Hi everyone and welcome again to another teacher Joseph podcast.
Well, I’m outside today and I want to describe for you what I’m looking at. So I’m on the High street. Some people might say in the High street of my town here in the UK.
It’s a glorious day, it’s very nice. The sun is shining and behind me, if I turn around, there’s a town hall and the clock is pointing up into the sky. Very nice indeed. And directly ahead of me is a rather empty Street no one’s really on there, possibly because there aren’t so many shops which are open and well, there aren’t so many shops these days, because everyone buys things online. Some of our town centres are just a little bit dead and my town centre, I’m afraid to say is the same. Looking at it now, there’s nobody on there except a few young people who are clearly going to the pub, I think, or maybe one of the cafes, which are still open but generally not a lot to see.
So let me just describe that for you. There’s one cafe that I can see on the right hand side. With a purple sign outside, the pavement is cobblestone. That’s the little squares. You know that horses are accustomed to walking on….there’s a couple of people who are wandering around, but not too many. Lots of very bored looking teenagers as well who are moving around.
Of course there is one shop here which is always very popular and is always open, and that’s the Poundstretcher. Now, as you might know, we have a lot of discount stores here. And certainly the Poundstretcher is one of them. Why is it called stretcher? Because the verb to stretch means to elongate something which lasts longer. So Poundstretcher, that’s giving the idea that you can stretch your money more in a shop like that. And it’s probably true. You really can. I’m now on the High Street walking up and yeah, lots of empty shops here as well. A couple of banks but nothing that’s really noticeable. Nothing that’s really very open. Here is a sign “We’re moving. This store is now closed” and another one. “Please note this store is closed”, so yeah, quite a few of them boarded up. One here, with gates outside, permanently locked. No sign. Don’t know what that is. So, yeah, you’re kind of getting the idea here, and that is that not a lot happening as I walk further up the street, I can see the library on the right hand side. And the government decided to place the library here, right in the middle of the High Street, to try to revitalise it but not a lot happening there either, as at the moment at least, it’s closed.
Another shop lying very empty with a young man sleeping in the doorway, reminding me again that all is not well. Let’s see. Yeah. OK, here’s a shopping centre. It’s open. But looking inside as I walk past. Unfortunately, there’s not too much to see there. Many of the shops inside were closed down. More so, since there’s been rent increases because of the rise in costs for everything. In talking to you, I’m now almost at the top of the High Street. There’s a new gym opened. “Beauty and the Beast”. Hmm. Personal Training, Boot Camp, Boxing club…. ohh dear not for me at all. Just looking in the window there…. very nice. And also there’s a nail bar where you can go to get your nails done. Uh, what’s this? Ohh, Vietnamese restaurant, closed. Don’t know why. Usually that’s open. And there’s also a Burger bar, which is open. Barber closed, hair salon closed, dental clinic closed. Wow. We’re not doing too well are we….? fortunately, these shops haven’t closed down. They just seem to be closed right now. Don’t know why. Very interesting, yes. A mini market selling milk, Coca-Cola, these kind of things. It’s open.
I’m now at the top of the High Street, cars whizzing past buses, also reminding me that there’s still life here which is very nice. Again, the noodle bar closed. Actually, that noodle bar used to be delicious….. YMCA, which is a young man’s club. You might know it. I’m sure the YMCA…well its a very famous song of course, by the Village People. YMCA… But it’s also a a very old place here, where a young man can go to play snooker to meet friends. But yeah, this one’s closed. unfortunately.
So more places closed down. And that’s it. Looking further up the High Street. Lots of traffic, more people, but no shops. So if you were thinking that all High Street shops here in the UK are the same as London, you would be wrong. In fact, the farther North you go, the more impoverished they get, which is quite sad. So just keep that in mind if you’re…if you’re coming here. So I’m just turning around, about to walk back down and it’s not as grim as it seems. It’s a lovely day, and I’m sure either later or tomorrow some of these shops are going to be reopening with their services….
Well, that’s it for me. For the moment. I hope you’ve enjoyed this. Let’s talk soon. See you.
Bye.