A DAY IN YORKSHIRE WHAT FUN

 An unplanned extra at the end of our film season, perhaps there could be another tomorrow if the light is suitable. Anyway I got up really early about 5.30 and after a cuppa for Mandy and myself set off to get past Leeds before the morning rush hour. Arrived in Pontefract quite swiftly and looked for somewhere to park, there are very few places in the centre, really just the hospital and a steep walk back up to the town centre. Actually I found Morrisons who had a car park which was free as their machines were broken, I thought I'd hang around until the cafe opened at 8am and then thought I'd get some Christmas chocolates , the tills were all shut so used the serve yourself only they didn't work, tried three of the blighters then noticed a till at a tobacco kiosk was open, went over and got a gob full from the woman at the till on my mis use of the auto check out, my fault they didn't work??? Then another dressed as an ugly sister joined in the fun and boosted the Morrisons versus Dave front and a customer joined in very loudly, strangest bit of shopping I'll ever get, abandoned it plus moved the car and brushed the dust of that wretched chain from my shoes and parked as I originally planned by the hospital. We had hell with Morrisons when they lost a planning application for a distribution centre between us and Northwich, it went to a public enquiry we won but they did the brown envelope job and it got built, for readers in China beware, that is the reality of democracy, if you are still unimpressed look at the USA.

There was no rush hour in Pontefract, there is nobody at work who would need to rush anywhere and the ashen white faces peeping out from their rages are probably incapable of work, lots of non UK people about who were trying to get to work, licorice picking season perhaps, all those Pontefract cakes to make. So struggled a bit on the bus front, really thin on the ground, eventually gave up and moved to the bright lights of Castleford which is only about 15mins away, yes you have guessed it - another dump but in the major league, most shops shut including Poundlands and pawnbrokers. I did well at the bus station, even had a few waves from drivers, a few mind you they give nothing away free in Yorkshire. Had one very rude younger person in a car pass, he'd been shouting up the road for a couple of minutes while I was waiting for a bus to move off round the lights, charming welcoming folk. Yorkshire with Scotland are my two all time worst places in the UK other than Loughborough when is the one in the premier league.

always a warm welcome in Castleford

Here are a few of the closed shops, didn't have enough memory stick for all of them

The redeeming facet of Castleford is the Mill Tea Shop which is almost the last place open and the only cafe I've ever found

Note cake plate empty! Nice view at the back of the mill on the river

 This is our road  the builders of the new estate continue to ignore planning conditions and the council say they haven't the money to take them to court, more brown envelopes I think. They should be using an entrance to the main A road, not work after 5pm not weekends, not parking on our road, not using heavy plant on our road, not making our road a mud bath - money speaks.

Plenty of bus shots tomorrow I'm off to the studio to start todays film , ok here is a taster!