“This is the worst cup of coffee I’ve ever had ” I say to my friend as we sit in the Watergate street Costa. When I arrived I felt optimistic, the staff were polishing the mirrors like the into scene of a coffee themed musical, ready to burst into song.
The cappuccino has minimal froth and the main drink tastes muddy and sour. Maybe it was the first one out of the machine, unless its a new vile tasting blend. Wasn’t even given a receipt so I can’t even fill in one of those feedback forms which are all the rage these days. The turkey toastie is delicious however and the staff are really nice. After the reunion with my friend I step out into the street, the cobbles still slick with rain.
An amped up busker creates a discordant atmosphere at The Cross, the vocals sounding unnatural like they have been beamed in from another place. Performers from Chester Gang Show are spreading early Christmas cheer on Eastgate street as the city centre fills up rapidly. All these people who spend all their time moaning about how much busy the city was in the 19 hundred and whatevers, who probably never look up from their iPads. Try walking through the Christmas market on a Saturday afternoon lol. Owen Owen and “real shops”.
I pass the new Salthouse Tapas, looking like its always been there, and head into the Grosvenor Shopping Centre. The centre is holding a special event to tie in with the release of “Wicked”. I have never seen the film but a pic of the green faced witch makes good content. Passing the expectant queue outside the BID’s Santa grotto I move to the main atrium in search of the woman in black.
She’s not there so I visit the recently opened American Candy store. A bar of Dubai themed chocolate (60g) costs a huge 6.99 so after skipping all the vile Hershey’s bars I select a Dunkin donuts jelly filled product for £2- I need some change to donate at the Castle’s Christmas event.
I think back to when the Costa was in that middle space, surrounded by big retailers, Browns, Top Shop, H&M. Now the central area is used for various events and activities as expectation and excitement builds about a new tenant for Browns. I have a browse of Calendar Club- the Daniel O’Donnell diary will delight many people on Christmas day. Yes, thinking back to the pre internet days when there was MVC for browsing DVDs- an early adopter of the dual pricing system where members got cheaper prices, which I now hate when Tesco and Morrisons do it. Back to the present and the Witch eventually arrives , seconds later after taking the photograph I’m on my way.
Towards the castle. I pause to take a reference photo of the latest Lego model I have been asked to build. I’m happy that on this occasion the business owners have offered to fund the bricks. There’s a few models I’ve built all entirely out of my own pocket that haven’t even warranted a share or a comment. So that’s nice instead of being constantly expected to do things for free, whilst others take their share of the Chester pound. We can all have a bad mood from time can’t we.
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” mumbles the attendant as he checks a car into the mainly full car park.
English Heritage who have been opening the Castle on weekends throughout the year with volunteers and historical reenactors, are holding a special event to close the season. The castle was originally built by William the Conquer in 1070 but has been largely unloved and abandoned for decades. I remember going to the Castle in the 1990s and thinking what a cool site it was. For many years the gates were locked and only open for special tours, but the recent run of events and activity leaves me hopeful that in the future it will meet its potential, and the buildings will be used again. At the entrance gate I am greeted by a soldier from the Great War.
Inside, the Castle is very busy. Imagine how a few million could transform this place and make it a top tier tourist attraction, a grand museum with walls looking out across the city. “I’ve lived her all my life and I’ve never been in here!” says an old friend I bump into. The courtyard has stalls, refreshments and a display of arms and armour for children to try on. A medieval band are walking the walls and evoking times long gone by. The WW1 soldiers are displaying their kit bags and weapons including a primitive grenade. A machine gun sits next to flags and shields from other time periods including 17th century Cestrians. It’s a brilliant effort from English Heritage and everyone involved, and there is a steady flow of visitors. The cells, dating from 1878 have been repurposed as a second hand book shop.
In the courtyard, Santa says hello to me like I’m an old friend.
The 12th century Agricola tower complete with its fragments of wall paintings which date back to around 1240 is the next stop. Climbing the winding steps I pause at the office of medieval doctor Godfrey Garland, played by volunteer Mike Graham. “Hello, good to see you!” he says “You took a picture of me at the 12 days of Christmas parade!” . In his atmospheric surgery, he attends to a young boy, diagnosing him with “tooth worm” . Up to the top of the tower…
“I know Chester so well but it really changes your perception up here” says one visitor. You can see most of the city skyline, the river and over to Wales. I bet that 90% of Cestrians have not been up here, but it gives a great idea of how the city links together- in a similar vein to the Cathedral at Height experience. The different types of architecture seem to blend into each other from high up. It’s peaceful up here, all the worries of the world temporarily blocked or made smaller, a mini traffic jam slowly flowing. I send a tweet to English Heritage knowing that they won’t interact because of the name of the account, but the good intention is there.
Leaving the Castle I notice someone who removed me on facebook so I have to make an alternative exit to avoid the awkwardness. Luckily the back door is open and I travel down the sally port steps and exit next to the river. I walk through the Groves admiring the Christmas window art in The Moorings, and then into the Park. Standing looking over at the overgrown vegatation which has taken over the pond, i remember how it looked in my youth, a pleasant paved area surrounding it with benches and flowers. Now it just looks like a wilderness , a misstep in the regeneration of the Park. But then Santa passes me again, on a sleigh attached to the back of the mini train and things are ok.
I walk home via Waitrose to buy a tin of Turkey gravy, hoping that there’s nobody in there I’ll have to avoid.
The Chester blog 