The Grenfell report reminds us it was the result of decades of deregulation and neglect, the terrible product of our cynical age. All of the victims, the survivors and their loved ones let down by people and organisations who still won’t take responsibility

Open House is coming soon. 🙌 The London-wide festival takes place between 14 & 22 Sept. Croydon’s programme is largely centred around the 1st weekend with some cool offerings including an exhibition by Rachel Adams with words by John Grindrod 🤩 🏢⛪️🏠🏛️ 👉 croydonist.co.uk/open-house-24/

Spent this Open House afternoon with Croydon's famous John Grindrod on a 'Polaroids of Croydon' modern & modernist social history & architecture tour. Absolutely loved it - humour & lots of personal tales brought this city to life. #OpenHouseLondon #OpenHouse2024 #OpenHouseFestival

Reader: I didn’t.

Saturday night in, watching Kate Bush on Razzmatazz from 1981. A kids' music show! Why was I too young for this? So lovely – KB showing the kids her storyboards for pretty full-on songs – Army Dreamers and costumes for Sat In Your Lap. youtube.com/watch?v=XYYnR2…

My latest newsletter is out in the wild, in praise of Denys Lasdun, some lovely new Blue Crow Media stuff, and some potential non-fiction writing tips

On my latest newsletter: Couch to 100k, some non-fiction writing tips to get you started

Coming up for our paying subscribers tomorrow, our latest podcast including Croydon’s unbalanced budget, Black History Month *and* Farridge on the trams! Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse… Thanks to all our terrific guests Cheryl FergusFerrell Andrew Fisher

Hello! Pamphlets are back in stock on my website: a motorway services fantasia and the story of a lost modernist Christmas...

Welcome to the first episode of my geeky new podcast, Monstrosities Mon Amour, where a guest and I explore somewhere they love, a place more commonly dismissed. First up, Mike Althorpe on the charms of Corby Bus Station. See link in profile ⬆️

Monstrosities Mon Amour: episode 2 of my podcast is out. Join journalist Helen Barrett in her love for the optimistic Americana of Swindon, with a side helping of Status Quo's Down Down. Link in profile ⬆️

Lovely review by Jude Rogers 💙 in the Observer today of my new podcast, Monstrosities Mon Amour

Latest episode of my podcast, Monstrosities Mon Amour, features wonderful writer Travis Elborough on the charms of a seafront multi-storey in Worthing and a prog rock tribute to Tolkien podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mon…

Let's take a ride... My next book is coming out with Faber. Tales of the Suburbs: LGBTQ+ Lives Behind Net Curtains will be published March 12 2026. Lots more on the book and the remarkable stories people told me to come over the next few months... Pre-order now!