The Worcestershire village, built of glowing Cotswold Stone goes by the name of Broadway. When I posted a blog about Broadway Tower a few weeks ago (https://davidoakes-images.com/2020/08/20/a-silent-signal/) It brought back a few memories of my first visit to Broadway village. It was back in the about 1963/4. I had just been engaged to dash around the UK., to capture in colour the key Picture Postcard Holiday locations…. very necessary for the company I worked for, to replace their library of Black & White images.
Broadway village was one of the locations on the top of the list. When I took those shots on a big Technical Camera with a very slow film speed of 8asa (iso) the two things you wanted was sunshine and no traffic! I was lucky and got some great shots.
I have visited Broadway on many occasions since but each time the village has been busier than ever.
But after visiting the Tower a few years ago, we dropped down from the heights to the village. It was so quiet, totally unexpected…… so I couldn’t resist stopping to take some quick shots.
It has and hasn’t changed much over all those years. It still retains the character of a Cotswold village , even when busy. But it has become a very desirable residential village, several of the bow fronted shops are now homes. As for shops. Well there are of course the Tourist Shops which have flourished, but also the now compulsory Antiques Shops.
They do have one quirky shop (it might not be there now) which I have always found rather strange and out of place … an All Year Christmas Shop
Just as a further observation. Back in the 60’s and through most of the 70’s, Tourist were called Holiday Makers. As for the Postcards, well they had always been very big business and the drive to convert to colour gave them a big boost. I guess personal photography, a Postal Service that became expensive and then of course overseas holidays, rather knocked the bottom out of that market.
Times change but Picture Postcard is still a great description
Please Remember ….
Stay Safe …. Be Kind…. Look After Each Other
5th September
(C) David Oakes 2020
what a charming place, and to me, an american, ‘broadway’ conjurs up such a different picture. i kind of love the christmas store
Yes, I have been on THE Broadway…very different. But for the size of the village on busy holiday days it can be comparably as busy. ( without all the neon signs 🙂 )
Now THAT’S the kind of Broadway I would love to visit! So charming and quaint.
But not a peak holiday time…. so.much to see here and in the area.
Aah, some lovely images…I haven’t seen Broadway fo 4 decades, I guess….
Still worth a visit despite the high volume of visitors….. I just fell lucky the afternoon above, peaceful like a village should be 🙂
And very un-21st Century!