John Oram's photos with the keyword: Social Comment

On an unrelated photoshoot in London early on a Sunday morning, I was shocked and angered by the state of a widespread area of the West End after a night of revelry which, in places, was still going on albeit in muted fashion. Leicester Square was particularly horrendous and I created three postcard-style pictures to capture the mess of fast food and chemical abuse remains. 200_4_P1020939ET

On an unrelated photoshoot in London early on a Sunday morning, I was shocked and angered by the state of a widespread area of the West End after a night of revelry which, in places, was still going on albeit in muted fashion. Leicester Square was particularly horrendous and I created three postcard-style pictures to capture the mess of fast food and chemical abuse remains. 200_4_P1020940ET

On an unrelated photoshoot in London early on a Sunday morning, I was shocked and angered by the state of a widespread area of the West End after a night of revelry which, in places, was still going on albeit in muted fashion. Leicester Square was particularly horrendous and I created three postcard-style pictures to capture the mess of fast food and chemical abuse remains. 200_4_P1020938ET

The CBA brigade had been out in force in Glenrothes between the bus station and the Kingdom Shopping Centre car park. TZ70_2_P1000320CE

As an active Womble, I notice and react to litter more than many. This out of area picture is from Havant Park, some distance from my home, but this kind of sight is, unfortunately, ubiquitous. It is not always straightforward littering. You will note that the bin is quite full and it is entirely possible that birds dragged items from the top of the pile. Exacerbating factors, however, include the provision of an open topped bin when other, more appropriate, designs are available and the timing and frequency of collections by cash-conscious councils. TZ70_P1000198E

This is what you get when you leave your commercial and other waste out in plastic bags and it is not collected late enough or, indeed, early enough in the day. A little earlier, on my outward journey, pigeons had been making a mess into a bigger mess but I doubt that they had dragged the bags into the road. 200_4_P1020096CE

A reminder that littering and fly tipping are a pane (sic) in the ass. St John Street EC1. 200_4_P1020075E

Whilst I am railing against litter, someone is littering against railings in Gosport. 200_4_P1020022E

Packington Street, N1. Some people ignore this. I don't. Some even think it is acceptable. It isn't. 200_4_P1010930E

Those who know me will note that I have chosen a portmanteau word of sorts to title this picture of an unacceptable sight in Gaskin Street, N1. The picture makes its way into my album 'The Human Touch' . 200_4_P1010928E

This picture was taken as a controversial proposal to automate the toll was in the air. I completely oppose the proposal to eradicate this charming anachronism which is quintessentially of both Hampshire and the UK. I also defend the jobs of the toll keepers. It could do with a contactless payment option as, although I am by no means a fan of the unseemly rush towards a so-called cashless society, the pandemic has brought such necessities upon us. Happily, the presence opposite of a listed building, which would be impacted by the automation equipment, might yet hinder the assault by latter day Philistines. 200_4_P1010500E

You ain't my buddy and you should be wiser. This blatant fly tipping outside a disused restaurant in Notte Street, Plymouth spills across the pavement in the busy Barbican area. The bag was obviously not suitable for goodness knows how many bottles and the glass tile or panel and other random items make it unclear whether this came from another restaurant. TZ70_2_P1000078

I have lived through many crazes in my several decades but participated in none. I come into contact with one of the latest as a Womble around Gosport and Fareham boroughs. On this occasion, I picked no fewer than 61 capsules - these were just some of them. TZ70_P1030380

The car park of B&M, Fareham is notoriously littered especially round its perimeter where fly tipping is rife in addition to generalised littering. B&M

Common Barn Lane is a pathway in Lee on Solent, available to pedestrians and cyclists, which separates parts of old Lee on Solent from parts of Cherque Farm, a newer development. It is a route I use for exercise and on which I pick litter as one of the Gosport and Fareham Wombles. According to reports, a moped was set on fire at about 1am on Tuesday 16 February 2021. The fire brigade attended. This was the scene just north of Harvard Close later that morning. The pathway has been damaged and there was a small spillage of oil or fuel. Some of the hard to access hedgerow litter can be seen in the background. Whilst this is by no means typical of the area, acts of vandalism and other anti-social behaviour do seem to be on the increase. 200_4_P1010345E

Common Barn Lane is a pathway in Lee on Solent, available to pedestrians and cyclists, which separates parts of old Lee on Solent from parts of Cherque Farm, a newer development. It is a route I use for exercise and on which I pick litter as one of the Gosport and Fareham Wombles. According to reports, a moped was set on fire at about 1am on Tuesday 16 February 2021. The fire brigade attended. This was the scene just north of Harvard Close later that morning. The pathway has been damaged and there was a small spillage of oil or fuel (lower left). Whilst this is by no means typical of the area, acts of vandalism and other anti-social behaviour do seem to be on the increase. 200_4_P1010344E

I strongly believe in and defend the sanctity of disabled spaces and believe too that that sanctity should also be observed by legitimate users. This Mercedes, at Tesco Whiteley, was displaying a Blue Badge but the choice of parking position, depriving three other potential users of a space, appears both indefensible and inexplicable. Photograph by John Oram Photoshop (blur) by Gregory Halse TZ70_P1030170CE_PS

The destruction of the UK's bank branch network continues with the familiar consequences for communities and for the state of our high streets and town centres. The banks have created a self-fulfilling prophecy of low footfall which they then use in a rationale for further closures. Having set a benchmark for IT failure as recently as 2018, TSB has, as part of its recovery programme, accelerated and expanded its branch closures. The Fareham branch, at 123 West Street, which closed on 22 October 2020, actually had very good customer service but was constrained by lack of space - particularly difficult to manage during the Covid pandemic - and had no ATM. A notice on the door reads, rather disingenuously, 'We're closed, but we're still here to help'. This is a part of West Street already blighted by retail closures. A branch of LCE (London Camera Exchange) at number 135 stood empty for at least two years after its closure in 2015 and this is an established pattern for commercial property in Fareham and beyond. TZ70_P1030111E