NxNW6 film listings June 29-July 5

Time again for the weekly West Hampstead film round-up brought to you by Mark - the Rooster Cogburn of NW6 (tweeting at @NxNW6).

Film Listings for June 29-July 5

The Kilburn Film Festival started today and we have detailed some of the highlights over the first week of the event below. Elsewhere we have a South African themed night at The Tricycle on Sunday, and a darkly comic film of the week from the director of The Exorcist and The French Connection.

Film of the Week

Killer Joe (comedy, 103 mins)
Swiss Cottage Odeon until Thurs
Rare that a film only showing in a local multiplex makes film of the week but this jet black comedy is worth making an exception for. William Friedkin rediscovers his mojo and provides Matthew McConaughey with the best role of his career at the same time.
One thing worth mentioning is the NC-17 rating in the US (equivalent to a hard 18 in the UK), and also, you will never look at KFC in the same way again. 

One-off screenings

Death of a Superhero + Q&A with director Ian Fitzgibbon (2011, animation drama, 97 mins) Tricycle, Fri 20:30 £10.
A dying 15-year-old boy draws stories of an invincible superhero as he struggles with his mortality. With Andy Serkis.

South Africa Revisited Sunday night double-header at The Tricycle,
Searching for Sugarman (2011, documentary, 85 mins) 17:00
Under African Skies – 25 years of Graceland (2011, documentary, 111 mins). 20:00
Individual tickets are £9.50, joint tickets for both screenings £15.

Andre Rieu’s 2012 Maastricht Concert (2012, performance, 120 mins) Swiss Cottage Odeon Sat 19:00.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies (2012, Australian recorded performance, 121 mins) Swiss Cottage Odeon Mon 20:00.

Everyman Hampstead is bringing all of the Met Opera's 2010 Wagner’s Ring Cycle to the cinema this summer. It starts with the first two parts this weekend.
Das Rhiengold Sat 14:45, 168 mins.
Die Walkure Sun 12:30, 259 mins.
Tickets start at £30 and include a glass of wine or a gin & tonic.

Kilburn Film Festival
For the full listings check out the festival's dedicated website  but three events over the coming days caught the eye.

• The Queen St Mary’s Church Abbey Rd – Fri 20:00 – £5 (music from 19:30).
• Future Shorts Summer Programme – South Kilburn Studios, Tue 19:15 Free.   
• In Journey to a Friend – Kilburn Older Voices Exchange show what older people experience travelling across Camden using different types of transport – Kingsgate Resource Centre, Thu 13:30. Free – incl. tea and cakes.

Regular programme

The Tricycle Cinema
Your Sister’s Sister* (2011, comedy drama, 90 mins)
Umpteenth romantic comedy of the year for Emily Blunt. It's now got to the point where you're surprised when she isn’t in one. American indie film – solid date night material.
Fri 14:30, 18:15, Sat 18:30, 20:45, Sun 15:00 Mon-Wed 18:30,20:45 Thu 20:45
The Source
Sat 15:30, Thu 15:30.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Thu 18:30 
(£9.50 adult, £8.50 concessions, Mon £6 adult, £4.50 Brent resident).

The Everyman Cinemas
Belsize Park
Friends with Kids*(2011, comedy, 111 mins)
Reuniting most of the cast of Bridesmaids for a film that looks about 10% of the fun.  Directed by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt (aka Mrs. Jon Hamm). The sort of film your DVD player was invented for.
Fri–Thu 15:50, 18:25, 21:00 (exc Sat when 13:05, 15:35, 18:15, 20:50 and Sun when 15:05, 17:45, 20:20).
Hampstead
Your Sister’s Sister*
Fri, Mon, Tue 15:55, 18:10, 20:30 Sat 12:30, 16:25, 18:15, 20:30 Sun 17:40, 20:00 Wed 15:45, 18:20, 20:35 Thu 15:30, 18:20,  20:35.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2D* (2012, action, 136 mins ) from Wed 4 only.
The Average Spider-Man as it is being called in more than one place. The other critics' insight is that this is squarely targeted at a younger female audience. This can’t be a bad thing, not every blockbuster need to be made for 15-year-old boys.
Wed 14:50, 17:55, 21:00 Thu 12:25, 17:55, 21:00.
A Royal Affair
Fri 15:30, Sat  13:20, Sun 15:00, Mon 15:30 Tue 15:30
Moonrise Kingdom
Fri-Tue 18:40, 21:00 (exc Sun when 18:10, 20:30).

Maida Vale
Friends with Kids*
Fri – Thu 15:50, 18:25, 21:00 (exc Sat when 12:40, 15:15, 17:50, 20:30 and Sun when 12:10, 14:45, 17:20, 20:00).
The Five-Year Engagement
Fri –Thu 17:50, 20:40, (exc Sat when 15:40, 20:50 and Sun when 15:10, 20:20).
Moonrise Kingdom
Fri 15:30, Sat 13:20, 18:30, Sun 12:50, 18:00, Mon- Thu 15:30.
Prices vary for all three cinemas, but expect to pay around £13 for an adult ticket and £10 for a concession. Booking advised.

Finchley Road Vue
The Amazing Spider-Man* (from Tue 3 only – 2D and 3D Xtreme).
Friends with Kids*
Storage 24* (2012, sci-fi horror, 87 mins)
If Predator took place in London? A UK horror film with Noel Clarke from the creators of Kidulthood. ‘I ain’t got time to bleed on the underground’.
Ice Age: Continental Drift* (previews Sat and Sun only).
Abraham Lincoln :Vampire Hunter (3D Xtreme, no 2D option).
The Chernobyl Diaries (limited)
The Five Year Engagement
Prometheus (3D)
Snow White and the Huntsman
Men in Black (3D)
The Dictator (limited)
Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (3D)Other films show in Kids Club slots at weekend.
(£11.25 adult and £8.40 concessions. Before 17:00 on a Mon, Tue or Thu, adult tickets are £8.00.)

Swiss Cottage Odeon
The Amazing Spider-man* (from Tue 3 only - 2D,3D and IMAX 3D)
Killer Joe* (club) – see film of the week.
Ice Age: Continental Drift* (previews Sat and Sun only)
The Five-Year Engagement (club)
Cosmopolis
Prometheus (IMAX 3D, no 2D option)
Snow White and the Huntsman
(£10.75 adult, children £8.75 (£2 extra for 3D, £4 for IMAX). An adult seat in a club cinema is £16.00, a child’s £12.50.)

COMING SOON
July 6 – The Hunter
July 13 – Magic Mike. Chariots of Fire rerelease.
July 20 – The Dark Knight Rises 

All times correct at time of publication.
*new release.

Contact Mark via Twitter or .

Secret BBQ returns in 2012

Last year, Chris generously volunteered to host a barbecue in his flat for whampers. It was a massive success (see pics), so we're doing it again.

Why "secret"? We'll reveal the exact location the day before to those of you who sign up (Chris isn't a big fan of posting his address all over the internet and I don't blame him). Rest assured, it's within a 10 minute walk of West Hampstead tube station.

