At last Mount Bingham is open again after the rockfall. What a shame it now looks like an industrial area with the hideous fencing. In the past there was an attractive planted area here maintained by Parks and Gardens, and Beware of Falling Rocks signs to keep people away. And in all those years I never saw a single person there, and not once did I hear of any incidents or injuries. But now, even with the cliffs made safe, we have to put up with this eyesore! This used to be a "Wow Moment" for visitors, reaching the top of the hill from Havre des Pas and seeing the sweep of the bay, the castle and harbour (
observe!) - but now it's blighted by the ugly fences each side, making it feel like a run-down urban area. How sad.
What's the point? Just exactly who is going to hang about there? And even if they did and were absurdly unlucky enough to be hit by a rock despite clear warning signs, would they really have a legal leg to stand on and sue?!
Did this new support structure have to reach right next to the roadside, making the corner so much worse than before for motorists?
Taking a break from the moaning, here's a snap from when we spotted something unusual at St.Aubin. Someone lost a bet and had to endure a forfeit :)
At Greve de Lecq, the hotel has gone, giving a view of the tower and old barracks from an angle not available before.
One for the conspiracy nuts to answer : how come all five of these aircraft ceased their long "chemtrails" all at the same time? Did they conspire to stop their chemical poisoning for now - or perhaps could it be just something to do with normal combustion exhaust vapour, temperature and humidity?! :)
So did Pontins burn down? No, it still looks much the same as it did before from this distance.
Closer... a bit singed, but still the same level of eyesore.
Road signs have been in the news lately. Here at L'Etacq are a pair of new signs without the incorrect preceding "Le" definite article ahead of "Chemin". Pity they left out the much needed "La" from the middle of one :)
A perfect road for me to move to when I'm battling depression - a whole avenue of little sunshine!
The milk cartons have just gone a duller green. Still not as attractive as
Guernsey Dairy's with their smart gingham check and elegant fonts on black panels.
"Ferguson's Folly" from the 1930s has been made over by the Parish of St.H - it used to be quite enclosed but is now more open...
... I can't help wondering if that's to stop the homeless from trying to sleep rough there now it's less of a shelter with the wind cutting through?
Changes in town... at #47 Halkett Place a former clothes shop has been taken on as a second outlet for Seedee Jons
(who were previously only at the Powerhouse up at Queen's Road) after some 20 years of trading in various locations. They must think it's worth trying to flog their wares in town after...
.. the Blockbusters in Colomberie and Bath Street closed...
.. and HMV vanished from Voisins. It's now a clothing department, keep on going on a voyage of discovery through to the back of the shop and you emerge in the area that comes out in New Street with that sudden pleasant jolt of
"aha, that's where we are!". That will probably bring a lot more footfall to what used to seem like a quiet backwater part of the store.
Blacks is the new Millets, for reasons only they (the same owners) could explain. Was Millets too naff and Blacks is more cool?
At #57 : Schuh has taken on what was NSEW, the one next to the pottery cafe, that had entrances in both King St and Broad St. Full of colourful Converses for the young and the not so young who are kidding themselves that they still are.
... and the other side of the travel agents is now Esprit.
Along the road next to the coffee shop on the corner with New St, at #45a the former Jessops is now Ecco.
Changes in Bond St - the old Bond's at #14 is now "The Niche" - more of a cafe bar than a grubby old all-day drinkers hangout. Next door at #15
(it's an oddly numbered street where the numbers go up by one along the west side from the Pier Road end and turn around at Conway street and come back along the east side) has been Emporio for a little while now, a coffee/sandwich shop. The card shop next door is awaiting something better than the dull grey patio slabs it used to have.
Sion Chapel, disused and about to be converted to housing. Some people say it's ugly but look at the magnificence of the scale and detail here! With tasteful painting it would be as attractive as
this one,
this one,
this one, as the guys making the most of
this one have found. I wonder how long
this one has got?
Around the side of the Sion one, something about these two entrances looks appealing somehow - or is it just me?
