The Shakespeare birthday lunch, held in Stratford upon Avon on the first Saturday nearest the playwright’s birthday, has always been a joyous affair, held annually, only missing the years of the pandemic lockdowns. I have had the pleasure of securing a ticket for it every year since the mid-twenty teens. It has been rather splendid, not cheap it has to be said, but giving the diner a chance to see close hand, or even talk to, the likes of Dame Judy Dench, Stephen Fry, Alex Kingston, Vanessa Redgrave and the list goes on. All very glamorous though the neighbourhood rather goes down by the attendance of a load of local politicians who all manage to get themselves a ticket. The food is surprisingly good most of the time given the amount of mass catering involved.
Alas, poor diner, no more. Or certainly not this year. In previous years, apart from three, the lunch has been supported by Pragnell, the local high class jeweller, but a few weeks ago it was announced that their sponsorship would be withdrawn. No reason was given but it was announced that the show would still go on but would be arranged by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Stratford’s town council. That’s the Birthplace Trust run by wealthy, woke, entitled individuals who recently announced that the displays at the birthplace must be “decolonised” and the Liberal Democrat council which has overseen for the last two years the torrent of business collapses in the town including some notable long-established hospitality providers.
Seeing who was being trusted to deliver the Birthday lunch it always seemed a remote prospect that either organisation was up to the task although up till about a month prior they were still putting it out that the lunch would take place. Then all mention of the lunch was dropped but no statement was released to say what was happening or why it was happening. And, as I have indicated, it did not happen.
Alas poor Stratford. Much money would have been spent in the town if the lunch had taken place. I usually pass three or four nights in Stratford during the birthday weekend spending money on hotel bills, dining, shopping, visiting attractions and so on. But not this year. Well, these are hard times, in some ways I am glad I saved the money, but I am sad not to have had my annual visit to the Birthday lunch hobnobbing with A class celebrities of theatre. Really, it’s scandalous how those responsible for organising it have let this pass and lost money for the town. But it is not surprising given the havoc the town’s council is allowing to take place in Stratford and the way that the lunatics have taken over the Birthplace Trust. Sadly, we will just have to see how they get on with their “decolonisation” - let’s hope they prove just as useless at that as the do at organising a banquet in a tent.
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