developments to be bold but, more importantly, useful and practical. I don't want diluted-down, committee-designed naffness but I'm not sure I will get it. (Some of the hackneyed eyewash I saw in that PDF was lamentable.) Encourage all manner of businesses but make sure they know they have a (self) interest in keeping the place tidy and clean; clear the piazza in front of the station; offer seating (but strive not to attract congregations of piss-heads, like has happened in Brixton outside the Ritzy); plant trees and borders and *maintain* them well; keep the buses moving; penalise illegal parkers that cause annoying and pollution-enhancing jams (as is the case now, with nary an intervention) and just use common sense in the design and implementation. Here's hoping.......

I share the confusion, RRR. I think they are only going a few stops and think that they have the right to clog up the passageqay. As for expecting passengers to move down - there's more likelihood of Louisa opening a charm school. Ask the driver to check on how many seats are free if you board a (seemingly) crowded bus and make an announcement to passengers or just ask the blockers to move on up/down. It's better than standing and seething. The takeaway, as Americans say, is that some people are selfish and some bus routes need more vehicles.

Let's hope it's fast. It is a dump, and as for that torture-porn dentist as you walk out of the station, the one painted black with bars on the windows..sheesh!

Turns out the tree that was cut down was on private property - the tree that looked like it had been hacked was simply a very unhealthy looking specimen! The cutters, however, did leave their branches on the pavement - not recommended. The council came and took them away.

Rosie, This place allows sniping, carping and any number of methods of snotty peevishness? so I think a menu of good food for a new, local business would be permissible. Good luck! ?as well as useful stuff

Ditch her, do it yourself and save yourself ?1680 a year.

There is, I think, scaffolding up at the house right outside which the denuded tree stands. This may or may not have something to do with its state. I rang and reported it.

A tree has been shorn of most of its branches which have been dumped on the pavement at the junction of Goodrich and Landcroft Roads. I have reported it to the tree dept. at Southwark and to James Barber. (Both email addresses pinged me back saying they were on holiday, so I forwarded to the replacement addresses and will follow up with a call to the tree dept. later.)

You could hop down to Didsbury and go to Green's, a really good veggie restaurant in a nice, leafy area. Tea at the Midland would be nice as well.

There have been similar reports alreay on EDF. I saw outriders and then a RR last Thursday afternoon. On Friday morning (or maybe Saturday) a regal, black car with a flag/emblem where glided past the Blue Brick Cafe. Is there a secret (minor) royal in our midst?

There was broken glass yesterday morning at the corner of Goodrich and Upland but the vehicle from which it came was no longer there.

Ding-ding, round 2!