I took an unusual pic of Glasgow’s Spitfire – then there was a coincidence!

Time for yet another spooky coincidence – they really do follow me around.

During one of my recent visits to Kelvingrove, I happened to look up as I walked through the gallery where Glasgow’s Spitfire (LA198) hangs from the roof. Like most, I probably spend more time looking at this exhibit from the upper gallery, where you are closer to, and looking down on the aircraft from slightly above.

It’s possibly a little less noticeable from the gallery below, as the colouring of its underside tends to blend with the roof space, I think.

But I noticed it this time, mainly because you get a better feel for just how close the fit of the wingspan is within the width of the gallery – it would not have taken a lot to make it just to wide to fit, and they’d have to have modelled it after version with the chopped wing tips! There really was such a mod, which altered the handling and stability.

The view from below is interesting, as the aircraft is posed with its undercarriage lowered.

I find there’s always a slightly disconcerting aspect to such views, from below – in war, if you were ‘the enemy’ and saw that view, you were in the wrong place. That thought first occurred to me at the opening of Cumbernauld Airport, marked by the arrival of a Harrier, which we were able to watch during its whole approach run, For some reason, as I watched it, I started thinking “If this approach was for real, I’d be dead soon, and probably couldn’t do anything about it, not against a Harrier”.

Forget that.

I took this shot specifically to catch that wing tip clearance.

It’s not really that close, but it’s still close.

Spitfire Wing tip clearance

So, where’s the coincidence?

Easy.

I’ve gone back to having an automatic link to new Atlas Obscura entries, and just after I took this pic, what was featured in the atlas?

Yup…

Glasgow’s Spitfire (LA198)

And, if you check the link, you’ll find they have some pics from below too!

I deliberately avoided the frontal view (for the reason given above), but they got a really good one.

I think I may have to go back and recreate that one soon.

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Purrple Cat Cafe sign – (problems!)

I did say I would arrange to take pics of the sign over the door of the Purrple Cat Cafe when it got dark, and I did.

But I didn’t anticipate the problems it would bring.

I make no apologies for having processed the image below within an inch (2.54 cm) of its life.

Purrple Cat Cafe Sign Lit

In reality, it comes out GREEN!

Having seen it in the half-light for so long, I just didn’t think of the combined effect of a dark night, a white sign, and purple background illumination.

Plus, the amazing human eye hides all those effects, and you see it as a white sign with purple highlights – then you get home, and the shock sets in when you review your catches.

I don’t know if a stand-alone shot can be tweaked, or photographed in full manual (or RAW) to stop the camera from being confused. Even processing such a shot might prove impractical, and take way too much time.

I might try this if there again under similar circumstances.

This wider shot better shows the appearance of this sign, balanced by surroundings.

Purrple Cat Cafe Night

There’s another (brighter) sign to the left, but I didn’t even try for that one.

Such signs burn out to peak white, unless you are prepared to play with compensation, or just go manual (or trick the auto).

Creepy neighbour wants in (or out)

Actually one of Glasgow’s lesser known murals, the girl trapped in the derelict shop next door looks as if she wants to leave her ‘home’ and visit the cat cafe.

Creepy Cat Cafe Neighbour

Another view shows the occasional crowd that can gather at the window if any of the resident cats decide it’s nap time, settles down there, and get noticed by a passer-by.

A crowd gathers

James Watt’s stone on Glasgow Green

I thought I had teased with a reference to James Watt’s stone on Glasgow Green recently, when I made a couple of posts about his statue on Glasgow Green near the People’s Palace.

Sad to say I wasn’t bright enough to do that, and I think the hint was one dropped in private, during and email exchange (sorry, it would have been a nice teaser).

The stone in question was planted on Glasgow Green some years ago, during one of the refurbishments (it’s glaringly NOT true to say Glasgow District Council neglects the heritage in its charge, but never let truth or facts get in the way of any opportunity for politically motivated slander), so is a relatively modern feature, added to commemorate the tale of Watt’s moment of inspiration while walking on the Green.

Glasgow Green James Watt’s Stone

Wandering a little closer, we can see it has an inscription detailing the tale of his thinking process.

Glasgow Green James Watt’s Stone Text

I think it’s readable, but I thought I’d do a ‘corrected’ view, just because I could.

