The National Trust: A Brum Conspiracy.

The National Trust may have utter contempt for its members, Brummies, and the public at large but Crow Multimedia intends to expose its antics and to make sure that accountable bodies it is conniving with act in a democratically open and transparent way.

Station Street in bankrupt Birmingham is a hideous urban route immediately adjacent to a major transport hub - New Street Station. Back in the day it led to a lung-busting indoor bus station. It houses the Old Rep theatre (Grade II Listed) which some might describe as "grotty". Next door is the defunct Electric Cinema. Although much is made of it being the oldest UK cinema it was substantially modified in the 1930's and has been recently rejected for listing. For a considerable time it operated as a "mucky" cinema. On the corner is the long defunct Crown Pub (Grade II listed). The claim to fame is that Black Sabbath's first gig was there and a few other "big names" also played there. So what? But the pub was an absolute sh*thole mostly remembered by folk who actually used it for the women coming in between "acts" at the local strip club in dressing gowns and slippers. No-one at all mourned its closure - until recently.

But Station Street is still an important transport route and so it is firmly in the crosshairs of Birmingham's "left" (many of whom are economically inactive - EI - and contribute little of nothing to the City's economy - indeed they are usually taking money from Brum workers). These people are determined to wage war on motorists and to ban cars, vans and lorries from, preferably, the whole West Midlands Conurbation. Once again Labour is looking to interfere with access to the critical tunnels joining the north and south of the city.

A campaign is being waged by the "left" to "Save" Station Street from redevelopment. Of course, any developer will have to deal with the listed building status of the Old Rep and The Crown during any planning application but these zealots have an alternative plan and, amazingly, they have managed to get The National Trust on board.

The "left" has a particular way of doing things which usually involves participants acting anonymously. The main Save Station Street account on X is run by an obsessive who is either a very high functioning individual capable of putting endless, repetitive, posts up whilst doing the day job or else s/he is EI with plenty of leisure time. The individual has declined to disclose his/her identity despite purporting to be a mouthpiece for the "project".

We have been watching the account and, curiously, its output is remarkably similar in content and style with that of one Simon Dixon, an "unofficial" mouthpiece for the local Labour Party. Dixon used to work for Birmingham University and during his time at the learned institution he claimed that motorists are comparable to serial killers. He is certainly backing the "campaign". He has been very upset that his useless pal, Cllr David Barker (another anti-car fanatic), has been deselected by Labour, Compare and contrast his own output on this, almost simultaneously published with that of "Save Station Street":

Whoever is orchestrating this campaign should at least have the cojones to identify themselves.

"Old Station Street" claims to be a non-governmental organisation and a non-profit but is not only anonymous it has no publicly available constitution, holds no meetings etc. In short, is it perpetrating a massive con on Birmingham?

This blog is running an occasional series called "The Thurd Sector", exposing the corruption and self-enrichment prevalent in charities and so-called non-profits. We have pointed out that the "left" overwhelmingly controls this sector. Until recently this could not be said of the National Trust - the archetypal "establishment" organisation. No one would accuse James Lees Milne of being a pinko! But the Trust is changing and struggling to be "relevant" (as if saving huge tracts of countryside and hundreds of historic properties isn't quite enough). It has managed to p*ss off many of its dedicated volunteers with its heavy-handed attitude and, of course, in the woke "lanyard" affair.

Take a look at our email to the Trust about their scandalous involvement in Station Street's future, and its mealy-mouthed reply from someone who also wishes to remain anonymous and simply described as a "National Trust Spokesperson":

"THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY

I am writing in my capacity as an independent journalist but have to say that as a fee-paying member of the NT I am concerned about the NT's involvement in this matter to date.

You are not, as I understand it, susceptible to the Freedom of Information Act, but I hope that you will make full and frank disclosure here.

To declare an interest, both my wife and I live in Birmingham and operate small businesses here. We are aware of the intense political lobbying to close roads in this city and otherwise "ban" vehicles. The report you have commissioned - but choose to keep secret from members, Brummies and the public at large - proposes the pedestrianisation of a street right next to New Street Station - a major regional transport hub. (Despite all the NT's constant greenwashing many of your properties are mostly reached primarily by car.)

1   How did the Trust become involved in this matter at all? Did you dream up a plan to close a city street yourselves or did someone approach you? Who was that someone, if applicable?

2   Why did the Trust decide to spend members' fees on this "project"? Who made that decision? Given the Trust's disastrous stewardship of The Roundhouse [in Birmingham], would it not be better to use members' funds to rectify that fiasco instead of kite-flying?

