Last of the long goodbyes

Abstract

With the break-up of Fleet Street, national newspapermen and women now rarely meet and the memorial services, when "The Street" blazes briefly back to life, have become almost like reunions for many old hacks, believes veteran columnist and executive Knight. But now even the camaraderie resumed at memorial/thanksgiving services and over the bottomless glasses afterwards is under threat: "These events are usually to honour veterans who have spent a lifetime in Fleet Street and often died while still working. The congregations are primarily composed of professional friends who have served and drunk with them. Apart from a respectable and, as time goes by, diminishing gaggle of young admirers, it's a dying breed." After the recent memorial service for five-times editor Richard Stott, a friend said to the author: "That's the last great piss up we're going to see in Fleet Street." Comments Knight: "I hope he was wrong."