The North South Divide.
(St. Helens part one)
I have recently returned from installing the ‘Ward names Mosaic’ at St. Helens Hospital. As usuall the unexpected happens on these occasions. The weather was sunny and very breezey which meant the cement dried very quickly (I deliberatly didnt use quick drying cement either) the result is a lot of what I call ‘cutting back’, where you cant leave cement down very long before removing it, because it has formed a crust on the top of it already. Lay your mosaic on cement with a dry crust on top and regret it.
I put masking tape all round the edge of the mosaic to protect the stailess steel perimiter. This took 2 bottles nail varnish remover from Morrisons, and a container of evo stick glue and grease remover to get the poxy stuff off. It had cooked hard on there with the sun.
But the most apparent thing, was peoples attitude. I dont know if scousers are just happy, jolly, friendly folk anyway? But compared to the south easteners…say M25 and below, god we are such miserable batrasds
When ever I have worked in the SE people just moan that their taxes are paying for this shite, and that money would be much better spent on their drains which have been blocked for 18 months, which the council haven’t sorted out yet! But any other part of the country folk are interested, complimentary and can exchange views and chat away happily for ages. One converstation led to Woolwich and Canterbury where this old boy was stationed with the artillery. These are towns I know very well and have lived very close by them both.
Maybe S. Easterners have mellowed a little over the years with free museum and gallery entry, and folk are more used to seeing and being around art and stuff on the streets more. But I dont think I have distorted things too much.
