I NEVER thought I'd be writing in celebration of a city council planning enforcement officer but I've just read the NEW HISTORY LAB blog on the planning history of the Plaza Fish Bar and feel like cheering this man's courage, care, and sheer bloody minded tenacity. All that trouble to save the look of a fish and chip shop? Now that really takes some spirit. What did he think he was doing? Didn't his colleagues laugh? Did he get chips thrown through his front room window? How did he live with himself in the small hours when he felt nobody was with him and everyone was against him?? Did he have to receive calls from the National Association of Greasy Spoons? What about the commercial lobbying of the aluminium and formica manufacturers? What did his wife think? How, in other words, did he keep his nerve?
Well he did and I for one am proud of him. We all now have a Plaza Fish Bar to queue for. I might even desert The Mighty Grimsby next time and get in line by the graceful curved window and the moon green tiles of a nice bit of urban sole. NEW HISTORY LAB takes you plaices you've never bream.
Nice blog Tom! When are they doing the movie?
