Culture clubs around my yard

IT’S A LOVELY little street, North Parade – and today was the day of the summer fair, complete with Morris dancers, a string quartet, and shops and stalls along the street.

This string quartet before was a particular delight, with the four young but very accomplished players entertaining passers-by and yours truly. Pictured in the back, behind them and next to a face painting table is Andrew, genial landlord of the very nice Rose and Crown pub, just down the street.

The second view, down the street towards Banbury Road, shows on the right the very nice Italian restaurant, Luna Caprese, while in the distance you can see a couple of Morris dancers doing what comes naturally – that is drinking pints. Near the dancers, on the right, is the rather lovely Town Garden. North Parade really is an oasis in what’s otherwise a mix of large houses and colleges between St Giles and Summertown. I fell on my feet here – two pubs just yards from a thirsty Mad Mike.

 Not pictured is the bouncy castle for the kids, at the other end of the street, nor the other pub we have here, the Gardeners Arms. The guys were working hard to set it all up when I popped out for a newspaper earlier on today.  There’s something on the Wiki about North Parade – here.