New Cities Of The Dead

Whitefriars Bridge And The Old Silk Mill, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

It took me a while to work out why I always find these new inner city developments in Norwich spooky; walking around them is like being in one of those scenes from end of the world films such as On The Beach, 28 Days/Weeks Later or Doomsday. Whether it is Quayside, or King Street or Paper Mill Yard during a weekday it is if one had walked into an emptied world.

The answer is simple; they are all marketed at Dinkys or the Pink Pound or the Grey pound and because of this there are no children and consequently no one at home during the day. Even in the evening the residents retreat behind uVPC double glazed windows having made sure that the shortest possible distance exists between the comfort of their cars and their front door.

These are silent unnerving places. It is an ironic truth that a development like Quayside is probably quieter than a country village. Please note I did not say better.