Cheesecake Shop!

This is a #wander around Loughborough that I took when Wombette Minor was being interviewed at the University. And here I’ll make a quick ‘by the way’ for any American readers – Loughborough is pronounced “Luff-burrer”, not “Lowg Bo Ro”.

One of the first things we spotted was that there seems to be a large (or at least ‘noticeable’) Chinese community in Loughborough, as evidenced by, well, the large number of Chinese people we passed, as well as various establishments like the Yi Ming chinese supermarket here.

“Oo, look at the interestingly shaped and coloured buildings yonder, behind Sainsbury’s!”

Loughborough has a healthy number of fascinating independent small shops, such as this second-hand bookshop –

- in amongst the usual chain stores, like this big old Costa on the corner just opposite the town hall.

The Sock

This odd statue, over on the right there, appears to be a bloke sitting on a bollard, wearing nothing but a strategic leaf (a sycamore, I believe, for all you tree fans out there) and a sock, of which he seems to be extremely proud. Later Googling found that this is indeed “The Sock”, created by the sculptress Shona Kinloch, having been commissioned by Charnwood Borough Council "to provide an attractive feature and focus of public interest". His sock, apparently, is symbolic of Loughborough's hosiery industry, and the rest of the sculpture contains images from the town's history.

And now here’s a big old shot of the Market Place, looking lovely in the Spring sunshine…

… and a closer look at the Town Hall flags.

Further up a little way past the flags and the naked chappie with one sock, we came across The Reel Cinema (see what they did there?), which impressed Cat because (a) it looked like a cinema from fifty years ago, and (b) the names of the films currently showing had obviously been put up there by the highly technical method of a bloke climbing a ladder with some adhesive lettering. In light of (a), lets try looking at the cinema in sepia, shall we?

Yes, that works! JUST like the Fifties!

Just above this time warp, we found Cat’s favourite shop of all. I don’t think I need to tell you anything other than the name of this shop for you to be able to judge its attractiveness and wow factor – yes, its…

The Cheesecake Shop!

Meanwhile, down at the other end of town, this corner seemed to encompass the place – the white building being a combination of a Chinese Medicine Centre and, of all things, a stationers. Next door sits “The Cheese Cottage”, and emporium of a wide variety of said comestible. Past the cheesy vendors and we’re into Church Gate, which leads unsurprisingly to the parish church. But more of that anon, for what is this delightful establishment? Oh yes indeed! Handmade chocolates, and a chocolate café, where you can sit and enjoy all sorts of hot drinks accompanied by chocolates made to order. Mmmmm. But on to the church, which sat very prettily amongst budding trees. In a month or so, when the trees are in leaf, and the cherry and apples amongst them are full of blossom, I’ll bet it will be a lovely sight. As it was, we found a large number of these harbingers of Spring:I’m sure if I tried I could come up with a snappy title all about birth and death, but to be honest with you I just can’t be arsed tonight.

Here’s a summing up:

The delights of Derby

This here be a #wander I took while daughter Cat interviewing Derby University for the post of Educator for the next three years.  After dropping Cat at the college (over on the right there), I parked up and walked into Derby to check the town out.  Oh, hang on – it has a cathedral, so it’s a city. My first impression of Derby was this lovely view of some allotments.

Big-arsed Gate Thingy

The road down into Derby looked as boring as a ledger book, so I struck off down a side street and soon became completely lost. However, I did discover several hidden treasures of Derby’s cultural heritage. First, this big-arsed gate building thingy:No. I’ve no idea what it is. Google it if you’re that bothered. Down past there, and up some worn old steps, were several old abandoned mills. They were beautiful, in a ramshackle, knackered sort of way, and redolent of the textile industry which used to thrive here. Through the shattered windows could be glimpsed hints of how the interior used to look. The graffiti was nothing to write home about, however. A little further on, someone had dumped this: It looked like a work of bloody art to me, but I didn’t have a carrier bag big enough to take it home in, so I left it there to be gathered in by the spring grass which will soon appear.

Wokmania

I was beginning to get my bearings now, and turned right by a lovely old church which had fallen on hard times and been forced into prostitution as a Chinese Buffet. The final insult must have been having to submit to the name Wokmania.

Finally, though, I’d found the town (or rather, city) centre – in the picture below, you can see  Derby Cathedral at the far end of the street, thrusting itself into grey, dismal sky.

All the usual shops you would expect were present and correct – Clinton’s, Smiths, Waterstone’s, Boots etc. etc. et-bloody-cetera. I saw no sign of any independent little shops that might have added a much-needed touch of piquancy.

Rampant Rabbit Thruster Deluxe

My hopes for some interesting retail outlets at last were briefly raised by this place (left), but sadly the very next shop along was just a Poundland. (and what exactly IS ‘Liquid Satin’, which you get free with every Rampant Rabbit Thruster Deluxe? Is it a vital ingredient? And doesn’t the rabbit get scared? I will never know, for I am far too cowardly to ask).

A little further on was a market hall, which was pleasing to the eye with its stripey roofs (rooves?), and globular lighting; but again, there was nothing outstanding or remarkable about the actual stalls therein.

I did see a very pretty Chinese lady with blue hair, mind, but I doubt she’s a permanent fixture.

 

The Halifax Building Society building surprisingly perked me up, featuring as it did several statues that looked about ready to topple over onto the oblivious shoppers below.That’s Florence Nightingale up there, and I’ll bet that if she HAD toppled with murderous intent, the death certificate of her victim would have made interesting reading.

Invisible in Derby

I had discovered by now that I was invisible in this town CITY. People kept walking into me as if I wasn’t there. Actually, it now occurs to me that they may have simply all been overcome with a desire for physical contact with yours truly given my high sexual charisma. Yes, that was probably it.

I did quite like this clock, for its simple, angular Fifties feel. It told the correct time, too.

Finally, I stumbled across this place, which always puts a smile on Cat’s face - 

I bought us a couple of baguettes and Fantas, and returned to fetch Cat.

 

 

 

 

 

In summary