a good day out

Tennis first thing, on the newly relaid courts in Streatham Vale Park. Then to the second day of the Lambeth Country Show. The sun continued to smile on Brockwell Park. I browsed for a while at various stalls and tents. Stopped off for a mystery-shopper style look at the various community safety related displays, which impressed me, then bumped into Labour colleague Cllr Paul McGlone, who was also heading for the Mayor’s marquee. It was crowded, councillors of all parties, police, clergy, others, with Cllr Liz Atkinson, this year’s Mayor, making everyone welcome, all smiles in the borough’s bling. We had a nice lunch, chatting and watching manoeuvres by the sea cadets and a display of jousting by some medieval knights, who must, verily, have been frying under their chain mail.

There was also an intriguing exercise which I can only describe as spaniel charming. Being in a roped off marquee at the side of the display ground was a bit too rarefied for my liking, so it was nice to slip away eventually and sit on the grass with everyone else. Chats later on with Tessa Jowell and Keith Hill, who were taking turns to mind the Labour Party stall. It was also enjoyable, on the spur of the moment, to go on a few of the gravity-defying fairground rides, egged on by Cllrs Dan Fitzpatrick and Christopher Wellbelove. Horizontal, perpendicular, upside down – whichever way you look at Brockwell Park, the Lambeth Country Show makes a good day out.