HOW should Gamlingay celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?

All suggestions must be submitted to the parish council by the end of the month (Wednesday).

Visit the clerks at the Ecohub, email your ideas to clerk@gamlingay-pc.gov.uk or phone them on 01767 650310.

FANS of the Carry On series will recall the cheap and cheerful comedy brand’s take on package holidays, when a clutch of English stereotypes headed off to Spain to find that their hotel hadn’t been finished, they didn’t like the food, life was full of problems but they somehow made the best of it.

Fast forward 40 years and the world is a much bigger place, which is why The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, while essentially going over the same ground with an all-star cast, switches the action to India.

Shakespeare In Love wallah John Madden directs long in the tooth luvvies like Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy and Celia Imrie, along with Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel, in what would like to be a heartwarming comedy.

It’s the film version of a hit book – Deborah Moggach’s These Foolish Things, if you don’t recognise the title – and it’s always good to see actors of a certain age getting leading roles, even if it does always seem to be the same ones.

But this is a curate’s egg of a film, good in parts but failing to convince – yes, India looks vibrant and intriguing, the big names do their stuff, but despite their best efforts it fails to convince.

> Very few stars these days can lend class to any old rubbish just be being there. Denzel Washington is one – however daft the story, he somehow brings a bit of glitz and gravitas to the set.

In Safe House he teams up with flavour of the month Ryan Reynolds and the deservedly ascendant Brendan Gleeson in an action thriller set in South Africa.

Reynolds is a rookie CIA agent in charge of a safe house who finds himself playing host to Washington’s ‘most dangerous man in the world’ – a rogue agent who has been selling secrets to the highest bidder. The bad guys soon move in to rub him out before he can tell all he knows, and the pair go on the run. Bang! Kapow! You won’t have time to think as the action unfolds, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

> The top talking point about One For The Money must be this: OMG, Katherine’s gone brunette! Hollywood’s top blonde but essentially anodyne rom com star Katherine Heigl is unlikely private eye Stephanie Plum, the heroine of a whole series of comedy thrillers so the potential for a franchise is clear. Think My Cousin Vinny with a chick instead of a chap in the lead role, and no courtrooms.

> Films with animal stars seem to be all the rage these days, but even in The Artist they don’t get the name role.

That’s not the case in Red Dog, a family movie about a stray who sneaks in and steals the heart of a hard-bitten Australian mining community.

Again there’s a book behind this, written by Captain Corelli’s Mandolin author Louis De Bernieres, but it’s billed as a true story filled with earthy Oz humour, romance and tears. It has all the ingredients required to make it a sleeper hit, expect it to still be picking up punters long after the Marigold Hotel has shut its doors.

]]> 1.3531712 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:40:46 +0000 http://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/geoff_cox_s_guide_to_new_dvds_1_3531711

TOM Hardy certainly has a commanding screen presence, as witnessed by his remarkable turn as Luton-born jailbird Charles Bronson.

And his performance is as powerful as one of his knockout punches in WARRIOR (12: Lionsgate), a rousing mix of sports and family drama.

The film makes an impact from its very first scene, with Tommy Conlon (Hardy) cutting a dark and brooding figure, simmering with pent-up anger, as he sits drunk on his estranged father’s doorstep.

It soon becomes evident that his alcoholic dad (Nick Nolte, deservedly nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar) split the family, leading the young Conlon brothers to take very different paths.

The elder, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), throws in a promising career as a fighter to become a high school teacher, while Tommy joins the marines.

There’s bitterness and resentment on all sides and reconciliation seems impossible until the siblings enter a mixed martial arts tournament.

The pace of the story is faultless, with snatches of family history never undermining the action, and it’s all brought to a head in an emotional finale that rivals Rocky.

> Rowan Atkinson is back as the spy oblivious to his own incompetence in lively comedy sequel JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN (PG: Universal).

The bumbling secret agent retires to a Tibetan monastery in disgrace after a mission goes wrong, but he’s lured out of retirement by his former bosses at MI7 to hunt down an international group of assassins plotting to kill the Chinese premier.

Armed with the most high-tech gadgets the world of espionage has to offer, English sets off across the globe to bring the bad guys to book, unaware that the real threat may be closer to home.

Gillian Anderson and Dominic West as fellow MI7 operatives add to the fun with their straight-faced support, yet this is clearly Atkinson’s show from start to finish.

