Come promenade with me.

So the Proms season is on us again. Chances are that if that means anything to you at all, then you associate it with the name of Henry Wood, and indeed it is his bust which has pride of place in the Albert Hall, and is decorated with a wreath on the Last Night. And yet, although Henry Wood was very important in the development of the Proms, the man who deserves the credit for coming up with the original concept was not him at all, but one Robert Newman. It was he who had the idea of presenting classical music concerts for the masses at an affordable price and in an informal atmosphere where people could walk around, eat, drink and smoke. These days, the Proms have become more of an institution - even, dare one say, an anachronism in an age where access to classical music is easily available to all. So have they any place in today's world? You bet they have!