Glasgow Green James Watt’s Stone Text Corrected

Hill House will not be the only house ‘under glass’

I’ve already written a few posts about plans to save Mackntosh’s Hill House in Helensburgh from further decay thanks to Scotland’s assorted weather extremes, by enclosing it in a transparent box. This will prevent the rain getting at it, but allow the air to pass around it to help dry it out, and stop the water trapped by the materials from causing further damage, then allow rectification.

However, the idea of enclosing a house in this way is not, it seems, entirely new.

After losing touch with the excellent Atlas Obscura web site, I recently managed to get the link working again, and set up to deliver itself to me regularly. I’m amazed at how it keeps getting (so many) interesting places added, and the fact that Scotland appears rather more often than I would have expected. Beware! This is a web site you can lose a lot of time looking at, if you let yourself be diverted.

Almost as soon as I got back to it, the house of a former Argentinian president (Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Argentina’s seventh president) popped up, because it stands protected within a large glass case. Sound familiar?

Sarmiento lived with his family in this house after his tenure as president, from 1855 until he died in 1888. He chose a quiet abode in Tigre, a city within the delta around the La Plata River. Trees he planted still stand around the property, and the house still holds some of its original furniture. The building, which became a National Historic Monument in 1966, now functions as a museum.

Sarmiento House – Tigre Partido, Argentina

Sarmiento House Museum – Niels Mickers (CC by 2.0)

Mackintosh Building S27

Nice to see a robust defence from the board of the Glasgow School of Art, as it finally breaks it virtual silence in the face of nothing but days/weeks of negative comments and a lack of support that has verged on a witch-hunt, following the fires that struck the Mackintosh Building.

I sometimes wonder of those making such accusations and claims ever listen to themselves – I doubt it.

I have little time for those who exercise perfect 20/20 hindsight.

Regrettably, fires happen, despite best efforts.

If they didn’t, we wouldn’t have fire and emergency on constant standby.

The board of Glasgow School of Art has hit back at claims it failed to look after the A-listed Mackintosh building.

A submission to a parliamentary inquiry strongly defended its record following two devastating fires in four years.

In documents released ahead of an evidence session in parliament on Thursday, bosses denied claims of “systemic management failure”.

They said the school was “robust and well-managed” and fit and able to oversee repair of the iconic building.

MSPs on the culture committee have heard from architects and other experts but this is the first time those in charge of the art school have had their say.

Glasgow School of Art bosses hit back at fire criticism

There’s no honour, or demonstration of great intelligence (but maybe of a lack of that commodity)in the statement:

One Mackintosh expert described the Mack building as a “fire-trap waiting to happen” while another former employee said everyone knew the building was a risk.

Those ‘experts’ and ’employees’ would have been worth having if they’d done something useful, rather than stating the obvious.

As it is, they’re no better than the type of person who sniffs and says ‘Told you so’ when something happens.

The board gave a detailed response:

Detailed response

The board said it wanted to replace speculation with a factual position, and responded to a number of criticisms.

• On claims there was a lack of transparency, the board said “there has been no intention to exclude people who want to know what has happened or what happens next”. It said a website was dedicated to putting out information following June’s fire, but accepted it was “not entirely successful in communicating with the public in the immediate aftermath”.
• A temporary fire suppression system was not installed after the 2014 fire because there was no system “suitable for a building of the scale and complexity of the Mackintosh Building that could have been installed during the construction period”.
• The school’s monetising of the Mackintosh building was limited in scope, and revenue amounted to no more than about £60,000 from tours of the building and the sale of merchandise.
• On claims it failed to engage with experts, the board said it put in place an expert panel so that its design team could have access to the right advice when required. These experts have been called upon to provide advice to other institutions following major disasters including the National Museum of Brazil.
• The board said events hosted within the building after the 2014 fire followed stringent procedures agreed with the contractors. About half a dozen events were held over the four years since the 2014 fire. “Safety of visitors and operatives and efficient site operations remained the absolute priorities at all times,” it said.
• It rejected the idea of rebuilding the Mackintosh as a museum. “To strip it of its primary function and consign it to the status of a visitor attraction, would be to strip life and purpose from the building… converting the Mackintosh Building to a museum would not be an expression of responsible custodianship, it would be a piece of sabotage against our built heritage and a failure of our duty to future generations.”
• In other submission papers, the board said the art school’s fire prevention plans had been worked up over many years. It stated: “It was suggested at the hearing on 20 September 2018 that ‘the failure was systemic and that there was a misjudged attitude to risk for such a hazardous and iconic building.’

