Jackie Stewart

A bit of local stuff here.
Whilst passing the Dumbarton Council Chambers the other day with banners, balloons (sic) and tartan much in evidence, I wondered what the occasion was.
Had Poundland got Nescafe in again?
Had a Labour councillor had a half decent idea?
No, it turned out that former world champion motor racing champion and legend Jackie [...]

A Shot at Glory

My correspondent and pal Stu Who? brought up this film in the comments of another thread recently.
Stu pointed out that he’d had a part in the movie. Many of the readers and contributors here were in the crowd scenes.
My friend Craig Brittain also gets his name on the cast list as does Michael Dickie whom [...]

Days Like This

There are certain days that seem destined to rise above the mundane.
Days in which strange and unexpected things happen.
Yesterday was such a day for me.
I don’t mean that there was anything particularly exciting going on, more a series of odd unexpected events and bizarre encounters.
Firstly in the morning I was taking the dog for her [...]

Ben Lomond This Morning

People ask me why The Ben Lomond Free Press? Well apart from the stunning view, the location I took the photo from is roughly half way between my home and work.  Half way between two towns I care deeply about (Helensburgh and Dumbarton). There are two roads I can go and the Loch Lomond route [...]

Thank Goodness.

Thank goodness indeed for Dumbarton’s much needed, nay essential victory today. The Sons went about their job pretty well and took the lead with a Ross Clark goal after only 8 minutes. It was apparently a thirty yard screamer – I say apparently because I was in the Rovers snack shop (under the stand) getting [...]

The Specials Ghost Town

Looking forward to the programme described below on Radio Scotland on Monday.

11:30 Songlines
1/8. John Cavanagh uncovers the story behind Ghost Town, by The Specials. A song that’s been described as the most prescient number one in British chart history.

It was the anthem for early Thatcherite Britain. I think it articulated [...]

Tonight’s the Night!

After months of meticulous planning, Castle Rocks Rock and Blues Bash goes ahead tonight at Dumbarton Masonic Hall. We are all looking forward to a nice big cheque being handed over to Bobath Scotland who help children with cerebral palsy. The event was the brain child of Allan Sneddon to whom the successful outcome of [...]

Well Done West Dunbartonshire Council!

After posting the item below, news reaches me that at last night’s council meeting the SNP and independent George Black along with SSP member Jim Bollan voted through £10,000 funding for a feasibility study into opening up High Street Dumbarton to traffic once more. The decision I am sure is not unrelated to this week’s [...]

West Dunbartonshire Clowncil

Anyone looking in from West Dunbartonshire will need no introduction to the weird and wonderful world of council politics in that part of the world. I have documented various of their bizarre policies and decisions, for example Cick Here to see a posting I made last year on the vox blog. This week because of [...]

Paisley Traffic Management System Scrapped

It was with a mixture of delight and anger that I read todays news in the Evening Times  that Paisley’s “traffic management” scheme is to be finally scrapped after 11 years of the place declining as a direct result of it (and the Braehead Shopping Centre). My own local council West Dunbartonshire consistently promoted Paisley [...]