The date: from 2pm on July 22nd.

How it works: we provide all the food. Yes. All the food, the meat, the veggies the salad, soft drinks and all the ice for your beers. Last year we asked people for a donation to cover the cost, bit it didn't quite work. So this year, we're asking for £6.50 upfront (this includes the eventbrite fee). Doing it this way also helps us get a better idea of numbers. If we make any profit we'll donate it to The Winch (the Swiss Cottage youth charity I regularly raise money for).

If you want to guarantee that The Winch gets some cash, there's a £10 ticket option, from which £3.50 goes straight to them. Absolutely no obligation to do this, and if you'd rather give more or less, or donate anonymously then there'll be a donation tin on the day.

You can buy tickets here via PayPal, or visit the BBQ event page.

When you get your ticket, we'll need your mobile number (so we can tell you where it is), and please tell us of any dietary requirements. If you've got kids under five, bring 'em along for free (but please let us know in advance).

What else? You'll just need to bring something to drink, some suncream (there was an "incident" last time - the hottest day of the year - she knows who I'm talking about), and your best party shirt/dress. Couldn't be simpler. Oh, and no stilettos (wood floor you see).

Obviously, if you get a ticket, please do actually turn up. Imagine poor Chris sitting there that evening surrounded by bridge rolls and uneaten burgers!

Oh, and if it rains, there's just about enough room to squeeze everyone inside and it will go ahead as planned. But it won't rain. Definitely not.

See you there!

Farmers' market in West Hampstead?

You'll remember back in April that I asked you all to say what sort of market you'd like to see set up by the new Thameslink station. I passed your comments on to our local councillors who were taking them into account.

I never aggregated the results for you on here. So here they are:
Food – 33 votes
Crafts/gifts – 6 votes
Antiques – 5 votes
A mix of all the above 3 votes
Food with flea market once a month – 2 votes
Books – 1 vote

It was clear that food was the most popular and there was a strong sense that people wanted good quality “normal” food rather than it all being cakes and “treats” (apart from people who run cake companies who said they wanted cakes).

You'll also remember that I banged on about the fact that, as much as we might want it, it wouldn't be a farmers market. This was what I'd been told - and was consistent with previous discussions about the lack of space.

So, imagine my surprise when I found out that it now looks like it's going to be a proper farmers market. Apparently, London Farmers' Markets (who organise most of the main farmers' markets in London, including Queens Park) is in discussion with Network Rail (who own the land) about a Saturday market with around 18 stalls.

This is very much still in the negotiation stage and is not confirmed. It wouldn't start until September. Of course being an official farmers' market would mean that local would-be stallholders would be squeezed out if they were not accredited. Is it better to have a a high-grade market that attracts people to the area, or a mixed market with local businesses taking more of the direct revenue? I would argue the former model is more sustainable. It's also possible - as has happened at Swiss Cottage - that a successful farmers' market could spill over into other market trading days in the same space.

Yoga for Guys - try it for just a pound

Calling all men... are you feeling flexible?

Local yoga practitioner/teacher Veronika Kloucek is launching a men-only yoga class - beginners more than welcome. It starts this Tuesday, at 7.30pm in Sumatra Road. Normally this hour-long class would set you back £8, but Veronika's doing a deal for first-time #whampers so you can try it out for just £1.



Still not convinced? Here are three reasons why men are increasingly taking up yoga.

Check out Veronika's website for more details or mail her.

Jester Festival this weekend

The Jester Festival is this weekend. This is West Hampstead's answer to the village fête, and there are stalls, activities for kids, and a stage with various music and performances. More details on the website, but the programme is below.

Saturday

On the stage

• 12:00 Open Festival with DJ Earl
• 12:45 Guilfoyle Dance - Irish dancers
• 1:00 DJ Earl
• 1:30 Mayor of Camden
• 1:45 Tricycle Theatre
• 2:45 DJ Earl
• 3:00 Gillian Winn: West Hampstead School of Dance - Little ballet dancers
• 3:20 Hampstead School Bands
• 4:15 The Blow Rock Band
• 5:00 The Untouchables Blues
• 6:00 Close

Other events

• Fortune Green Nursery in the Kids Tent: Storytelling and Art Projects  1:00-5:00
• Circus Skills  12:30 - 4:30
• West Hampstead Community Centre: Open Sports  1:00 - 5:00 
• Face Painting at Chelsea Square Partnership stall 1:00-4:00
• Puppet time with Curly Ru Puppets 1:00-4:00
• Magician & Balloon artist 1:30 - 4:30 
• Dog Day Awareness  Free Dog Training & Advice  10:00- 3:00 (takes place in the Hampstead Cemetary)
• WHAT Walk: The Streets of Fortune Green  3:00 - Joy Levene will lead the walk from the WHAT stall

Raffle: £100 Grand Prize donated by Parkheath. Other prizes donated by  Bake-a-Boo, Holistic Hair & Beauty, Londis, Mill Lane Barber, Nando's, Nautilus, Shamrock Dry Cleaners, Pizza Express, Tiffin Tin

Silent auction: Outbid your neighbour on goodies donated from local businesses: Achilea Flowers, Alice House, Bernadetta Beauty Clinic, Fitbees, Mill Lane Bistro, Movers & Shapers, The Private Space, Tip Toe Nails by Claire, Vini Vivi, West Hampstead Physio, Wet Fish Cafe

Fill out the festival survey for a chance to win a Tiffin Tin Voucher
See the festival programme for a 10% discount on Sunday lunch at the Alliance Pub Mill Lane

Sunday

On the stage

• 12:00 DJ Earl
• 1:00 Florence Joelle
• 2:00  DJ Earl
• 2:30 Praise Chapel Choir
• 3:20 Rosie Belly Dancers
• 4:00 DJ Earl and Raffle Draw
• 4:30 Eddy and the Wild Dice
• 5:30 DJ Earl
• 6:00 Close

Other events

• Fortune Green Nursery in the Kids Tent: Storytelling and Art Projects 1:30-4:30
• Street Dance Workshop 12:30 - 4:30
• Climbing Wall 1:00 - 6:00
• Caricature and Portrait Workshop 1:00-5:00
• West Hampstead Community Centre: Open Sports 1:00 - 5:00 
• Face Painting at Chelsea Square Partnership stall 1:00 - 4:00
• Magician & Balloon artist 1:30 - 4:30
• WHAT Walk: The Streets of Fortune Green 3:00 - Joy Levene will lead the walk from the WHAT stall

Kingsgate Open Studios weekend

If you've ever cut through the back streets to get to Kilburn, you may well have walked past the Kingsgate artist studios and wondered what exactly they were. They are actually a converted 19th century warehouse that now provides workshop facilities for more than 60 artists and craftspeople. And now's your chance to look inside. This weekend is the studio's open days, from 12-6pm on Saturday and Sunday, and there's a preview on Friday night from 6-9pm. 

The Open Studios event will include the Kingsgate Mini Olympics housed in our education building, where children and families will be ableto participate in a variety of arts/sport workshops, such as ‘Athlete Splatlete’. Do have a look at all the details of the weekend.Creative workshops and activities will run throughout the weekend. Refreshments are also available, and entry is free.

