Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Canal festival

I poked my head into Kidderminster Saturday morning in an effort to report on the roadshow for Tav. Supposedly it was a part of Kidderminster Market; I couldn't find it. Well I could find the market just no stall. I started at the bottom of the Swan Centre; headed up to the top of the Rowland Hill; back down to the bottom of the Swan where I found the stall advertising the Canal Festival.

"Oh yeah that's on isn't it" I thought.

I carried on to the Town Hall, still no roadshow; then into Weavers Wharf following the canal posters. Plenty of boats (photos to be uploaded) [photos starting here] and a couple of stalls; nothing really grand. It was very quiet on the pedestrian front though. Heading back to Crossley I realised why.

The canal itself is hidden from main view by Debenhams, from the town you can follow the posters, but if you miss them there's no way to actually see that something's happening. From Crossley anyone heading into or back from town crosses the canal and there's a set of steps leading down to it. There was no posters or signs along this route and as the canal bends around no boats were in view from the bridge. From the pedestrian point of view here there was also nothing happening.

So if it's hosted in the same place next year (or whenever) stick a poster and arrow on the top of these steps and moor a load of the boats next to the McDonalds where they can be seen. Once you've caught the eye it's easier to get down to it from here then it is from the town.

0 comments: