Images ©Martyn Williams Photography November 2016
When you have children and by the time you have grandchildren you’re wondering if there’s anything that can be done to make the world around them a bit more lovely. Ages ago when I was working in business development I spoke to the Head of Street Scene in Nottingham who explained that the battle against the dreaded chewing gum was expensive, they’d been approached by Wrigley when Wrigley had pioneered a new less sticky gum (which still leaves marks when it’s removed). 
During the time I was working for Sustrans (walking and cycling campaign) I began to see more evidence: below: this isn’t a creature, it’s chewing gum on the railing, south entrance Nottm university:
Chewing gum is a worldwide, hardly documented phenomenon, so artists, like renowned painter on chewing gum, Ben Wilson are really creating worlds within worlds….
It can really make you think about how and where we can make or find beauty…..
Above multicoloured tiling on…where do you think this is? Clue, it’s not far from Victoria Centre..
Above hand drawn image of The Shop at Sneinton Market, Museum Without Walls, Museumand and a Pink Shed in a garden on the junction of Musters and Melton Road West Bridgford…all signsofanopencity…..
signsofanopencity 
I think the idea of wondering about how the city could be better came from chewing gum spotting with my grandson…..’polluuuuuuuuuuuution!’ spotting while he jumped over the cracks in the pavements. I began to think about how would you keep the city cleaner, how could you make the streets more beautiful? Is it allowed?
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