Olympic History: COMPETITION

Next Wednesday, July 4th, local author and sports historian Simon Inglis will be at West End Lane Books together with Dr Martin Polley to talk about when the Olympics came to West Hampstead, drawing on Polley's new book "The British Olympics: Britain's Olympic Heritage 1612-2012".

The event is free, but please contact West End Lane Books if you'd like to attend as space is scarce (info@welbooks.co.uk).

In the meantime, you can win a copy of the book (worth £17.99) courtesy of West Hampstead Life. You just need to answer a simple question.

Which village was the site of the first games of the post-classical era to adopt the formal title "Olimpick"?

To enter, just with the subject line "Olympic Quiz", and include your answer and name. Winners will be drawn Tuesday the 3rd.

Good luck - it shouldn't take too much sleuthing to find the answer!

Twitter power

A short story showing how a connected local community can get things done

What have I missed since June 18th?

It's been a week of Carrs, buses (or lack of them) and the inevitability of England losing a penalty shootout

Tour de France hopeful Bradley Wiggins spoke of his Kilburn childhood.

A gap in the fence meant Billy Fury Way was open to tracks. Twitter power brought it to the attention of the right people, and it's getting fixed.

The Ham&High reported on the Black Path's rise as a crime hotspot.

A man was hit with a bottle in The Betsy Smith.

Five excellent photos were added to the "Hampstead & Kilburn Then & Now": 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

And an even older image of Kilburn, painted by an astronomer, was discussed on the Kilburn History blog.

Monday is the last day to put your name in the ring for my North London quiz team that will take on South, East and West at the Museum of London.

What films are on locally?

Whampgather IX was a big success.

Coming up
Monday is the AGM of CRASH (the South Hampstead residents association), which is in urgent need of an injection of community fervour.
Feng Sushi opens this week.
Part of Mill Lane will be closed next Wednesday as a crane is removed
Kilburn Film Festival starts on Thursday.
Next Saturday and Sunday it's the Jester Festival (West Hampstead's answer to the village fete).
Also on Saturday, there's free dog training and advice in Hampstead Cemetery (!) from 10am-3pm.
And next weekend is the Kingsgate Open Studios weekend as well.

Tweet of the Week
Luckily as both were at #whampgather, this tragedy didn't come to pass...

Starter for 10

We all know North London is beter than South London, right? But what about East and West London? Are we the bestest London of all?

Everyone's favourite London website Londonist, together with the Museum of London, is going to find out in a University Challenge style quiz. And yours truly is captaining the North London team. Oh yes.

Each team will consist of five people (a captain, three others, and a stand-in). If you have a love of London trivia, are willing to sit on a stage in front of an audience and are free on the evening of 5 July, then hotdamnit you might just be what we need.

To volunteer, send an email to hello@londonist.com (NOT TO ME) before the end of Monday 25 June.

Use the subject line “Londoner Challenge”, followed by the quarter of the city you’d like to represent (north, south, east, or west). For example: Londoner Challenge North.

As a tie-breaker, please say why you think your quarter of London is the best. The most imaginative, funny or thoughtful answers, as chosen by the relevant team captain, will get the places.

So, lets see if we can't prove that our love (and knowledge) of London exceeds those pesky rascals who live in postcodes that don't start with N.

NxNW6 film listings June 22-28

Time again for the weekly West Hampstead film round-up brought to you by Mark - the David Niven of NW6 (tweeting at @NxNW6).

Film Listings for June 22-28

The Kilburn Film Festival is almost upon us and the first festival events take the film of the week prize. Elsewhere, the winner of best film title of the year ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' hits the multiplexes, the new film from Stephen Frears is at the Tricycle, while the Hampstead Film Society ends its season with the Best Picture winner from the first ever Academy Awards.

For the first time this week, we have a major new release in the area (Abraham Lincoln) with no 2D option available, The beginning of a worrying trend.

Film of the Week

Kilburn Film Festival Launch Party. Free. Thu 28, 18:30-20:30
South Kilburn Studios (Canterbury Rd) host an evening of short film tasters, drinks, snacks and music.
Irish Short Films Free. Thu 28 11:00-12:30 West Hampstead Women's Centre, (Cotleigh Rd)
A special event for women only: films from the Irish Film Board 2012 plus tea and cakes.
Much more on the Kiburn film festival next week, or visit the website for complete listings.

One-off screenings

London 2012 Festival Films Mon 25, 18:30, 150 mins – Swiss Cottage Odeon
The premiere of four short films celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. There will be a Q&A with the filmmakers live via satellite from Hackney Picturehouse afterwards.

Swiss Cottage continues its cultural run with another one-off opera screening. This week it’s Peter Hall’s 2005 Glyndebourne production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Fri 18:00, 190 mins) and another replay of Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein from the National Theatre (Mon 14:00, 150 mins).

Regular programme

Hampstead Film Society
Wings (1927, drama, 144 mins)
Final film of the season for the Hampstead Film Society sees a rare screening of the silent classic Wings. Winner of the Best Picture gong in the Oscars' first year of existence.
Tue 19:00

(Hampstead Town Hall – 213 Haverstock Hill,  £7)

The Tricycle Cinema
Lay the Favourite* (2012, comedy, 94 mins).
Officially described as a ‘dramedy’, the new film from Stephen Frears (Billy Elliott, The Queen) sees Rebecca Hall become involved with a group of geeky 50-something men led by Bruce Willis. Support comes from Catherine Zeta Jones (channelling the aliens from Mars Attack judging by the poster) and Vince Vaughn. It’s not sounding like a classic. And someone should start telling Bruce that it is possible to turn down film roles.
Fri 14:30, 20:45, Sat 16:00, 18:30, Sun 15:15, 20:00 Mon, Wed 18:30, Tue, Thu 20:45
Prometheus
Fri 18:15, Sat 20:30, Sun 17:15, Mon, Wed 20:30 Tue, Thu 18:15 (extra screening Thu 14:30).
(£9.50 adult, £8.50 concessions, Mon £6 adult, £4.50 Brent resident).

The Everyman Cinemas
Belsize Park
The Five-Year Engagement* (2012, romantic comedy, 124 mins)
Jason Segal (The Muppets) writes and stars in this sucessful romantic comedy. Emily Blunt makes up the other half of the couple who struggle to tie the knot. Probably the pick of the new mainstream films this week.
Fri, Mon, Thu 18:10,18:00, 20:50, Sat 15:20, 18:10, 21:00, Sun 13:50, 16:40, 19:30, Tue 21:00, Wed 15:20, 18:10.

