Local- Waiting

Lesley's Girls are born and bred Colchester girls, and we both love our home town.  I still live here, and can't really imagine ever leaving this beautiful (although sometimes frustrating) town; and though I always love visiting other towns, cities and countries- here is my home. And so with this is mind I thought it was about time we resurrected "local" blog post series we began last summer.   After a trip to The Waiting Room  we were inspired to get back on the blog and share our visit and a few memories.

First a bit of information, the Waiting Room is currently a community led space housing a cafe, bar, restaurant- as well as workshops, talks and studio space.  But what made us want to blog about it on here, is what it's previous incarnation was- the 1970/80s public waiting room and cafe for the much derided Colchester bus station.  Not the archetypal vintage space you would imagine us to want us to blog about, but nevertheless we couldn't resist as it holds a special place in our memories.

Personally, I have memories of going in to town with our mother (Lesley) and my grandmother, parking in the large multi-story car park next door for the regular Friday morning shopping trip, which always culminated in a trip to the Co-Op department store for tea and a scone; and then walking past the waiting room through the bus station back to the car to go home.  Any memory which my mother lives in is a special one to me. Likewise my husband too (also a local boy), has a clear memory of eating a currant bun in the waiting room with his mum in the 1970s.   So although the place may on the surface be the most unlikely topic for a vintage blog, when you think of the vivid childhood memories that just two people have of the place it reminds you that everywhere has memories and stories attached to it, and history can be found in the most unlikely of places.

Before its reincarnation I never gave it a second look, except to wish they'd knock it down- but now having been in there several times I enjoy the different appearance that the building is embracing, it feels modern but still is in the home of memories from many a local's past.  It fits in perfectly with my views on vintage- no matter how old, seemingly unloved or dirty something can appear, you can almost always bring it back from that state and inject it with new life to be enjoyed again- for what it was or something new. 

It was particularly lovely taking my three year old son with me there to create a new set of memories for us in this unusual building... with the added bonus of some amazing food and a pint of local beer, both of which come highly recommended!

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