Me and MrsBeautiful had a day off and
we drove out to a little coastal town in Kent called Hythe.
This is not a tour guide, it is a reflection on my knotted up feelings.
We hit the high street.
A lovely narrow street of pretty small shops.
It had smatterings of real English traditional/historic features.
After all it has been there for a long time.
Mixed in with features which warmed the heart was
new style cheap fronted shops.
A bit like seeing a sheet of yellow formica
alongside a solid old oak door!
TAT would be another word.
We had the charity shops like so many other high streets.
And so sad to see closed down shops but
they still retain a Boots and even a WH Smith's.
I felt it was running down.
I felt sad.
Mrs Beautiful had searched the web and found a little cafe.
Maybe a place to have a light lunch.
We went in and had a coffee.
A lovely little environment
personalised with a lot of effort.
Colourful, warm hearted staff,
small and intimate like my favourite local and London cafes.
There was no one in - other than the two of us.
I felt so sad and it has stayed with me.
Did you feel that?
(Are you feeling my feeling?
or just reading the words?)
I had and still have deep feelings about the experience.
Feeling deeply sad about a cafe
and a High Street.!
I feel we are losing our High Streets nationwide.
I am not a Luddite.
Time moves on but .......... if we
yes 'we'
don't support our local independent shops
we will lose those friendly town centre streets.
Chains are taking over and we feed them.
I am passionate about supporting the independents.
I pay more for my milk at the local 7-11 than the local Tesco.
I want to do that on principle.
Yet I know that it needs us not some isolated quiet individuals.
We individually need to consider what to do.
Not unthinkingly go for the McDonalds or the Tesco
because of .....................
maybe cost and/or convenience.
I think in most big cities having a choice is harder.
Already the little shops have closed and
only chains exist within reach.
I am sharing feelings here
passions.
I am not even asking you to 'consider'
(but I hope you will)
I still feel sad.
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What do you feel?
What do you think?
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