Hampstead
Where Do We Go Now?*(2011, comedy drama, 110 mins, subtitles).
A group of Lebanese women try to ease religious tensions between Christians and Muslims in their village (from Nadine Labaki – the director of Caramel).
Fri-Sat , Mon 15:00, 20:40, Sun 14:30, 20:30 Tue, Thu 20:40, Wed 15:00, 21:40
A Royal Affair (2012, historical drama, 137 mins, subtitles).
Fri –Thu 17:35 (exc Sun when 17:10, extra screenings Sat at 12:00 and Tue at 14:30).
Cosmopolis
Fri 21:05, Sat 16:05, 21:05, Sun 14:50, 20:00, Mon 21:15, Tue 16:05, 21:05, Wed 21:05, Thu 14:40, 21:05
Moonrise Kingdom
Fri 16:15, 18:40, Sat 13:45, 18:40, Sun 12:30, 17:35, Mon 15:50, Tue 18:40, Wed 16:15, 18:40, Thu 12:20, 18:40.

Maida Vale
The Five-Year Engagement
Fri, Mon-Thu 15;00, 18:00, 21:00 , Sat 14:50, 18:00, 21:00 Sun 14:20, 17:30, 20:30,
A Royal Affair
Fri – Thu 15:15, 20:40 (exc Sun when 14:45, 20:10, no 15:15 screening Tue or Thu).
Moonrise Kingdom
Fri 18:10, Sat 12:50, 18:20, Sun 17:50, Mon 18:20, Tue 16:00, 18:20, Wed 12:50, 18:20, Thu 12:00, 18:20.

Prices vary for all three cinemas, but expect to pay around £13 for an adult ticket and £10 for a concession. Booking advised.

Finchley Road Vue
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter* (3D Xtreme, no 2D option).
Ominously not screened for critics. Early consensus seems to be very silly but good fun. Start of 3D only trend.
The Chernobyl Diaries*
High concept horror film. I don’t think this will around for long, these films are predominantly made for quick box office and then high DVD rentals.
The Five Year Engagement*
Ice Age : Continental Drift* (previews Sat and Sun released July 6).
Rock of Ages
Jaws (limited)
Prometheus (3D)
Snow White and the Huntsman
Men in Black (2D and 3D)
The Dictator
Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (2D)

Other films show in Kids Club slots at weekend.
(£11.25 adult and £8.40 concessions. Before 17:00 on a Mon, Tue or Thu, adult tickets are £8.00.)

Swiss Cottage Odeon
The Five-Year Engagement*
Cosmopolis (club)
Rock of Ages
Fast Girls
Prometheus (IMAX 3D, no 2D option).
Men in Black (2D)
Snow White and the Huntsman
(£10.75 adult, children £8.75 (£2 extra for 3D, £4 for IMAX). An adult seat in a club cinema is £16.00, a child’s £12.50.)

COMING SOON
June 29 – Killer Joe, Friends with Kids.
July 6 – The Amazing Spiderman
July 13 – Magic Mike (Soderbergh tackles male stripping). Chariots of Fire rerelease.

All times correct at time of publication.
*new release.

Contact Mark via Twitter or .

Dead Sea Midnight Runners

After #whampgather this Sunday, why not wend your way down to Kilburn for some music? "What sort of music?" I hear you ask. Let me hand you over to Nathan, who can explain all.

"Musicians have often made high-profile attempts to show that they're not one-trick ponies. George Michael has tried to sing folk songs from the American Great Depression, Luciano Pavarotti has duetted with Frank Sinatra on 'My Way', and more, much more than this, Michael Bolton has had a crack at 'Nessun Dorma'.

Let's agree that none of the above really worked.

Far less high-profile, but surely more successful, will be the first full gig given by the Dead Sea Midnight Runners, this Sunday at Kilburn's Tricycle Theatre.

If you think you know klezmer music (and hey, you're from North London, so you should), you are probably right. Which is why you might find this gig interesting.

The Dead Sea Midnight Runners (also known as Fat Klez) are not steeped in klezmer. Martin White is an accordionist, and largely plays music that the accordion should play, as well as his own music for the Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra. Nathan Hamer is a trombonist of the classical tradition; he listens to Mahler to relax and can spot a parallel fifth at ten paces. Ben Handysides is a jazz drummer, which means that he does not know silence. Amy Butterworth, a lifelong West Hampstead resident, has dedicated her life to Slash and the preaching of rock violin. Just like so many other West Hampstead residents.

The band first formed in the spring of 2010 having been asked by the quite legendary Mark Thomas to play in his 'Walking The Wall' shows at the big summer festivals. A long, sold-out run at the Tricycle preceded Glastonbury's first two-hour comedy set to an audience of thousands. Appearances at Latitude, Leeds, Reading and the Greenbelt festivals followed. In January 2012, Mark gave his show a swansong at the Tricycle, and it was during that week that outgoing theatre director Nicolas Kent invited the band to put on their own show.

There'll be surprises and laughs, because having fun is what klezmer is all about. It'll be short (just over an hour), because it's on a Sunday night and we all have ironing to do. Tickets are a mere £8. That's cheap fun. See you on Sunday. Oh, and bring a pun."

What have I missed since June 11th?

Cameron at Leveson, Caroll in Kiev, and more Greek news than there's been since the Trojan wars. But what's been happening in West Hampstead this week?

Hampstead Heath was briefly Occupied, largely to hoots of derision from the Twittersphere.

A man had a fatal heart attack on the platform at Finchley Road station.

The Wet Fish Cafe had a starring role at the very start of Silk.

Read about Camden's Place Shaping document for West Hampstead and what it means for locals.

There was a sad story about Elish's hair salon in Fortune Green.

An Olympic theme is unveiled for the Kilburn Festival (though surely not actually involving any Olympic logos!).

However, the Olympic Torch won't be passing through West Hampstead. Apparently, Lately's isn't deemed enough of an iconic London landmark.

The bus driver accused of killing a Singaporean student last year is in court.

Karahi Master has become a Peri Peri chicken place. Not sure Nando's needs to worry just yet.

We learned that Engels owned property in Kilburn that he rented out.

The Film of the Week locally is Cosmopolis.

Tweet of the Week
Amid all the bad news about libraries in recent months, it's good to see that staff can still deliver customer service.

NxNW6 film listings June 15-21

Time again for the weekly West Hampstead film round-up brought to you by Mark - the Felix Leiter of NW6 (tweeting at @NxNW6).

Film Listings for June 8 -14

Alternative Euro 2012 programming is definitely in evidence this week. We have a clutch of new releases. The new film from the inventor of ‘body horror’, the film version of a hit musical in which Tom Cruise sings and the restoration of a 35-year-old classic.

The Dark Knight Rises looms large on the horizon and the box office is now open at both multiplexes and all three local Everyman cinemas. July 20 is the date for your diary.

I have had a number of queries regarding the Kilburn Film Festival. It runs from June 28-July 8 and will be covered in detail in future listings.

Film of the Week

Cosmopolis (2012, drama, 108 minutes)
After waiting five years for a new David Cronenberg film, we have been rewarded for our patience with two in six months (A Dangerous Method was released back in Jan). The intriguing element here is the inclusion of Robert Pattinson in his first serious role. There is talk of a new working relationship that could mirror the success of Scorsese / DiCaprio. The plot finds Pattinson (playing a billionaire asset manager) in the near future, riding across Manhattan in a stretched limo in order to get a haircut. What follows involves a cast of characters that start to tear his world apart.

