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The Broadwalk Café
Richard Bell’s nature diary, London, Tuesday, 12th May 2009, page 2 of 6
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AFTER JUST 15 minutes or so brisk walking from Kings Cross, I’m in Regent’s Park. I’d usually head for the zoo but today I’ve decided to explore the Park itself. I’ve never been to the Broadwalk Café before but I think it’s going to become a favourite stopping off point for me. I’m sitting at a table in the shade of the veranda, sheltered from both the sun and the cool breeze. The panorama in front of me, here in central London, is entirely green. Trees in fresh foliage, acres of grass, with distant figures in white flannel playing out the summer ritual of a cricket game. It’s so English! I feel that I’ve discovered some far pavilion.
Even the pigeons seem relaxed as I draw them. I’m sure the one that is sunning itself
will move when a lady ties up three large dogs by a table just a few yards away from
it. It gives them a brief look-
I can’t help contrasting this with my walk through Thornes Park in Wakefield this
morning. They’ve installed a concrete skateboard course, the size of a couple of
tennis courts between the back of an enormous sports shed and the old college, now
suggested in the new local plan as an area to develop for housing. The skateboard
park has proved very popular but inevitably it has attracted its crop of graffiti
-
Sleeping . . .
. . . preening
Despite my comments, Thornes Park has lots to recommend it. I’ve recently revamped the format of my illustrated guide to its thousand year history, available online from Willow Island Editions, £2.99, plus postage.