10 November - The Black Horse Inn, Sidcup
I
noticed the replacement veranda was up at the Black Horse Inn when I drove by
last Monday so I returned with my camera and attracted a small bit of attention.
A gentleman about my own age with two bags of shopping in hand introduced himself
as John and said he passed by every day but hadn’t noticed the change until he saw
my camera. We agreed that the veranda improved on the plain windows that had gone
before and the addition of a hanging basket or two and maybe an old coaching lamp
might begin to make amends for the desecration of the recent past. Both of us were
offended by the sight of a drain pipe some way out of vertical. Why should a
moment’s carelessness be allowed to detract from the view for evermore?
The conversation then strayed to the subject of Waitrose and the man was firmly
of the opinion that that end of Sidcup is not right for Waitrose. “Waitrose is an
upmarket store and Sidcup is well… just look at it.”
We were then joined by a lady eager to offer her opinion. She didn’t like the
new frontage at all. “Why couldn’t they leave it as it was?” she wanted to know.
I referred both to the
Sidcup Community Group for some answers. Anyone who needs a reminder of
what the historic coaching inn used to look like may find a photograph on the SCG website but
unfortunately its structure prevents a direct link. (Try ‘Notices’ from the menu.)