Some good news......it's not official yet but it seems Maidstone Borough Council are to refuse the planning application for flats behind Mu Mu (Zaffa). Thanks so much to the many who leant their support....it seems we have protected our club in the medium term...one of the few places in the area you can go for truly superb music, food & entertainment...without being puked on!

Next Sunday's Christmas Party Gig _at_ Mu Mu featuring the very excellent Taka Boom with her Big Band.......is booked up nicely. I have no more tables left I'm afraid but I will try to fit you in if you just turn up.....standing room only now but heh!!!....there's no rule says you can't dance.

Thought for the day....Reflecting on the past 10yrs or so (we are now in our 11th year at The Bottleneck) I was struck by the way so many of you have embraced the artists & their music. In the past month alone Roy Middleton has spent a long weekend with Toby Walker in New York & Geoff Henne is on his way back from Australia/New Zealand where he spent a week with Geoff Achison.......( er...both with their partners present, I'm not suggesting anything inappropriate chaps!) & I know several other club members have visited some of the other artists I've brought over too. They have become friends, not just somebody up on the stage but part of our scene & we of theirs ~ Oooo I'm coming over all moist.

At this time of the year it seems fitting that we spread goodwill & music is only one of the ways we can do it. Whilst I have no religious leanings myself I do have an interest in religions (if only to try to understand intolerance!!) but this nonsense about our Christmas celebrations "upsetting" other religions (I think the press & BBC mean Islam but they're too PC to actually say it....I can't see a Buddhist getting up-tight) really shows huge ignorance. I spent a while in Khartoum many years ago ( & several other Arab countries) & all the streets were decked out in Christmas decorations, Turkeys were shipped in from Ethiopia (?) & the Sudanese celebrated at least three Christmases ~ "our" one on the 25th Dec. & the Orthodox & Coptic ones, all on different dates....the locals loved it, it meant the festive season dragged on for weeks..add to that Ramadan which often falls at a similar time & everybody had a ball...but I guess it's all changed now, mores the pity.

Anyway we're going to have a ball on the 17th........Doors 8:00pm folks....special Garlic Christmas Pudding Pizza on the menu, amazing wit from the MC, Alan giving it large & a lora laffs. See yah there.