The “girls of Ilfracombe” come next in my West Country tour
commentary … I've put in more photos of The Starter Bar, than I have of Verity ... she will command your attention - that is sufficient ... and I can share food photos!
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| Taken, not by me, when it was sunny! |
It’s not quite what you’d expect at the end of a Georgian/Victorian
fishing harbour pier … a sixty-six feet + high stainless steel and bronze
statue: certainly I had no idea of its attendance in Ilfracombe!
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| Verity taken in the rain and dark - sorry! |
We were bemused … I suspect Jenny was horrified, but she held
her thoughts well … we wandered quickly round and returned to face the harbour
and town. I went back the next morning,
still in the rain to take a photo or two …
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| From my iphone across the harbour - she stands tall |
The creator of Verity – you will almost certainly know well,
or of: Damien Hirst – the formaldehyde, diamond skull creative artist. I leave it at that … more can be found.
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| The law books Verity stands on |
The town accepted the loan of the statue, for 20 years, with
restrictive rights – no close up photos for marketing purposes etc … Verity is
pregnant, she holds a sword aloft, carries behind her back the scales of
justice and stands on a pile of law books.
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| Plinth attached to the pier |
Hirst describes the piece as a “modern allegory of truth and
justice” and in his youth was inspired by Edgar Degas’ “Little Dancer of Fourteen
Years” and it is thought he may have used this painting in the creation of
Verity.
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| Prawn and Apple soup - it did look good |
He has given an art block to his children’s school in Combe
Martin … it is state of the art – silly phrase!
There are art galleries in the town … and he has bought a few of the
houses on the harbour frontage … created a restaurant-bar for the in-crowd …
and a private place where he can entertain his celebrity friends.
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| The Starter Bar's fun clock ... |
I gather the statue attracts tourists to the town … awesome or
an eyesore … your mind will tell you … Verity was tested in a wind-tunnel … so
looks set to be around for the next 17 ½ years of her contract and will continue look
out across the Bristol Channel to Wales.
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| Charlotte and Alex |
The other girls are more down to earth … spotted a niche
market, dared to dream about entrepreneurship, loved to cook … and opened “The
Starter Bar” …
… this was where we went for supper, rather than our ‘old salt’s
tavern’ that probably wasn’t serving dinner at all … it was different and was
interesting – we both found dishes we liked the sound of … and with a glass of
vino or two – quietly tucked in …
The young sisters, Charlotte and Alex, share a passion for
cooking and foods … they offer dishes they themselves love to eat … so good for
them in determining that age is no object to giving it a go … it was popular
even on a Monday.
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| Jenny finishing off with another sundae - which she loved! |
They say that their family, and the local community have been
really encouraging, helping out, or give advice where they can – it looks like they’ll
be doing well, and certainly we wish them success.
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| Cocktail anyone - to take away the shock of 'Verity'? |
So … those are the three up-front 21st century women
of Ilfracombe – they are away from 1980s Madonna’s
bra-theatre side of the town, but tucked in very sensibly just back from
the lifeboat-station and harbour.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
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