Just back from a three night stay in Leeds. Based around a visit to the Department of Health in Quarry House (see below), we at least managed to get a look around the City Centre, fit in a play and film and have a couple of decent evening meals to kill the pain!
The DoH visit was to attend an Independent Review Panel to continue the fight for NHS funded continuing care for my mum. We began this process in July 2012 when my mum was still alive and have had to endure process failings, obfuscation, error and failure to meet even the most basic of statutory requirements that underpin the NHS Continuing Care Process. (Two formal complaints included, both upheld). We went through this with my dad and in the four or five years since, it seems that absolutely nothing has changed. It has taken us 30 months to get to the Independent Review Panel – a decision is now awaited, so watch this space!
After all that, we needed to relax. We took the opportunity to wander around Leeds City Centre. A superficial look, it has to be said, and in some ways it’s a typical, large city full of the usual shops and outlets, albeit very nicely presented. However, dig a little deeper and you soon discover the lovely, beautifully kept Victorian Arcades, full of interesting, independent shops (as well as Harvey Nicholls) and excellent architecture, including the magnificent town hall and the beautiful circular Corn Exchange. I’m sure there is far more, but we didn’t have time to do the city full justice.
On the Friday night we went to the West Yorkshire Playhouse for a production of Uncle Vanya. A fresh adaptation, modernised both in style and language (pretty sure the term ‘bollocks’ wasn’t around in Chekov’s day), it’s nonetheless a play whose themes are no less relevant today than they were when the playwright first put them down on paper. Never seen an Uncle Vanya production before, so can’t compare, but we eventually enjoyed this interpretation on its own terms, even if it appeared a little stilted for the first twenty or minutes or so.
On Saturday, as well as a little bit of shopping, we popped into the Everyman Cinema to catch “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel“. Thoroughly enjoyable sequel, a little daft but really well acted and full of warmth and affection. I read one pathetically mean spirited review in the Times (Camilla Long) that argued it was casually racist and feeble, just like the people who would want to see it. I guess when you’re ensconced in your own cosy, insular, metro-centric, narrow-minded, contemptuous and contemptible corner of the world you must see prejudice everywhere, even when none exists. Oh, and for the record, there was a mixture of ages at the showing, and it appeared to have been enjoyed by all. The Cinema itself was a very pleasant experience, loads of room, sofas (with cushions) to sit on, drinks and food delivered to you if required. A far cry from our bellowed local fleapit, but still a bit pricey!