The Lloyds Insurance building divides opinion like few others: we all love St Pauls and we all hate the Barbican (I await your corrections!) but Lloyds? Inside out and lumpy ugly! Anyway, the appearance of the building has nothing to do with tonight's programme but what goes on inside it has... and how.
Up in what's left of Kensal Rise, hundreds of people are poring over their Policy Documents to check and re-check those 'exclusion clauses', 'limitations' and 'notes on submitting a claim'. Most will be OK but some will be excluded and will have a fight on their hands.
But what if you had no cover?
What if you were unemployed, with a young child and your wife had another on the way?
What if your only explanation was that you were trying to stretch the budget and make ends meet?
No brainer: your fault!
But, hey, we're all human and tonight Piers talks to just such a couple and hears how they hope to go forward.
(Meanwhile, up in Hemel Hempstead, lots of families and businesses who DID have insurance are wondering if our Kensal Rise couple might have been right all along: despite having what they thought was comprehensive cover they are still waiting for settlement - some in hotels - some having been told to move back into homes that are still not fit for survivors. And that, a year on!)
So, tonight we ask how good is your house insurance? Damian has all the questions you should be asking to be on the safe side.
Alan Pardew has been fired by West Ham. Interesting that around the newsroom there was a buzz of "he's FINALLY got the boot" so poor have things been for the Hammers of late. Well the new Icelandic owners appear to have bitten the bullet and put the man's career on ice. Sharon, a former Sunderland supporter, has the story - we like to be impartial but Hyper-Hammer Ken Hayes is acting as Sharon's little helper. (Sharon won't mind my saying it is her last report before going off to become a very proud mum: she goes with all good luck and all our love!!!)
We've a great campaign from those wonderful people at the National Missing Persons Helpline: details below**.
All proceeds go on helping find people who, for whatever reason, have slipped out of someone's life. And there's a significance to the phones: sometimes all you need is a call to know your missing loved one is fine but just wants to make a fresh start.
And then there's The Fonz! Oh yes, the great Henry Winkler is in the studio talking to us about..... being Captain Hook in panto! That has to be worth tuning in for.
As is Ed Speleers, the dashing young star of ERAGON which premieres in Leicester Square tonight - Jasmine's there, but is she safe?
And "nights are fair drawing in" defines a dull conversation in some quarters but when we asked Chrissie why, we got a wonderful talk on the winter solstace, druidic revelry and the burgeoning anticipation of the pagan and theocratic season: well, to be fair, she said "it's nearly Christmas so it gets dark!"
More detail at 6!
Al
** We're launching a really special campaign this week with our friends at LBC radio.
If you're getting a new mobile this Christmas - don't just let the old handset gather dust in a drawer - do some good with it. Every old phone donated raises £5 for the National Missing Persons Helpline and someone in the developing world gets an affordable mobile. Tune in at 6 to find out more details.
