Clapton Pond Blog

Sound And Fury At The Hackney Empire

Last Thursday's public meeting at and about our handsome local theatre had much in common with its famous pantomimes. The cast of villains was familiar to anyone even loosely acquainted with Hackney political aggro down the years, as were the characters hissing and booing from the stalls. Even a regular member of the panto cast was in attendance, the popular and talented Kat B. So too was Susie McKenna, the Empire's associate director and the creative force behind those pantomimes, which are widely considered London's best. Her role in the evening's presentation stood out because it straddled the good-evil divide that clearly existed in the minds of the more militant members of the audience. Her track record at the Empire made her a goodie, but her backing for the present Board of Directors and its decisions in tandem with interim chief executive Clarie Middleton meant she was half lumped in with the baddies too.

The 38 Bus (Not) To Clapton Pond

The last leg of my recent overnight excursion to faraway London boroughs was a ride on a 38 all the way from one end of its route at Victoria station to the other end here at Clapton Pond. Of course, not all 38s travel the full distance. Lots of them skive off at Hackney Central and presumably idle away their time drinking tea and watching telly in the bus garage there. Knowing this, I was unperturbed when the destination indicator of the first empty 38 to roll in to Victoria showed the bus wasn't going the full distance. For once in my life I wasn't in a frantic rush so I waited happily for the next one.

I think you know where this is going. The second 38 too was going only to Hackney Central. So was the third. The fourth was even lazier, announcing without shame that it would jack it in at the junction of Essex RRoad and Balls Pond Road. The fifth? Hackney Central. The sixth? Piccadilly Circus. And the seventh? Hackney Central again. By the time the eighth 38 arrived bearing the legend "Clapton Pond" I'd waited 37 minutes. 

This seemed a bit excessive. It's not that I mind the walk up the Narrow Way or through the graveyard towards home and I suppose we pay-as-you-goers have come to accept that some of the time we're going to have to pay twice to be conveyed all the way up Lower Clapton Road. But only one bus in eight going the full distance? Imagine how narked I'd have been had it been one of those that decides on "a change in destination" (or whatever it exactly is that nice robot lady says). 

I rang Transport For London. Was this unusual or did it happen all the time? A press officer of quality and distinction (I speak from experience) explained that there were indeed fewer 38s making their way to the centre of the universe (my term) for the time being because of the diversion caused by the road disruptions at Dalston. "You get more bunching of the buses on any route experiencing those kinds of delays, and that means you need to start more of them on their return journey sooner." In other words, you can re-regulate the frequency of service back to Victoria more easily if you stop more of them at Hackney Central. Do you follow? Normally, only alternate 38s are deprived of a visit to Clapton Pond.

So there we have it. The same helpful press officer also supplied with a link to TfL's all-new Google-mapped bus planner. She thought people might like to see it. And they might.  

   

Hackney Empire Campaign

Tonight the Council's planning sub-committee meets to decide if the sale of the theatre's offices and rehearsal space will go ahead. Those running the now "grey" Empire want the sale to proceed in the hope that the profits can help clear the theatre's debts and deliver financial security. Those opposed the current management board consider this a dreadful plan. Roland Muldoon, for so long the great force behind the Empire's revival and refurbishment, has joined the campaign against the board and its strategy. His alternative is to demand better financial support from the Council and from Arts Council England. A public meeting, rescheduled with tonight's decision in mind, will take place at the theatre tomorrow at 6.30. Entry will be free and you don't need a ticket. Be there or be square. More on this from the Hackney Gazette.