3   Who at the NT chose xxxxx Architects to prepare the secret "report"? Was this put out to tender? If not, how was the decision to use that company arrived at? (xxxxxxxxx).

4   How much of members' money (including my own) have you spent on this to date?

5   As I understand it you have only disclosed the "report" to WMCA, BCC, Network Rail (and, possibly, Flatpack). Yet images etc have been leaked to the media and feature on the xxxxxxxx Architects website is a deliberate attempt to sway public opinion in favour of the scheme. There is now a claque of left-wing and anti-motoring pressure groups lobbying for the scheme whilst all opposition factions are kept in the dark. Why did you decide to do this? Do you think the secrecy shows contempt for NT members when you use their money for a report and then conceal it from them? Do you think blatant political lobbying in this case is compatible with the Trust's charitable aims?

6   Unlike some of the claque who have never visited some of the buildings they are now campaigning to save, I have known them all over many years (save for the Electric when it was a "dirty" cinema - possibly one of its busiest periods). I appreciate that the Crown is listed but it was a truly awful pub and was no sad loss when it closed over a decade ago. (Incidentally, there are some now who are constantly lobbying for it to be reopened as a pub totally ignoring that a giant and very busy Wetherspoons has opened directly across the road. In the last fortnight FOUR well known Brum pubs have gone bust. Reopening as a pub is unrealistic and unviable.) The Old Rep is an undistinguished building and the pro-lobby you are encouraging can only come up with the fact that it was "the first" as a reason to save it. So what? As to The Electric I understand that it was substantially remodelled in the 1930's and so has lost any particular cachet? It was recently found to be unworthy of listing status. The question is, therefore, is the current Station Street actually worth "saving" subject to the one [actually two] building[s] that is [are] listed (and that issue can be dealt with in any new development plans in the usual way? Once again, wouldn't the Trust resources be better applied to rectifying The Roandhouse shambles?

7   In commissioning the "report" did the Trust consider economic matters - particularly noting that the area is a major transport hub? If not, why not?"

And here is the response:

"One of the National Trust's key aims in its work in and around towns and cities is to address unequal access to nature, beauty and history. To achieve this, we are increasingly working beyond our places and seeking to develop new and effective partnerships. The team in Birmingham wants to be a key contributor thinking about what the city needs today from its green spaces and nature, its culture, places and stories and what is needed to bring about positive change. 

The work commissioned with [Architects] is intended as a conversation starter for discussions with stakeholders in Birmingham around the cultural heritage importance of Station Street as a whole in terms of its significance to theatre, cinema and music and the wider cultural heritage of the city.

The architects were selected, on merit, following a tender process in line with the National Trust’s procurement rules. The commission was funded by our regional Urban Places budget, which is allocated from the Trust’s central funds and generated through a mix of income streams."

Note:

1.   The Trust won't say how it got involved in this;

2.   It won't say how much it has spent;

3.    It is not releasing the secret report (clearly, ordinary Brummies don't count as "Stakeholders") and won't say who has made the decision to show such contempt to members and the public at large, or why;

4.   It makes no comment on wider economic issues.

We referred to the fact that the Trust fairly recently re-opened The Roundhouse on the canal network (with the Canal & River Trust) and has completely f***** that up already. We say that until it can sort out its own properties in Brum it should butt out of interfering further in our city.

We will consider going to the Trust AGM to flush out how much members' money the Trust has blown on this report. In the meantime, other so-called stakeholders ARE susceptible to the Freedom of Information Act and so we have made the following FOIA request to bankrupt Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Combined Authority and Network Rail:

"The National Trust has produced a secret report suggesting the pedestrianisation of Station Street in consultation with BCC and others. The public is being deliberately excluded from this discussion.

Please disclose all records (as defined below) passing between BCC, WMCA, Network Rail, Flatpack (a "charity"), [X]Architects and the National Trust and inter se, regarding the future development of Station Street generally and specifically in respect of the potential road closure.

For the purpose of this Request “records” include correspondence by electronic or other means, reports, telephone attendance notes, copies or screenshots of messages sent via WhatsApp, Telegram, Text or other similar means, and all other documents of whatsoever nature arising in respect of this “project”."

The Trust was famously conservative in its financial affairs. It would only accept properties subject to endowments to fund the upkeep of the property. This is contrary to the "political" model where local authorities had no funding for historic and other properties but simply shafted the taxpayer for the running costs. In an age of austerity that extravagance is now rare, but this particular scheme has all the hallmarks of the taxpayer being screwed-over yet again.

But soft. what's this? The profligate National Trust has just announced it is booting out 550 employees due to "sustained costs pressures". It plans to make savings of £26m. A union claims that "management decisions" are partly to blame for the Trust's financial woes - which seems hardly surprising noting the above!

