The Orange Barrier Man

Someone has to have the job of taking away all those friendly barriers that have corralled and shepherded us these past months and here is that someone wearing suitable camouflage.

The New Look

In the bad old days Jameson Street had paving, a few trees, a scattering of seats and a row of street lights. Now, after the expenditure of untold millions, Jameson Street has paving, a few trees, a scattering of seats and a row of street lights. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose as they often say these days in the city of culture.

The statement from our sponsors

The City of Culture thing is under way as I may have mentioned. The year is being financed by 'partners' or sponsors in common parlance. The old saying "he who pays the piper calls the tune" mostly definitely applies to what you see before you. Siemens manufacture wind turbines in an old dock out in the badlands of east Hull and being a major sponsor, sorry partner, they get to plonk, sorry (again) tastefully place their produce in the town square. Oh to be sure it's officially a sculpture or an installation or whatever by the name of "The Blade" but anyone can see this is just product placement gone barmy. I won't bore you with statistics of size and weight and so on since I know you won't be impressed, let's just say it's big and intrusive and leave it at that. And you certainly don't want to know how it got here, let's just say the fairies left it overnight. The natives, however, seem mightily pleased with their gift from the gods and go up to it and touch it as if it wasn't real, all very odd, still if it keeps them happy I suppose it does no harm.

Somewhere there's a team of engineers who must be very pleased with their work.

Did I mention it was bloody big?

It may not be art but it makes a good place for birds to keep an eye on the insanity of this place.

The weekend in black and white is here.

The Lumpy Bumps

You know how it is; finishing off a make over and deciding that a little extra decorative piece would just round off the tout ensemble. So it came to pass that Hull acquired this artfully crafted installation down by the Marina. What is it, do I hear you ask? Hmm, you and the rest of the world ...

The Alley

I showed the pleasures of the far end of this delightful place a while back (OK five years ago, who's counting?). It looked like this. I don't think it'll have changed much since then.

I suppose in the interests of fairness, filling in space and finding something to say when completely out of ideas that the building on the right is reckoned to be one of the most haunted buildings in Hull if not in the whole country. The local rag regularly runs pieces (here's one) on alleged paranormal happenings, there is apparently an evil force lurking within. Even the police have been called out, I bet they loved that. I guess even Hull has its dull news days (no, no it does, rarely, I admit, but it can be dull in Hull) so these fantastical reports should come as no real surprise. If I was to tell you that you can pay to spend the night there and be scared out of your wits you might think some sort of scam was being played. I couldn't possibly comment.

The Florist

This was taken in December when it seems there was a market for wreaths of holly and mistletoe and other Yuletide paraphernalia; how long ago that seems now. Hollyhocks is on Princes Avenue and seems to be blooming.

The Takeaway

This one is on Cottingham Road but it could be just about anywhere in town, they're ubiquitous and they all look pretty much the same.