Thursday, July 14, 2005

The ability of Greenbelt’s myriad networks to make weird stuff come together never ceases to amaze me.

In the course of a conversation about something entirely different, my friend S mentions how he is currently involved in a secret mission to hopefully bring something rather impressive to Greenbelt this year.

It’s not so much that if I told you about it I’d have to kill you, but rather that if I let any cats out of bags he’d probably take out a contract on little old me (well he wouldn’t personally want to get those perfectly manicured hands dirty now would he?).

Anyway, key to making this happen is the need to source a handful of expensive, contemporary looking, sofas and chairs (trust me it makes sense when you know).

They need to have a particular look. His best idea to date is to try and blag and borrow off a furniture store in Cheltenham. Greenbelt 05 brought to you in association with DFS? Hmmm maybe not…

So I mention to him that I happen to know where there are one or two rather posh leather sofas and armchairs are at the racecourse, but my memories of them are a little vague.

I send an email to one of my Venue Managers who worked in the general vicinity of said furniture last year (and kept the great unwashed clear of where they’re stored), to see if he remembers better.

Not only does G know which sofas and chairs I mean, but he provides S with full descriptions and best of all...photos:





My email response to S demands his awe and admiration regarding how amazing our Venue Managers are.

His response?

“Why’s the weirdo taking photos of furniture?”

Some people are never happy.

Monday, July 11, 2005

I’m starting to get used to these monthly trips down to London for the Greenbelt Management Group meetings. Already little patterns and routines start to emerge.

I take a half-day's leave, dash back to Manchester, dump the car and get to the train station in plenty of time, so I can nab a seat on the train with a plug socket.

With iPod on and the laptop fired up I rattle off a couple of hours of Greenbelt work, whilst the countryside flies past.



From Euston it’s a simple enough journey, just a couple stops on the Northern line to Moorgate.

Today I’m wondering if it will feel different.

It doesn’t really; we don’t stop at King’s Cross and there are staff and signs everywhere, but other than that it’s business as usual. What else can we do but get on with life.

I’m grateful to emerge above ground at Moorgate and make my way down London Wall, but simply because in this weather the underground is always so stiflingly hot.



At least the subterranean world of the Greenbelt offices is the opposite, cool and refreshing. A few pre-meeting meetings with people and then the main event.

This is the penultimate Mgmt Grp meeting before the festival and there’s so much to get through. So much good, good stuff to cover.

Seeing things like T’shirt designs makes it seem so real, so close.

From the meeting I dash back to Euston in time to get the last train home. A slower journey this way, but quieter. Again the laptop is the centre of my world – Greenbelt work for the first hour, then DVDs and relaxing for the last two.

By 1.30am I’m home; remarkably calm and unstressed considering the madness of this round journey. As the adverts used to suggest – it’s always best to let the train take the strain.