“It is understood that none of the witnesses are experts in this area. We strongly rebut that allegation.

“We have always taken fire precautions seriously across our whole estate.

“Our decision to commission a water mist fire suppression system to enhance the protection of the Mackintosh building, and the installation of sprinkler systems within the Reid and Stow buildings demonstrates our approach.”

Elsewhere, the board said the decision on whether a public inquiry was necessary was a matter for the Scottish government.

Call for Trust to handle restoration

I had to look twice, since there have been so many nonsensical suggestions made in the wake of the Mackintosh Building fire, I read most of them “At arm’s length” lest they damage my brain,

But it really was something sensible, with calls for a trust to be set up to handle the restoration, leaving the Glasgow School of Art’s board to get on with the business of the school.

Will it happen?

Will someone screw it up?

We can only wait and see what develops.

The former director of Glasgow School of Art says a trust should be set up to restore the Mackintosh building.

Prof Tom Inns said such a move would leave the board of governors free to run the world renowned school.

In a submission statement to the culture committee, Prof Inns said the rebuild after the 2014 fire took up a large part of his working week.

…

He backed the suggestion of former GSA director Prof Tony Jones that a separate body should oversee the rebuild.

Prof Inns wrote: “Establishing such a trust would allow the board of governors and management team of Glasgow School of Art to focus on the task of running one of the world’s top art schools, leaving trustees of an independent trust and its executive team the challenge of what will be one of Scotland’s biggest heritage projects over the next 5 – 7 years.

“A Mackintosh Building Trust could be for the benefit of Glasgow School of Art but also for the benefit of others.

“Some form of Mackintosh Building Trust could be a game-changer for the development of Glasgow and the Sauchiehall Street area, boldly opening up access to creativity and the Mackintosh legacy within Glasgow.”

Prof Inns noted a similar approach had been taken in Dundee with the development of the £90m V&A museum.

It was developed in close collaboration between the Universities in Dundee, Dundee City Council, the Scottish Government and other partners.

Prof Inns added: “The V&A in Dundee is a museum dedicated to design, the Mackintosh Building should not be a museum but could be a centre of creative education for Glasgow School of Art and the City of Glasgow dedicated to all forms of creative practice and the celebration of Mackintosh’s genius.”

Ex-director backs call for Mackintosh restoration trust

That last add-on actually echoes one of my own thoughts regarding the city’s treatment of Mackintosh, which seems to lack a central resource dedicated to someone who has eventually become one of our icons.

While I would not be so ignorant or critical to say there is no facility dedicated to his work, what we have is spread fairly thinly in a number of places. While each may provide SOME of the story, I don’t think any one of them stands alone as a place where someone could find comprehensive coverage of Mackintosh’s work. They’re all quite nice in their own right, but not integrated.

As an aside, that observation is not reserved exclusively for Mackintosh. I could easily level the same criticism about our treatment of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, who has even less recognition and places dedicated to his work.

In recent years, I’ve been surprised after a little digging into these architectural greats, finding more examples of their work remain virtually hidden and unknown around Glasgow, unless you are dedicated to finding them.

Interesting response to trust proposal

I’m pretty sure I’m considered a ‘Yes Man (sorry, ‘person’) as regards the Art School Board, and I’m probably wasting my time be responding ‘Not so’. I just think we need level heads to move forward, not knee-jerk reactions and witch-hunts. If there is genuine blame to be apportioned, then let that follow from any proper reports into the fire, and their findings, otherwise – Give it a rest!

That said, I’m a little surprised to the response regarding a trust be formed to look after any rebuild/restoration, to leave the board free to run the Art School.

Earlier this week former GSA director Prof Tom Inns said a trust should be set up to restore the Mackintosh building.

In a written submission to the committee he said such a move would leave the board of governors free to run the world renowned school.

But Ms Gray claimed this was a “minority” viewpoint and stressed the board was capable of managing both the day-to-day running of the school and the restoration project.

On the other hand, I know how I’d feel if the task of restoring something I really cared about was taken out of my hand, so I can see both sides of this story.

The main theme of the article this was mentioned in was a statement by the Art School Board that it has failed to communicate.

