My first visit to Nottingham since lockdown last year.
First of September, first day of Autumn.
Awaiting train, many on the platform at Lincoln Central, two-coach train busy, many more passengers than usual mid-week for Nottingham.
Idiots not wearing face masks.
After Newark, complete overkill, three staff walking through a two-coach train checking tickets.
Big changes in Nottingham.
Massive student block erected next to Hopkinsons, the other side, a massive hole.
Why oh why have Hopkinsons defaced their building with a electronic display sign?
Rental yellow peril e-scooters dotted around. Not yet the problem of Athens or Oxford with rental cycles. A few idiots whizzing around on.
Before half-demolished Broadmarsh, anther massive building, a broad pedestrianised walk is being created.
Walking through the half demolished Broadmarsh Intu shopping centre, emerge the other side, retail desolation, everything closed or closing down.
Not many people about, usually busy.
Walk past Cartwheel Coffee, very sad to see the cobbler Loakes shoes has closed. Thea Caffea has taken over the empty tea shop at the back. Erected ghastly garish A-boards in the street, out of keeping with the building, believed to be a listed building. I take a look, plastic flowers as walk in sums up the tackiness. For good measure, a tacky ugly sign hiding the name of the building. If this is a listed building, why no Enforcement action?
I was not going to, but stay at Cartwheel Coffee, sit outside with a cappuccino.
Further up the street, a florist in the street.
I notice a side street yet more retail desolation.
Cubed, a new coffee shop and barber shop. I ask of the coffee, 200 Degrees, worse still, their poor quality Brazilian blend bulked out with cheap crap Robusta from Vietnam. I ask the girl outside smoking, never a good sign, the coffee machine. She had told me she was the barista. She does not know. No, you cannot look inside if do not want a coffee.
Paste, excellent Thai restaurant closed, no longer open lunchtime.
Eat at The Ugly Bread Bakery. Excellent lunch. Packed inside, I decided to eat outside, then outside no free tables, but a table free inside.
Stop at Kilgali, was Outpost Coffee, to ask when open until. I think they said five, maybe six. Great, time to visit Luisa.
Pass by Yolk, new coffee shop last year, has already closed. I am not surprised, nice coffee shop, but the coffee was not good.
No Luisa. Closed for the day.
I head to the craft beer brewery. Sorry we are brewers, cannot sell you any cans.
Head back to Kigali. Outpost Coffee was an excellent coffee shop, and yet Kigali have managed to improve upon. No mean feat. Guest coffee, coffee mugs and Standart on sale. I sit outside with an excellent cappuccino.
I leave with a copy of Standart.
Pass by another new coffee shop Braze next to Ugly Bread Bakery. Yet again, 200 Degrees, at least their guest not their house blend. But even so, what is the point of opening a coffee shop and buying low quality coffee? We are spoilt for choice. On the other hand reputable coffee roasteries are choosy who they supply coffee to. But worse still, why open an independent coffee shop then buy coffee from a chain? 200 Degrees is a chain serving mediocre coffee.
Look in Cobden Chambers. How to ruin a lovely courtyard. Covered seating for a bar.
Ideas on Paper not open. Sad, as was an excellent shop. Not opened since closed beginning of pandemic last year.
Head to The Specialty Coffee Shop. Changes to the interior, three staff. I have time for an espresso.
Head to the station.
Packed train, though not as packed as pre-pandemic. Had I caught the next train it would have been bad. Not acceptable only two-coach train.
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