Quick note to say that we’ve now moved to a new domain, thanks to the technical legend that is @philipjohn, we’ve now moved TheLichfieldBlog to its own home.

You can now find the site at http://thelichfieldblog.co.uk, so why not pop over and join in the fun. You’ll see it’s very similar to here but there are some nice additions to the site and there’s plenty more of the good stuff.

See you there!

Good old Twitter pal of TheLichfieldBlog, @66usual has produced a great little piece of video. He has, however, asked us to point out that his choice of music wasn’t intended to mock the participants!

Enjoy…

But is the great man’s legacy in danger of being forgotten? With his 300th birthday approaching (I’ll buy the cake, you buy the candles!), Staffordshire University student Chris Heath went out to find out more about the great man.

Double yellow lines. Picture: FreeFoto.com

Welcome news from Lichfield District Council that something is being done about parking enforcement in residential areas.

It seems the job is finally being taken seriously – well at least it will be eventually.

Rather than the neighbourhood policing units doing the job (something they don’t seem to have been making a very good fist of given that a friend of  TheLichfieldBlog is still awaiting a  reply – promised on January 7 - from the Neighbourhood Police Unit commander on such an issue), a team of six APCOA private wardens will be issuing tickets.

But be warned - if you think they’ll finally be doing something about the parking problems in residential Lichfield then you’ll have to wait. For the first stage of their March 9 arrival, the wardens will, according to the LDC report, be issuing mock tickets to warn people they could get a ticket from the new enforcement officers in future.

Mock tickets? If I commit any other offence on the road I don’t get a mock ticket so why should I if I can’t park in accordance to the Highway Code?

There is no excuse for dangerous parking and it’s a problem across Lichfield. It’s good to see that something is finally being done, but quite why it’s had to take so long is beyond me.

And then there’s the debate over whether six wardens will actually make any impact. What, for example will be the hours of coverage? Many of the residential parking issues come into being after usual office hours – something I hope has been taken into account when drawing up these plans.

And does this now mean that police officers will not have to worry about dealing with problematic parking? I sincerely hope not. After all, parking may not now be their problem, but it will be if an accident happens because someone has been injured as a result of having to go around an illegally parked vehicle.

Lichfield Woolworths. Picture: Rachel Groves

But I actually struggled to think of reasons why I missed Woolies. After all, even the appeal of a jelly sweet with someone else’s thumbprint in tends to wear off after a while.

So I asked over on the old Twittervine what others missed about this great old institution. Would it be the cheeriness of the staff, the selection of goods on offer or the joy of paying over the odds for a Bing Crosby Collection CD?

Sadly not. Only one response was forthcoming…

It was handy to walk through to get to the car park if it was raining.

So there we have it. We only liked Lichfield’s Woolworths when it was raining or closing down. Maybe it was for the best after all.

The coveted Pancake Race 'Trophy'

My first assignment was to go along to the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Race in the centre of Lichfield.

Camera in hand, I managed to wriggle my way into the Parc Fermé inside the barriers, where I spotted @philipjohn peering over the barriers near Donegal House.

As with any Lichfield event, it was suitably cheesy and camp – with a dash of the usual pompous ceremony and regalities, as well as a 70′s Throwback MC to keep the circus running. Everyone was there to see who would walk away with this year’s coveted Pancake Race Trophy

What I fail to understand, is why the fair in Market Square began this week and not last (during Half Term) – surely it would have been more popular then.

Regardless, the Mayor, Town Crier and all the other cape-wearing bigwigs seemed to enjoy the waltzers, and even came back with a bag of Candy Floss!

The races were separated into different categories and heats – Men’s, Women’s and ‘Mascots’; which included a speccy man in a Scooby Doo costume, two people dressed as 70′s ‘Disco Stu’ style vicars, two dental nurses, a recycled ‘Wesley‘ costume from the Wacky Warehouse, and a giant Orange Dragon thing.

All the races went well – with exception of the Men’s final when one poor fellow tripped over the new cobblestones on Bore St which threw him and his frying pan to the ground. Face first, ouch.

The crowd, as expected, was full of the blue-rinse brigade, young parents, and some loud Italian exchange students. Two of whom entered into the Men’s race – but were beaten by Lichfield’s finest Tosser (in the Pancake sense!)

Be sure to check out the photos below for full coverage!

All content © Nick Brickett 2009

I figured that I offer only one opinion on Lichfield (even if it is the right one), so it’s time to open up the floor to other great Cathedral City chaps and chapesses to offer up their views.

I’m sure they’ll introduce themselves as they come on board, so please be nice to them (and me!).

Cheers!

(if anyone fancies joining the merry band, visit my Twitter page)

Now I’m not too sure what the qualifications are, but this is one tradition which I’m all for keeping (unlike the Bower Queen).

If Lichfield fancies itself as a historic city then a town crier is a must.

But just who could we get to ring the bell and call us all to order?

Of course, I’m not interested in who actually wins, nor am I running for it myself (although I’d fancy my chances all told!).

No, I’m more interested in the voyeuristic nature of the contest, the snapshot into the lives of deluded young girls and the pushy parents sitting behind them who fuel this desire for ‘stardom’.

But what are the real benefits of being Bower Queen? To be recognised as Lichfield’s premier young woman and the glory that goes with it (for glory see page 17 editorial complete with fuzzy photo in the Mercury)? Or is the desire to be ridiculed by your peers and have half the population of Lichfield chuckling at you? After all we are a nation who love to laugh at those glorious failures who haven’t a hope in hell of achieving their dream. And for Lichfield, the Bower Queen battle is like the great early bits of X-Factor watching the talentless crash and burn.

As if the Bower itself wasn’t an outdated, cringe-worthy embarassment, the Bower Queen is the icing on a stale cake. In the same way you laugh at those all-American youngsters with their glitzy outfits aiming to be beauty queen in Winkelstinkeltown, U S of A, so Lichfield applauds this modern day circus sideshow by allowing it to happen.

Isn’t it about time Lichfield let Bower Day and the Bower Queen die a painless death instead of dragging it into public view every year for us all to point and laugh at?

So it’s with no surprise that I read in the Birmingham Mail comments from a religious man which have no relevance to the real world.

The story regards talks by the Diocese of Lichfield on plans by the Church of England to standardise fees for services across the country. At present the initial service fees are standard, but at a regional level, churches are able to add extra fees for things like bell ringers, flowers and heating etc.

The quote from the Archdeacon of Salop, the Venerable John Hall said:

“I question the sanity of wanting to take over from parishes something which they have dealt with adequately for centuries.”

I’m sorry Mr Hall, but that isn’t washing with me. Churches have been found out. There’s no problem with extras being charged where applicable and yes, if you need to hire the choir then there is a cost associated. But the Birmingham Mail report talks of heating being an extra.

HEATING?!?!? When I go to Morrisons I don’t get charged £20 for my shopping and then have a fee added for heating. Why should churches be any different?

The Diocese of Lichfield, like so many other religious institutions, need to get with the real world if they’re going to prosper in increasingly sceptical times. And at a time when finances are stretched, surely the churches have a duty to their congregation to be up front about costs?