Given how difficult it is to park around the estate, this doesn’t lift my heart at all. Still, they have to get the road up so this is the only way. Let’s hope that it isn’t too long.
Here is the reason for all this. . This has to be uprated with new PPE pipes that will last for another few decades! This one is on the corner of Patteson Road and Helena Road. They got the earth (or whatever) out using what looked like a skip lorry but actually was a huge vacuum cleaner that sucked everything out
You can see the ancient gas pipe at the bottom of the hole. The girder above is also evident in the hole outside the Aurora.
I had a nice chat with the people from Cadent who are starting some major works around us which are expected to last until October! Here is the current sign at the bottom of Patteson Road.
They are currently digging around the area that they were working on recently. As I mentioned last time, the pipes under our roads are Victorian/Edwardian and are to be replaced with new construction which should last …
I would refer you back to “Do I Smell Gas” where I was talking about the previous visit that we had back in March where they had the following hole dug up.
Whilst speaking to the Customer Service people from Cadent and the site manager – Martin – I am told that I will get some updates to pass on here.
It is going to be tricky with all the road closures and it is a bit of a bother considering that no-one in our block or Anchor Street has gas anyway. But there we are. As said in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (albeit about local councils) “you have to build bypasses” which could easily apply to these circumstances – smile.
It was a lovely day today and I went out looking for some flags as it is the official birthday of the Prince of Wales. There was some controversy in the newspapers about the choice for an official Suffolk flag. However, there was no sign of any flags but I was pleased to see the the Thames barge Thistle was in. If you want to know more go along to the Topsail Charters website.
She is a lovely example of the breed and sits very nicely outside the James Hehir building. There is not much more than I can say so here are the photos that I took.
Well, have a lovely day. Don’t forget – If you would like to offer your support to the blog, go to the Patreon Web site and sign up. You will be charged £1 and then monthly until you cancel.
They actually opened on Friday evening. I popped down to have a look and they seemed to be quite busy.
I went back on Saturday lunchtime to have a look while I was waiting for the aircraft for the Trooping of the Colour flypast to come over and they were just as busy. I did notice that the expensive cars have returned. We used to get some Rolls Royce, Bentley, Lamborgini etc. but they have been missing since lockdown. Anyway, this was a nice one.
I was down there with my camera because the aircraft for the Trooping of the Colour flypast normally come over us. A few years ago, they used to fly directly over Capstan House which was tremendous. However, they now fly over down by the Orwell Bridge. This is a little cameo of what I caught. (Mind you, I didn’t bring my long lens with me!).
A large number of Typhoons flew over as well as the Red Arrows but I failed to get them! Next year, I will go across to the Suffolk Food Hall just by the Orwell Bridge so I should get some better photos.
It is one of those days when you just have to get out into the sunshine. Being wrapped up doesn’t let you enjoy the weather.
Having rolled around in the sunshine, it was time to check out “A Lister at Aurora” to see how they were getting on and if they will be ready for Saturday. There were a lot of tradesmen working around. There are electricians setting up the lights over the outdoor seating.
They have put out the seating along the front of the building. I hope that it doesn’t matter that they have encroached over the line.
They have all their new branding up in the windows.
As I understand it, they are providing a full table service which will be much better than having to go into the bar to order. To make this work, they have put up a couple of “sentry boxes” with tills and card machines available so that should make the service easy.
Lastly, they appear to be opening up the outdoor bar (but I am guessing there).
OK, on to other stuff. We have had a change to the entry systems this week and it’s not a change for the better from my point of view. When I first tried it, I couldn’t get any response as I didn’t know the correct code to apply. On the old system, you just entered our apartment number and it rang my mobile. It seems that you now need to add an “A” in front so enter A200 etc. How you are supposed to know this defeats me. Here is the new unit on the Podium.
Before I moan at EWS about the need for this code, check out the same unit but on the main entrance on Patteson Road.
Oh look, there are some instructions! Pity they couldn’t do that on the Podium. Also, the instructions refer to a “WELCOME BUTTON”. Can you see one because I can’t!
The system comes with an app which gives you access to the video camera built in so that you can see who is wanting to come in. This is great unless… When I am out and about and expecting a caller or a delivery I keep the phone keypad up on my car’s screen so when the call comes to my mobile, I answer the call as usual in the car and then hit the zero button to let them in. With the new app, you have to “use your phone” as you have to touch a button on the screen which will be against the law. I have now deleted their app and gone back to my phone answering as before. As a tiny moan, there is now only one phone number that calls unlike the old system where each door had its own. Hence, I can’t tell now if the call comes from the front door or the podium. Not a biggie but…
Lastly, I had a look at the Podium entrance to the block as this has been chaotic due to all the scaffolding. Now that they have finished the “east” wall, it looks so much better.
Just the day for a wander around but I got caught up in The Hold so I had my wife chasing me as “you have been out for a long time”!
My plan, that I forgot to mention to her, was to go along the Waterfront and take some “summer” photos for the blog and then go and find the new decorative addition to The Hold (more later). W ell, the first part went Ok in that I took the following up at Neptune Marina.
I always think that these blocks of flats are very attractive. I am not sure that I would want my balcony to be quite so close to there pavement, however.
From there, I went across the road to The Hold. Now, if you don’t know, The Hold is the Suffolk Archive Repository. However, I wasn’t there, first off, for documents etc. I was there because a wall in The Hold garden and been in the news.
Quite why they wanted an image of a stag beetle to be painted on the wall, I can’t imagine. However, it was very well done and really looks in 3D. Impressive.
While I was there, I thought I might investigate the archive. I took this picture before they told me that you need a £5 permission to take photos!
After I had talked to the librarian and put my bags in a locker outside, I finally got to ask a question – “do you have any photos of the Gas Works on Orwell Quay?” Our apartment complex is built on the gas works plot. She found me some books to look into and went off to check the archives for any photos. I surreptitiously took a couple of photos on my phone of images in books. One didn’t come out so this is all I have for now.
I have found out how to get to the photos in the archive and it is possible to get clearance for publication so that’s a future blog post.
I then stopped off at The Hold café for a flat white and a cake. I couldn’t get a seat outside so I regretted not waiting until I got to Paddy and Scott’s at the Uni. The University seems to have done well in some rankings so here we are.
My son is associated with the QS rankings so I will see what he says.
I met Ian and his wife on the way back so we sat in the sunshine and had a chat. What better way to spend a sunny day? Here are a few photos of the day just to enjoy.
I ended up, of course down by the Aurora, which is in new hands. Opening on 16th is “A Listers at The Aurora”. A Listers have a café in Woodbridge and are bringing a similar idea to the Aurora. I had a chat with one of the people who told me that they will be opening at 10am as café with the whole building available for seating. So, you don’t need to book an expensive meal to sit on the balcony, for instance. I know that we will be there next Saturday with coffee and tea to enjoy as my wife doesn’t get out much due to the needs of her 97 year old mother! They have been tidying up and re-staining all the benches ready for opening.
I then walked up to the podium and had a look at the flower displays that are there every summer. They are wonderful and very attractive.
Lastly, there is a bit of the wall of Capstan House showing beyond the wrapping so we can see what they have been doing. This is the insulation that they have put in place to replace the dodgy stuff there before.
I guess that the noise we have been suffering is the drilling for the firings on the sheets.
OK, that’s all for the day. What have we next. Well, on Monday they are replacing the door access mechanisms. We have new fobs and a phone app. We shall see how it goes.
Lastly, I have a request. It costs quite a bit to keep the WordPress account and the domain name going, plus my camera gear is quite expensive so I wondered if any of my subscribers would be willing to help. The way this is done is through a Patreon account. Normally, with a Patreon set up, there are varying levels of monetary support with a variety of benefits. Well, that’s not what is happening here. It is very simple. If you sign up as a Patron of this blog, you pay £1 per month. What you get is just the satisfaction of helping me, in my retirement, to keep the blog going. I can’t even offer an advert free option as you don’t see any ads anyway!
If you would like to offer your support go to the Patreon Web site and sign up. You will be charged £1 and then monthly until you cancel.
The work on what we now call the East wall is now complete and the scaffolding is coming down.
The Podium Door is now being uncovered.
Other good news is that the glass for the balconies on the south side – i.e. on Patteson Road – is now being reinstated.
Each pane is carefully marked to get it back in the right place.
I got quite excited when I got down on to the waterfront itself when it looked like the Carters storage area was being cleared – but…
It turns out that they were reinstating it after the Dragon Boat racing as they had to clear it out to give the space needed. They stored it all on the Uni carpark!
This Saturday was the annual Dragon Boat races in the Wet Dock. The races set three teams against each other with their individual times logged. Then, depending on the times, the next and following rounds take place. Hence, coming last in your race won’t necessarily drop you out.
Unfortunately, for the casual observer, it is a bit like the Strongest Man competition a couple of weeks ago in that it gets a bit repetitive unless you have a personal interest. The teams are all made up from individual companies in the town so, for instance, Hunnaball – the undertakers – had a team.
Here is the start of one heat.
Here is one way to watch the races.
There were quire a few “concessions” around either promotional or food vending.