He’s great value as the idiot sleuth, although some of the stunts and set pieces would be better suited to the slapstick antics of Mr Bean.

> Well-crafted supernatural horror flick DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (15: Studio Canal) makes you jump on cue and really delivers the grisly goods.

Nasty critters appear in this remake of an acclaimed 1973 American TV movie.

Sally Hurst (Bailee Madison) goes to live with her architect father (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Katie Holmes) at the 19th century Rhode Island mansion they are restoring.

Stumbling upon a hidden basement, Sally unleashes an ancient dormant force that puts everyone’s life in grave danger.

From its atmospheric Hammer horror opening to its expertly staged creature attacks, featuring imps travelling through air ducts with sharp weaponry, this superior flight of dark fantasy bears the unmistakable touch of class of writer Guillermo Del Toro and contains more than a few nods to his earlier Pan’s Labyrinth.

> Starring Timothy Spall and Honor Blackman, REUNITING THE RUBINS (PG: Kaleidoscope) is amiably amusing, but not the rollicking Jewish comedy that debut director Yoav Factor strives for.

He’s well served by the reliable Spall as retired lawyer Lenny Rubins, who postpones a well-deserved luxury cruise to reunite his bickering grown-up children for their ailing grandma (Blackman).

They may be peas from the same pod, but in Lenny’s eyes his children – a workaholic executive, an eco-warrior, a Buddhist monk and a rabbi – are not from the same planet.

His offspring are reluctant to answer the call, especially when Blackman reveals that she has bought the home in which they spent their unhappy childhood.

Preachy topics such as globalisation, human rights, religious intolerance and family ties are given an overblown airing, and a series of heart-to-hearts and medical emergencies produce little more than than a mediocre sitcom.

> BEST LAID PLANS (15: Sony), a tale of recessional Nottingham, represents a ham-fisted attempt to update John Steinbeck’s masterpiece Of Mice And Men.

Dreaming of living in a camper van, gentle giant Joseph (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) does everything wheeler-dealer protector Danny (Stephen Graham) asks of him, even if it means cage fighting to help his pal pay off his debts to a local lowlife.

But Joseph unwittingly jeopardises their safety when he becomes besotted with equally simple soul Isabel (Maxine Peake).

With Danny falling for a tart with a heart (Emma Stansfield), the film struggles to staunch the sentiment and cliche.

Contrived plotting and clumsy characterisation undermine it at every turn, although good use is made of the rundown locations and it conveys something of the struggle those on the lower rungs face to keep hold of fleeting pleasures.

Safe House

Prepare to see a lot more of director Daniel Espinosa in the next few years as his action-packed thriller Safe House, starring Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington, promises to please, writes guest reviewer Alison Devlin.

If you like fast car scenes, brutal fights and non-stop twists, Safe House is the film for you.

Matt Weston (Reynolds) is a normal guy. He has a girlfriend, a nine to five job and a good life. Doesn’t sound like an interesting thriller at first, but add in that he works for the CIA and that his office is a secret safe house and get ready for a film that keeps you on your toes.

One day the phone rings and Weston’s world is turned upside down when Tobin Frost (Washington) becomes his house guest. A newly captured rogue agent who has sold American intelligence all over the globe and who is currently holding one of the biggest secrets in the world, but what the CIA doesn’t know is others want his secrets, too.

Before the audience can blink, the safe house is compromised and Weston is drawn into a world of corruption and danger, followed by Frost in handcuffs.

“Rule number one – you are responsible for your house guest.”

During a recent interview Washington described his character as “the psychopath next door” and said his character, Frost, “would rather play with Matt, not kill him”.

Though Washington gives an amazing performance as usual, it is Reynolds who captivates the audience with an emotive performance throughout the film stealing the limelight from Washington. He begins the film as a boy, but ends it a man.

The film lacks a defining moment between Washington’s and Reynolds’ characters. They are both very secretive, but as their relationship develops, you expect and want them to open up more.

Unfortunately it never happens, and Espinosa makes up for that through explosions and gunfire.

So if you like to be put on the edge of your seat with your blood pumping and your heart pounding, this is a film for you.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Some fine British acting talents head up this comedy drama that rarely strays much from the Carry On Abroad template, thanks to a sugary coating that doesn’t do its talent justice.

