Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
I managed to sneak out of the office yesterday and spend a couple of hours at the Hampton Court Flower Show. The Chelsea Flower Show may be a showpiece of British horticultural excellence, but Hampton Court is really good fun — a people's show.
It has an even grander, more historic setting than Chelsea, but it has the atmosphere of a country fete — perhaps because it's held in summer and everyone always seems to be in holiday mood.
You can purchase almost anything your heart desires for the garden, whether your tastes run to African thatched huts, South American hammocks, Chinese pots, Moroccan lanterns, or French vintage-style twiddly bits and pieces.
Traders at Hampton Court like cash, not credit, and there is usually a mobile bank on site, with a couple of cash machines. Yesterday, the two cash machines were out of order, and as you can imagine, the queue for cash was substantial.
I had to wait 20 minutes to be served, and then was told I could only have more than £50 if I had ID. Did I have my passport? Oddly enough, my passport is not the first thing I think of when I'm en route to a flower show. So no, I didn't.
I managed to persuade the teller I was a solvent member of society, and he gave me my money, telling me that even though the cash machines were out of order, and we had all been queueing for ages, he was still going to make a charge for the transaction.
Blooming banks! There we all were, having a lovely time, and they come along and spoil it all with their money-grabbing routines. Hang on, that has a familiar ring to it.
Stefano Hatfield is away
Follow @VBackyardSubscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments