Worcester umbrellas

Its quite common to see shopping centres and streets decked out with colourful hangings across the summer months. Whether it is lights, pennants, flags, flip flops (yes I've seen those) they all have the same purpose - to brighten up the area and raise the spirits of the buying public. This year Friar Street in Worcester went for umbrellas, a relatively inexpensive and very eye-catching hanging. (Yes I've seen umbrellas before too.)

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

High St and Market House, Ross on Wye

Most UK towns have a "High Street". It is the name that is usually applied to the settlemen's first and principal shopping street. Consequently, as in Ross on Wye, today it may be a relatively smaller street that in later years was replaced or augmented by adjacent streets that could accommodate the increasing number of shops. In Ross on Wye two contiguous, larger streets were developed with shops but the presence of the old Market House (late C17, poss. 1660-1674), an adjacent market space (out of shot to the right), and the continued use of the space under the Market House by market stalls, ensured that the High Street remained one of the focal points of the town. The normally bustling scene is deserted because the shot was taken during the coronavirus "lockdown".

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Old Market, Hereford

The Old Market Hereford is confusingly named. Yes, it was the site of an old market, but it has been completely redeveloped and everything about it shouts "new". Consequently, anyone going along hoping for some traditional atmosphere, history, old-style shops and black and white timber framing, will be disappointed because everywhere is glass, steel, concrete and brick. The owners clearly think the architecture doesn't have sufficient appeal because  a few times a year they change the "mobile" decoration that hangs above the main shopping street. This summer giant flip-flops greeted the visitor.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100