Wet summer

Last week was wet and rainy, this weekend looks the same and the forecast for next week? More of the same. A photo here of the high street. Note the London 2012 banner, the Olympic torch passes through Winchester on Wednesday! Hopefully the rain will not extinguish it!

Degustibus

Degustibus? I know the French word 'degustation' means a tasting, but it always sounds a little too close to 'disgusting' to me! Anyway, I'm sure these breads outside Caracoli coffee shop were very nice. On 'google-ing' I discovered that Degustibus are Artisan Bakers based in Oxfrodshire. Raisin, date and pecan loaf sounds nice!

Mayfest

Yesterday was Mayfest in Winchester, a celebration of traditional and contemporary music, dance and song. In the High Street they had a couple of Morris Dancing groups. I think of it as a very traditional English dance, although it's not something I've ever done, nor anyone I know of! There were some other Morris Dancers I featured on the blog back in December 2010. As you can see from the sky it's been glorious weather here most of the week!

High Street market

There have been lots of debates on the market in the High Street & I've decided that on reflection I don't really like it that much. The stalls block the entrances to shops and make it difficult to walk down the High Street at the weekend because it gets so crowded, some of the stalls sell some interesting things but there is also a lot of uninteresting stuff.

Bunting a-go-go

Winchester High Street was full of Union Jack Flags this morning. A lot of the shops have royal/British themed window displays. This of course is for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee marking 60 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. The main Diamond Jubilee celebrations will centre around the extended bank holiday weekend of  2-5 June.

As an aside the weather here today was cold, I'm a bit of a wimp weather-wise but I was wearing my winter coat and I was still cold....and it's nearly June!

Union Jacks

Jamie Oliver's restaurant Union Jacks has now opened in Winchester. I passed by yesterday and couldn't get close enough to the menu as there were a lot of people crowding around it (and I didn't have my glasses on me!)

It seems to have created a lot of interest in Winchester. I had a look on their website and it doesn't look too expensive, so I will give it a try sometime.

Long Tall Sally

I haven't ever been inside this shop as I often have to have normal clothes shortened! But I'm certain it has a market & they have some nice things in their window

Baristas Coffee House

First visit to a new coffee shop in the High Street. It's an independent which is always good. Slightly away from the very centre of the High Street, much more room inside and not as pricey as the other new edition to the High Street Caracoli. I don't really 'do' coffee, but the tea was nice and other half said the coffee was good and I had a nice slice of cake. There's also free wifi.

Game over

Our branch of Game has closed. It did always seem quite busy, but obviously not busy enough unfortunately

Fabrics

C&H in the High Street is where I have bought material for all my curtains in our house, it has an excellent choice and really helpful staff. When I wandered around gormlessly, looking through the 1000s of different fabrics not quite knowing what I wanted, a member of staff asked if they could help.."I'm looking for something modern or possibly traditional, striking but not too loud, turquoise or purple or pink, or maybe a different colour all together" and within about 2 minutes they'd found something that was just what I was looking for! Good value too, if you know someone who can make curtains (thanks Mum!)

Past Times

And another shop gone. Past Times in the High Street was always popular with tourists and had quite a few cute things on sale, but now it is no more in Winchester, and that was even with Australian relatives of our buying up half the contents of the shop just after Christmas!

Jamie Oliver is coming

Where once there was a lowly Pizza Hut there will now be Union Jacks, a Jamie Oliver restaurant. Pizza Hut always seemed busy, I don't know whether they moved out to make way for Jamie or were closing anyway? The new restaurant is supposed to open in the summer. I will be back to check it out hopefully!

A wet Sunday

It rained a fair amount this afternoon as you can see from this photo. I have also noticed over the past few weeks more and more market stalls in the High Street, they are actually sometimes a bit of a nuisance, especially when it is as busy as it has been in the last few days, crossing from one side of the street to another becomes very difficult at times, and it seems that shop owners aren't too happy either.

Caracoli

This is a new coffee shop that has just opened in Winchester. Despite the recession apparently the owners had to wait 2 years for a vacant unit in the High Street. The previous occupants Shakeaway have recently moved round the corner.

The cafe also serves lovely cakes I'm reliably informed that are made down the road in Twyford.

Christmas Tree

In the High Street the Christmas tree has arrived along with the Christmas lights

Christmas lights

Last week in the High Street the Christmas lights were put up. They are not switched on yet, that comes on Thursday. This year's 'celebrities' are the cast of the Cinderella Christmas pantomime, the University of Winchester Choir, girl group Vanity and the main attraction of the night will be last year’s X-Factor Contestants, The Reason 4.

High Street

This is 141-142 High Street. Now a building society, it was built in 1921 for Sainsburys the supermarket. Until this building was erected probably 2 of the oldest medieval buildings in Winchester stood here.

Crown and Anchor

 

Will he, won't he decide to go in?! This is the Crown & Anchor pub in the High Street. I haven't been in here myself. There has been a pub on this site since the mid 19th Century. The current building dates from the early 1930s. As you can see it's also quite floral, I have a feeling the pub is always like this rather than trying to win the Winchester in Bloom prize as I have seen other photos of it with just as many hanging baskets.

55-56 High Street

At 55-56 High Street is currently a shop called Jack Wills that sells 'authentic and relevant clothing for today'! The building itself was built in 1913 and was originally a cinema and tea house. The cinema had an orchestra pit as talking films had not yet been invented at that time! The cinema operated between 1914-1936.

Flowers

In the High Street there is a regular flower seller.