During her evidence Ms Gray told the committee the circumstances surrounding the latest fire and the 2014 blaze were not comparable.

The broadcaster noted the first occurred during the day while the school was operational while the most recent broke out at night in a building that was still under construction.

Culture committee convenor Joan McAlpine asked Ms Gray if she had any regrets.

She replied: “We take full responsibility, at all times, for what happens at the GSA. Absolutely. One hundred per cent.

“Yes I have massive regrets that we have suffered two major disasters.

“In fact, I would say more than regretful, it has broken my heart.”

Ms Gray claimed the board had audited itself as rigorously as the committee and was “very self critical”.

But she added: “I do regret not having engaged more fully, and sooner, with the local community.

“I really do because that was, actually, a communications mistake.

“It was not intentional but the perception they had is valid.”

Art school admits ‘poor communications’ after Mack fire

Another article touched on the same subject, but, unfortunately let a politician speak, and make a grab for popularity (and votes) with the locals.

MSPs urged GSA chiefs to listen to the views of members of the community, having admitted that initial communication was poor.

Ms Gray said: “I really can’t tell you the kind of suffering that some of the residents have explained and we are massively sympathetic to that.”

Scottish Labour MSP Pauline McLean said: “I think you are deluding yourselves if you think that you have a good relationship with this community.

“If you want to rebuild your relationship with this community, you really need to start telling immediately what your plans are.”

The same article then made a fairly ‘throwaway’ comment, suggesting that preventative measures from a 2006 report were not effectively implemented.

This may be great for ‘points scoring’, but is just opportunistic ‘fluff’, and not presented with any evidence, so really falls into little more than the class of ‘Kicking someone when they are down’.

It’s clearly next to impossible to refute such a claim, but you can make yourself look ‘good’ if you raise it.

MSPs raised concerns that a number of preventative measures were not effectively implemented.

Committee convener Joan McAlpine referenced a federal report into fire safety at the GSA, published in 2006, which highlighted six areas that were deemed to present either a medium or high risk.

The issues were: Likelihood of a fire occurring in the building (medium to high risk); potential for fire to remain undetected (medium to high risk); potential for fire to grow/spread beyond item first ignited (high risk); potential for fire to grow beyond room of origin (high risk); hazard posed by fire (high risk); consequences in the event of the fire spreading (high).

No regrets over decisions taken before Mackintosh fire, say art school bosses

One article specifically mentioned the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s review – not yet completed or published.

Today, Muriel Gray said: “The GSA welcomed the opportunity to come to the committee meeting this morning so as to address the rumours, supposition and speculation that have been circulating since June 15 by sharing the facts with members.

“We submitted detailed paperwork to the committee in advance of the meeting to help answer questions around the restoration including issues of safety and access, and to clarify both the possession of the site at the time of the fire (Kier Scotland Ltd) and the GSA’s oversight of the restoration.

“In particular we were pleased to be able to tackle head on the allegation that there is a causal link between our corporate governance and the occurrence of the second fire when the cause of that fire is not yet known.

“Like everyone we are waiting patiently for the outcome of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s thorough review of the fire, and once it is published we will consider the findings carefully.”

It also included this clarification.

Committee convener Joan McAlpine MSP said: “The role of this committee is not to establish the cause of the fire, but to explore whether poor decision making or flawed processes contributed to the loss of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s masterpiece.
Read More

Road closures ahead this weekend for Christmas Lights Switch On at George Square

“We have already gathered evidence from former employees, independent experts and local community leaders who have been critical of the art school management.

“We had an evidence session with the school’s architects and main contractor, which raised further questions about fire prevention and containment.

“We will put all these points to Glasgow School of Art management and board and will consider their response carefully.”

Glasgow School of Art issue statement ‘addressing rumours’ over second fire

By all means, bring out your stocks and rotting vegetables – but NOT BEFORE the independent evidence and reports are in, and they show such things are justified.

 

Mackintosh Building Scott Street Scaffolding

A ‘Sir Billy Connolly’ coincidence

It’s not my imagination, spooky coincidences DO follow me around.

Last time, there was a Billy Connolly show in this gallery, I was there (not at the gallery, just on the spot).

This week, he was in the news again, basically announcing the end of his tours, as he has Parkinson’s (and Sir Billy Connolly was in Glasgow to launch his new art exhibition ‘Born On A Rainy Day’ which is running until the end of November at Castle Fine Art on Queen Street).