A group of retirees head to India, believing they are going to spend time in a luxury resort.

Managed by the charming and engaging Dev Patel, it’s far from luxurious but, as you can guess, after initial disgust they let their prejudices slip away and the true India and the truth of their lives unfolds.

A nice film that is very sentimental, but thanks to its cast, including Dames Judi and Maggie, Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson, is always watchable.

Red Dog

Talking of sentimental, this is an Australian ‘true legend’ of a red dog who united a community in the Outback.

It’s fun and fluffy and really sugary, but the lead canine is adorable and charming. Move over Uggie from The Artist.

A TOWN councillor will be meeting his constituents at a surgery.

Councillor Ken Lynch of Sandy Town Council will be available to speak to at Lloyds Pharmacy in Sandy Market Square on Saturday (February 25).

Visit between 10am and noon to discuss any issues.

]]> 1.3549329 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:30:20 +0000 http://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/nadine_dorries_monthly_column_sorry_but_there_s_no_conspiracy_and_no_secrecy_for_the_sake_of_secrecy_1_3548179

THERE are certain words in Britain that are bound to arouse public interest and are often liberally doused over headlines or campaigns to add a touch of spice.

One such word is ‘secret’, which has been playing a starring role in many emails my office has received this week about the NHS risk register.

Before the Health And Social Care Bill was committed to Parliament, and while changes have been made to it on its journey through both Houses, comprehensive analysis has been conducted on the benefits the bill will bring and, crucially, on the risks it contains for the NHS.

Constituents across Mid Bedfordshire, campaigners all over the country, and the Parliamentary Labour Party, have all been clamouring this week for this information to be released and made freely available. There is an inherent public interest in this information and it must not be kept ‘secret’.

Unfortunately for the wider eyed members of society, the government agrees with this position and always has done. The information has been and remains freely available on the Department Of Health website, and my office has been sending out links to it to anyone who is interested.

I am quite fond of the modern trend for ‘click button campaigning’. However, the debacle over the risk register has revealed a flaw in the way this kind of campaign allows incorrect assumptions to spread.

Despite the wilder fantasies of conspiracy theorists, no-one in government is committed to secrecy for the sake of it. There is an NHS risk register and it won’t be released, but for reasons that are entirely understandable – the NHS uses a wide variety of commercial suppliers and letting some information into the public domain would seriously damage the NHS in achieving value for money.

To be clear and to remove any element of doubt I will state the following. I am totally committed to ensuring that high standards of universal healthcare are maintained in Mid Bedfordshire and across the country. As such, I will always support an NHS that is free at the point of use and available to all that need it.

A LOWER school will be taking part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile fundraiser.

Staff and pupils at Langford Lower School will be involved with various sporting activities during the day on Friday, March 23.

The school’s PTA will also be selling wristbands to raise money for Sport Relief, which contributes to good causes in the UK and abroad.

Author Robin Prince will also be visiting the lower school to celebrate World Book Day on Thursday, March 8.

EIGHT “luxury camping pods” are being planned at Whipsnade Zoo as charity chiefs aim to make it a year-round attraction.

The Lookout Lodge pods are set to open up a new market for the 80 year-old hilltop attraction.

“Everything we do has mission overlay,” said Zoological Society of London (ZSL) director David Field. He explained that the zoo wants to give visitors experiences that turn them into champions of Whipsnade and to reconnect people with nature.

Mr Field became a champion of nature at a very young age and wants other people to have experiences that do the same for them.

ZSL aims to put 10 per cent of its turnover into conservation efforts around the world. In a good year that can add up to £10million.

Also on the cards this year are a sophisticated indoor play area and refurbishment of the sealion enclosure as the zoo aims to give visitors more of what they want from a day out in the Chilterns.

Last year, some 500,000 people went through the zoo’s gates, with more than ever during the warmer than average winter months.

“We want to encourage people to visit the zoo throughout the year, not just during bank holidays in August,” said Mr Field. He added that by encouraging people to make repeat visits, its conservation efforts can continue into the long term.

> See our video interview with David Field at www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/business

DISCOVER how to get from A to B the stylish way.

Barrie Woods will be speaking about blue diesels at the next meeting of Sandy Transport Society.

Anyone with an interest in transport should go to Quince Court, off Engayne Avenue on Wednesday (February 29) for a 7.30pm start.