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Crow Multimedia

ANOTHER Birmingham Sh*tshow ...

It is said that politics in the UK is becoming increasingly polarised yet it was an unholy alliance between Labour and the Tories that led to multi-millions being recklessly squandered on the z-list Colonial (sorry, "Commonwealth" [sic]) Games in 2022. Labour in Birmingham and the poverty ghetto of Sandwell enthusiastically hurled nearly £800m of taxpayers' money at the circus. Birmingham City Council has since gone into the local government equivalent of bankruptcy, and deeply-corrupt Sandwell recently declared a "£20m black-hole" in its finances.

The former Tory Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, cannot see a bandwagon passing without jumping on it and he, and his besotted local Conservative rimmers, started a BS campaign of epic proportions to big-up the egg and spoon race event. The Tories claim to be the Party of "law'n'order" (with many exclusions such as compliance with Covid Regulations) but cheered as £97m of OUR money was blown on policing and security alone. 

Incredibly, Brummies are now even more sick and indolent than Scousers (!) with a quarter of the population on out of work benefits. We are in "Great Depression" territory. The hard-working folk in our conurbation have sweated and grafted in the recent heatwave so as to pay more and more taxes to the economically inactive, yet the politicians are happy to take workers' money and waste it on fripperies. Just imagine if the incredible sums spent on the Games had been spent on economically useful infrastructure and job creation ...

The following three images provide a visual metaphor for the BS surrounding the Games and their supposed "legacy" i.e. the most expensive bull in history at New Street Station. Locals will know that an area of central Birmingham is protected against terrorist attack by a "ring of steel" during such events as the annual East European (formerly "German") Market. Part of the infrastructure in the Sh*tty Centre was made into a flower bed on Bennetts Hill.

Picture One - shortly before the Games:

Picture 2 - during the Games (roadworks also gone):

Picture 3 - now - the Games Legacy. The visitors have gone, and so the city can return to toilet-status for the locals:

Incidentally, we will shortly be writing about the laughable Colmore BID (Business Improvement District [sic]) - watch this space. The latest accounts for the BID shows that it has somehow amassed an astonishing £1.3m IN CASH! Perhaps its huge cohort of employees can drag themselves away from Pure Bar and get down to the garden centre?

Birmingham's status as Britain's "second city" rests solely on its population size. In terms of economic growth, vibrancy and cultural offerings then many would argue that Manchester has already seized that second spot. Brum may be - or soon will be - the UK's "third city" but it is still numero uno for bullsh*t!

iancrowmultimedia@gmail.com

A Crow Multimedia Blog

Capitalism Mrs Corbyn the Third - style

Laura Alvarez (aka Laura Alvarez Tonis) (aka Mrs Jerry "Jeremy" Corbyn the Third) is becoming increasingly prominent in left-wing circles. There are claims that she is a "human rights lawyer" (though hopefully not like Jerry's former pal, disgraced solicitor Phil "the Sh*te" Shiner). She, describes herself simply as a "human rights activist", at least on arch-capitalist Elon Musk's X.

Jerry is, of course, a walking example of how people who are as thick as pig sh*t can enrich themselves in politics. From a wealthy background, he had no aptitude or ability for anything, but found a niche in a trade union, and then in Labour Panty (sorry, Party) politics. This appalling scrounger has grasped huge sums from us taxpayers via his career as one of the most ineffectual parliamentarians in decades. Not a single law has been enacted or amended thanks to any effort by this greaser. He can look forward to comfort for the rest of his life thanks to gold-plated union and parliamentary pensions. Yet this moron was unable to even complete a simple tax return and was fined in 2016 for missing the submission deadline. (Incredibly, when this economic imbecile was trying to become Prime Minister "lol" he didn't even know that bonds actually had to be repaid!)

The Gammon's principal schtick (after his rabid and visceral hatred of the State of Israel) is for the complete destruction of capitalism. Yet as Jerry railed about the overthrow of capitalism his third wife was setting up a wonderfully bourgeois for profit limited company under their own Islington roof, to supply Mexican coffee to the Berghaus Bolshies of north London! The Company was initially registered Chez Corbyn.

Inevitably the enterprise has floundered despite, it is said, Laura's friendship with Turkish business woman, Raife Aytek (aka Mrs Ibrahim "Bogus" Dogus - of money smuggling infamy). Incorporated in 2013 there is a sorry history of a small outfit making, er, losses.

