Not green

In Gloucester Green, Tuesday is put-up-the-stalls-for-market-day day. The occasional awning stripe and some tentative leaves are all that's green about it now, although until a hundred or so years ago this space was a proper green and the home to a fair.

From 1835 Oxford's cattle market was also held here but in 1935 half the old green became the bus station and half became a car park. Fifty years on the car park section was developed into a town square by separating it from the cramped and badly-placed bus station with some uninspiring offices, shops and flats in red-brick with tricksy decorations.

Not my favourite place, as you might have gathered, but I do like the sun on the market awnings.