Royal Wedding Blues?

THE ROYAL WEDDING of Prince William and Kate Middleton does not seem to have captured the imagination of people locally. Those who remember the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977 will remember the street parties that seemed to be held in almost every neighbourhood. Compare the mood then with the apathy that seems to exist today for the Royal Wedding.

There are two parties being held locally. The Station in Hedon is hosting a Royal Wedding Gala in its beer garden, whilst the Paull Village Hall is teaming up with the The Crown to hold a celebration in the village. However, despite these two events there has been a noticeable lack of interest in celebrating the Royal occasion.

Local community and independent political activist in Keyingham Neil Whitelam says that he hopes that people will pull their fingers out to make "a massive show for the wedding" but warns that Britishness seems to be becoming "politically incorrect":

It does seem on the face of it that people are not that fussed about a royal wedding. It comes as no surprise to me, after all, for the past 12 years patriotism, flying our national flag and promoting Britishness has become unpopular and politically incorrect. Yet when it suits they want us to roll out the colours and sing Rule Britannia!

On the other side of the argument singer and songwriter Paul Heaton (former Hull frontman with The Housemartins and Beautiful South) is an anti-royalist and said in the Guardian recently:

The royal wedding will strike many people from the area as the worst kind of excessive wastefulness: a festival of pomp, circumstance and religious platitudes. How am I planning to spend the day? I think I'll celebrate in a manner appropriate for a son of Hull and go down to the pub. What's so fancy about bloody bunting anyway?

Whatever you think - the Royal Wedding takes place on Friday 29th April 2011. And we have a day off work to celebrate - or not!?