Barney and his bridge

When I set up the subject tags for this website, there was one that never crossed my mind - "Local pets". However, my subject today is a cat. As I'm expecting this to be something of a one-off, I've decided to assign Barney to the "Local people" category - however, I'm not sure whether he would have regarded this as promotion or demotion.

Barney in a typical pose next to the bridge that will bear his nameBarney and I were never formally introduced, and I only discovered his name after he died. But I certainly encountered him on many occasions, as I took a visit to Enfield Town market or shops as an opportunity to wander the attractive traffic-free area along the New River, Gentlemen's Row and the network of paths between there and the back of St Andrew's Church.

On the occasions when we met, Barney was usually sprawled across one of the quaint iron bow-backed bridges across the New River Loop or across the aptly named River View. Which explains why after his death local people got together to petition the council to name the bridge Barney's Bridge.

The council has gone along with this suggestion, and on Monday 3rd March at 2.30pm there will be a little naming ceremony and a plaque with a photo of Barney on the bridge will be unveiled. I wonder whether the nearby register office will record the event?