Buy me/Rent me

It's not often you see figures like this that reveal just how much return landlords are wanting from their property. A quick check on the estate agent's website shows that returns of between 7-10% per annum are being asked. Still, as they say, there's asking and then there's getting and perhaps one reason why so many commercial properties are standing empty is the high return demanded. Of course if rents were calculated on the actual value of the property instead of an inflated figure based on the purchase price at the height of the 'boom' then a great reduction would be seen. But we know empires would have to fall before that happens.

Remains to be seen

There are still some brave people in Hull, people with real vision. They can see that what is needed on this site between the war memorial and the busy dual carriageway that is Ferensway is an outdoor eating experience. Yes, the place will be a "landscaped outdoor seating area for new café bars and restaurants that it is hoped will emerge from the refurbishment of old shop units". First up a new brasserie ...Well good luck to all concerned. On a cold damp day at the end of November I had difficulty seeing the attraction but then I've always a problem with the vision thing.

So much junk

Waiting around near the war memorial on Ferensway I had time to take this detail shot and to notice that the recent stormy weather had played havoc with the Remembrance Day wreaths piling them up like so much junk. My grandfather joined up at the start of WW1 and fought through some of the worst action, his brother was killed in action. When it was over he seldom spoke about it, had no animosity towards the 'enemy' and certainly had no time for poppies, parades and memorials. He was too busy trying to raise a family through the depression years on 12 bob a week in this land fit for heroes.

Black on white

Pier Street and Nelson Street were built as part of a land reclamation scheme shortly after the southern part of the city wall was pulled down around 1813. Excavated clay from the construction of the Humber Dock was used to build up the shoreline. Nelson Street faces south towards the  Humber and the Victoria Pier.

See more of the Weekend in Black and White here.

Igglemire as once was

Here's my street as it was this morning. It's a fairly quiet tree lined road with most of the houses built around 1930 and connects Hull to Cottingham. The land on the left is shown on old maps as Igglemire, there was even an Igglemire House roughly where my house stands, such a shame that the name has gone although there's an Inglemire Lane close by. 

The theme for today is 'My Street' (which idiot thought that one up?). You can see what others have made of this over at the City Daily Photo portal here.

From Park Street bridge

The park that Park Street once led to is long gone or possibly never existed; it's just a dreary cut-through from Anlaby Road to Spring Bank but it does have a bridge that rises up and over the rail tracks giving this view of Paragon station. 

@StStephen's is now following you

Photo taken by Margot K Juby

Here's St Stephens mall from the car park entrance. Those hanging daleks are, I suppose, meant to be Xmas decorations. I learned today from Twitter™ that this mall along with many others tracks the signal from mobile phones in order to find out which shops are being visited. I'm told there is a sign to this effect near the entrance though I admit I've never seen it. Perhaps the couple on the left have noticed it and are taking the only appropriate action; turning the damn things off.