What I find unacceptable is that, having been keeping an eye on what’s going on at 269 Kilburn High Road, there is now no reference in any shape or form to the Tricycle within the building (apart from the carpet in the cinema which I assume is as yet unchanged).
Even the Rachel Dedman ‘A Thousand Hands’ exhibition, which included a reference to the setting up of The Foresters Hall etc in 1928 and various other historical detail, didn’t manage to refer to the Tricycle. It is as if the rebranders are deliberately trying to eradicate an important and long part of the history of the building – cultural vandalism indeed.
I had been told that the automaton is safe and in good order. I would love to see it reinstalled somewhere on site. There would of course be other appropriate ways of referencing and marking the Tricycle years but to let them get away with this elimination of the past is unpalatable and wrong.
At the very least I should write to the artistic director to let her know my views. Hailing from Sheffield she should be aware of the value of remembering and cherishing history which has enabled the present.
At least we do still have the 1980 commemorative stone in the pavement down the road.
Paul Handley, Tricycle supporter