Parkhurst Protest

I’ve done very little urban sketching lately, for various reasons – one being that I just haven’t been getting out much. But yesterday I heard there was a peaceful protest at a suburban village nearby. People are incensed that the city council has unilaterally decided to introduce huge parking fees – at great commercial benefit to the company that was awarded the contract – with roaming attendants that pounce on you the second you park your car in many of our small independant shopping areas, where shops struggle at it is to attract customers away from the large malls. In Parkhurst, shop owners, some loyal customers, and a local radio station took over the pavements and parking bays with bright green astro-turf, some of their wares and their calm selves, to object to the high-handed and greedy actions of the municipality. I ordered a cuppacino from the coffee shop where I did this sketch below last year (I don’t think I’ve posted it before) and got my rusty sketching skills back into first gear…