Queens Jubilee

We had a great long weekend here at Hamilton Hall with a Jubilee Garden Party

- well kind of more indoors - as the weather was a bit off - although we did deck the garden out with masses of Union Jack bunting everywhere - same as indoors - and enjoyed a typical 1950's buffet - you know, Hot Dogs in a bun with no relish or dressing - Ham and cheese sandwiches with no mayo or lettuce etc... just plane butter, Branston and Marmite, ( does any of this sound familiar ) and sausage rolls, cheese and pineapple on sticks, trifle, Pork Pie, and we spent the afternoon with song and karaoke where guests got up and joined in and sang their hearts out - well one or two did the others all looked embarrassed when we tried to get them motivated - ( giggle ) - as I am one of those people that thinks - that if I don't, and no one else will, then it's going to be a boring party so - give it a go... even if off key and flat and not even vaguely recognizable - YOU FACED YOUR FEARS - AND YOU GAVE IT A SHOT AND TOP MARKS TO YOU.

I did get the non singers singing together when we did a little Vera Lynn number and it was fab. Then the show on telly from outside the Palace - well what can I say.

So many times I ' filled up' and found it quite emotional. The lighting on the Palace was truly spectacular - and that massive fake tree all lit and The drones in the sky and - well

oh --

And when Paddington met the Queen for tea at the Palace..... OUTSTANDING ... Bloody good for her ... WATCH IT HERE - and if you're like me, I 'fill up' every time I watch it. Paddington's voice was by Ben Whishaw.

.Now - I'd like to see ANY ruling monarch or President from anywhere in the world offer such an amusing and considered part of the festivities that - to be honest - and while it was a star studded evening - what I shall remember from the whole event is the Queen having tea with Paddington, like when she parachuted into the Olympics - it was the highlight of the entire event for me.

When the Queen - at the 2012 Olympics - met James Bond at the palace and then parachuted into the games - I did think - hope - that maybe on this occasion, Bumbling Blustering Boris would parachute into the middle of this jubilee and as a joke, we give him a fake Mr. Blobby Parachute ... shove him out of the helicopter - and watch as his untidy dress - his untidy stupid

hair - his gaping mouth flapping in the wind and his absolute arrogance came screaming downwards - but you know what - that fat bastard would just bounce off the tarmac and come to no harm.

The lighting on the Palace - what can I say, as like the 2012 Olympics, when we put on a show, we certainly show the world how to do it with style - and Sir Richard Attenborough and the Palace covered in vines and trees was amazing and sent a powerful message about protecting our planet and environment and it really moved me.

Lee Macs ' off the cuff' joke about having a party at the gates of Buckingham Palace was a brilliant joke at the expense of Bumbling Boris - CLICK HERE - and there were a few surprises like Sir Rod Stewart being forced to sing a song by Neil Diamond that he didn't know, didn't want to sing, had no time to rehearse and was NOT what he should have done as with a back catalogue of his own material, HUNDREDS OF SONGS - what was the BBC thinking ? CLICK HERE

Of course Adam Lambert and Queen actually opening the show was also perfectly timed and with the guards playing the drums, how spectacular was that and just imagine what the world watching would make of this - truly awesome. WATCH IT HERE

It has since been suggested that Dame Shirley Bassey would have been a more fitting closure for the show and not Diane Ross - although Diana's Bee Gee's hit 'Chain Reaction' went down well as a good party numbers , I was just horrified at HER being the top act and a local lass from Tiger Bay would have been a stunning ending to the show. Or maybe even Adele - although her songs would make you want to cut your wrists...

I absolutely take my hat off to the whole production as if there were any mistakes it certainly didn't show and we need to remember, when walking and singing with a cordless microphone, it requires stations along the catwalk to pick up the signal as it does not travel far and that was a very large staging area and the technical side of the show was wonderful. The lights on the palace were absolutely breathtaking and the planning of the entire event, even though they had 70 years to ' get it right... ' did us proud.

I truly think we put on a world class show that while being shown around the world, millions, maybe even billions would have watched in awe and after we did so well in the Eurovision Sing Contest - and Sam Ryder sang so well at the Jubilee - CLICK HERE It is hoped we showed the world we are still here, we are a powerful country and we will bounce back as never before now we have - left the EU - come out the other side of the worlds worst medical disaster which has left many countries as well as tens of thousands of business's on the verge of going broke - many are struggling financially, emotionally and mentally, and this grand party hosted for Our Mother - The Queen - was just what we needed.

SO - Thank you Mam - Thankyou to all those who took part in front of and behind the cameras and thankyou to all our customers over our 22 years here at Hamilton Hall and let's all look to the future with hope, with friends and with love.

John Bellamy ----------------------------------------------------- HOME PAGE