the final grind.

We all have different ways of coping with the loss and destruction of the many
Lyttelton buildings. We might take a few minutes to stand on the pavement,
watch the diggers and reminisce, but then we can carry on with our lives, meeting
friends in different settings, trying out a new cafe somewhere else. But it is
harder for the people who lived and worked in those buildings, whose dreams and
hopes and futures were interwoven with the fabric of those houses.


The owner, Jenny Garing and the staff of the Ground Delicatessen and Coffee shop came up with a
meaningful way of saying goodbye to their building.
The mother of a staff member is a potter and with her help they created a pot, middle-eastern in shape.
They embedded star anise and cloves into the clay. Star anise of course because it
features on the Ground logo.

Each staff member decorated a tablet of clay with their favourite spice,added patterns or inscribed it. The tablets were placed in the pot and given to the demolition person,
who carried the pot into the building before it was destroyed.
For the crew of Ground this symbolised 'the final grinding of the spices'
and they wanted the pot to merge with the rubble of the building.


After finishing the pot, they were a bit regretful to see it smashed as it had
turned out rather beautiful. So they made a second pottery dish, decorated it
again with spices and embedded the front door key of the old Ground building in
the clay. This dish will be fired and kept, a reminder of the great place that
Ground was, a pointer to the future when another key will unlock a new Ground.

Ground, the business, remains operational although in an altered form.
Ground sells it's spices and other tasty treats at the Farmer's Market each Saturday morning from 10am - 1pm.
'Upper Ground'is situated in the Top Club and offers meals, takeaway food, coffee, a small selection of delicatessen goods and a stunning view. 'Camping Ground' sells lovely take-away sandwiches and salads from a caravan opposite of it's old site on the corner of London street/Canterbury Street.


written by Bettina Evans