Sign of the times

Never mind climbing the Shard, I've finally scaled Basildon's Hollywood-style sign. It was an adventurous exploration worthy of Bear Grylls, taking a taxi to the "contained area" of Bas Vegas, aka the Festival Leisure Park, with its four nightclubs and Americana restaurants, and then trekking along the A127. After a mile or so of hot tub adverts, exhaust and asphalt the pedestrian reaches the fabled Basilwood sign. Your man clambered up the grassy knoll to touch the Basilwood sign. The letters are about the size of a person, fronted with shiny white material. Though this being Basildon there’s a notice on the back of the letters reading: “This sign is made of stainless steel of limited resale value.” Does the real Hollywood sign have a similar warning? 

Brilleaux art

Nice piece in today's Guardian on a proposal by artist Scott King to build a 300-foot high gold stature of Lee Brilleaux of Dr Feelgood on Southend seafront. It's King's contribution to the Thames Delta exhibition on Essex bands at the Focal Point Gallery running from April 16. My only quibble is why just 300 foot, let's have a 600 foot colossus overlooking the pier. And maybe a statue of Wilko as well on the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square. While Depeche Mode must surely be hopeful of a statue on the Basil-wood roundabout...

Jam today

Good to see that The Apprentice visited the Tiptree Jam factory in last week's episode, which is presumably in a conserve-ation area of the county. The Apprentice candidates got in the usual pickle while making ketchups and chutneys, but nonetheless a nice plug for Wilkin and Sons. While my old pal Phill Jupitus even reports finding Tiptree marmalade while travelling in Japan...