Let me begin by revealing that earlier today I drove all the way from Somerset to Kings Place to see Christian Wolmar give a talk about the history of overground and underground railways in London. It was well worth the early start, and I'll write more about it soon. Generally, though, my efforts to follow the Boris Johnson version of the Story of London have been only patchily pleasurable and sometimes doomed.
This might give an unfair impression. I'd have devoted more time to the first three weeks of SoL but for the Tube strike, Ian Clement and weekend duties out of town making demands on my time, although when I gave the festival my full attention for a day, I drew a blank. The one live event I attended before today was enjoyable, but there were more performers than punters. One of the former remarked on the absence of publicity, and that does seem to have been a problem for the festival as a whole.
All month, HelenOntheBus has been texting me bulletins from her
numerous SoL-searching excursions. "No ads at Underground stns" she informed me on 3rd June after travelling in from Hounslow. When finally she found one at Covent Garden it was an event in itself. She liked the View of London exhibition at the London Transport Museum, but pointed out at Boris Watch that had she not been a Friend of the Museum it would have cost her £10 to get in.
The same post documents the bewilderment of her local Tourist Information office when asked about SoL events nearby: they hadn't even heard of it. The same went for TI at Heathrow airport when Helen made inquiries there on 8 June. As she pointed out:
this would be first stop for those arriving at T1, 2 or 3 & onward by tube, coach or bus.
There was no publicity material there either. And when Helen spotted one of the big, red SoL posters at Chiswick Park station on the 13th it was such a surprise she texted me to mention it. Later that day she sent a further message:
Britain Visitor Centre had SoL brochures, no spec prominence or or posters. Fest not in visitlondon Discover London Official Guide 2009 - but Rise is!
And the following day;
Wow! Just spotted another red logo poster at Action Town, they've just appeared this week.
On the 15 June, Helen reported:
No Story of London events in LB Hillingdon, have forwarded you their email.
She had. It said:
Dear Helen
Thank you for your email about the Story of London. Unfortunately we have no events planned in Hillingdon, much as we would have liked to be involved. Our local studies team is very small and had already planned an exhibition and events in May before the dates for the Story of London were announced and we were unable to change our plans as the exhibition space was fully booked...I believe that quite a number of other boroughs were also unable to participate for various reasons. If such an event is held next year I hope that we would be able to participate.
Not quite as "pan London" as had been promised, it appears. On the 16th, Helen texted again:
Whitton library, LB Richmond, SoL display of books & TfL London Poems bklt. Put together their own disp, nt receive any leaflets or posters.
And on the 19th, last Friday:
SoL quest continues! Hounslow lib not received any TfL London Poems on the Underground booklets (free from all libraries) but they have done nice display of bks with poster from London Libraries (not GLA).
To this I should add that there was a pile of SoL programmes on the table where I sat in the Kings Place cafe this morning. But I'm still thinking that any future SoLs would benefit greatly from a bit more dosh from Boris. More on that another time.