Entry for visitors costs £2. Refreshments will be available.

SO, our whole economic system is suffering from a massive hangover but it’s binge drinking that’s going to get sorted out.

You may wonder whether that nice Mr Cameron has got his priorities right – but there’s no denying that, if he can make some headway, he’ll have made as big a contribution to public health as his unlamented Labour predecessors did by introducing the smoking ban.

There’s a strategy on the way, of course, but for starters the PM has called for bars and supermarkets to help tackle a problem that costs the NHS £2.7bn a year.

But it shouldn’t be about money, and we shouldn’t even be thinking about a ban.

And the PM ought to be looking to recruit far beyond the pint-pullers and grog floggers to help achieve this admirable end.

It’s one of those issues – like seat belts and the smoking ban, which have been great successes, and the ban on using your mobile at the wheel, which is still a boil to be lanced – where the vast majority of us are just waiting for someone to take a sensible lead.

And the way to do it is to make life more difficult for the drinker – and when I say drinker, I don’t just mean the lager-fuelled lout or the alcopop addled teenager – I mean all of us.

I’m fed up of all sorts of expensive measures being put in place to pick up the pieces of other people’s lack of self-control. The aim has got to be to stop people regarding the act of getting completely hammered as an option for a night out, or even a night in.

So here are a few ideas to throw into the mix, for the PM to consider over a relaxing glass of wine one evening.

Number 1, ban all alcopops. Strong drink isn’t supposed to taste like lemonade.

Number 2, restrict the sale of all spirits to people over the age of 25. If I had my way I’d also make it illegal to use mixers to soften the taste of hard liquor, for the same reasons that alcopops have to go, but I do enjoy the occasional gin and tonic so that one will have to stay on the drawing board.

Number 3, by all means introduce a higher unit price for alcohol but don’t penalise those who enjoy a bracer but know when to stop – jack up the pub prices only after the first two drinks, introduce maximum purchase rules in supermarkets and the like just like they have for painkillers these days, and halt the sale of alcohol in containers larger than one litre, especially if we’re talking about super strength cider.

Number 4, forget street pastors and people being paid by the public purse to get drunk and incapable kids home safely. Employ them instead to wander town centres at closing time, corner people who have had a skinful, and paint their faces purple.

The paint should not be permanent, of course, but it should be pretty much immovable for a week or so as evidence of a bender that would last a lot longer, and be a lot more visible, to the world at large than a hangover.

Then it would be for the rest of us to bring peer pressure to bear, and sneer and snigger at the victims for long after whatever memory they had of a good night out had faded. Purple paint would make them pariahs, and we’d soon change their habits.

A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl who was in collision with a reversing car was not seriously injured.

The girl was airlifted to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge following the road traffic collision in Coppice Mead, Biggleswade yesterday morning (Monday, February 20).

Examinations have shown that the girl did not suffer any broken bones, although she remains under close observation at the hospital.

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) was called to the road at around 8.28am after reports that a child had become trapped under a car.

Ambulance crews from Biggleswade, Letchworth and Melbourne attended the scene. Due to the nature of the call, the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) were called upon to attend the incident.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “The young girl was very poorly on our arrival and following rapid treatment, stabilisation and immobilisation by land and air ambulance crews, she was flown direct to a specialist trauma centre at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge for further care.”

A spokesman for Bedfordshire Police confirmed that a collision investigation is ongoing.

]]> 1.3544195 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:13:22 +0000 http://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/pottery_display_for_shop_window_1_3541562

CUSTOMERS at a gift shop can now enjoy a new display of pottery at the venue.

Serendipity in Biggleswade High Street has the new feature in its window following a donation by the HFT.

The national charity runs support services for people with learning disabilities and runs a residential centre in Shefford.

Centre users from the Shefford branch recently completed a Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) course in pottery when the items were made.

The ceramics are based on a Green Man theme.

Terese Bowen from the WEA said: “The students made these wonderful pieces of pottery and we were looking for somewhere to put them on show. I’m delighted that we can display them at the shop.”

TAKE a leisurely amble close to a working quarry this weekend.

The RSPB’s quarry wander will take you around the RSPB managed land that surrounds the quarry. Join the walking party to discover the hills, slopes and wildlife. The walk is from 11am to 1pm on Sunday, starting at reserve’s shop. Book by calling The Lodge on 01767 680541.