Tricycle Cinema
Fri–Thu 18:20, 20:45 (exc Sun when 17:30, 20:00, extra screening Fri at 14:30).
Everyman Hampstead
Fri 16:10, 21:10; Sat 13:40, 18:35; Sun 15:35, 20:30; Mon 16:00, 21:00; Tue 15:00; Wed 21:05; Thu 18:35.

One-off screenings

June 14-18 sees the inaugural London Israeli film & television festival. There are too numerous events to list here, but I have picked one out below. The full list is here.

2Night + Q&A (2010, comedy romance, 120 mins) Mon 20:30 Everyman Hampstead £13.
The story of two strangers who meet in a bar and want to spend the night together but can’t find a parking place and become 'victims' of their situation.

Met Opera - Wagners Dream (2012, documentary, 115 mins) Wed 18:30 Everyman Hampstead £15 (includes drink).
As an intro to a series of Everyman screenings over the coming weeks from Wagner’s ring cycle, this film documents the Met’s recent attempt at a $16m producton of the four operas.

Regular programme

The Tricycle Cinema
Cosmopolis* see Film of the Week.
Sing Your Song* (2011, documentary).
The lasting legacy of Harry Belafonte is as an entertainer (in particular the Banana Boat song). This documentary highlights his political career with a focus on the civil rights movement and social justice.
Sat 16:00, Sun 15:00, Thu 14:30.
(£9.50 adult, £8.50 concessions, Mon £6 adult, £4.50 Brent resident).

The Everyman Cinemas
Belsize Park
Polisse* (2011, crime drama, 107 mins, subtitles).
French indie darling from 2011 finally gets a UK release, albeit limited. The plot focuses on the daily grind for the cops of the Police Department's Juvenile Protection. Not for the faint hearted.
Fri 15:10, 18:05, 21:00 Sat 15:10, 20:50, Sun 17:30, 20:25
Mon, Wed 15:05. 18:00, 20:55 Tue 15:05, 20:40 Thu 18:05, 21:00.
Woody Allen: A Documentary
Fri 12:30, Sat 18:10, Sun 14:50, Tue 18:00, Thu 15:25.
Snow White and the Huntsman
Sat 12:10, Sun 12:00

Hampstead
Cosmopolis* see Film of the Week
A Royal Affair* (2012, Danish historical drama, 137 mins, subtitles).
A young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician - and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever.
Fri-Thu 17:30, 20:45 (exc Sun when 16:45 and 20:00 and Mon when 17:25 only).
Moonrise Kingdom
Fri 18:45, Sat 16:15, 21:10 Sun 12:00, 18:10 Mon 18:40, Tue 18:30, Wed 15:40, Thu 15:25, 21:10.
The Angels' Share
Fri ,Sat, Tue, Wed 15:15. Sun 14:20, Mon 15:00, Thu 12:30.

Maida Vale
A Royal Affair*
Fri – Thu 14:30, 17:35, 20:40 (exc Sat when 14:40, 17:45, 20:50 and Sun when 14:20, 17:25, 20:30).
Woody Allen: A Documentary
Sat 12:00, Sun 11:45, Mon, Thu 15:30 Wed 12:00.
Prometheus (3D)
Fri ,Tue 15:20, 18:10, 21:00. Sat 12:40, 15:30, 18:20, 21:10 Sun 14:00, 17:05, 20:10. Mon, Thu 18:10, 21:00. Wed 15:25, 18:15, 21:05

Prices vary for all three cinemas, but expect to pay around £13 for an adult ticket and £10 for a concession. Booking advised.

Finchley Road Vue
Rock of Ages*
Described in one review as the first film this year that manages to be both terrible and brilliant at the same time. Film version of the successful musical with Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Fast Girls*
Olympic cash-in alert: two runners from very different backgrounds start an intense rivalry. Noel Clarke is one of the writers and also stars.
Jaws* (Xtreme)
Steven Spielberg invented the summer blockbuster and changed Hollywood forever with the release of this film in 1975. The original print has been restored for 2012.
Prometheus (3D Xtreme)
Snow White and the Huntsman
Men in Black (3D)
The Dictator
Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (3D limited)
Other films show in Kids Club slots at weekend.
(£11.25 adult and £8.40 concessions. Before 17:00 on a Mon, Tue or Thu, adult tickets are £8.00.)

Swiss Cottage Odeon
Rock of Ages*
Fast Girls*
Prometheus (IMAX 3D, no 2D option).
Men in Black (3D)
Snow White and the Huntsman (club)
The Angels' Share (club)
(£10.75 adult, children £8.75 (£2 extra for 3D, £4 for IMAX). An adult seat in a club cinema is £16.00, a child’s £12.50.)

COMING SOON
June 22 – Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Five Year Engagement.
June 29 – Killer Joe, Friends with Kids.
July 6 – The Amazing Spiderman

All times correct at time of publication.
*new release.

Contact Mark via Twitter or .

Place plan published - actions for West Hampstead

West Hampstead will be a place where local communities experience real benefits from the opportunities that come with redevelopment and people feel that they have influenced and shaped how investment is made in the area. Support for local business will be a key part of enhancing the distinctive village character and more local jobs will contribute to a successful local economy. Local services, housing, open spaces and facilities will meet the needs of local communities as will the quality of experience that people have moving around the area. Cooperation with local people, voluntary sector organisations, developers, businesses and the council will make this happen.

This is the vision for West Hampstead, as laid out by the place plan finally published by Camden council. From this extract it feels a bit like "local shops for local people", but this document really isn't that parochial. It has been quite some time in the making, and I've reported on its progress over the past 12 months.

You can access the original, or view a version where I've ringed the passages that I think are particularly worth reading (also embedded below).

The idea of the Place Plan is to set some context for local development - of which much is planned over the next 5-10 years. It has no statutory power, but the council are supposed to take it into account when assessing planning applications, and budget allocation. It is very strongly informed by local residents – even by readers of this website (as it mentions on page 10) – and I can imagine that lobbying groups are likely to refer to it heavily when responding to proposed changes.

One of the underlying objectives is to make people feel (hopefully justifiably) that they have some input into what happens around them. In this regard, the Place Plan should dovetail with the Neighbourhood Development Plan.

To quote the report:

"This ‘placeshaping’ approach is about taking the opportunity to think and act strategically about how to address these needs in terms of investment decisions, service delivery and physical changes. Understanding local concerns and priorities is at the heart of this approach which is all the more important against a backdrop of reduced Council resources arising from reductions in central government funding."

Although it has no legal bearing on anything at all, it does purport to enable locals to hold the council to account over the concrete measures that it says it will undertake (starting from page 46). It is also a dynamic document and action plans can (and hopefully will) be updated as the situation evolves.

The plan is broken down into five sections, and each has a series of objectives.

1. Development. To secure real local benefit from development opportunities. Key objectives: Work with the community to develop more detailed area planning guidance; involve the local community (where possible) in identifying priorities for how developer contributions are used.
2. Economy. To support a successful local economy with a thriving neighbourhood. Key objectives: protect and promote the village character of the area; support West End Lane and Mill Lane shops and businesses; meet the needs of the people who live, work and visit the area.
3. Environment. To provide new open space and improve the local environment. Key objectives: provide new accessible open space to benefit the area; continue to improve open spaces, food growing, biodiversity and sustainability; maintain the valued quality and historic character of the area.
4. Services. To deliver improved local services. Key objectives: continue to monitor the demand for school places and nursery provision; continue to support local voluntary sector organisations and investigate innovative delivery of services; negotiate with developers for 'affordable' provision of community space for local groups.
5. Transport. To make it easier and more pleasant for people to move around the area. Key objective: Continue to improve how people move around and between the three stations.

Generally there's not much that's controversial here. I've been at two of the group consultation sessions and these were the main topics that emerged - naturally with different people placing different emphases on them. I know some people think the idea of West Hampstead as any sort of village is risible, but it's certainly a focal point both for transport and shopping/entertainment (more of the latter than the former these days). I'm pleased to see such specific recognition of the challenges facing Mill Lane, and a statement of intent to work on improving the street without sacrificing its character.

Amid all the bullet points and action plans, there are a few interesting comments in the overall vision and background section. Despite generally high levels of satisfaction among residents the plan recognises that different segments of the local population do not necessarily interact. Is this unusual, and does it matter? I would argue no it's not unusual, but yes, it does matter. It matters because if we take one cut – age – 20-34 year-olds account for roughly half West Hampstead's population, yet barely figure when it comes to deliberating local issues.

Although younger people here may not be long-term residents (largely, anecdotally, because they can't afford to stay rather than because they don't want to), it would be a mistake to think they don't care. They also, inevitably, have some different priorities and sometimes a more forward looking outlook. It is to the council's credit that one of the reasons they have involved me in this placeshaping process is because it gave them access to the views of younger people.

Although not explicitly discussed in the Place Plan, there is also something of an affluence divide. I heard at a recent local event that some of West Hampstead less well-off residents sometimes feel that they don't fit in at lots of these community activities. Meanwhile, I wonder how many people in the "young professional" category avail themselves of the services offered by, for example, Sidings Community Centre. Just a thought. I hope that everyone feels welcome to attend #whampevents.

Do have a read of the document. There was plenty of cynicism at the first meeting I attended about the real impact such an initiative could have. At least by setting out clear actions, the council is saying "judge us on progress", even if you think that many of them are a little vague, with a focus on "identifying", "facilitating", "monitoring", "supporting" and "exploring" rather than more concrete words like "investing", "building", "changing", or "upgrading".

West Hampstead Place Plan_annotated

What have I missed since May 28th?

It's been a fortnight since the last newsletter and so much has happened in that time... The Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, the England team went to visit former concentration camps, and in other minor news the world economy lurched nearer to collapse and lots more Syrians were killed. But hurrah for lots of boats, eh?

There was more from the local Labour party on the lack of school places in our part of Camden.

I posted some statistics on Virgin Media's poor internet performance in NW6.

The Gondar Gardens appeal (for the last but one plan) has been adjourned.

Meanwhile, the Iverson Road development (where the garden centre was) have been approved.

Mill Lane has been designated an "Olympic sensitive street", which means one on which works may create unacceptable delays and disruption during the Olympic period.

A tattoo parlour is opening on Mill Lane where Best Beginnings was.

The lights at the West End Lane end of the Black Path are being fixed.

Parking is no joke in West Hampstead.

Swiss Cottage and St John's Wood stations get Wifi in the first phase, West Hampstead and Finchley Road miss out.

What did we make of Sunday lunch at The Black Lion?

The Westbury in Kilburn closed - not quite sure why, though they're saying that they hope to be back in some guise before too long and a new bar will open on the site in September.

Talking of closures, the owners of The Luminaire finally explained some of the reasons behind the end of the venue.

A £5 shop has opened on Kilburn High Road - is this the final sign of gentrification?

Remember all those Luton fans in West Hampstead recently?

Sea Lantern - now operating as a Persian Grill - got a string of good reviews from locals.

Tom's Diner meanwhile, posted on Spiga and Small & Beautiful.

The Kilburn History blog delved into a South Pacific mystery.

Memories were jogged of Ushi - something of a West Hampstead legend in her time.

A man called Dan swam all the Olympic swimming distances back-to-back in Swiss Cottage pool.

West Hampstead Life got mentioned in The Guardian in an extract from a book about hyperlocal media.

Kilburn's Job Centre joined Twitter @JCPKilburn, as did the Jester Festival @JesterFestival.

Whampgather on June 24th sold out quickly, as usual. You can always add yourself to the waiting list.

The first #whampfilm event also sold out in double-quick time.

There were a string of West Hampstead Jubilee events.

Fancy the cinema this week? Check out the local film listings, including those easily-missed one-off screenings.

Coming up
The next Area Forum is on June 19th.

Photo of the Fortnight
The Battle of Britain fly past came directly over West Hampstead and was captured by @photografter

Parking's no joke

When I was a small boy, my grandparents' favourite joke involved a sign outside a public toilet in a car park that said "Have you paid and displayed". Oh how we laughed. Well, I laughed the first time, aged about six. After that I laughed politely, then just smiled, and eventually took to walking off in disgust.

I don't own a car, and therefore the question of paying and displaying is not one that vexes me personally very often. However, for many people it's a big issue - whether it's paying for a residents permit or paying to park for 30 minutes so you can pop to the shops, parking is an emotive issue in these parts.

We've touched on it before, after Wet Fish Café owner Andre openly mused as to whether the lack of visitor parking was the single biggest problem facing local businesses.

Now is your chance to do something about it.

Camden is in the middle of its parking review focusing on the size of residents’ parking zones (careful there Grandpa), parking zone hours, and pay & display parking hours. If you have views on how your local zones will operate in future, please fill in the online questionnaire or contact parking.review@camden.gov.uk or 020 7974 4639 to get a paper version.

The consultation runs until 18th June and is an “open” consultation; i.e., there are no specific proposals, the council wants to collect residents' views. Any proposed changes would then be subject to further consultation.

The West Hampstead Business Association has some quite strong views, and its chairman, David Matthews (from estate agent Dutch & Dutch) has given me permission to reprint the letter he sent Camden on behalf of the organisation.

Dear Sirs,

I write on behalf of the West Hampstead Business Association, a recently formed group set up to support and promote all businesses within the West Hampstead area. Local residents and businesses alike are making every effort to improve West Hampstead by doing all they can to create a pleasant environment and encourage good quality shops and amenities in the area. All of our members sight parking as the biggest obstacle to growing their businesses and achieving these objectives.

The most prevalent concerns of our members are:

1. The limited number of available Pay & Display parking spaces for visitors in and around West End Lane and Mill Lane
2. Shared Use bays being rarely available for visitors
3. The poor provision of Loading Bays for retail units on West End Lane and Mill Lane

Attached is a petition with over 200 signatures highlighting the concern of both business operators and customers.

