I took up pole position outside Pret a Manger on Haymarket to sip my usual tipple, rest my gym-tortured limbs and people-watch. It was a bumper crop. School’s out and the Easter break delivered bus-loads of bumpkins and charabancs of tourists to sup, shop and promenade along Norwich’s cobbled streets. Dutch lowlanders mingled with landed gentry and the children of the corn while Chinese happy snappers brought up the rear. As I gazed into the crowd, I spotted two middle aged men wandering past the crooning busker outside Top Shop. The pair sported the neo-clone whiskers that are all the rage right now. They were also holding hands so I guessed they were more than just good friends. My, how things have changed since the secret encounters of my wonderfully misspent youth.
Haymarket Down the Years
![Haymarket Thomas Browne statue [2369] 1938-05-05](https://perkingthepansies.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/haymarket-thomas-browne-statue-2369-1938-05-05.jpg?w=427&resize=427%2C643&h=643#038;h=643 "Haymarket Thomas Browne statue [2369] 1938-05-05")
![Haymarket 2 to 4 Curat House Back's wine [0293] 1934-09-16](https://perkingthepansies.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/haymarket-2-to-4-curat-house-backs-wine-0293-1934-09-16.jpg?w=237&resize=237%2C159&h=159#038;h=159 "Haymarket 2 to 4 Curat House Back's wine [0293] 1934-09-16")
![Haymarket 11 Haymarket Chambers [6680] 1991-05-14](https://perkingthepansies.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/haymarket-11-haymarket-chambers-6680-1991-05-14.jpg?w=420&resize=420%2C594&h=594#038;h=594 "Haymarket 11 Haymarket Chambers [6680] 1991-05-14")
![Haymarket 19 to 23 [1422] 1936-09-20](https://perkingthepansies.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/haymarket-19-to-23-1422-1936-09-20.jpg?w=272&resize=272%2C178&h=178#038;h=178 "Haymarket 19 to 23 [1422] 1936-09-20")
![Haymarket Easter fair view north [7438] 1997-03-29](https://perkingthepansies.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/haymarket-easter-fair-view-north-7438-1997-03-29.jpg?w=336&resize=336%2C219&h=219#038;h=219 "Haymarket Easter fair view north [7438] 1997-03-29")
With thanks to the late George Plunkett and his marvellous photos of old Norwich.
Perking the Pansies 
Great photos Jack…such a pretty place – makes me want to visit!
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You’d be very welcome. Jar, jar and jaw jaw in the sunshine!
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And a good place for our wonderfully mispent future.
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Hear, hear!
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Lovely! Will have to visit your delightful town one day… Yes, haven’t times changed (but not in our part of the world… 😦 )
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You’d be more than welcome. It’s not perfect by any means, but it works for us.
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Changed times indeed. Still some way to go but boy, what a distance we’ve come.
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Little steps but mostly in the right direction!
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