1109, 2017

Daniel Burdsey’s Strangers on the Shore.

By Caroline Osella|September 11, 2017|The English Seaside Town and Whiteness|0 comments

You can access here the full text of Burdsey’s article. The abstract (summary) runs:  This article presents an alternative reading of the English seaside – one that centralizes race, specifically the effects of whiteness and racialized notions of belonging and exclusion. It addresses three main issues. First, it provides a theoretical discussion of the racialized production of social space and place, and outlines the implications for minority ethnic groups at

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0609, 2017

Cracked screen drama and i-phone mysteries.

By Caroline Osella|September 6, 2017|Is Worthing the New Brighton?, The English Seaside Town and Whiteness, Worthing|0 comments

Unresponsive screen. Again. Trudging resignedly to the nearest phone repair shop. “£65”. “But it’s not cracked, just slow?” “Screen needs replacing”. Cross the road for second opinion. Same guy pops up behind the counter. “Same price here, £65” he grins. Energised by piss-off, trot along to a 3rd shop. Exact same phone cases cases, same sideline of same fidget-spinners, but no sign of pop-up man. A middle-aged English jack-the-lad with

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1408, 2017

Heisters’ Corner.

By Caroline Osella|August 14, 2017|Is Worthing the New Brighton?, Worthing|

From this lookout, you’ll see three jewellery shops. Three! A slightly terrifying upmarket looking one, with antique gold and unusual vintage and collectors’ pieces in the window; a somewhat less terrifying one, which is promising ‘gold purchase’ for those who are in the extremes of hard times or flush with unwanted inheritance pieces; and an upbeat modern European one, full of Italian branded smart design and not too proud to

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0506, 2017

Scope charity shop, Chapel Road

By Caroline Osella|June 5, 2017|Is Worthing the New Brighton?, Worthing|0 comments

They skip past the brand new picnic blankets, unfathomably priced at twice the rate of supermarket ones, but still a rapidly reducing pile each time they visit. Ladies separates is the goal today, and they happily grab the best bits fast and make for the friendly blonde cashier. While she’s ringing up the bargains (two pairs of trousers for a tenner! One Top Shop and one M & S!), they

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1805, 2017

John Edwards Estate Agents, South Farm Road.

By Caroline Osella|May 18, 2017|Is Worthing the New Brighton?, Worthing|0 comments

‘Sold! ‘Sold! ‘Sold!’ boasts the window in an exhausting hyperbole of celebration. Plenty of bungalows, just as we suspected there would be. But town houses too.  And – look! – some smart contemporary flats designed for urban commuter living (if you’re unlucky enough to be a South-eastern rail customer). Or perhaps they’re intended as cool cutting-edge residence for co-working start-up entrepreneurs who don’t need – or want – to confuse

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0405, 2017

Pooch’s Parlour, Park Road, Worthing.

By Caroline Osella|May 4, 2017|Is Worthing the New Brighton?, Worthing|0 comments

Some days, cycling up this hill is desperately difficult, but in today’s morning sunshine – not yet vicious – the air feels thin and pliable, parting to let me move through it. The thought of the next corner pulls me on as much as does my appointment – strict timing, no latecomers allowed – at a gym class at Splashpoint. My pedals slow and I let out an anticipatory snorty-laugh

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2204, 2017

Durrington Working Men’s Club

By Caroline Osella|April 22, 2017|Is Worthing the New Brighton?, Worthing|2 comments

Tuesday night at the Honey Hush Club and Colin Tenn on the decks mixes classic Elvis with lesser-known tracks, making judicious choices about tempo, era, danceability. Many people made the effort to dress up vintage: anything from 1940s style wide-leg pants – so conveniently back in high-street fashion this summer – through denim dungarees (aren’t they fantastically hot to dance in, you wonder) and, naturally, several circular skirts. Nobody’s wearing net

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2104, 2017

Black Crow Cafe, South Farm Road

By Caroline Osella|April 21, 2017|Is Worthing the New Brighton?, Worthing|0 comments

The barista’s tattoos are beautifully done – multi-coloured swoops and curls of dramatic shapes. It makes you a bit dizzy to look at them as you sideways-squint, trying to make out the images, trying not to be too stare-bear, while she focuses on not getting scalded by the heavyweight high-end machine.  She looks up and catches you looking a bit too intensely.  You smoothe it over by asking what the

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1104, 2017

Words and Artwork: seaside postcards from Worthing to the World.

By Caroline Osella|April 11, 2017|Worthing|0 comments

Every 2 weeks, on Thursday evening, I’ll be posting a new short flash-ethnography from Worthing, West Sussex, where I have lived since I made the crossing from East Sussex (Brighton-Hove) to West Sussex (Worthing) in 2014.  The writing comes out of the whispers about Worthing that I am collecting as I move around here.  The visuals are generously offered by Worthing-based artists and copyright remains with the artists.    

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