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I’m starting a detox today. I think there is benefit not only to my body but to my wallet as well. It’s a simple 4 step, 4 week plan i’ve set myself, each week I will get rid of something in my diet to help give my body a bit of a break, when something is removed it will stay out for the rest of the detox time.

Here’s the plan

Monday 28th – Booze
Monday 5th – Crisps and Chocolate
Monday 12th – Cooked breakfasts (I generally have 1 or 2 a week)
Monday 19th – Soft Drinks

So thats 4 full weeks without booze, 3 without Crisps etc etc you get where this is going.

I’m going with the most difficult first, It’s far too easy to be invited out for a quick drink and it turn into more than one as you get chatting away. I’ve got my first test ahead of me this weekend, I’ve got a friends birthday drinks and a trip to the rugby, one group of friends have been pre-warned I’m not drinking, the others haven’t, it will be interesting to see peoples reactions.

One thing I’m not detoxing from is cigarettes. I’ve tried several times before to give up and hopefully If I can prove to myself with this willpower from these this will help me strengthen my willpower for that as well.

Open House London is something I’ve been meaning to do over the last couple of years and this year I wasn’t working so took the opportunity to look at a local building that I’ve always wanted to nose around. The Gaumant State  opened in 1937 on KIlburn High Road and was a very popular theatre, show venue, cinema and eventually a Mecca Bingo Hall before it finally closed. The Grade II listed building was acquired by a church group who are renovating the building and bringing it back to it’s former glory

Gaumant State - Kilburn

When Mecca too over the building they added false floors to cover the sloping seating and false ceilings to cover the pulleys and mechanisms for the curtain and stage. The Church will be removing these and adding in original seating. The only way you can tell you are standing where the stage was is because of the curtain still hanging above you, the flat false floor covered in bright blue and red carpet hiding what lays below.

Original Seating

The booth style  tables around the upper circle will also be removed and replaced with original style seating

Bingo Seating

The church believes they can get the 4,000 seater main hall back to it’s glory in the next 1.8 months. As part of the deal with the council the Church must make the Grade II listed building available to the public. The UKs largest working Wurlitzer still sits in pride of place next to where the stage should be and original light switches, electrics, signs and still stand proud.

Original light switches

One of the most standout things is the art deco style foyer that greets when you step inside off the grubby Kilburn High Road. Most impressive is the chandelier, a replica of one in Buckingham Palace I believe, that greets you. I hope to get back next year to see more of the building and see it, hopefully looking more like it was when it opened in 1937

Chandelier