What has Watford done to deserve this?

[Pepper Pig]

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_169754.htm

You wouldn’t believe the kerfuffle!

(My kids really rate The Grove though).

[cyprusmoira]

Are you applying for your media pass?

[suffolk]

Well it's far more suited to serious discussion than Monaco or Verbier or some of the other places such organisations choose for their get-togethers. Hopefully they'll be able to concentrate on the matters in hand.

[Pepper Pig]

Are you applying for your media pass?

Aero lives closer than me. I’ll leave that to him.

[Gruney]

I thought you were referring to the sacking of Quique Sanchez Flores.

[Pepper Pig]

Well that too!

[aero280]

I saw the bit about the Grove. I've been at home all day, doing as little as possible. Nothing to do with the conference and the security!!

My son says that Watford FC are the strongest in the Premier League. They are holding all the others up.

I'm more of a rugby man myself.

[Pepper Pig]

Did you catch the 6 Chinooks doing a recce on Friday Aero?

[aero280]

No. On Friday I was fitting the new radio in my car. Then baking some bread and things. Our house and garden are the wrong side of the hill from Watford. We don't have a view that way. In fact being in the valley, we don't have a view very far...

[Pepper Pig]

Shame. The chinooks were spectacular!

[earthmaiden]

How trying for local residents, I have only experienced traffic jams round there at the best of times. The price paid for being relatively close to the M25 and Heathrow!

[scullion]

i have emailed to ask if my sister out law is going to stay at home!

[PatsyMFagan]

My son says that Watford FC are the strongest in the Premier League. They are holding all the others up.

Haven't they just sacked their manager ?

[PatsyMFagan]

I need to be in Croxley Green on Thursday morning, just south of The Grove, so I hope my journey there will be unhindered

[aero280]

My son says that Watford FC are the strongest in the Premier League. They are holding all the others up.

Haven't they just sacked their manager ?

Yes, they have. Apparently he's the ninth manager in six years...

[cyprusmoira]

Did you catch the 6 Chinooks doing a recce on Friday Aero?

6 Chinooks I bet that was noisy.

Moira

[Pepper Pig]

It certainly was. Pat you should be alright with road closures unless they're blocking the back lanes that run from Hempstead Road through to Croxley. My kids are in Abbots Langley and they've got all sorts of diversions in place though.

[PatsyMFagan]

Well it's hardly as if I need to clock on

[aero280]

I've suggested to OH that our planned U3A event in Sarratt on Wednesday evening is cancelled.

[Pepper Pig]

Blimey. They're even shutting the Grand Union Canal! Be interesting to see how they enforce that.

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/ ... 1o2QTDiMSk

[scullion]

it's a shame they couldn't have chosen a more remote hotel with a golf course that was less disruptive - i'm sure there's one they haven't been to yet - i bet the orange one suggested his!

[aero280]

I did wonder if Turnberry was suggested!

[Pepper Pig]

Well I've just got back from Costco and there were traffic cones from there to the leisure centre. The Metropolitan Police Social Club seems to have been turned into some sort of co-ordination centre judging by the number of marked and unmarked police cars in the car park! Not quite sure where you live Aero but I know it's not a million miles from there.

[PatsyMFagan]

Blimey. They're even shutting the Grand Union Canal! Be interesting to see how they enforce that.

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/ ... 1o2QTDiMSk

Of course the GU canal passes right through the grounds and you go under one of the prettiest of bridges on the canal. I wonder if they will be moving on all the 'permanently cruising' vessels along there

[Pepper Pig]

I don't know how reliable the Abbots Langley FB page is but yes, according to them the boats have been moved out of the area.

[aero280]

I live south of the Met Police sports club playing field. But today I'm going the other way to the station for an afternoon in London, buying cheese, if there's time, and then meeting friends for a drink. We normally meet up in the evening each month, but two of the guys come up from Staines/Guildford area and the trains are on strike. So we are having an early meet this month, so that they stand a better chance of getting home.

Why can't NATO arrange a meeting in the middle of nowhere? There must be an equivalent of Tracy Island somewhere?

[scullion]

my thoughts exactly - some island that is showing signs of the effect of climate change - preferably one with a rapidly submerging links - that might hit it home to the denier(s).

[Seatallan]

There's always Anthrax Island...

https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle-2-15 ... -1-4901121

[Pepper Pig]

[Pepper Pig]

It's Helicopterville here today! So far we've had 4 Chinooks, 4 large non-military copters and 2 police ones all flying in some sort of formation. Quite interesting if you like helicopters I suppose! I waved . . . .

[PatsyMFagan]

Must have gone north from the centre of London, following the M1 ... I have heard nothing here in the NW of the M25 I did recognise some of the back scenery during news casts filmed from The Grove as I have baby-sat there several times

[aero280]

I was walking from Baker St tube towards Marylebone and the road was suddenly closed by police motor cyclists for a couple of minutes to allow a blue light convoy of Range Rovers and Jaguars, heading south. I went on to meet my friend in the pub along the road, and he said the same thing happened to him a few minutes earlier. All presumably on their way back from The Grove.

If politicians get pampered in this way, it's no wonder they are out of touch with reality, Apart from anything else, it was only 2pm. My working day never finished that early! I know there was a party at Downing Street for them all that evening, but how long does it take to change your clothes?

[StokeySue]

Do they still use RAF Northolt to fly in the delegates? Watford would be quite handy from there, as well as Heathrow and Stansted.

[Pepper Pig]

Stokey Sue RAF Northolt has been closed to air traffic for the last 6 months as the runway has been relaid. I drove past last week and it looks very swish indeed. I wonder if it was done with the NATO conference in mind?

[StokeySue]

Do they still use RAF Northolt to fly in the delegates? Watford would be quite handy from there, as well as Heathrow and Stansted.

[earthmaiden]

So glad I'm not there, I really hate the sound of helicopters flying overhead.

[Pepper Pig]

They were so low as well.

[StokeySue]

We get them when anything like this happens, I think they e patrol the A10 and possibly the A11

[Pepper Pig]

Aside from the Police ones these were full of people. I swear I saw Angela Merkel. (Which was why I waved).

There used to be an aerodrome about a quarter of a mile from The Grove. Those airships we used to see over London in the eighties flew from there. It's now the Harry Potter Studio Tour owned by Warner Brothers.

I don't think helicopters need runways. Last time I went to Champneys there was one that kept landing and then going off again.

[StokeySue]

No, helicopters only need helipads, they land on top of hospitals and hotels, though Chinooks might need mor space

I just remember tagging behind Clinton’s motorcade into Marylebone when Airforce One landed at Northolt, and seeing one or two other heads of state had landed there, so I wondered if that was still a thing. The Queen’s flight used to land there long ago.