Soltalk November 2022 | Page 29

Jottings
When judging what makes a good car park , Mr Beresford says he considers a range of factors including lighting , price and aesthetics . The cheapest featured in the calendar at just 15 pence ( 17 cents ) an hour is the Marlborough Gate multistorey in Milton Keynes ( August ), the best views are from Duncansby Head in the Highlands ( October ) which has its own lighthouse , while at the Rupert Street car park in Bristol ( February ), motorists are forced to park on a slope .
But Kevin ’ s top accolade of the year goes to Trinity Street car park in the Digbeth area of Birmingham . “ What other parking area has an entrance made up of crushed car engines ?” he asks . “ There is street art everywhere including a giant Spider-Man and it ’ s all very artistic . And on your right when you go in to park your car , there is a cocktail bar . If it rains , you can sit under a wigwam - this car park has everything .”
Kevin is philosophical about his calling . “ I focus on slices of English life that nobody else does ,” he muses . “ I suppose like artists such as Andy Warhol and Van Gogh , I focus on the mundane .”
And he is modest . “ I ’ ve been called the dullest man in Britain but , I am proud about this title . It ’ s sexy being dull .”
Kevin is also the President of the Car Park Appreciation Society .

Quotes

“ I am a fighter , not a quitter .” – UK Prime Minister Liz Truss quoting Labour ’ s Peter Mandelson when she addressed Parliament on October 19 . On October 20 , she quit .
“ Under this Tory government , everyone gets to be Prime Minister for 15 minutes .” – UK opposition leader , Keith Starmer , speaking in Parliament on October 17 .
“ I detest the Tories and everything they stand for .” – Leader of the Scottish National Party , Nicola Sturgeon , during a TV interview last month .
“ I wouldn ’ t trust Labour to run a bath .” – Richard Littlejohn in the Daily Mail commenting on the UK opposition ’ s plan to create a new , publicly owned organisation called Great British Energy .
“ More PCs , less PC .” – Former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman calling on police to stop putting political correctness ahead of fighting crime .
“ Focus on catching criminals not policing pronouns .” – Former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman ( again ) berating Sussex Police for “ playing identity politics and denying biology ” by defending a convicted , legally male paedophile , now living as a woman , over gender .
“ The Guardian-reading , tofu-eating wokerati .” – Former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman ( yet again ) describing “ Just Stop Oil ” protestors who have been blocking London ’ s traffic .
Grateful acknowledgement to the following papers from which some of this material is extracted : Daily Mail , Daily Mirror , Daily Express , Independent on Sunday , Mail on Sunday , The Sun , The Sunday Times , The Times and The Telegraph . Seen something funny , bizarre or just plain weird ? Contributions for Jottings are welcome by email to : sarah @ soltalk . com .
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