A Risky Business

The inhabitants of Ripley, Derbyshire, can thank their lucky stars this morning.
Thanks to Health and Safety, those well known promoters of fun and frolic, they have been spared the terror of the organ grinder and his stuffed monkey whilst a ‘risk assessment’ is being carried out.
This follows a similar exercise on that insidious example of non-PC thinking, the Punch and Judy Show, leading to both events being cancelled.
So the kids can now go home to their Nintendos and violent video games.
Another crisis averted thanks to the watchful eyes of Big Brother.
Simon Gladwin, head of landscape services, who should know, landscaping being widely recognised as being a risky business, said:
“We always require that anyone organising a public event or entertainment on land managed by the borough council completes a risk assessment.
In cases such as this, where performers are unable to supply a personal risk assessment of their activities, it is the responsibility of the organiser to provide the risk assessment.
These are not required for every performer. We simply require an assessment that takes into account the different activities taking place in each location.”
The organ grinder in question has been performing for fifteen years without complaint or incident which would seem to be a more than adequate endorsement of its lack of risk potential.
The town council's summer entertainments programme has now been suspended until further notice.
What a pity that the electorate of Britain did not conduct a similar ‘risk assessment’ of the Labour government before they voted them into power.
Ripley would then have had its Punch and Judy Show and its Organ Grinder, complete with stuffed monkey.
As it is, they seem to be in Westminster at the moment.