We wrote to Alvarez asking whether she was actually trading whilst insolvent:

"Re: Mexica Products Limited

THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY

Your last two sets of accounts for the above company show a deficit of [assets to liabilities] ... On the face of it, therefore, the company is trading whilst insolvent. It seems the Company is only kept afloat by loans from you.

It may be that there has been an upturn in the Company’s fortunes since the date of the last accounts.

Can you please confirm that the Company is not trading whilst insolvent? Any other information you are prepared to share will be welcome."

Answer came there none. But it will be interesting if this Company goes under whilst owing money to creditors and, if that is the case, the liquidator will need to take a long hard look at the conduct of the sole Director ...

Oh, and the Companies House website also shows that as at today's date Mrs Corbyn is latte [geddit?] in filing the annual confirmation statement - a legal requirement.

This is a picture when it looked like Jerry's political aspirations had gone down the tubes but, no doubt, we can surely now expect him with his new party to lead us to the mountain top where we will glimpse the promised land - populated by Hamas, Hezbollah, the IRA and the audience from Glastonbury ...

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A Crow Multimedia Blog

"Yummy Brummie", Glyn Purnell, leaves a nasty taste

Chefs routinely separate ingredients into different pots and so it is no surprise that self-styled "Yummy Brummie", Glyn Purnell, has made full use of limited liability companies to protect his personal wealth whilst serving up a crock of sh*t to his employees, suppliers, rich customers, and all the rest of us. The latter due to unpaid tax liabilities that pay for public services, school dinners, etc. All this is usually quite legal.

Incredibly, this "Celebrity" Chef is held out as some sort of "Ambassador" for our City which only goes to show how low our civic reputation has sunk. Read on and see if you still want to rim this guy ...

The Purnell Companies

The Brummie Gents Ltd - only set up in January, 2025 (after the second insolvency referred to below). Jointly owned with Philip Ko-Hing Innes (the "partner" in a new restaurant, Trillium - see also below).

Smoothie Operator Ltd - a joint venture with A. N. Other which was dissolved without ever filing any accounts.

Ginger Boy Ltd - insolvent. See below.

Little Sister Ltd - set up with a female (possibly his "little sister"?) Insolvent in 2022. The statement of affairs makes grim reading:

It's the left-hand column you really need to look at. Purnell and his co-owner shafted the drones who cook his fancy food for £36,042.16 (£4,280.88 + £31,761.28). Their creditors (suppliers etc.) got off lightly this time losing £865.20). We, the people, lost £46,807.85 via unpaid tax. Oh, and the Bank lost over £50k. (It is possible that Yummy was also classed as an employee and lost some of his "pay" - and this applies below too in respect of his other liquidation.)

Purnell Media Ltd - this Company (in Purnell's sole name) only has to file micro accounts but seems to be the pot in which this cook puts the income which people astonishingly pay him for his peculiar brand of gobsh*tery. And as this is a separate legal entity Purnell can keep this pot away from the clutches of his workers, suppliers, and the taxman. Thus it is no surprise that "Capital & Reserves" amount to £124,832 in the latest accounts. "Yummy" gets the mine - everyone else gets the shaft.

Boo Boo Bars Limited - a Company in Purnell's sole name which is said to trade in "pubs and bars". The 2024 accounts state that there are 14 people working for him in this Company but the same figures show creditors with payments due in 12 months at a stonking £136,795, giving a deficit of liabilities over assets of £8,179.00. Given that pubs and bars are being crucified by the current Labour Government and economic headwinds, this is hardly encouraging. A pub operated via this company is called "The Mount" which may be apt given the, er, mounting debts. Lets hope it's not boo-hoo for the creditors again.

Brummie Monk Limited - dissolved in 2024 without ever filing accounts.

Purnell's Catering Limited - set up on 3rd October, 2024 - "coincidentally" just before Ginger Boy Limited failed. A Company in Purnell's sole name which has yet to file any accounts.

Of course, we only have public access to limited company records and have no means or knowing how much Purnell has squirrelled away in cash, property etc. in his own name. 

And so we come back to the liquidation of Purnell's"flagship" - Ginger Boy Limited - through which his Purnell's Bistro in Cornwall Street was operated. This Company was in "Yummy's" sole name.

Once again the employees, suppliers, and taxman were all shafted together with those customers who were foolish enough to buy vouchers for his expensive eatery. Indeed it was the voucher saga that piqued our interest in this character since there was a suggestion in the media when he went bust (just after setting-up Purnell Catering Limited, don't ya know) that somehow this "good guy" might transfer the vouchers to other parts of his crumbling empire. We were going to follow this up with the liquidator as this would have meant giving some creditors preferential treatment over others - which would have been unlawful. Purnell appears to have been told this since then he told what is left of the "press" that holders of the duff vouchers needed to contact the liquidator. (As we shall see, they got f*** all back.)

