A Dedication...

Walking down the road from Upper Bush earlier this week, I had to mind out for a Vineyard Farms pick-up truck as it swung round from Warren Road. Its inordinate speed caused it to skid on the loose gravel at the junction and the driver (who was driving with one hand and talking into what looked like a walkie-talkie he had in his other) only just managed to keep the truck under control.

It was like something from the Keystone Kops...

As he shot away up towards Upper Bush, I was mildly amused. After all, it was behaviour just like this that was so eloquently detailed by Upper Bush residents at March's public inquiry. Personally, I think their presentation made quite an impression upon the Planning Inspector and although not mentioned in the refusal notice, may have been quietly instrumental in his resounding rejection of the Vineyard Farms winery plans for Bush Valley.

In celebration of that decision, I thought I'd therefore dedicate this little song to any of those VF ground staff who may have helped to facilitate it...

Etymological note: "On the 'roids" = "On steriods"; slang, meaning something much larger or more extreme than would normally be expected. It's a chant I first heard at a Gillingham football match back in the 80s and was a common crowd taunt applied to overly-aggressive players around the country at the time. It's rather nicely remembered in this song... 

Update:

Someone kindly brought my attention to the Vineyard Farms Instagram page, where they have recently posted a few photographs of a "Wildflower Tour" they ran for paying customers back in mid-July. Far from being abashed by the boy-racer behaviour of their ground staff it seems that instead, they positively revel in it and are proud to display photographs of the rally driving skills that are so often seen at Upper Bush...

Perhaps this Instagram picture is intended to be provocative. That's their style, after all.

Vineyard Farms: the Millwall of Kentish wineries...