JO: I’m stood with Sandra

S: yes

JO: am I saying it correctly? I’m a Southerner.

S: oh. Sandra.

JO: Sandra

S: yes

JO: I lived in Bath for most of my …

S: Bath. We say it Bath, with an ‘f’

JO: oh. Bath.

S: Bath with an ‘f’

JO: yes. Bath.

S: Bath, that’s it, yes.

JO: Yes. I think I walk around saying Bath

S: yes, that’s it.

JO: Anyway, getting over that cultural barrier … but we’re stood in the car park … I just happened to meet you, didn’t I?

S: yes

JO: I think you were fixing one of these machines

S: yes … no … I was … once a week, we .. because of the traffic it gets, we have to clean all the readers and the note accepters and everything inside …

JO: otherwise it all comes to a halt …

S: especially because it’s the run up to Christmas

JO: and you kindly … kindly came out because I said I was a bit lost in terms of trying to find people to speak to …

S: it’s actually part of our job but … we get a lot of students at this time and we don’t get as many visitors as we used to … we used to get a lot of foreign visitors …we just ..

JO: even in the autumn?

S: yes

JO: and you’re talking generally sort of throughout the year?

S: yes

JO: why do you think that’s fallen off then?

S: I don’t know. Terrorism maybe. Because we used to get a lot of Americans. I’ve noticed they’re not travelling any more … I don’t know. Terrorism. A few years ago, Nottingham got that really bad reputation for guns, didn’t it?

JO: ah. Well, that makes sense. A couple of my friends, when I mentioned Nottingham, one … you know … and this is a tough Scot I know, said “oo, watch yourself” … so that’s obviously percolated into public consciousness a bit …

S: … but you’ve kind of got to …

JO: … but that’s the same in any city, isn’t it?

S: no … Nottingham

JO: you think Nottingham’s a bit sharper?

S: yes, it is, so …

JO: you have to watch yourself a bit …

S: yes

JO: I was offered drugs on the street last night

S: Was you? it’s probably the way you look!

JO: that’s what I thought

S: he looks a bit hippyish

JO: morning

3rdP: morning

S: he’s the …

JO: that’s the first thing I thought … ah! Got some street cred.

S: I’ve lived in Nottingham and then I’ve been away … I’ve lived away …

JO: are you from here originally?

S: yes. When I was away I was homesick all the time and yet when I come back, I don’t want to be here.

JO: oh dear. That’s a bit of a rock and a hard place.

S: it is but it’s like you belong here but you can’t seem to get rid of it …. you know … do you know what I mean?

JO: what would …

S: it’s like this week we’ve got Goose Fair