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 Lee Bennett, left, with Camden Tourist Information Centre manager Jamie Hardiman
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Hooray for Camden and Hollywood twinning plan
Walk of Fame boosted by scheme to twin star-studded towns
CAMDEN Town and Tinseltown could soon be twinned following calls from the man behind Hollywood’s legendary boulevard to forge links with a planned Walk of Fame in the borough.
Leron Gubler, president of the trust that runs Hollywood’s star-studded pavement, wants to join the Camden’s musical heritage with California’s celebrity centre.
He has been in talks with Lee Bennett, the driving force behind plans to put music-themed paving stones across the borough, to honour local and international acts, studios and producers, while hoping to attract new trade.
Speaking from his Hollywood headquarters yesterday (Wednesday), Mr Gubler told the New Journal: “We would love to work with our British friends.
“It would be great to work with Camden because it’s the music capital of England so it should be that way.
“It would be a great idea because entertainment reaches all parts of the world.”
Mr Bennett, who hopes to cement Camden’s musical reputation, said: “The fact that Hollywood wants to twin with Camden is a major thing. It’s one of the biggest trademarks in the world.
“We’ll be so much more on the map. Everything Hollywood possesses will be thrown at it.
“They will be guiding us on merchandising.”
Between eight and 12 stones could be laid each year with one major international act being jointly honoured in a linked unveiling between the UK and US.
Los Angeles rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers are touted to be the first group to be honoured this summer with stones bearing their hand or footprints in both Hollywood and Camden.
Closer to home, ska act Madness are front-runners to be among the first to have their own stone.
Jazzie B, frontman of north London dance group Soul II Soul, said: “It’s kind of a cool idea. It’s a bit of a struggle in Camden because we haven’t had music here for ages. But now they’ve resurrected the Roundhouse it’s reviving. We never seem to really honour our own. It’s very English.
“A lot of artists from the UK are becoming inventive and creative and are being recognised worldwide. It’s good for them to be recognised in their own back yard.”
Camden Council is on board, while Channel 4 and the BBC are competing for the rights to make a documentary on the run-up to the first unveiling. A trust will be formed, which will run the Walk of Fame on a non-profit-making basis.
Plans are also afoot for a merchandising enterprise in which businesses would buy souvenirs from the Walk of Fame trust.
A Town Hall spokeswoman said: “A Walk of Fame would be a great way of celebrating Camden Town’s musical heritage and we support the idea in principle.
“We are advising the group of the different permissions they will need, such as planning and highways, before they can take the idea forward.” |
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