So, I got the chance to take another pic, or two.

That portrait is still there.

Queen Street Sir Billy Connolly

And his exhibition.

Castle Fine Art Billy Connolly On A Rainy Day

And the window.

I have to say his work falls into the ‘Not my cup of tea’ category, but that’s just me, it does seem to have some good reviews, and has a style I can see some people would like.

Billy Connolly Art Show

The Reward Of Cruelty at The Hunterian (Updated)

After the previous post about the creepy benches at Glasgow University, I had to include a pic grabbed at the exhibition I mentioned in that post, William Hunter and the Anatomy of the Modern Museum (in the Hunterian Art Gallery until the January 2019).

I’ve included the text from the work.

I should be able to give more details, sadly I can’t.

The exhibits had no plaques. Instead, they were all numbered and visitors could collect a free printed guide-book which contained the details of each exhibit. I didn’t note the number of this one, and there were more than 200 items listed.

The partied hard back in the 1750s – just jam a screw in the guest’s head to keep him up!

Spot the dog – I wonder if the cadaver was cruel to the ‘wee dug’, and this was his reward.

We could bring this back for animal cruelty today, might work better than the paltry fines and simple ban on keeping pets handed out nowadays.

Hunterian Art Gallery The Reward Of Cruelty

 

Image Text

Update

Somehow, I managed to find the description!

William Hogarth (English, 1697-1764)

The Four Stages of Cruelty:

The Reward of Cruelty

1751 Etching and engraving on paper.

Hogarth’s The Four Stages of Cruelty drew attention to the barbarism in eighteenth-century London. Here, an executed prisoner is dissected in the course of an anatomical lecture, the circular anatomy theatre being possibly that built by Inigo Jones for the Royal college of Physicians, where Hunter may have witnessed dissections.

SURPRISE! Glasgow has loads of betting shops

Just a little extra post.

As I walk around the east end, the disproportionate number of betting shops in an area supposedly famed for its poverty and starving children is striking.

Not sure how the rules work for this, or if there is a quota.

And, now I know the large number is not a figment of my imagination.

“The city has 240 shops serving 2,588 people each.”

Consider also that in reality the figure given of 2,588 is actually much smaller, as not everybody feels the need to hand their money over to wealthy bookies in return for (usually) for little more than a scrap of paper, to be screwed up and thrown away.

I wonder who’s getting… NO! STOP! The lawyers are already slapping me about the head.

It’s almost like reading newspaper articles from as far back as the 1930s or thereabouts – as if nothing had changed in this form of behaviour despite the passing of almost 100 years.

Glasgow has one of the highest concentrations of betting shops

Glasgow has one of the highest concentrations of betting shops per person in Britain, new analysis shows.

The city – which contains 26 per cent of Scotland’s most deprived neighborhoods (sic)- has the highest numbers of betting shops per person in the country, with 240 shops serving 2,588 people each.

That’s also the highest concentration in Britain outside of London.

A Glasgow Live analysis showed that people living in Scotland’s better off areas have fewer bookies on their high street.

The Reach Data Unit used Gambling Commission data to pinpoint the location of every betting shop in Scotland.

They then compared those numbers with the Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2016 – studies carried out by the government roughly every four years which pinpoints the most and least deprived neighbourhoods in the country.

The analysis found people living in Scotland’s top three most deprived local authorities have one betting shop for every 4,137 people, compared to one shop for every 11,972 people in Scotland’s best off authorities.

The trend gives weight to the claim that bookies tend to cluster where people can least afford to lose their money.

Bear in mind my comment above about how many people each shop actually serves.

Also…

The UK government was forced into a U-turn on Wednesday over a proposed delay to cut the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals.

The machines, dubbed ‘the crack cocaine of gambling’ currently allow people to stake up to £100 every 20 seconds.

Government plans to reduce this stake to £2 were moved forward after a parliamentary rebellion that saw the resignation of minister Tracey
Crouch.

GEEZ!

I couldn’t (without resorting to crime a career) even afford to put £100 in a betting terminal, let alone do it EVERY 20 SECONDS.

Money Down The Drain

Another surprise – the autopsy benches at Glasgow University

Yet another ‘surprise’ hidden in plain sight.

