Tom Dobson
@tomdobbo.bsky.social
MD Quod
Cities, planning, numbers.
Cities, planning, numbers.
Also white Londoners born in 2000 generally don’t think that at all.
December 6, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Also white Londoners born in 2000 generally don’t think that at all.
…the thought being generated mainly by professors of woke studies.
December 5, 2025 at 11:57 PM
…the thought being generated mainly by professors of woke studies.
much as I’m loathe to defend it as a West Ham fan it’s a pretty good nostalgic evocation of Gen X Angel, Barnsbury & Holloway (my and his mums generation not his). Adams and Rileys, as much rhyming slang as east London and plenty (if not as extensive as Whitechapel quality and choice) of curry.
November 23, 2025 at 10:41 PM
much as I’m loathe to defend it as a West Ham fan it’s a pretty good nostalgic evocation of Gen X Angel, Barnsbury & Holloway (my and his mums generation not his). Adams and Rileys, as much rhyming slang as east London and plenty (if not as extensive as Whitechapel quality and choice) of curry.
The food and drink offer is what makes unnecessarily long US sports tolerable as a spectator. made the mistake of going to one of the early NFL games at Wembley and not only the usual bad food and beer and terrible queues but they sold out by half time. Oh my that second half lasted an age.
November 17, 2025 at 8:01 PM
The food and drink offer is what makes unnecessarily long US sports tolerable as a spectator. made the mistake of going to one of the early NFL games at Wembley and not only the usual bad food and beer and terrible queues but they sold out by half time. Oh my that second half lasted an age.
It’s a pseudo-historical lament for a Soho that didn’t exist. There were Huguenot refugees in Soho but mainly in Spitalfields, & there is a French Protestant church. The French house pub which he is probably referring to has nothing to do with Huguenots - it was the free French hang out in WW2.
November 10, 2025 at 11:35 PM
It’s a pseudo-historical lament for a Soho that didn’t exist. There were Huguenot refugees in Soho but mainly in Spitalfields, & there is a French Protestant church. The French house pub which he is probably referring to has nothing to do with Huguenots - it was the free French hang out in WW2.
It's a very different scene
Well, if you know what I mean
There's toffs with toffee noses and
Poofs in coffee houses and
Fings ain't wot they used t'be.
(Lionel Bart, 1960)
Well, if you know what I mean
There's toffs with toffee noses and
Poofs in coffee houses and
Fings ain't wot they used t'be.
(Lionel Bart, 1960)
November 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM
It's a very different scene
Well, if you know what I mean
There's toffs with toffee noses and
Poofs in coffee houses and
Fings ain't wot they used t'be.
(Lionel Bart, 1960)
Well, if you know what I mean
There's toffs with toffee noses and
Poofs in coffee houses and
Fings ain't wot they used t'be.
(Lionel Bart, 1960)
Counterpoint: being lost in an urban area (or at least a safe one) is good
November 9, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Counterpoint: being lost in an urban area (or at least a safe one) is good
I went for the first time in August to see West Ham jumpstart their season and was pleasantly surprised, albeit my expectations had been set by my Geordie son in law.
November 5, 2025 at 11:01 AM
I went for the first time in August to see West Ham jumpstart their season and was pleasantly surprised, albeit my expectations had been set by my Geordie son in law.
Either that or they are bridge spotters.
November 5, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Either that or they are bridge spotters.
Movement of jah extinct birds
(probably the bird least likely to exode given its flightlessness)
(probably the bird least likely to exode given its flightlessness)
November 3, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Movement of jah extinct birds
(probably the bird least likely to exode given its flightlessness)
(probably the bird least likely to exode given its flightlessness)
I’m guessing she works 80 hour weeks and she has two school age children. Sounds like this was something her husband picked up. People have unreasonable expectations of what someone is going to have the time and capacity to do.
October 30, 2025 at 8:50 PM
I’m guessing she works 80 hour weeks and she has two school age children. Sounds like this was something her husband picked up. People have unreasonable expectations of what someone is going to have the time and capacity to do.
And all Bob Dylan songs about women
October 30, 2025 at 12:33 PM
And all Bob Dylan songs about women
post war state expansion was deliberately national/central though. Government took choices to centralise (eg health) and nationalise (industry). It was a throw away comment but that choice was taken 45-47 (incl. planning, new towns and regional policy) it wasn’t inevitable.
October 28, 2025 at 8:03 PM
post war state expansion was deliberately national/central though. Government took choices to centralise (eg health) and nationalise (industry). It was a throw away comment but that choice was taken 45-47 (incl. planning, new towns and regional policy) it wasn’t inevitable.
There is a good Tony Travers argument though that the retreat from Empire caused the mass centralisation of domestic Government because Whitehall needed something to do.
October 28, 2025 at 6:43 PM
There is a good Tony Travers argument though that the retreat from Empire caused the mass centralisation of domestic Government because Whitehall needed something to do.
‘project Somerset House’ which was to fit the entire civil service in Somerset house because that was enough to run an empire in the 19th century or something
October 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
‘project Somerset House’ which was to fit the entire civil service in Somerset house because that was enough to run an empire in the 19th century or something
It’s such a stupid piece. The pictures and framing are trying to suggest it’s new developments when it’s basically saying first time buyers buy cheaper homes which given you are buying a bundle of amenity and accessibility, is an autocorrelation. None of it has anything to do with the PIB.
October 26, 2025 at 2:10 PM
It’s such a stupid piece. The pictures and framing are trying to suggest it’s new developments when it’s basically saying first time buyers buy cheaper homes which given you are buying a bundle of amenity and accessibility, is an autocorrelation. None of it has anything to do with the PIB.
Why did no-one tell me that the Bishop of Bath and Wells earned less than a Junior Associate at a Public Affairs Consultancy? ruined my life.
October 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Why did no-one tell me that the Bishop of Bath and Wells earned less than a Junior Associate at a Public Affairs Consultancy? ruined my life.
It’s excellent as are the digitised reports
October 3, 2025 at 8:20 PM
It’s excellent as are the digitised reports
I thought I was being brave reading a KC’s CIL opinion on a Friday evening! Well done look forward to reading it.
October 3, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I thought I was being brave reading a KC’s CIL opinion on a Friday evening! Well done look forward to reading it.
Longer. 2000’s stock transfer + decent homes dowry gave base to leverage. Lack of investment post 2010, + rent caps + higher risk devt. investment, + end of free money & we are where we are. New Labour get a lot of stick for low social new build but left most stock at decent homes standard.
October 1, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Longer. 2000’s stock transfer + decent homes dowry gave base to leverage. Lack of investment post 2010, + rent caps + higher risk devt. investment, + end of free money & we are where we are. New Labour get a lot of stick for low social new build but left most stock at decent homes standard.