The High Street

You see them on the television all the time - the sad remains of our town's High Streets.  I chose to walk down our High Street here in Southend today.  I had a compensatory cheque for £75 from UK Power Networks for the inconvenience of the generator sited on our forecourt for almost 3 weeks.  I now have to travel into town to pay it in to my account.  As there was hardly anybody about it was possible to see the full dismal result of the lockdown on what was an already failing  town's shopping centre.  What a really sad sight.  I couldn't capture the full view of shop after shop boarded up but this one was a well known independent and prestigious jewellers  R. A. Jones who termed itself "The County Jewellers".  They have long gone and I cannot even remember what ghastly outlets have made use of these prestigious premises.  To walk into R.A. Jones back in the 50's was a special event - I remember its thick carpets and sparkling glass display cabinets.  Sad.