As I was saying to Joanna...

12:12pm Monday 23rd June 2008

WITH an impressive guest list of North- East luminaries and the opportunity to support the campaign to bring the Lindisfarne Gospels back to their rightful home, I was enticed to London for the Northumbrian Association Annual Dinner at the House of Commons last week.

I was an hour early, so I called in for a coffee at Churchill's cafe, in Whitehall. It was nice and quiet - just me and a couple of women having a cappuccino at the table opposite.

It was the smoky, posh voice I recognised first: "No, dahling, let me get this - I insist."

Joanna Lumley was arguing over the bill with Dame Joan Bakewell, dubbed "the thinking man's crumpet" in the Sixties.

I was gripped by the urge to tell Joanna "I think you're absolutely fabulous," but contained myself for fear that she might have heard that line once or twice before. Instead, I found myself saying "Hi, how are you?" as if she were an old friend. I find it's like that with famous people - you feel you know them.

I'm thrilled to report that Joanna flashed me a mesmerising, toothy smile and replied: "I'm fine, thanks." Joan gave me a little smile too.

Exclusive attention from the utterly gorgeous Joanna Lumley, and the thinking man's crumpet.

My night was made there and then - and I hadn't even got to the House of Commons.

THE Northumbrian Association Annual Dinner, sponsored by Northumbrian Water, was a splendid affair: a room full of friendliness, humour and passion for the North-East.

With a gathering of 50-plus, there was lighthearted talk of a raid on the National Library there and then to grab the Gospels back. But Minister for the North-East Nick Brown - a man doing a pretty effective job of championing the region by all accounts - called for a mature and long-term approach to relocating the treasures.

"We must go on making our case because it is a good case," he said. "We are in it for the long haul but, with sustained effort, I am certain we can get there."

The long-term hope is that a compromise can be found by establishing a North-East outpost of the National Library, with the Gospels as its centrepiece.

Various possible locations are being considered, but Mr Brown suggested that Durham City has the strongest case. And that surely has to be right.

WE were halfway through an entertaining party piece by historian and author Chris Kilkenny when a mobile phone burst embarrassingly into life.

I knew it wasn't anything to do with me because I've always been careful to switch my phone to "silent" ever since my wife's went off at Wimbledon a few years back.

The ringtone echoing round the Commons dining room was Going Home - the tune which heralds the entrance of the Newcastle United players at every home game.

A red-faced Nick Brown was forced to fumble in his pocket to switch it off, as Chris Kilkenny battled on gamely, and the Sunderland and Boro fans in the room bit their lips.

MR Brown's Geordie anthem had been silenced by the time One NorthEast chairman Margaret Fay announced the winners of the Hotspur Awards, presented each year for "bold endeavour"

in support of the region.

The first went to Anthony Sargent, of the Sage, Gateshead, and the second to Sir Bobby Robson.

Margaret declared that Anthony had done "an incredible job" and I swear she described Sir Bobby as "absolutely fabulous".

Which is where my night began.

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