Did anyone watch 'Last Orders'

[percy toboggan]

First in the 'White' series of progs on BBC 2?

An anachronistic 'working mens club' on the edge of Bradford struggling for survival.

Old men, defeated men.....bodies racked by hard work...minds wrecked by fast paced change.

An outsider (American) sent to film and analyse..he warmed to them, was sympathetic and I think, liked them a lot.

Then the editing suite stepped in. Some cutaway shots from people bemoaning their poverty whilst lighting the dog end of a Castella. Tatoo's and bull-terriers...the Middle Class's worst nightmare...surely sympathy from middle Britain would fly out the window. Perhaps it did.Maybe I'm more centrally placed than I thought.

This was a good insight into a marginalised culture. Some of the examples chosen were total stereotypes and that served the BBC ill. However, when was the last time we saw this section of society covered on telly - apart from being lampooned on 'Little Britain' or other alleged comedy progs?

Paul, the twenty something scaffolder -who 'hates Asians' and 'hates Bradford'...just wants to get out...listen up Paul..it's high time you were out of Dad's (absent) hair anyway...there's work for scaffolders in London...try your luck there.

The deluded gadge who insisted he 'was not working class' 'not middle class' quite what that leaves beyond the aristocracy I'm not sure. He had rotten teeth, but an ageing Merc on the drive...and a mortgage...he's working class to his boots....like me. Only difference is I can vent my anger, my frustration a little more inteliigently sometimes.

The programme gave an impression of a culture in retreat. A tide of alien invaders about to encroach , either that or the brewery might call in it's loan and shut the place down. I felt like hugging those old men...many of whom reminded me of my auld Dad, although I'm not much younger than they are, now.

These were the kind of men you'd want next to you in a trench, or on a troop ship. Solid. Dependable,humorous in adversity...even when scared.

Those circumstances have thankfully passed us by....for now. The future? Who knows.

All that these fellows get now is ignored.
Until this weekend. This is a promising start....an important change in BBC policy.

Rivers of Blood tomorrow - lets hope a few myths are exploded......let's see if the much maligned Enoch really was nutter...or had something of a point. I'm up for it...are you?

[Anne x]

Oh and I were hooked for 1 hr 30mins it was a Annoying Lovely and Sad Documentary all in one
Paul needed to get a life but understood where he was coming from
and that guy who thought he was not working class was so sad think he really needed a reality check and look about him
as for the secetary of the club oh dear
very good programme look forward to the rest of the documentaries in this series on bbc2

[MadPict]

Phoenix Nights is alive and well in Wibsey WMC...

[scorrie]

I suspect this program would have received more viewers had it been hosted by Ant and Dec, featured Amy Winehouse, contained the word "Celebrity" in the title or, preferably, all three.

For all Paul's faults, you had to admire his honesty. How many times did we hear older guys kick off:- "I'm not a Racist BUT......"?

The clubs in Wick used to be packed at one time. In the early 80's the Backer would be stowed, even in mid-week. There were loads of guys playing snooker, darts, cards etc and quite a bit of drinking took place. Much of these pastimes have had their day now and there is a change of Generation taking place. The last time I was in the Backer mid-week, the only guys doing much drinking were those with an alcohol problem. Young boys playing in the darts league were drinking Mineral Water, soft drinks and, in one case, a cup of tea!! Once upon a time it was cheaper drinking in the club and it was pretty hard to buy alcohol outwith the pubs and clubs after 5 or 6 o clock. Along comes wine lodges and supermarkets, later opening hours, cheap drink and it is now far cheaper to drink at home. Young people are the ones doing a lot of the drinking and they often want loud music and people of their own age, rather than sitting beside crinklies and listening to the gentle clack of dominoes.

The Wisbey regulars plight reminded me very much of the local scenario, a generation left behind as alcopops, MTV, fast food, Celebrity, sex and drugs became the leisure pursuits of the next generation.

[northener]

Percy, very well put.

Paul is like many young men in Bradford, Leeds, Huddersfield - in fact any of the old manufacturing towns in the North of England.
Marginalised, trapped in towns with no real future for those without a good education, seeing their parents way of life thrown on the rubbish heap and all the time seeing the perceived 'enemy' increasing.

It doesn't matter whether the 'enemy' are Asians or whatever. When young men see their own and their peers society declining, they will naturally look for reasons for this. Rightly or wrongly, the Asian community is the target of Pauls anger.

But he spoke some home truths.

My brother-in-law has been a copper on the Manningham Lane beat for a long time now. The incidents he has to deal with are very, very worrying.

.

[Sapphire2803]

I've added to my iPlayer list, sounds interesting...

[percy toboggan]

Thanks all for the intelligent responses.

I agree Scorrie: 'I'm not a racist....but' ....has become a pre-cursor to sentiments which are often ill considered and ill informed, but are borne from exasperation and frustration.

(The best thing these guys could do is form a kind of Union...which may develop into a political party...which will promote their interests in parliam...oh sorry, that's already been done. Shame the party forgot its roots.)

Anyway...You'll never hear me say that...and I'm an 'older guy' I guess.

Northerner..the Manningham Lane area - an interface between cultures I think...must hold a thousand and one stories. There are problems bubbling under the surface which many in Britain refuse to acknowledge, or are blissfully unaware of. Eventually these issues will out, as they have done before. Economic conditions might dictate the timeframe....or simple numbers.

I thought Paul's selectivity was interesting though...I misquoted him in my initial post (blame Speckled Hen)...he seemed quite sanguine, even tolerant about most groups incomers. Just one faction attracted his wrath.