I blame Thatcher

Those of you familiar with my earlier work that is my Facebook status update will know I don't like Margaret Thatcher and blame her for many things in life. Rain. Uncovered bus stops. Standing in the rain at an uncovered bus stop. Standing in the rain at an uncovered bus stop because I live in a part of Leeds where the ideally placed local train station 500 yards away was shut many years before (Kirkstall, yes it's on the map). That last one has nothing to do with her, but it's still her fault.

I was reminded of everything being her fault when the marvellous Gavin Hayes popped up on my Facebook feed saying his local pool is shutting and everyone should stop following Barnet council's lead in "no frills" services. Lord Northern of this parish has the same Guardian link.

I grew up in Finchley under Thatcher as both the PM and my MP. I've recently returned to Leeds after 6 months living in Finchley again under said Barnet borough council. Finchley used to have a nice Lido, built in 1932 when Finchley was itself a borough council and no-one knew Thatcher would be their MP for 33 years. That's it above.

The Lido was closed in 1992 and demolished, later re-opening as a leisure centre still using the Finchley Lido name but with no Lido. I should say that this had nothing to do with Thatcher, but who cares, it's still her fault!