It beats working for a living

[Rwy in Sight]

Yesterday a gentleman of this noble race did drive through a red traffic light all while feeling he was entitled to- the only time in my life I regret not driving a Lada Niva (renown for brutal strength). More oxygen would have remained for the rest of the city residence.

[Ex-Ascot]

Yesterday a gentleman of this noble race did drive through a red traffic light all while feeling he was entitled to- the only time in my life I regret not driving a Lada Niva (renown for brutal strength). More oxygen would have remained for the rest of the city residence.

Never detected any oxygen in Athens. We carry our own bottles.

[Pontius Navigator]

RiS, always wanted a scout car m'self. 60 years ago before bank runs by Securicor and the like got going, chap in Doncaster drove a plum coloured Ferret. Never had a problem parking, excellent all round visibility, did the bizz.

Mind you, last year, driving to the pub in narrow village street I courtesly have way and allowed this chap coming the other way to enter first. You do if it's a 423 ARV.

[Capetonian]

Gypsy funeral leads to racism row after town’s pubs shut their doors

Hundreds of people from the travelling community arrived in Sevenoaks yesterday for the funeral of twin brothers Billy and Joe Smith

One of Britain's wealthiest commuter towns was on partial lockdown yesterday for the funeral of two of the stars of reality television programme My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. Pubs in Sevenoaks shut up shop as hundreds of people from the travelling community arrived to pay their respects to twin brothers Billy and Joe Smith, who died in a suicide pact in December.

An elaborate procession led by two white horse-drawn carriages brought streets to a standstill before a church service to remember the two men, who starred together in the Channel 4 show. Each of the six pubs in the town centre was closed to customers throughout the afternoon and evening. A notice posted in one window claimed: “We will be closed from 3pm today for our Christmas party.”

One worker, however, revealed the businesses feared that the arrival of hundreds of travellers could have ended in drunkenness and disruption.

“We’ve got nothing against them,” said the worker, who did not wish to be named. “But we’ve had bad experiences before, and this is about people’s livelihoods.”

The businesses which closed for the day were accused of racism by family members and Gypsy leaders.

Billy Welch, spokesman for Britain’s Gypsy community, said he would take up the matter with the national Gypsy Council.

“This behaviour is just pure racism, imagine if businesses shut their doors during a funeral for a member of the black community, or a Muslim, or a Jew. There would be a huge outcry. Prejudice towards travellers and Gypsies is just an accepted form of racism in this country, for some reason, and people wonder why travelling folk separate themselves from the rest of society. These two boys lived most of their lives in Sevenoaks. To shut up shop on the day of their funeral is just incredibly disrespectful.”

Phoebe Charleen Smith, the Smith twins’ cousin, added: “None of Billy or Joe’s family would ever have caused any trouble. We don’t want to drink at the pub, we’re too sad.”

A source at Sevenoaks District Council said the decision by businesses to close down had been taken “solely by the owners”.

It comes after a number of incursions by travelling families onto private and public land in Sevenoaks. In recent months residents have complained after caravans arrived on grass verges and supermarket car parks, before being moved on by police.

The bodies of Billy and Joe Smith, who were both aged 32, were found together in a tree on the outskirts of Sevenoaks on December 28. Only days before their deaths, the pair were filmed dancing and singing together at a wedding. Family members, however, later revealed that Joe had been diagnosed with cancer, which came as a huge blow to his brother. The pair left a suicide note explaining that they “couldn’t live without each other” and had decided to kill themselves together in the woods where they played as children.

They were laid to rest at Sevenoaks Cemetery after a procession through the town. Mourners carried floral tributes in the shape of a bottle of Jack Daniels, Jose Cuervo tequila and a Rolex watch, while roses arranged in the shape of a heart were filled with Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Funeral goers were welcomed into St John the Baptist church with the song 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother' by The Hollies, while during the service Joe’s young son sang ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ from the film Toy Story.

Holy water was sprinkled over the two white caskets before the twin brothers were buried together at Greatness Park Cemetery.

One of the tributes read: “To Kent's biggest two legends. I will miss you both very much. Until we meet again boys.”

[unifoxos]

We don’t want to drink at the pub, we’re too sad.

But we'll complain about it anyway.

[jimtherev]

Can't be more than a month since a couple of pubs in Derby were closed after a gypsy funeral then progressed into riot in each pub.
Perhaps the Sevenoaks landlords read the press?

[G-CPTN]

The birthday boy’s parents then demanded back their £80 deposit for the £400 booking.

[FD2]

Poor kids eh? Just doing what they have learned from their parents.

Would 'caravan park' be a euphemism for 'travellers' camp' ? Similar to the home addresses of the three young laughing scumbags that murdered the policeman?

[TheGreenGoblin]

Poor kids eh? Just doing what they have learned from their parents.

Would 'caravan park' be a euphemism for 'travellers' camp' ? Similar to the home addresses of the three young laughing scumbags that murdered the policeman?

FD2, are you trying to tell us that they have pikeys in NZ too!

I have seen "Once Were Warriors". I get that! For the rest feck them...

[FD2]

GG The only real pikeys we have here came out on holiday a year or so ago from the UK! They were highly offended by suggestions from locals that they clean up the remains of their picnic in a park and their little boy, who will no doubt grow up to be a shining example of British youth, was quick to tell the impudent locals off. That might be his father or uncle, or maybe both, leaning on the car and keeping a close eye on the lad. They eventually got the message that their presence was not needed in New Zealand after making the mistake of thinking that they didn't have to pay for some of the items in shops they visited and the accommodation rooms they soiled and trashed.

The UK authorities often seem to be afraid to take the pikeys to task, like the rapists in Cromer a few years back and the slave owners in a home counties 'camp' who were, I seem to remember, personal friends of Vanessa Redgrave...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... liday.html



There is less trouble from Maori warriors these days than from the biker gangs - often Kiwi criminals who have been deported from Australia - trying hard to establish themselves in 'business' back here. They are often referred to as 'bikies' by left wing 'woke' media people, trying to make them sound a little less threatening than they are.

[TheGreenGoblin]

In a bad and disturbed world, where humans run riot, I still believe that NZ still is the place that will remind us savages here in the rest of the world how to live FD2.

Anyway, why would a good bloke like you plough his trough down there unless he saw virtue in the business.

With respect.

[FD2]

Plenty of problems here too GG but usually an enlightened approach to solving them.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Plenty of problems here too GG but usually an enlightened approach to solving them.

Good luck and pacific decency and tranquility to you folks. Even to that grumpy bloke called John...

[Hydromet]

Plenty of problems here too GG but usually an enlightened approach to solving them.

I think 'twere ever thus. I remember in the mid '60s, Queens St. Auckland on Friday nights. Friendly police walking down the street with German Shepherds. Dogs were friendly too...until they were told not to be.

[Pontius Navigator]

In a bad and disturbed world, where humans run riot, I still believe that NZ still is the place that will remind us savages here in the rest of the world how to live FD2.

Anyway, why would a good bloke like you plough his trough down there unless he saw virtue in the business.

With respect.

I still remember the headline when in NZ, "Maori runs amok with machete on furnicular railway"

At the timer, 1973, it seemed like England in the 1950s without the austerity.

[Pontius Navigator]

We have occasional gypsies in Lincolnshire, traditional horse drawn caravan, pony tethered nearby, usually just one or two parked on an unobtrusive grasses area. May making traditional things.

Travellers are not gypsies. They might live in massive chrome plated monstrosities but unaffordable for honest folk that pay their taxes.

[John Hill]

Even to that grumpy bloke called John...