As discussed, in previous posts, mostly I pour scorn on the residents of St Albans. The reason - they pay a huge rail fare on good old First Capital Connect - and almost never get a seat at peak commute times.
They also look so dam desperate - when the train pulls up - like hungry seagulls flocking to the doors - fifteen of them - in their grey suites and skirts - all going for the same dirty seat.
Some accept their fate - and try and find a decent place to prop themselves up in the door wells.
Anyway...
I have to admit Harpenden is small - and like most small towns, can be claustrophobic. For instance - if you tire - of gourmet food at Waitrose - or Coffee or nick-knacks - or browsing the windows of real-estate agents... then sometimes you have to go to St Albans - for a cup of tea at Marks n Sparks - and possibly buy some quality leather shoes - made in a Chinese factory (so comfy by the way).
St Albans has some lovely streets - the High Street is not one of those.
It is drab and depressing.... so depressing.
The weekend market - drab - with little of interest - and an odor of moth balls.
Even the Marks n Sparks is run down - in need of a paint - a re-fit.
Has e-commerce inflicted these blows?
Possibly - as the surviving and thriving businesses there - include poundland and their ilk.
So what can be done?
It sounds terrible - but replacing that horrid market with a two land boulevard of trees would be a start I think.
They also look so dam desperate - when the train pulls up - like hungry seagulls flocking to the doors - fifteen of them - in their grey suites and skirts - all going for the same dirty seat.
Some accept their fate - and try and find a decent place to prop themselves up in the door wells.
Anyway...
I have to admit Harpenden is small - and like most small towns, can be claustrophobic. For instance - if you tire - of gourmet food at Waitrose - or Coffee or nick-knacks - or browsing the windows of real-estate agents... then sometimes you have to go to St Albans - for a cup of tea at Marks n Sparks - and possibly buy some quality leather shoes - made in a Chinese factory (so comfy by the way).
St Albans has some lovely streets - the High Street is not one of those.
It is drab and depressing.... so depressing.
The weekend market - drab - with little of interest - and an odor of moth balls.
Even the Marks n Sparks is run down - in need of a paint - a re-fit.
Has e-commerce inflicted these blows?
Possibly - as the surviving and thriving businesses there - include poundland and their ilk.
So what can be done?
It sounds terrible - but replacing that horrid market with a two land boulevard of trees would be a start I think.
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