Clearly for Pay & Display parking to benefit local businesses they need to be in close proximity to West End Lane and Mill Lane and not shared use as these bays are very rarely available to visitors. We feel the following should therefore be implemented:

• The loss of 8+ Pay & Display bays to form the new First Capital Connect Station should be provided elsewhere and in close proximity to West End Lane.
• The ‘Shared Use Bays’ in Sandwell Crescent and Dennington Park Road should be ‘Pay & Display’ only as they are very rarely available to visitors.
• Between 10am and 3pm various parts of West End Lane could accommodate additional Pay & Display parking. Clearly at peak times it needs to be clear.
• There is currently an overprovision of Shared Use and Pay & Display bays in Alvanley Gardens. If some of these bays became ‘Permit Parking’ there would be no net loss for local residents.

We look forward to hearing that West Hampstead businesses have your support.

David Matthews

Chairman

West Hampstead Business Association

NxNW6 listings June 8-14

Time again for the weekly West Hampstead film round-up brought to you by Mark - the Ichabod Crane of NW6 (tweeting at @NxNW6).

Film Listings for June 8 -14

After a relentless few weeks for the film studios, the next seven days represents a relatively quiet release schedule. Ill Manors is the only film to break into the multiplexes locally and amongst the independents, Woody Allen dominates proceedings.

Worth nothing that new releases The Pact, and Casa de mi Padre have no slots in NW London this week. They have been squeezed out of a crowded market dominated by successful holdovers; West End only for these two.

Film(s) of the Week

Various Woody Allen
After the UK premiere of Woody Allen - A Documentary last week at the Tricycle, the Everyman cinemas in Belsize and Maida Vale are showing a small selection of his films over the coming weekend. If you have never seen Annie Hall or Manhattan in a cinema before, it is worth trying to catch one of them. Both are true classics of American film.

Everyman Maida Vale
Annie Hall  (1977, comedy drama, 93 mins)  Sat 15:00
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, comedy mystery, 104 mins) Sun 14:35
Love & Death (1975, comedy war, 85 mins) Mon 15:30
Everyman Belsize Park
Manhattan (1979, comedy, 96 mins) Sat 15:35
Bananas (1971, comedy, 81 mins) Sun 15:25
Stardust Memories (1980, comedy drama, 89 mins) Mon 18:30

One-off screenings

Desert Riders (2011, documentary, 78 mins) Thu 20:30 Tricycle cinema £7
A look behind the scenes of camel racing in the wealthy United Arab Emirates – a sport that grew from local to international prominence in the 1980s. There will be a Q&A discussion on child labour and anti-slavery after the screening. Part of the Tricycle’s ‘Docu’ series.
Glyndebourne Live: The Cunning Little Vixen (opera, 125 minutes) Sun 18:30 Swiss Cottage Odeon £17.50
Live opera link up direct from the Glyndebourne opera festival. Part of the Odeon’s commitment to culture initative.
National Theatre Live: Frankenstein Encore (drama, 150 minutes) Thu 20:00 Swiss Cottage Odeon £15
Recording of Danny Boyle's hugely successful Frankenstein from the National Theatre in 2011. With Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch.
The Artist (2011, comedy romance, 100 mins). Mon 20:00 Chippenham Hotel, Free.
The Chippenham hotel/pub on Shirland Road, W9 is screening the Best Picture winner for free this Monday. The pub generally shows the latest DVD releases.  

Regular programme

Hampstead Film Society
Udaan (2010, drama, 134 mins, subtitles)
Expelled from his school, a 16-year old boy returns home to his abusive and oppressive father. Udaan was an official selection at the 2010 Cannes film festival.
Tue 19:00
(Hampstead Town Hall – 213 Haverstock Hill,  £7)

The Tricycle Cinema
Moonrise Kingdom
Finally hitting the Tricycle in its third week of release, this Wes Anderson film is well worth catching in a cinema. Usual suspects all involved.
Fri 14:30, Sat 16:00, 18:20, Sun 20:00. Mon 18:20. Tue 20:45, Wed 18:20, Thu 14:30.
Woody Allen – A Documentary*  (2012, documentary, 113 mins).
A theatrical cut of a documentary originally made for US TV (as part of the American Masters series). Far from perfect, but full of delightful moments. The typewriter and the comments from Josh Brolin were my two highlights. Realistically for fans only.
Fri 18:20, Sat 20:45, Sun 17:30, Mon 20:45, Tue 18 :20, Wed 20 :45.

(£9.50 adult, £8.50 concessions, Mon £6 adult, £4.50 Brent resident).

The Everyman Cinemas
Belsize Park
Woody Allen - A Documentary*
Fri, Tue-Wed 15:30, 18:10, 20:50, Sat, 12:55, 18:00, 20;45, Sun 12:45, 17:40, 20:40 Mon 15:50, 20:50, Thu 16:00, 18:40

Hampstead
Prometheus (2D)
Fri, Sat 15:20, 18:10, 21:10, Sun 14:15, 17:30, 20:25. Mon-Wed 15:20, 18:10, 21:10.
Thu 15:25, 18:00, 21:10.
The Angels' Share
Fri 15:00, 20:35 Sat 12:00, 17:45, Sun 14:50, 20:05, Mon 17:45, Tue 15:00 20 :35 Wed 17 :45, Thu 12:30, 20:45.
Moonrise Kingdom
Fri 17:45, Sat 14:55, 20:35, Sun 12:30, 17:15, Mon 14:55, 20:35, Tue 17:45, Wed 14:55, 20:35 Thu 18:25.

Maida Vale
Prometheus (3D)
Fri, Tue-Thu 15:30, 18:20, 21:10. Sat, Mon 15:20, 18:10, 21:00, Sun 15:00, 17:50, 20:40
Woody Allen - A Documentary
Fri ,Tue-Thu 15:10, 18:00, 20:40. Sat 12:10, 17:50, 20:40 Sun 12:00, 17:05, 20:00 Mon 15:50, 20:40.
Moonrise Kingdom
Sat 13:00, Sun 12:30.

Prices vary for all three cinemas, but expect to pay around £13 for an adult ticket and £10 for a concession. Booking advised.

Finchley Road Vue
Ill Manors*
The first film from Ben Drew (aka Plan B). Set amongst the urban youth of London.
Prometheus (2D Fri-Sun and 3D Xtreme)
Snow White and the Huntsman
The Angels' Share (limited)
Top Cat
Men in Black 3(3D)
The Dictator
Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (3D limited)
Other films show in Kids Club slots at weekend.
(£11.25 adult and £8.40 concessions. Before 17:00 on a Mon, Tue or Thu, adult tickets are £8.00.)

Swiss Cottage Odeon
A Fantastic Fear of Everything*
Simon Pegg film, directed by Crispin 'KulaShaker' Mills. Can't escape the feeling that this is a friend calling in a favour. Poorly reviewed
Woody Allen - A Documentary*
Prometheus (3D and IMAX 3D, no 2D option).
Men in Black 3 (3D)
Rock of Ages (previews)
Snow White and the Huntsman
(£10.75 adult, children £8.75 (£2 extra for 3D, £4 for IMAX). An adult seat in a club cinema is £16.00, a child’s £12.50.)

