Wholesale baking leaves a hole

Once again, the bakers in Arundel is closing. East West Bakery has been running the place for just over a year but is closing on Saturday 31st May to concentrate on wholesale baking. Which, as I've mentioned before, doesn't leave Arundel devoid of locally-baked bread... but it's still a shame.

Corpus Christi

As you walk up London Road, choral music fills the air. It's not coming directly from Arundel's Roman Catholic cathedral; instead it's being broadcast from a string of loudspeakers hanging from lamp-posts to entertain a small crowd. "Hallelujah, sing to Jesus...", the disembodied voices urge.

This is Corpus Christi: a celebration of the Holy Communion ceremony. It remembers the original breaking of bread and sharing of wine before the crucifixion of Jesus. In Arundel, a town that's known to many tourists for its castle and cream teas, the Corpus Christi celebration sees the town’s gothic-styled church – officially the Cathedral of our Lady and St Philip Howard - carpeted with floral decorations for two days. The celebrations come to a climax on Thursday evening with a church service and a procession through the streets.

After a final blessing, the singing turns to amplified shuffling before a collection of clergy, choir and congregation leave the flower-carpeted church. Following a crucifix and an assortment of celebratory banners, hundreds of people march with the Blessed Sacrament to Arundel Castle... before returning to the cathedral, where the now trampled-on flower carpet is soon swept up.

Slowly but surely

I’m still here in Arundel. As is the “For Sale” sign outside my house. But things are moving in the right direction. I have a potential buyer who’s not part of a chain, who’s arranged a mortgage… and whose mortgage company surveyor came to visit this week.

I’m starting to think about the things I’ll miss – although, to be honest, I’ll still be in a position to see most of them anyway. The Corpus Christi flowers, for example, which will be covering the floor of Arundel Cathedral next week. The Arundel Festival, scheduled for the end of August. And walks down the river to the Black Rabbit.

There’s also plenty of excitement ahead, too – so stay tuned for the next thrilling instalment from Del Arun!