Newland Avenue, Hull, Early Summer Kids T-Shirt

I have passed under this bridge many times in my life. It marks the entry to my favourite corner of Hull, a Bohemia of cafés and shops that hug the red brick avenue, filling it with youthful joy and pleasure. A place of quirky shops, retro objects to tantalize and tempt, pangs of memory and Proustian triggers too. The bakery that reminds me of a 1970s childhood, with lurid strawberry tarts and donuts filled with synthetic cream, éclairs in crisp paper trays, fluffy rolls filled with grated cheese. The heavenly scent of yeast and baking comes over from a nearby factory, mixing with freshly ground coffee. The bridge itself spans the road, its corners little patches of dark shadow and vegetation. A perfect souvenir of Hull, a great gift.