Another day where not a great deal happened, so let’s bring out one of the recent Hebden Bridge staple shots — Blokes Working On A Roof. This time, with added Autumn Foliage for garnish.
Both species — jackdaws and roofers — are becoming perennial aspects of the house view. The roofers on the Mill have been working there for nearly six months now, and I have the photos to prove it. Even on another frosty morning. Maybe they just like the view too.
For some weeks now these guys have been pretty much the first thing seen as our curtains are opened in the morning; work to redo the roof of the Nutclough Mill has been going on forever, it seems. Rain or shine, and it was definitely rain this morning.
There seems some kind of irresistible compulsion to construct more and more tall buildings in Manchester city centre, pretty much regardless of other considerations. There were a number of blocks built around one end of Canal Street and finished just before all that lockdown rubbish kicked off in 2020, which still appear to be mostly empty; certainly none of the commercial spaces on the ground floor has ever been occupied. And yet the city has plenty of homeless people and families who I’m sure would be able to make good use of such accommodation. In the meantime, let’s just build some more: it keeps certain political interests happy, doesn’t it.
I apologise, as much to myself as anyone else, for the uneventfulness of life at this time. The scaffolders are busy in Hebden however; there were already at least four major scaffolding installations visible from home (including next door), and this fifth went up during the day. A growth industry it seems.
A day working at home gained interest through getting a masterclass in roofing from these guys working on the house over the road. At the beginning of the day that roof looked like the one of no. 31 next door. Roofing’s one of those specialist talents that very few people have, but which we all need, isn’t it? And I’d take some persuading to spend a whole day on that scaffold (constructed by another professional group that we need to just trust).
Definitely the most important Directorate of the University at this point in time. It is almost impossible to take a photograph anywhere in Manchester city centre without hitting some kind of building site at the moment (as I have observed numerous times recently); the University is certainly doing its bit for this architectural movement of 2017.
Yes, this really is as exciting as it got today. Looking for the good in all, I quite like the orange jackets against the brown November background, but I spent most of the day at home working and there wasn’t much to see.
Are there bees up on the museum roof (as viewed this morning from my meeting in the adjacent Arthur Lewis Building)? Or have the tropical frogs escaped? What is the builder carrying in the orange swag bag? Inquiring minds want to know.
I’m in familiar territory for a period of weeks, and the light isn’t exactly sparkling at the moment, most periods being cloudy. I have to find interest where I pass it randomly, like today. Since the last appearance of Manchester’s Chinese arch on the blog, on a foul day last autumn, it has been swathed in scaffolding, being refurbished, but this started to come off today. They said the refurbishment would be finished in ‘May 2014’ — so I guess they only just missed it.
Being 42 