Nothing but a Shambles

York city centre during this week is absolutely mobbed with people - sometimes it's hard simply to walk down the street and it's difficult to see what the streets are really like.

This morning I was out and about soon after 7.30am - apart from people going to work and opening up the shops it was very quiet. Cafe proprietors were baking and cooking, gallery slaves were hoovering carpets and a lady was having difficulty opening the door of a supermarket.

I particularly wanted to see the Shambles - York's old meat market - without the usual press of people. I had to increase the camera ISO setting enormously to get a usable shutter speed, but did manage this picture of an empty Shambles.

As I approached the far end a dark figure turned into the street carrying what looked like an old-fashioned medical bag - it could have been the Ripper himself!