Bum M(D)G

The thing that drew me to this photo, was not especially the beautiful old car (though of course it is totally wonderful), but more the delightfully tame and innocent graffiti insult of 'Bum' daubed alongside it. I realise this is probably just an unwitting 'tag', but I love it so much anyway for that.

The almost-but-not-quite ironic letters of the separate MDG tag didn't click until I checked-out the MG Roadster's badge and cross-referencing it via Google, found the actual same car from the registration plate number. This car it seems is a MG TF-1500 Midget, and dates from 1955. It was sold recently for £21,000, after having been owned by just one family. At less than a tenth of the cost, give me this over that obscene McLaren MP12 4C from last weeks blip any day.

I only spotted the car as I was doing a quick site investigation, linked to an arts project for a local Social Enterprise based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. It was parked-up opposite to where I pulled up in the community centre carpark of the North Staffordshire Afro-Caribbean Association (with the wonderfully bad acronym NORSACA).

Rather shamefully, I had only parked there to jot down details off their sign of their public 'Eat-in Caribbean Meals' every Wednesday and Friday. (Note to self: All future meetings to be planned to coincide with those days).

The outside of the NORSACA building, like a lot of Stoke's urban fabric, looked a bit tired and neglected. Like The Potteries and it's people generally though, I am sure there will be real character and warmth to be found just under the surface, (and I don't just mean from the Scotch Bonnet chillies either!)

Watch this space.