Cutty Sark: After the film crews left

It's fair to say that your average news story has a life cycle very much shorter than your average water vole. It may not be particularly illuminating, but it is certainly fair.

It was with this sad fact in mind that I went there today with Matt, Giles and Tessa (who learned to fly like Peter Pan) to survey the damage, take stock of the lasting repercussions, and meet some of the real people affected by this tragedy.

As you can see from the photo to the left, the boat - or what remains of it - is on sale for the measly sum of £2; a fraction of its previous value. I tried to find out if this price included the hoarding or not, but no members of the restoration committee were available for comment. I understand they are in discussion with the ship restorers' union - SHIPSHAPE - after the industry objected to the rather blunt manner in which rope-coilers, plank categorisers, and gimlet polishers were informed of their redundancy. Particularly stinging was the restoration committee's reneging on its promise to pay employees their bonuses in hard hats and safety boots. SHIPSHAPE spokesmen claim their employers have squandered much of their pay-packets on specially commissioned abstract art, an example of which can be seen below.


Rhysickle, reporting from a community torn apart by self-doubt... and fire.