East Goes West

Yesterday, I went to West Didsbury and bought this beautiful ceramic bowl from the very calming Moth, a watering can from GT Blagg, a pair of jeans in the Steranko sale and ate a lunch of delicious French onion soup to a soundtrack of Rolling Stones in Silver Apples. Brilliant. It made me wish I still lived there, instead of Didsbury Village/East Didsbury, whatever I must call it.

It's my firm belief that Burton Road is more interesting in times of recession. As rates go down, interesting independent businesses crop up. And right now, the street is probably as eclectic and vibrant as it's ever been. Even the posh take-away, Sous Chef (which I reviewed for Metro a year or so ago and feared for in a credit crunch way) is still happily preparing good food so you don't have to.

Meanwhile, East Didsbury's newest additions are a bookies, chain restaurant Zizzi and a Wetherspoon. Bit depressing really, although there is a sign in an empty shop window proclaiming the imminent arrival of fashion indie Bond. And there is of course an independent bookshop, a butchers, fishmongers and the brilliant Cheese Hamlet. The excellent Art Of Tea still drags me in for their carrot cake on a regular basis.

But every time I go in there for a brew, I think 'this is just like the kind of place you'd find in West Didsbury'. Which just about says it all.