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November 26, 2005
Despoliation of Moribundia Continues Apace
In Memoriam
Bonjour Tristesse...
If it ever occurred to me that the LBTM project had not yet proved its purpose, had not seen any confirmation of the modest antichronicity its annals aim at, such doubts were swept away by today's kinderholzwegen. Driven by the cold onto a bus route putatively circular but in fact terminating at Archway, I immediately realised with relief that it was about opening time for DeMarco's (QV). But as I looked across the road I beheld the inevitable beginning of the end. The characterful vintage sign has been replaced by a monstrosity that exhibits all the major failings of the downmarket end of the design profession (not that these are usually less evident in the upmarket, they are merely well hidden with confidence-magick): A random ill-assorted array of Microsoft fonts; an unlovely stock photo of an indifferent-looking and queasily-hued meal (failing to do justice, incidentally, to deMarco's excellent breakfasts), the whole on the now apparently-obligatory 'caff-yellow' background, and photoshop-stretched ungracefuly to fill the required space.
I was almost moved to tears by the staff's incomprehension of my protest, their wounded pride when I told them I preferred the old sign. Sat down with my tea, how wrong I was to think the horror was over. In an astonishing piece of historical vandalism, both the framed picture of the DeMarco victory trophy and the certificate from the national icecream awards 1954 has been sacreligiously replaced by cheap decorative pictures of a nature so generic I can't even recall what they were of (kittens climbing out of a basket or something). One can only pray that they now have pride of place in the family home....
Even though when one element goes, the whole is already irretrievably tainted, I advise you to go along and enjoy the beautifully-patinated formica interior now before one more classic bites the dust.
Posted by robin at November 26, 2005 06:30 AM