Bread and Circuses

It has long been a maxim of governments, despots, Nanny et al that the people whom they rule need to be diverted from the important issues; usually via bread and circuses.

Step forward Peter Kyle, Labour parliamentary candidate for Hove, who is offering his own small "circus" in the form of a piano at Brighton station in order to divert the attention of commuters from the delays and generally squalor of commuting.

Kyle has offered to cover the costs of getting a piano. He is quoted by the Argus:

“Brighton and Hove is a creative city, packed full of talent. 

Just think how much of that talent passes through the wonderfully renovated central station at any one time? 

With all the delays and the travel chaos what better way to raise people’s spirits than to have a piano.”

Would it not be better, and more appreciated by the commuters, if the issues of the delays and chaos were addressed instead?

Kyle has sent a letter to Chris Burchell, managing director of Southern, making a formal offer to buy the piano.

“I would love to work with you to see if a suitable place could be found in our fantastic station to place a piano. 

Think of the potential to delight passengers as they spend a moment waiting for a train, or at other times when it could dissipate the frustration felt by people facing delays or those who have been battered by the weather on their journey to the station.”

May I ask loyal readers who have endured delays and travel chaos on trains if they would feel their frustrations dissipated by hearing a fellow commuter bang out a tune on the ivories? All of this assumes that the pianist is both sober and competent at playing the piano.

Kyle would better spend his energies looking into ways to improve the quality and punctuality of the train services from Brighton, especially at peak times.

By happenstance (as per the BBC) most train passengers are unaware of their rights to compensation after cancellations or delays. As many as 75% of those using Britain's railways do not know enough about claiming money back, according to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).

 

Pianos all round!

Meanwhile spokesman for Southern said:

“We think this is a great idea, but we have to look into the practicalities of it. 

We’ll be responding to Mr Kyle’s letter once we have gone through that process.” 

In the unlikely event a piano is installed, I would like to hear from loyal readers their requests for appropriate "commuting tunes" that should be played.

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