Shopping

Today I took my kids into the city centre. I hate shopping, so tried to turn it into more of a treat with things I like doing as well - so we had breakfast in the centre first, then shopping, then cake, then the kids went on some of the rides in Millennium Square. 

But the city centre has changed vastly in the last few months. It has always been mobbed, no matter what day of the week or time you go. Not so now. Particularly since Christmas, there are so many more shop fronts like this one, and the place is extraordinarily quiet. Its odd - I remember thinking last year, that in the recession I would have expected things to be quieter - but there had seemed to still be loads of people out spending (although I couldn't work out where all the money was coming from!). And the people all had seemed to be heading for the expensive retailers. Today, I had to wait to get someone to walk in front of me to get this shot - whereas this time last year, I wouldn't have been able to take it without several people in view.