My unforgettable lunch at the poshest table in London – no, not the River Café
The Hurlingham Club – ‘like a Merchant Ivory film, 40 years on’ – proved an ideal spot to forget all about Covid
Croquet at the Hurlingham Club
Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images
It is the poshest table in London, I’m telling you. Forget those chichi Mayfair restaurant terraces. Forget the River Café, which is sublime, yes, yes, but also where a piece of fish practically invisible to the human eye costs £900. At least I think it was a piece of fish. Could have been a tadpole. Forget those places. Last Friday, my friend Emma invited me for lunch at the Hurlingham Club.
Many fans of The Rolling Stones were delighted when it was revealed the producers of The Crown were making a similarly styled TV drama about the band’s rise to global fame. But could there be trouble ahead?
Its scriptwriter Nick Hornby, author of novels Fever Pitch and High Fidelity, confesses he’s already preparing for a backlash from the audience over inaccuracies similar to that faced by the Netflix royal drama.
‘I’m writing a 16-part drama series about The Rolling Stones from 1963 to 1974,’ he confirms.
Many fans of The Rolling Stones were delighted when it was revealed the producers of The Crown were making a similarly styled TV drama about the band’s rise to global fame. But could there be trouble ahead? Pictured: The Rolling Stones perform live on stage at the Forest National in Brussels, Belgium on May 6, 1976
Pub in Finsbury Park
I received a flyer about a petition to object to the pub in the park , in Finsbury Park next to the athletics track and dog training area. It was proposed in a fairly secluded site, away from most of the residences and close to dispersal areas such as the tube station and bus stops. I think they considered this but the design and concept is weak and the performance/ spoken word element was very sketchy. On examination of the planning application: HGY/2021/0992 it has been withdrawn so well done to the local petition however it made me think whether Haringey has long term policy to manage pimping out the park . The park is in a woeful state already with very dry soil. Should a policy document include climate change (water retention tanks in the ground to collect rainwater, irrigation systems for the soft landscape, solar and other energy systems to power on site services and sell off grid for example), offer up sites at events to local businesses
SIR – I support Lt Cdr Brian Smith’s idea (Letters, April 16) that a new royal yacht should be named HMY Elizabeth and Philip, following the precedent of HMY Victoria and Albert.
Many ships acquire affectionate nicknames: HMS Endurance was known as the Red Plum, HMS Charybdis as Cherry B, and HMS Sheffield as Shiny Sheff.
If the idea is taken up, it won’t be too long before she is known as HMY Liz ’n’ Phil – affectionately, of course.
Cdr Peter Baseby RN (retd)
Kennington, Oxfordshire
SIR – The strict observance by the Queen and the Royal family of the current Covid rules showed their consideration and respect for all those who have died in the past year, and whose families had to cope with even tighter regulations as they laid their loved ones to rest.
Tony Shearer s daughters Juliet Miles, 40, and Lauretta Shearer, 38, are suing
They say they are due maintenance to replace a financial provision they had
Stepmother Pamela says that they are due nothing and adds they are entitled
Financier Mr Shearer, ex-finance governor of Rugby School, died at 68 in 2017
Almost all of his fortune - which the daughters say is £7m - was left to Pamela