The white elephant

This is K Village, Kendal's white elephant.

Once upon a time, K Village was a thriving retail outlet, that was host to what seemed to be a continuous stream of coach parties, desperate for cheap shoes, shirts and crockery. A few years ago it was redeveloped at a (reported) cost of one hundred million pounds, a figure about which I am a bit dubious. That said, watching the work being done, it can't have cost much less.

There is a Costa at K Village, accessed from the outside, which is on the banks of the river Kent. It's typically rather quiet and I like going there. Recently, it's been sunny, and I've been able to sit outside by the river, which has been blissful, my happiness marred only by my lack of sunglasses.

This photo is typical of the interior in that it is deserted. Walking along this corridor, from the car park to the door leading outside and so to Costa, I peer in the shops to see the staff bored by their tills. In many respects, I find it a fitting testament to capitalism and the bizarre doctrine that says economies must keep growing.