Here are the figures again from the liquidation and, once, again, readers are referred in particular to the left-hand column:

The drones (possibly including Purnell himself) who work long hours got shafted for a stonking £145,819.16 (£23,875.16 + £121,944.00). It is said that some young chefs aspire to work for "big" names like Purnell, but such wannabes should check out his accounts first! Maybe they are so highly paid they don't miss the losses when he goes bust - ROFLMAO.

The Bank only lost £17,316.39 when its charge proved to be floating on a sea of sh*t. Curiously "Directors" lost £60k but Purnell was the only one (and this also suggest that his personal losses, if any, were NOT included in the employees figure here - which would make the situation even more reprehensible in the eyes of most right-thinking people, and those not blinded by Purnell's slow cooked shoulder of lamb and other culinary wonders).

Trade creditors/suppliers were taken for an horrendous £131,213.52 and it is to be hoped that they all managed to handle their losses and did not go under themselves. It is noteworthy that this figure is LESS than the sum owed to trade creditors via Boo Boo Bars in the last accounts.

The Bank only lost £17,316.39 this time but the public again lost out when Purnell took the taxman for £51,086.57 (£49,400.51 + £1,686.06). Taken with the non-payment of taxes in the other insolvency that is getting on for £100k lost to the public purse. We think this is disgraceful. This guy should be a pariah rather than a hero in our once great City.

An absolutely astonishing 25% of working age people are on out-of-work benefits in bankrupt Labour Brum, and foodbank use is at record levels. Last Autumn when "Yummy" was preparing his new Company just before the other went under, he was charging "only" £110 plus 12.5% discretionary service charge for his "Autumn Taster Menu" plus £115 for the "wine flight". (This now seems very reasonable as Aktar Islam - Andy Street's biggest fan lol - is currently charging £185 for the Spring Taster and £165 for the plonk!) There are still plenty of folk around willing to pay crazy prices for a succession of minuscule morsels.

When Purnell's went bust we have seen that there were a number of folk who were stupid enough to pay "Yummy" in advance. No doubt some were hoping to celebrate there during the festive season. The accounts show that morons paid "Yummy" an astonishing £39,375.00 in advance for the ultimately worthless vouchers!

Liquidations these days are seldom sudden events. They are often pre-arranged and, as above, it is noteworthy that Purnell set up a new Company on 3rd October, 2004 just a few weeks before Ginger Boy's liquidator was appointed on 12th November, 2024. When did Purnell stop selling the vouchers? Did he continue to sell them in the vain hope of keeping the business afloat? In  particular, did anyone buy vouchers between 3rd October, 2024 and 12th November, 2024? If you did please let us know via the email below.

Another question is when the lease on Cornwall Street was due to end?

We imagine "Yummy" has liquidisers in his kitchens but maybe he should have liquidators on hand too?

There is virtually no journalism being undertaken in this City these days and it is up to a few small independents like us to bring you the facts. The clickbait churnalists presented the sinking of Purnell's flagship as if Purnell was the loser whereas we have now shown you who he actually shafted.

Now the same pathetic lot are bigging-up "his" new restaurant, Trillium. It is billed as a "joint venture" with well-known local wine merchant, Phil Innes ("Mr Loki Wines"). We saw above that another new Purnell Company is jointly-owned with Innes and we assume that this will "operate" the restaurant. But that would seem to be the extent of "Yummy's" involvement since Innes himself is a Director of two new companies set up in May and apparently connected with the new venture. But the ownership is opaque. The sole shareholder of Trillium Restaurant (Birmingham) Limited (Director - Phil Innes) is actually Trillium Restaurants (Holdings) Limited where the sole Director is Innes again, but the sole shareholder is one Brian Dean.

Maybe the set up is for Purnell to simply run the kitchen whilst others look after the business. That might be sensible given his failure to date but will that satisfy his Rotunda-sized ego?

Trillium is due to open in September. We wonder if "vouchers" will be available ...

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A Crow Multimedia Blog - Independent Journalism

The Thurd Sector #3 - Red Thurds

As we have pointed out elsewhere, 99% of Thurd Sector/Charity workers [sic] are lefties. Many milk donors and the taxpayer to fund very comfortable lifestyles whilst parading their anti-capitalist credentials, and virtue-signalling.

And the Thurd Sector has become increasingly political. Many are content with expressing socialist cant and the "green" agenda whilst others use the money provided by donors and involuntary "donations" from taxpayers to, for example, bring numerous - but often hopeless - court cases seeking judicial reviews.

