Retail Randoms

BEFORE YOU GO

Penny for his thoughts

Speed was possibly not of the essence for one Deliveroo ‘driver’ - if that is the right term - recently.

For George Heming, who lives in the Kent coastal jewel of Whitstable, has taken it upon himself to make his deliveries on the back of a penny farthing bicycle.

What makes the feat all the more remarkable is that he made the deliveries not in his home town, but in the sprawling metropolis of London.

Heming said: “Delivering food and riding through London on a penny Farthing really does turn heads!”

You don’t say.

He added: “I learnt to ride the penny farthing inside a large indoor space which was tricky but a whole different story when you’re out on the streets, navigating London’s rush hour with no brakes.

“The empty bag was quite a weight anyway, so when I reached the restaurant and collected the food, the weight increased further which made it harder to get on and off the penny farthing.

“Luckily, the food made it to the destination in one piece and was still warm!” What convenience retailers made of George’s mode of transport is not recorded. Perhaps an e-scooter might be a better option for London next time?

In the picture

A Banksy painting inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is to be auctioned.

The painting, titled Sunflowers From Petrol Station, is being sold by fashion designer Sir Paul Smith. The artwork reimagines Van Gogh’s painting as a withered bunch of sunflowers which have shed their petals. It has been valued at between £8.8m and £13.2m by auction house Christie’s.

One question remains: what was Banksy’s motivation - or rather, inspiration - for creating the work? Was it, as we suspect, the artistic equivalent of the man who has forgotten his anniversary and so finds himself on his local forecourt in the dead of night trying to salvage his relationship by picking out a past-its-best bouquet? You will have to ask the man himself - but you will have to find him first...