FORGET the confusion about whether or not fees running into hundreds of pounds would be incurred by residents who want to close their street for a jubilee street party in June. That may well have nothing to do with the tiny trickle of applications to hold parties in North-East streets.

Think back to Coronation day, if you are old enough - pouring rain. Think back to the Queen's silver jubilee - pouring rain and a cold wind when the rain stopped.

There is absolutely no guarantee that a golden jubilee will produce a golden, "flaming June" day.

Street parties are exactly that. In the street. No tea tent, no marquee. A mere shower could be a disaster and no-one in their right mind is going to devote time and organising abilities to an event which could be washed out in five minutes flat.

Events associated with Queen Victoria tended to enjoy the fine, warm days which became known as "Queen's weather". Ah, the good old days!

Wonderful bobby

THE ongoing debate about whether communities should see a return to bobbies on the beat or whether modern policing methods are more in line with modern crimes looks set to run and run.

But whatever the answers, Spectator's colleague was grateful for one observant Teesdale policeman, who must still try door handles on his rounds as a matter of course.

Last Thursday night, she had shut, so she thought, the front door of the D&S Times office in Barnard Castle.

But, due to its swelling in the winter weather the door was not properly closed.

Not only did the local police lock the door, they arrived next morning to tell her about the problem, and, finding her out, telephoned our head office.

Aren't our policemen wonderful?

Artless

AMID great rejoicing in one household of Specatator's acquaintance at the opening of the new, improved Tesco store in Northallerton, there was a smidgen of dismay.

The approach to the walkway leading to the shop from East Road is now lined with guard rails that look something akin to those found at cattle markets. Laurence Llewellyn Bowen might call them Utilitarian. Spectator calls them ugly and not becoming of one of the main roads through our county town.

A little more imagination in design would not have gone amiss.

Oh woe

FIRST, Quakers miss out on a home FA Cup-tie with Newcastle United, then "Our Zoe" is voted off Pop Idol. How can Darlingtonians (or Darloids, as a friend of Spectator insists on calling them) cope with two such hammer blows?

We must remember the war, and that bulldog spirit.

We can take it