I have just returned from my mini road trip of northern coastal resorts and I must confess that it was a real eye-opener, these resorts are struggling to maintain the interest of the Great British public in the twenty first century, the June weather I encountered for most of my trip helps to explain the demise of many of the seaside towns of the North that I have great memories of.
All of the places I visited were very quiet with the elderly and local dog walkers making up the numbers in many of my pictures against a background of local traders with long faces. The English seaside holiday still exists in these places but I felt as if I was witnessing the demise of a disappearing tradition that is failing to change quickly enough to the aspirations of the current generation. The pictures I created in Majorca at the start of this series seem to take on a deeper meaning when seen alongside the images of these tired English seaside resorts.
The photography went well although I must admit that I ended up shooting with a cynical eye half of the time and with a heavy heart at other times. The overwhelming memory I was left with is one of sadness as I revisited these cold locations that held warm memories for me..
On a positive note I found a number of moments that I am very pleased with and a number of scenarios that were exactly what I was hoping for when I set off on this trip. I also came across some that i could never of imagined, the real world never fails to surprise me !
I'm sure it will take a while for me to edit this shoot and even longer for me to decant the work before publication but I'm really looking forward to it,the pictures here are just here to illustrate this piece, my priority at the moment is to keep on shooting the English at play.
I would also like to pay tribute to all of the brave souls who are fighting to maintain the Great English seaside resort from Bed & Breakfast landlady's to candy floss and ice-cream vendors your contribution does not go unnoticed by me , ultimately however it is up to us, the English people to decide if these essential links to the past will play any part in our children's future.
These places appear to be a real barometer of the effects of austerity on the family's of our country, it makes me wonder if the humble day off at the seaside is being sacrificed by many who are struggling just to make ends meet .
Buckets Without Spades
Keep it real !