I was leaving the Hunterian Art Gallery last night (I say ‘night’, but it was only heading for 5 pm, yet almost dark thanks to the dopey moving of the clocks back by one hour at this time of year), when some white items on the adjacent lawn caught my eye in the dark.

When I took a closer look, I was surprised to see that this garden/lawn area contained a number of benches styles after the classic old mortuary or autopsy table, complete with head support/washing stand!

This is no great surprise, given the University’s medical history, the location of the Hunterian Museum just across the road, and the fact that the Hunterian Art Gallery currently has a historic medical exhibition (William Hunter and the Anatomy of the Modern Museum) in place, complete with graphic models and pics  –  and is currently an ideal place to take your squeamish friends on a surprise trip to.

There was no obvious plaque or nearby explanation of this installation (a plaque was spotted, but seems to relate to the trees planted in the same space), nor have I been able to find anything online (assuming I searched for the right sort of thing).

Now that I know they’re there, I will have to try to remember to have a closer look in daylight, to see if there is anything there that goes into their past.

If you look at the same location in Street View, you can see pics from 2015, complete with happy people enjoying their snacks on these benches, probably completely unaware of the symbolism, or having even noticed the head supports at the other end.

Glasgow University Autopsy Benches

An attempt was made

It;s funny how you don’t notice some things until (much) later.

I did grab this pic as nothing more than another find for the shutter mural collection, but then found it was more interesting when I came to straighten it up.

Can you spot the fun before reading below?

Ian’s Gents Barber

Yes, I’m afraid it’s “Laugh (Ior cry) at the signmaker’s grammar” time once again.

It looks as if this one did at least make an attempt, and knew that apostrophes existed – but didn’t quite know how to use it, or them in this case.

Things started well, with “Ian’s” in the first line.

But then panic must have set in, and signmaker decided that having tried one, two was just too much to risk, and “Gents” lost out.

Possibly it wasn’t just the thought of having an apostrophe that was the problem, but the sheer overload of deciding whether the correct usage was “Gent’s” OR “Gents'” in this case.

What do you think?

Bonus note

I couldn’t decide on this one using my usual rules, there seemed to be something ‘wrong’, so took a look online – and found something interesting.

Gents is taken to be an informal British word which refers to the men’s restroom or public toilets.

Gents not generally accepted as an abbreviation or short form of gentlemen, but only to refer to the male public convenience.

So, I’m afraid it looks as if this sign actually belongs to a “Gentleman’s public toilet hairdresser”.

Some days… it just doesn’t pay to look too closely!

New Aldi almost made me panic tonight

I’ve been trying to find out when our big new Shettleston Aldi actually opens its doors.

A local media source seems to like mentioning such things, but Shettleston may be too down-market and not on its radar, as nothing mentioned so fa.

I’ve tried watching Aldi’s own web page for this shop. Currently it does not show up if you ask it to find the store in their search tool, but you can find this page by other means.

Aldi Shettleston

So far, it has store details, and refers to the opening in November, but does not give a date (yet?).

I haven’t been here for ages, but had to pass it tonight, and from a distance thought they had sneaked the Grand Opening past me!

The place was fully lit, shining brightly, the perimeter security fencing was all gone, the car park was laid, and the shop signs were lit.

There seemed to people moving around too – but when I got closer I was relieved to see they were just shopfitters, still working on the interior. I also noticed all the entrances were coned off.

Just as well, since I’d given up and had been in the High Street shop a few hours earlier – to buy ‘essential supplies’ since I couldn’t wait for this place any longer.

Still… there are no signs around to suggest when it will open for business.

Could be the end of the month, as the interior is not done, the terminals and systems have to go in and be commissioned, and of course, the place has to be stocked, the shelves filled for the first time, and an inventory established.

While an experienced team could have this done in days, it’s still a fair bit of work, especially if there are the inevitable snags, so this is more than ‘a few days’.

Incidentally, if you noticed I’ve referred to how close this Aldi store is to Tesco (a Tesco ‘extra’ store, open 24 hours) in the past, and wondered how close ‘close’ was, just have a look at the right hand side of this pic, and you’ll know.

Click these for a bit bigger.

Aldi Fitting

I wasn’t sure if the ‘Tesco extra’ would be big enough to see in the first grab, then I couldn’t decide which pic I like – so you get both.

The first one (above) has been properly processed – the one below had just had some highlights and shadows improved.

Aldi Fitters Escaping