Fekkwittery abounds in Leeds

Spent a few hours in Leeds city centre today, had a few hours to kill, its a nice enough city centre, the fourth largest in the UK, a huge range of shops, a superb indoor market, lots of historic buildings - and mainly inhabited on a saturday afternoon by an underclass of obnoxious, ill behaved, louts who seem to have no pride in themselves or a knowledge of how to behave in public.

I don't suppose Leeds is any different to any other city or even small town in the UK, we probably have the same classification of yob in any populated area, its just that in a city centre they are more numerous and therefore more noticable.

I really despair of our society when we breed such ignoramous's, cannot understand why someone (for instance) shoudl stand quietly at a cash machine then suddenly explode in rage with a string of obscenities when the machine refuses to give him any money, is that really satisfactory behaviour in a public place ?

Why would a group of three women sprawl themselves across the entrance to a hotel lounge and not allow anyone to pass by, all the time shouting at each other and shrieking with laughter ?

These are not young people that I speak of, they are adults who certainly should know better, but probably due to their upbringing do not know any better and probably assume that their behaviour, acceptable at home, is the norm when out in regular society - I really despair of these people, they just get in the way, vex the spirit and contribute nothing to our communities.

We also visited the filthiest Starbucks that I have ever had the displeasure to be in, Starbucks in The Light, the carpet is sticky with spilt beverages, the fabric easy chairs are all stained from what must be deliberate spillages, the walls even have coffee stains on them - a chimps tea party wouldn't manage to make such mess, and yet when you view the sub-species that inhabited that coffee house this afternoon its hardly suprising that it ends up in such a state, its not the total fault of the teenagers that work behind the counter, its the fekkin morons who use the place.

As I sat there surrounded by filthy furniture, plastic cups and dozens of newspapers scattered all over the floor I couldn't help but contrast with the numerous bars and restaurants that I visited in France a few weeks ago, and I tried to remember if any of the establishments in France were treated quite so badly by their clientele, I couldn't recall any litter or rubbish being left behind at a table for more than a few seconds before a waiter removed it, nor could I recall anyone reading a paper at their table then simply throwing it on the floor as they left the building, it only happens in the UK.

A few years ago Leeds City Council established what it jokingly called a "cafe culture" in the city centre, it was well meaning and meant that bar owners were encouraged to open up their bar frontages and let people sit outside to drink, it was an attempt to emulate the French way of life where going out for a drink means one or two glasses of wine and a long conversation with friends in a relaxed atmosphere, its a very pleasant way to spend an evening and I fully partook of the environment in Perpignan a few weeks ago.

In the UK we are apparently bred differently, going out for a drink means getting drunk as quickly as possible and if they allow you to sit outside the bar and do it outside then so what, and if a coffee house encourages you to relax in comfy armchairs and read a paper while you enjoy their coffee then that means its OK to spill what you don't want, fling the cup and newspaper on the floor and walk out, leaving your filth behind for someone else to enjoy, and add to.

I didn't enjoy my afternoon in Leeds at all.


I did however enjoy a visit that we made to Leeds City Art Gallery, even though half of it was closed in preperation for an exhibition. Its not a big art gallery, most of the city paintings are spread amongst several other public buildings and so for instance we didn't see the Sisley painting today, but the Renoir was there on the staircase and John Atkinson Grimshaw's work was in abundance, indeed in the Arnold Ziff victorian room there are several fine paintings including "Scotland Forever", "The death of General Gordon" and a version of the impressionist "The Bathers" all three of which will be instantly recognised by anyone who has been given a tin of biscuits at christmas by their auntie, a small collection of French paintings and sketches from the 1890-1915 period also decorate the main staircase, but the Turner and Cotman paintings are for private appointment viewing only.

Suprisingly the main gallery was quite full this afternoon, the annexe which houses some Henry Moore and Barbera Hepworth sculptures was not, it never is as it also contains a lot of contemporary crap, I love painting and I love painting in an abstract style occasionally but cannot help but feel that some of the contemporary stuff in the exhibitions is there by virtue of "the kings new clothes" type decision, some of it is simply trash.