January is nearly through and I saw my first snowdrop of the year poking through in my front garden on Sunday and the days are getting a tad longer, which is nice.
So what’s new ? Paid a visit to Pearson Park on Saturday morning with my youngest grand daughter, it is place we did enjoy visiting. The last time we went was some time ago before the refurbishments and I vowed never to take her again because I didn’t think it was a safe place for a 5 year old girl.
That was because of the number of strays and vagrants hanging around, drinking alcohol, urinating in bushes and into the pond, shouting, swearing and fighting amongst themselves. It wasn’t a nice place to be. She was oblivious to it all but I wasn’t.
But I’d heard and read good things about the park and decided it was time to give it a second chance. It was a beautiful bright sunny winters morning but cold of course and the park looked splendid. The pond with the new bridge and the lovely fountains, and the bandstand looked outstanding, clean, tidy and well kept. I spoke to a couple of regular old timers that I recognised enjoying a coffee outside the cafe and we all commented how grand the park looked and hoped it stayed that way. They told me there was a bit of vandalism the night before and a fence had been ripped down plus some wheelie bins had been set on fire, which isn’t good to hear. I do hope people look after Pearson Park because it would be tragic if it was allowed to deteriorate again after so much much work and money has been spent on it. It’s on our doorstep and we are very lucky to have it and, thankfully, there are people who do care and look after it.
I was delivering down Victoria Avenue this week and see that the road has been resurfaced, all very nice, but was it really necessary to re paint so many double yellow lines down there when everyone knows that car parking spaces were already at a premium ? I was expecting to see a new cycle lane squeezed in somewhere as Victoria Avenue is part of the new cycle lane from Hull to Cottingham. Instead they have painted cycle signs down the middle of the road so I assume the ‘new’ cycle lane will be down the middle of the road ? At the Cottingham end, opposite West Bulls, they have simply dug up the pavement and replaced it with a cycle lane, which lasts for about 200 yards then it is filtered across the road against oncoming traffic to join the, erm, road.
I was disappointed this week to find my favourite bakery, Kalpaly ? The Polish one on Chants closed, I do hope it isn’t closing down but the signs are not good. They haven’t been open a full trading year yet and personally I thought their produce was excellent and used them at least four times a week. I never ever saw anyone else in the shop though. I saw similar signs before the equally excellent, ( in my opinion) Italian bakery across the road closed down a couple of years ago. I always say use them or lose them.
Had a couple of reviews sent to me recently. One for the Thai House in Beverley. Packed out on a Saturday night in January, both floors apparently, with people queuing for take away too. Beautifully presented food, tasty, fresh and plenty of it. The service was exceptional too. Starters, mains, lovely bottle of merlot, beers and a couple of gins for four adults, just over £130. Very reasonable.
Then Hotham Arms for Sunday lunch. This must be one of the best Sunday lunches and settings, if you like old fashioned quality pubs, logs fires etc, in the area. Absolutely first class. Sunday lunch with all the trimmings £16 and hand pulled ales too. What’s not to like ? Recommend the traditional roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, melt in your mouth, a real treat and a place you could never tire of visiting.
Another one, West Bulls, Breakfast buffet. You pay for your coffee extra and mushrooms, oddly are also extra but it you have the lot, coffee, mushrooms and breakfast from the serve your self buffet it will cost you just under £9. Guy in front of me put six fried eggs on his plate ! It’s worth the price just to sit and watch how much some people can pile on their plates without dropping it all. Cheap and cheerful, I’ve had better but at this price you cannot complain at all.
And that’s it folks besides the old Bank remaining sold but closed so all the rumours of cafe bars, pile it high shops, dog grooming and mosques have not materialised. We will just have to wait and see.