Tag: empty

June 3rd – The weather was atrocious today. It rained solidly for most of the day. Finally hauling myself out in heavy waterproofs late evening, I took a spin round Brownhills and noticed that Laburnum Cottage was now empty. This building, stood prominently on the junction of New Road and High Street, was built in 1871 and has served a variety of purposes, it’s last being as a print shop, which it had been for at least three decades. The long lost – and much missed – local free sheet, ‘The Brownhills Gazette’ was produced here in the late 80s and early 90s by Brian Stringer. 
I note now that the building is empty, with all signage and even the advertising hoarding on the side removed. There’s no planning applications outstanding, so it’s fate remains a mystery. At 141 years old, I hope the building is accorded the respect it deserves in any future use. 

March 9th –  A day off, and an afternoon pottering around Lichfield. I only noticed this one in recent months, it must be normally quite well hidden. Cresting Pipe Hill, over the old crossroads, but not quite at the new island, stands an empty, decaying house. I don’t know who owns it, or why it stands empty, but there’s a notice up pointing out that it’s not for sale or rent. Which, like the houses in Footherley, near Shenstone, is pretty sad. Houses should resonate to the sounds of life – there is nothing sadder than an empty house, particularly in a time when homelessness has increased 14% in one year. The owner should be ashamed.

February 24th – I took plenty of photos in the morning, as it was another wonderful morning – but sadly, I left the camera in the wrong mode and they were all awful. Luckily, I realised my mistake, and returning from Walsall at 7pm, I took some shots of a peculiarly deserted town. This seemed odd to me; when I was a youth, the euphemistically branded ‘nightime economy’ was normally well underway by this time, but it seems not to be the case now. Few were at the bus stands, and few outside the bars and pubs. Bridge Street was deserted, and the town hall looked imperious in the street light. An odd end to an oddly draining week.