The usual Burns Night grand assembly of The Firm took place as usual at a 2 floor inn called 'The Lamb' situated in Pentonville on a dry thawing Saturday night.

The venue was not difficult to find. A 5 course Haggis meal was served with no apparent problems to about 70 assembled guests out of a possible 100 top whack. The meal was served in the main by Transvestite maids in French Maids outfits.

The serving of the different courses was elaborate and perhaps a bit overdramatic with each courses name being yelled out before serving.There were noisy bagpipes and much loud clapping and stamping of feet.

After this what was described as a 'Tawsing Spetacular' was attempted. This began somewhat chaotically right in the middle of a fully furnished dining room with food still warm on plates! After some time however it sorted itself out into a fairly predictable round of somewhat laccadasical 'tawsing'of various of The Firms adherents and characters. The usual characters you might say.

There was the usual very heavy TV presence. In fact most the of the beatings were of TVs as at Night of The Cane nowadays. With one or two exceptions the cast was the same as at many previous Firm events minus one or two. It's hard to be constructively critical as one always runs the risk of hurting someones feelings but I think it would be fair to say that this event did have a somewhat stale and lacklustre air to it, though better than Seasons Beatings. Throughout the Tawsing Half there was a constant tension as to whether the pace of beatings was going to materialise/keep up and at times it seemed every TV, helping hand and Tom Dick or Sharon was willing to go over the horse to keep the thing going!

There was a distinct drop off in the numebr of beatings of real female subs-something that seems to be an increasing trend in The London Fetish scene.Perhaps the peak is over and for Male Doms the only place to see live female subs will be DVD or Video.Bad news for Male Doms,live session prices are going sky high,it seems.Also a factor perhaps is the end of the UK School Corporal Punishment generation which ended in 1986 making a lurid interest in it of little interest in the younger crowd of 18 year olds coming up.

Some members of the Firm have ambiably split off in an attempt to form their own small events and clubs.It remains to be seen if these will take off.I hope they do.

The Firms constant changing of themes for its events is not really cutting the mustard as its nearly the same old characters who turn up at mostly every one!Also they do not have an unlimited supply of fancy dress costumes themed to whatever is next,though Sir Larry always makes a selendid effort when he comes. What the Firm has always done superbly is school and it should stick to it.

It remains to be seen if we will be visiting The Pirate Event or Seasons Beatings this year as with the recession we are looking for expenses to cut!

Conclusion an aedequate but somewhat mediochre event lacking in star quality. The Firm desperataly needs many more younger pretty female stars in its stable if it is to pull the crowds of yore and maintain its popularity this year as a leading London fetish event! Well I'm a MCP I guess.