We exposed that the vile people at the Scope "Charity" blew £6,000 of money supposedly intended to "help the disabled" on a pathetic Liz Truss attack ad at a Tory Party Conference. [Full story below*] Think long and hard before ever giving any money to Scope!

But many people in the Thurd Sector are making a good screw and, despite the dire economic situation this Country finds itself in, central and local government continue to shower their cronies with contacts for alleged services and sundry "project" grants. Thus the Sector is keen to rim Labour politicians at every opportunity.

We are indebted to the current edition of the ever-brilliant Private Eye magazine for exposing that Starmer and Co. are seeking to charge "charities"£552 for the basic pass to attend the Party Conference. The grander pass costs £897. How is this expenditure ever likely to be within a charitable purpose?

Of course, Thurds rarely attend events alone so that some "charities" etc. will send a number of delegates. The donors/taxpayers will also be shafted for hotels, transport and, generous "subsistence".

If you are thinking of making a donation to any Thurd Sector organisation take a careful look at its accounts and also ask it for details of any proposed attendance at the Labour beano.

* https://www.blogger.com/u/9/blog/post/edit/5210725868751736806/4964687273181681254

Why not subscribe to Private Eye - you won't regret it! Here's the link:

https://checkout.private-eye.co.uk/SingleItem?Item=PEY&Prom=PEYE1643

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A Crowmultimedia Blog

The Thurd Sector #2 - Food Sense Wales

This is the AI response to a question about the income of Welsh farmers (and being AI it must be true, mustn't it?):

The average farm business income in Wales can fluctuate, but in 2022-23, GOV.WALES reported a decrease in average income for both cattle and sheep (LFA) farms and cattle and sheep (lowland) farms. Specifically, LFA farms saw a 37% decrease to £24,300 per farm, and lowland farms experienced a 30% decrease to £18,700 per farm. These decreases were attributed to a combination of factors including a decrease in farm output and an increase in costs. 

Crow Multimedia picked up on this following a recent piece by the excellent Anna Hill on BBC Farming Today concerning the work of  “classic” Thurd Sector “organisation”, Food Sense Wales. We don’t want to impute to Anna our own interpretation of the interview but the writer did imagine that there was a slight note of scepticism in her voice, and this got the journalistic juices flowing.

We should say before we start that “public health” provision is woefully underfunded and inadequate and we generally support public health initiatives, including those in respect of a healthy diet. But …

The Farming Today feature said that the taxpayer has divvied-up £2m a year until 2028, ostensibly for Welsh farmers. But where there is taxpayer loot there is always the Thurd Sector seeking to grab some, or all, of it. This public dosh is destined for Food Sense Wales and we suggest you take a look at its expensive website [link below *] replete with traditional Thurd Sector bollocks which seem to us to have very little to do with actual farming and everything to do with the Labour Senedd nanny-state:

Mission: “Co-creating a food system for Wales that’s good for people and the planet.”

Inevitably this involves many other Thurd Sector organisations getting their noses in the trough: “Developing a network of cross sector food partnerships.”

Farmers may spread plenty of sh*t of the land but this “charitable fund” has its own methods of excrement dissemination: “Piloting and scaling innovative approaches to inspire action.”

Public money is to be used on something that has not, hitherto, been difficult for the Welsh: “Telling Stories”.

The website is replete with reference to the environment and to, er, social justice - which seems to imply that this has been something lacking in Welsh agriculture until now (whatever it means anyway!) Thus Food Sense will be:

“Catalysing a revolution in local and sustainable procurement inspired by horticulture”.

Taxpayers’ money will set up a whole Thurd Sector network for:

“The transition of agroeconomical production and consumption in Wales to benefit the environment and society.” 

All the Thurd Sector buzzwords and Thurdspeak are deployed as the website goes on, and on: “collaboration”, “inclusivity”, “agility”, “drive”, “removing barriers and stigma”.

This lefty tosh (and the Thurd Sector is 99% left-wing) mentions virtually nothing about the realities of Welsh farming - although Food Sense is desperate that this should be “organic” - and is very much in favour of the left-wing answer to everything related to business, the “Preston model”. In short, this is to force schools, hospitals etc to buy local (irrespective of price). This actually bears a close resemblance to Trumpian protectionism. We don’t know enough about Welsh agroeconomics to say whether there would even be a sufficient market for this to “work”, and how “sustainable” such a system would be. And such dirigiste systems didn’t work out too well under Comrades Stalin and Mao.

