Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Hackney Mare de Gras - cancelled ...



Hackney Mare de Gras - Postponed due to Murder

After the fairly discouraging experiences around Westminster on Saturday (per earlier post) I was really looking forward to the Hackney (Gay) Mare de Gras.

Unlike a real Mardi Gras, the Hackney version does not celebrate the start of Lent. In particular it is highly unlikely that the participants intend to abstain from meat consumption for 40 days, or any other length of time.

Anyway, we followed a convoluted route via the site of the recently dead Copper Grill at Liverpool Street (another Great Cafe bites the dust - what are all you daft b*****s out there going to do when there's only Starbucks left?) to Hackney Downs. We strolled leisurely down to Ridley Road market for the start of the parade. Almost on cue, a couple of African guys appeared and started sticking up crude, home made posters along the road with packing tape. The posters said ...

Hackney Mare de Gras Carnival Postponed
due to murder at Mare Street area
- by order of management of Centerprise
Thank You

I'm still not clear whether Centerprise ordered the murder or the postponement or who they were thanking and why. Whatever the circumstances, the news was terrible. No screaming bertie wooftas in rhinestone encrusted jump-suits or plumed chick-boys cavorting in front of my lens for me then. I was bitterly, bitterly disappointed.

Fortunately our B. Plan, the Shoreditch Car Free Day, played out magnificently and was good fun; until the beer collectively took hold and it started to be less fun. Remarkably for a car-free day there were relatively few cyclists about. I would have hated that. There was, however, an Elvis impersonator and his karaoke machine on a cycle. That I enjoyed that a lot. Field report and pictures here ...
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