Tag: night photography

December 21st – At the heart of Brownhills, and its malaise, sits Ravens Court. This privately owned shopping precinct, built in the late 60’s, was never beautiful. Exhibiting all the worst architectural features of the period, combined with shoddy, cheap construction, it focusses the depression and desolation of Brownhills into itself like a black hole. As the number of occupied units tends to zero, the residents of the town await the development that is slated to sweep the majority (but not all, naturally) of it away – a new Tesco superstore, which the retail behemoth may start building in late 2012, if they can be bothered. Meanwhile, the soul of the town I love grows darker by the day. Lets hope Tesco’s architecture and vision are more enduring. Frankly, I’m not optimistic.

December 19th – Monday was a busy day of dashing about in frankly awful weather. It was a horrid day, and the Christmas spirit utterly eluded me. Finally getting on the bike at 8pm, I shot round the wet streets of Walsall Wood for inspiration. It was coming up the Lichfield Road towards the church that I noticed these views; they’re really, really festive, yet there’s little hint of Christmas in them. Despite the downbeat mood and wet weather, I felt much better after spotting these. Tomorrow was going to be better…

December 17th – For the first year in ages, Brownhills actually gained more pubs than it lost in 2011. The Hussey Arms – reopened by Greene King as a family pub – always seems rammed, and is getting good reports, although I’ve yet to visit. The Swan, also revitalised, renovated and reopened, is thankfully doing well, too. A traditional boozer, I had the pleasure of trying this fine pub a few weeks ago. Both are excellent additions to the social life of Brownhills, and I wish them well. Nice to see a full bike rack at The Hussey, too…

December 11th – Shenstone is a great little village at any time, but at night it is particularly remarkable, and at this time of year, somehow festive. I love the lights of the village, and how they highlight it’s mixed bag of architecture. These are two starkly different pubs – The Fox and Hounds, with it’s cosy, snug bar, and the more expansive Railway, with it’s high ceilings and airy atmosphere. The railway is particularly interesting, as during it’s life parts of it have been a chapel and a butchers. An interesting place.

December 11th – A warm, damp evening following a blustery, wet afternoon. The wind had died down, the rain ceased and the temperature had risen by the time I ventured out for a lazy loop of Stonnall and Shentsone. I’ve always been fascinated by the single, rather aged mercury streetlamp that stands sentry on the junction of Footherley and Hollyhill Lanes; it illuminates the fingerpost and is like a beacon to the weary cyclist. Many times I’ve been glad of it’s welcome sight on a cold, dark winter evening.  

December 9th – Newcomers to Walsall often wonder where Karma is. Lots of folk talk about it, but it’s not marked on any map. There’s a reason for this – it’s actually spelt Caldmore. This local linguistic quirk helped nail child killer Raymore Morris, and continues to baffle delivery drivers and visitors alike. The area itself is busy and possesses the air of the inner city. A huge immigrant population – initially afro Caribbean, then asian, now eastern European have settled in areas like this around south Walsall. This has led to a huge variety of shops, busy into the night, selling everything from furniture to felafel to fenugreek. The focus, of course, is on the asian; samosa, shashlik and shami mingle with brightly coloured burfi, gulab jamun and jalebi. On a Friday Night at 6:30pm I stop for indian snacks, smell the aromas of cooking for tomorrows wedding parties and mooch through the Polish delicatessen. I love this place.

December 8th – Walsall Arboretum is the jewel in Walsall’s Victorian crown. The extensive park was created out of former limestone mining land over a century ago, and remains, to this day, a classic example of a municipal park. Neglected somewhat for two decades, it is currently undergoing a lottery-funded restoration which has proven controversial. The gatehouse – classically Victorian in design and execution – is sadly diminished now by being overseer to the hideous traffic junction bearing the park’s name. Still, the handsome tower and clock give the weary cyclist something to admire whilst waiting for the lights to change…

December 8th – Lichfield Street in Walsall is an interesting place. Home of the Town Hall, Library and several elegant, large victorian buildings, this tree-lined, wide street often gives the impression of Cheltenham. Interspersed with the large statement buildings is an interesting variety of old and new; bars, takeaways and shops for the service industry. At night, it’s beautifully atmospheric with the lights from the Arbor Lights bar shining out, glistening of the wet tarmac. Note the ghost sign for Dartmouth Stationers, long ago closed and converted to a chemist.

December 4th – Running from the A5 Watling Street, down through Holland Park, the Black Path is well known to Brownhillians. This lonely byway across the common and heath links Brownhills to it’s satellite area of Newtown, and the popular Brownhills School. At the north end of this path, there used to be a close of grim maisonettes at Deakin Avenue, whose only practical link to the town was this dark, and then unlit, path. Not a journey I’d like to take at night on foot. A lonely, forbidding place.

Decmber 3rd – Brownhills no longer gets a Christmas tree. All that happens in these straitened times is that workmen hang lights of the trees next to Morris, the metal miner on the central island. Morris is lit up in blue at night, which I’ve always thought to be horrid. The tree-lights are also blue and make the whole ensemble look like a cheap decoration. At lest things look a bit more festive up on the High Street.