We were under the impression that Welsh farmers had been feeding the nation for hundreds of years and exporting beautiful lamb and much else to us English heathens, and others. We are not aware that local farmers and growers have starved children say, or the elderly (unlike our Red friends mentioned above) but Food Sense will use public money to ensure that:

“All ages have dignified access to healthy, good-quality food.” No more going down the Spar for a Ginsters for you, Welsh folk (wags an admonishing finger!)

Anna Hill rightly suggested that £2m a year was not a massive amount of money to implement these lofty aims but one Kate Palmer of Food Sense immediately pressed the Thurdspeak button, and talked of using the public money to “leverage” funds in from elsewhere. In other words, bring in other Thurd Sector friends to dip their proboscises into the honey pot.

And Anna is too good a presenter not to raise the obvious question whether Welsh farmers will actually see any of the money. Ms Palmer said that Food Sense had worked with 15 “growers” and worked to get Welsh veg in schools. It had invested money into “key infrastructure” and made grants for polytunnels and packing sheds. So far so good, but she also made the bizarre boast that Wales was doing a lot more along these lines than was being done “in England” as if funding Welsh agriculture is akin to a rugger match against the old enemy. If you are involved in actual Welsh farming we suggest you try and screw some loot out of this lot quickly, before all the cash disappears. 

As above, we are not experts on agroeconomics but know that the system has been turned on its head thanks to Brexit. We sort of imagined that the Welsh Government [sic] would help out farmers (if it has not already blown all its revenues elsewhere), particularly when it comes to “key infrastructure” spending. And where is NFU Cymru in all this?

We took a look at the legal status of Food Sense Wales and it is opaque. On the website it says it is part of Cardiff and Vale Health Charity (1056544) and the (Cardiff) Public Health Team. Food Sense has told Crow Multimedia that it is just a “fund under the umbrella of the Cardiff and Vale Health Charity”. It is “hosted” by the Public Health team. The email address is a NHS one.

Let us just pause and look at the Charity of which Food Sense is a part. Cardiff and Vale is an official NHS charity via a 1990 Act of Parliament. Of course, many dedicated individuals give time and/or money to C&V and many good works are done. Like many charities it receives unrestricted income (general donations, legacies etc.) which is used for general charitable aims at the direction of the trustees, and restricted income which is for specific projects and often consists of grants. As things stand it appears that Welsh Labour has grabbed £2m a year from taxpayers and turned this into an enforced “donation” to the Charity - specifically for this nanny state “Eat The Greens” [surely Eat Your Greens - Ed?] project. This Charity claims to employ nine staff although it is not clear whether this includes the (at least) four staff working specifically for Food Sense (see further below).

The annual report for 2024 makes some interesting reading particularly in respect of the costs of the fundraising effort:

Note that the costs of raising funds are skewed to the raising of unrestricted income. The Charity spends £94,000 raising £271,000 of restricted funds, but look at the first column. This Charity spends £381,000 (of which £364,000 is specifically in respect of "the fundraising office") to raise just £255,000. Look at the red ink. How can this even be possible? If you are considering giving/leaving money to this lot we think you should ask some very hard questions first!

As with many Thurd Sector organisations a considerable amount of money is held "in reserve". All charities should hold some money for unexpected contingencies but this one holds nearly £3m in unrestricted funds alone. If "Food Sense" - as opposed to more tangible projects C&V run (medical support and research etc.) - is, in the opinion of the Trustees, a more appropriate way of spending charitable income then why cannot some or all of the money come from reserves rather than taxpayers who have no say in the matter? The Charity states in writing. "the current level of reserves is considered more than adequate for current needs". So spend some of it then!

Returning to "Food Sense" the expensive website does not indicate how many people work for it but it does show four individuals. One should not judge a sausage by its skin but if you go onto the site you will see that there are four white women in senior roles. They have the usual bourgeois appearance of Thurd Sector staffers. So much for "inclusivity".

Perhaps more importantly are the titles of these women:

Katie Palmer - "Founder and Head"; Sian-Erin Davies - Communications and Engagement Manager; Pearl Costello - Sustainable and Places Manager; Caz Falcon - Project Support Manager.

The grand titles seem to suggest a tier of underlings too. We would offer a small wager that all these women earn more than the average earnings of the Welsh farmers they purport to champion. Unfortunately, we cannot supply you with details. Although the Charity Commission recommends that charities give at least SOME details of the total pay to employees** and the alleged openness boasted of in the Food Sense website they, er, refused to answer our press enquiry on this subject. Instead they referred it to the main C&V Charity as a "Freedom of Information Request" - which it was not. [Rest assured we will now be making a very much more detailed FOI request instead.] The problems with the Freedom of Information system are, inter alia, that it takes ages and there are many exemptions organisations can use to try and hide the info.

