Sad news from Barcelona

Not the political situation (though that of course is sad too) but news that one of my favourite shops is to close down. It was only nine months or so ago that I discovered El Ingenio. Sadly for afficionados of theatrical history, Catalonian giant parades and for Barcelona's old town. El Ingenio, the shop and workshop responsible for so many amazing artefacts for the parades of giants and very much more, is to close. Rescue attempts by friends and supporters and by Barcelona's El Rey de la Magia (the King of Magic) have failed to make El Ingenio viable in today's modern world. I will be gutted to wander down the narrow Carrer d'en Rauric and not be able to enter this quirky and wonderful place. I was hoping that one day we might have brought some of their fine creations to Hay on Wye. But it was not to be. Farewell to a little piece of social history.