Shiny history lesson

Had an appointment in the Jewellery Quarter last night - sadly not for a glittery diamond ring but a leg waxing. Much less fun.

It's a strange area. Clearly packed with history, as this picture shows, and has a fabulous museum about one jewellery factory there, but it does feel like the heart has been ripped out of the place. Where I guess once it was full of decades-old artisan jewellers, it's now home to CUT PRICE this and YOU WON'T GET A BETTER DEAL ELSEWHERE that. Plus in the evening, it seems to be quite deserted.

They have introduced a monthly farmers' market which stoically soldiers on despite a relatively low number of customers, but it doesn't prevent the sadness seeping in round the edges.