Why are Food Sense so ashamed about the amount the team is being paid? We shall see in due course but, in the meantime, Welsh farmers should not bank on this Thurd Sector outfit coming to their rescue.

*   https://www.foodsensewales.org.uk/

**   As above, the vast majority of Thurd Sector employees are Labour supporters and that Party is currently considering removing requirements for organisations to tell the public how much they are paying staff. [It's called cronyism.]

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Crow Multimedia 

Brum Camra - a ticking-off?

Tonight sees the presentation of the Camra Birmingham “Pub of the Year” Award - for the THIRD year running - to relative newbie bar “Hop & Scotch”. It’s a tremendous place despite being in the Kings Heath area of the city, and fully merits all the plaudits it receives. But the fact that the end result is a good ‘un should not detract from the curious way “POTY” seems to be decided in this neck of the woods.

Hopper - it's deja vu all over again!

I am not a member of Camra although I have always agreed with its aims and supported it from the sidelines - or at least until it embraced the “craft beer” chimera. Accordingly, I was not involved in the marking system used to rate pubs for the POTY award.

Not so long back there were rumours that the POTY award for one year had been “rigged” (and there were some grounds to believe this was true). More importantly, there have been ongoing allegations that the process had been “politicised” so that there are individuals or groupings voting who are hostile to certain pubs. Whether or not there is any substance in this is a moot point, but the fact that neither “The Wellington” nor “The Old Moseley Arms” even made the long list of runners and riders for this year’s prize does get the juices of conspiracy theorists well and truly flowing.

The Welly is one of the finest real ale pubs in the land, let alone in Birmingham. Alas - and it breaks my heart - I am boycotting my local pub “home” (and all other hostelries run by rapacious pubco, Black Country Ales) thanks to “Catgate”*. Accordingly I cannot be accused of bias in writing this. A source close to The Welly recently told me that, “any city in Britain would be proud to have a pub like The Welly in its centre” - and s/he is absolutely right. 

It seems that there is a faction in Brum Camra who have some sort of beef about the The Welly’s landlord, the legendary Nigel “Noige” Barker. If that is remotely true then these people should be ashamed of themselves. Firstly, Nige was the messianic leader who brought the Brummie Tribe out the keg wilderness into the promised land of real ale. Secondly, although he is obliged to serve the BCA slop at The Welly there is always a splendid selection of other ales available and, most significantly, it is almost always brilliantly kept. Quite simply, Nige has done more for real ale in this city than anyone else.

The Old Mo is a different sort of pub from the Welly. Its selection of ales seldom changes but, like Nige’s offering, invariably pours and drinks superbly. The Bathams alone is a big attraction for me - and I shall be sampling this product later before I visit Hop & Scotch for the POTY presentation ceremony.

The Old Mo very successfully marries a traditional two-room Brummie pub with internal and external seating areas and is, or course, renowned for its Indian food offering. Like The Welly, people come from far and wide to visit. In the Old Mo’s case many cricket fans brave the walk from Edgbaston to round off the sporting day in style. Very recently, I have sat talking with folk in the Mo from Manchester, Leicestershire and Dublin! Great - but not good enough for the local Camra “tickers” apparently.

Again, as with The Wellie, both landlords are highly-experienced. Nige is known in the pub world nationally as well as locally. Sukhi at The Mo has clocked-up over 25 years service.

Last year, The Old Mo suffered a grievous blow with the loss of Linsay Tobin**. She will never be replaced, but Sukhi is rebuilding a smashing team. I was talking to him just the other night and he is looking to the future - a most encouraging thing in the current climate.

And yes, local CAMRA members, please remember that our local pubs - those that survived the pandemic - face an existential threat of a magnitude much larger than seen for many a long year. From the trend towards youthful sobriety to Starmer/Reeves, the dangers lurk. Hop & Scotch (a conversion of a former shop) is showing what can be done to foster a community atmosphere in a modern setting, but if Camra members dislike pubs like the Welly and Mo so much they can’t even make it onto the POTY “long list” they seem to have diverged a very long way indeed from my view of what constitutes a good pub. I would like to be present though if any of the Camra “tickers” have the cojones to tell Nige and Sukhi what they are doing wrong …

*  The full sorry story of Catgate can be read here:

https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-dark-heart-of-black-country.html

**  A tribute to Lins:

https://crowmultimedia.blogspot.com/2024/08/linsay-tobin-beautiful-soul.html

iancrowmultimedia@gmail.com

A Crow Multimedia Blog.