Hula Hoop woman writes ...

Joanne Milroy writes: "A footnote on Hula Hoop frenzy - Crickley Hill Man asserts "no alcohol in evidence" in the picture.  The problem with Crickley Hill Man is that he has spent far too long in recent years living a gentrified life making mango clafoutis and enjoying the West London dinner party scene, quaffing from Habitat glasses.  [Well, fair enough, but North London and I get my glasses from Divertimenti - C-H-M.]   'Naughty' Nicky does have a drink in her hand, it just happens to be in a very serviceable plastic mug. I seem to recall Bacardi was her drink of choice.   
 
I happened to drive down the Leckhampton Road a couple of weeks ago.  I noticed that Threshers - scene of many a Crickley Hill booze run - is still going strong.  There has also been a new addition to the road - a rather insalubrious establishment called "Bargain Booze" - which presumably, if it had been there c.1980, would have been the off-licence of choice for hard up diggers. 
 
I was in Cheltenham for the funeral of my aunt, who was the reason why I came to Crickley in the first place.  I figured that I could always disappear off to her flat for a bath and a decent meal on a Thursday - if conditions proved primitive (which indeed they did). A disproportionate number of Crickely-ites seemed to have relatives in Cheltenham for the same reason."