![]() ![]() The shop awning’s heyday was during the Victorian era the ever-inventive Victorians devising the elaborate mechanisms required for their smooth operation. On one occasion, a cucumber fell from its folds––go figure! What dark plots and secret histories have taken place under the protective shelter of a shop awning? ![]() The awning was striped and colourful and advertised the shop’s logo and business, and the process of lowering the awning involved skilfully negotiating the deluge of water––if it had rained the previous night––or beer bottles––if the local winos had passed by––which fell from it as it was being unfurled. Many years ago, when I was a Saturday-lad, working in a High Street shop, an important part of my job was lowering the awning––it seemed important at the time I can now recognise it for what it was: a low-skilled, menial task allocated to the least-able member of staff. In fact, my local High Street is an awning-free expanse of perpendicular brick and glass, with scarcely a convenient doorway to offer any modest sanctuary. The thought only occurs to me as, with the thunder clouds dark and glowering overhead, I seek shelter from an imminent rain storm. ![]() You don’t see so many awnings these days. ![]()
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