COMING SOON
June 15 – Cosmopolis, Jaws (35th anniversary).
June 22 – Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Five Year Engagement.
June 29 – Killer Joe, Friends with Kids.

All times correct at time of publication.
*new release.

Contact Mark via Twitter or .

All the swimming at Swiss Cottage pool

I get quite a lot of press releases these days, and most aren't even opened let alone read. But this one caught my eye. Because it's about a man who's clearly a bit mad. And also brilliant. And he's doing one of his mad brilliant things in the Swiss Cottage pool this Friday starting at 2pm and you can, nay should, go along and cheer him on.

Let me start again. Dan Thompson has decided to tackle every Olympic and Paralympic event to raise awareness and funds for five UK charities: Cancer Research UK, Oxfam, Right To Play Scope and NSPCC.

Just think about that for a second. Every single Olympic and Paralympic event. There are 114 of them by his reckoning. This is his Gold Challenge.

Tomorrow he's going to swim. If you add up all the swimming competitions (no, he doesn't do 100m for men and 100m for women, just the one 100m) then it's the equivalent of 182 lengths of the pool. Or 4.5km. It is quite a lot. 18 of those lengths have to use the butterfly, which he's yet to master.

Dan started his challenge in 2010 and has completed 84 events and aims to finish the remaining 30 before the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. Dan has already competed in an overwhelming range of sports from synchronised swimming to pole vault, wheelchair rugby to high diving and boccia to rhythmic gymnastics. A genuine fear of horses meant that it took two sessions before he even got on a horse and a further six before be able to tackle a small jump and learning to high dive as a 6'4" 51-year-old vertigo sufferer took a very patient coach, namely former world diving champion Chris Snode.
   
He has spent well over 1,000 hours on his challenge in all weather conditions and including training will travel over 1 million metres including having run 77,505 metres, cycled over 228,000 and walked over 70,000. As the challenge has progressed he has received help & coaching from Olympians and GB coaches as well as completed some sports at Olympic venues.

Dan is aiming to raise as much money as possible for the charities and you can sponsor him at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DansGoldChallenge and follow his challenge on facebook www.facebook.com/DansGoldChallenge. The Gold Challenge website is www.goldchallenge.org.

Special offer: Dark Knight Rises local premiere

Don your cape, check your batarangs, get into your batmobile and speed through the mean streets of Gotham to get to the Swiss Cottage Odeon on July 20th for opening night of the Dark Knight Rises.

STOP PRESS: SOLD OUT

Photo via @tomrye (edited by @LollyGee)

Thanks to the nice people at the Odeon, we've got special priority booking for the IMAX screening on the film's opening night. For £20 you'll get a top-end "club" seat and a free glass of wine from the Ambar's rather good (that's me saying that, not them) selection. This screening will sell out once it goes on general release, so here's a chance to bag yourself a prime spot for the third and final film in the Christopher Nolan/Christian Bale version of the caped crusader story. Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy also star in this dark tale of the Dark Knight, along with Anne Hathaway in a leather catsuit. Ahem.

It's also our first crack at a film-oriented get together, in line with the new local film listings page that appears every week written by West Hampstead's answer to Mark Kermode, @NxNW6. So come and mingle before the film starts over a glass of something, then settle into your extremley comfortable seat as the Bat does his thing on the big screen.

There are just 17 spots available  27 spots available. To register you need to , the cinema will then get in touch with you directly to arrange payment. This is first-come first served, and there's a max of 2 tickets per person.

I think this should be a great event, and as a fan of these latest Batman films I'm pretty excited. I hope lots of you feel the same. If you're not sure.. here are not one but TWO trailers to convince you!

Sunday lunch at The Black Lion

When we did our initial Sunday lunch crawl through West Hampstead, the Lion - as it was then - was on the brink of shutting up shop for a while in order to be refurbed, rebranded, reimagined and reinvigorated. We therefore decided that it wouldn't be fair to include it in the roast beef round-up and we'd return once it was up and running in its new incarnation.

Which is exactly what we did on that blisteringly hot Sunday a couple of weeks ago. You know the one. It will be remembered as "That hot Sunday in 2012".

We were able to sit outside on the terrace of the newly refitted The Black Lion. Our table was hot enough for some benihana style Japanese cooking, and we lathered on the sun cream as we looked at the menu. After 15 Sunday lunches of sharing plates, his time we had the luxury at least of having our own meals all to ourselves.

A selection of the Sunday main course options

For starters we should have had gazpacho (which happens to be the oddest heckle I've ever heard at a comedy gig), but instead we all went for either the grilled asparagus, or the cured salmon. Both very good - although this is the second time I've had the salmon there and it was thinner and more delicate the first time.

Then came the mains. Obviously at least some of us had to have beef - in this case it's Dexter beef (although the menu doesn't specify which cut). Tom had fish & chips and Claire tried out the veggie option of roast butternut squash, wild mushroom and almond pancakes with a red pepper sauce.

Beef (and Dom's arm)

The beef was good - i think they might have got their mediums and their medium rares mixed up, but no big deal. Portion size was impressive, the Yorkshires teetered precariously on top like some limestone rock formation, and the bed of vegetables were all properly cooked (in fact they were slightly over rather than very under as we had had elsewhere).

Tom seemed pleased with his fish & chips, which looked... well, it looked like fish & chips. Claire claimed her pancakes were a good vegetarian option; a change from risotto or the ubiquitous nut roast.

I thought the roast potatoes were good, but it took a long time to get Dom - the arbiter of all things tuber - to pass judgement, and even when he did he was a bit non-committal.

My only criticisms were that there wasn't enough gravy (though I'm sure we could have asked for more), and it looked like mine had split. No complaints with the flavour though.

Deep bowl for Tom's deep appetite

We managed to squeeze in desserts: cheesecake, cheese, and a sticky toffee pudding for Anna - a recent convert to the delights of stickiness and toffeeness. All were good - and the cheeseboard came with an extra menu with lengthy descriptions of the cheeses. A nice touch.

Dom and the girls blitzed their way through rather a lot of prosecco, while Tom and I demolished a really good Palestra from the Douro - excellent value as most Portuguese reds are at the moment.

There is no doubt that The Black Lion is an excellent addition to the eating options in West Hampstead. The prices are reasonable, if not cheap, but the service is good and there's a sense that they are really trying hard to make it work. There are plans for a full-size barbecue on the terrace, which people might find more appealing than the one at the Alice House, which on that particular day was on the street outside the front door in line with the exhaust fumes of the 139 and 328 buses.

Of course lots of us will be trying out The Black Lion for Sunday lunch very soon at Whampgather IX - lets hope we all get as good a meal then as Team Roast did on our very very final Sunday lunch tasting. I've added the scores to the spreadsheet you can find here.

Roast beef: £14.50
Yorkshire pudding score: 8
Roast potato score: 7
Sets the bar high for West End Lane.