Mocha Parade

‘Wow, a parade full of chocolatey coffee? Where do I sign?’
One slippery, sleet-​ridden walk later…
‘Er, sir, sorry, I’m here now and I don’t see any chocolatey coffee. Or parades. In fact I feel like I’m in Soviet Russia, which I know is a comparison I’ve used a lot this week and really should stop. And I’m fearing for my life. Everywhere is cold, dank, and desolate.‘
Kid, you ain’t in Kansas anymore, this is Broughton. And you’re in Mocha Parade, ‘mock’ being the operative word here as you will feel like you’ve been the victim of a cruel prank. I was in a queue of very slurry and wobbly people in the Post Office, the outside of which made me unsure as to whether it was open, in use even, or had been abandoned following a nuclear fallout. As it happened it was in fact fully functional, but the clientele weren’t pleasant and the member of staff behind the bullet proof glass looked terrified. Still, I got the job done.
I actually took the time to wander around during this visit. I’d only been here once before to grab a prescription from one of the three chemists (yes, three chemists… what on earth does that imply) that reside within this blue gated monolith of 1960s architectural horror. But despite my reservations… ensure you’re not drinking a beverage right now because you’ll spit it all over your computer screen… Mocha Parade is actually an okay place to shop.
The fruit and vegetable shop is worth the trip alone. I’d got the tip from a friend of mine who said she’d returned from there with two huge bags of goodies for a mere £2. It’s true, when I popped my head round I did indeed find one of those elusive independent outlets which sells decent local produce. I’m definitely going to brave the eeriness of this shopping area to grab all my soup-​making ingredients from that bad boy. And with a mass of cheap shops just round the corner, well, for the money you save it’s worth feeling slightly uncomfortable.
Broughton may not be pretty, but it’s one of those small city areas that has a lot of hidden gems. Once you look past the grimy veneer, Mocha Parade is just fine and dandy. Quick, in and out before you start feeling depressed. Everyone’s a winner.