Miss P

I have to say that I agree with bea1. I joined last summer & yes, the best part of ?80 a month is a lot. However, this gym is great for people who have had problems with their backs/joints/etc. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was about 13 & ESPH is precisely the sort of gym I need. If it's not your cup of tea, don't join - no one is forcing you. The staff are helpful & knowledgeable - surely those are qualities to be applauded in any business. Gefling, I can't answer your question as I don't really know what to compare it to. There are free weights, yes, but I guess you'd have to take a look to see if it would suit you. They are always happy to show people around the gym.

I have to say that I think Jolly's reaction was the right one given the circumstances. When I lived in Gipsy Hill a few years ago, I was walking the short distance home from the station when a kid ran up behind me and slapped me on the bum. As I turned to see who it was taking liberties he basically started circling me in a very intimidating manner. Fortunately, as it was raining, I was holding a brolly over my head, so I sort of put the open brolly between us as a shield. The stand off lasted for a couple of minutes and then he just sauntered off. It really wasn't very funny or harmless & it left me quite shaken and afraid of making that walk on my own for quite a while. I think my point is that if no malice/harm/theft was intended, and the "victim" didn't feel themselves to be in any danger then maybe no harm was intended.

I haven't been since Monday night when it was still closed - anyone been past more recently?

The building looks great (from the outside)... does anyone know when they're opening their doors?

Myself & Mr P picked up a flyer in Green & Blue last Sunday. We took said flyer to The Duke & found it closed and still full of builders stuff. We were a bit peeved as the flyer implied the place was already open for business. That was on Monday night, so maybe they've opened since? We ended up having a rather lovely evening in The Rye round the corner.

I went a while ago on the toptable deal with Mr P. The food was pretty average, but the bar was lovely & the dirty martinis were above average. But the best part of all was when we asked them to book us a cab (we were a little outside ED then) & we ended up getting their vintage Bentley to take us home. It was stupidly expensive, but the driver was a really good sport & took us a long way home for the agreed fare. It really made the evening for me as I'm a tiny bit of a petrol head.

We haven't completely managed to get rid of the cats who seem determined to use our garden as their toilet, but I have to say I get an enormous amount of satisfaction from blasting them with our stupidly highly powered pump action water shotgun. I can't think of many things more revolting than stepping in cat poo. Apart from one of Mr P's two kids stepping in it. Cat owners in central London should have litter trays & dog owners everywhere should scoop. If you purchase/adopt/fall in love with a pet, you should be fully responsible for it.

I just wondered if anyone knew what the score was with the alarm that keep myself & Mr P awake all last night? I think it is somewhere on North Cross Road. Started about 11.30pm last night, I was going to go out & investigate this morning, but it seems to have finally stopped...Just wondered if it might have anything to do with the young men who broke a window in the Thai Corner Cafe the other week?