I’VE lived around Salisbury now for about 35 years and in that time lived in some very pretty villages and I’ve always thought that the route to one’s dwelling is as important as the dwelling itself.

From a Karma or Feng Shui point of view. It’s the same with towns and cities. Here in Salisbury we have a beautiful city surrounded by beautiful countryside, linked by medieval byways and historic trunk roads carving right into the city centre.

I find it quite sad that some of those roads, those entrances to our city should be littered with the ugliest, edge of town developments, like furniture which no longer fits in the house, lying dumped in the front garden for visitors to pick their way through to get to your front door. Homebase, Curry’s, Tesco, B&Q, Majestic, Carpetwise, Matalan, DFS on the A36, whilst all necessary and worthwhile, contribute nothing to the aesthetic enjoyment of the daily traveller.

Not so the route in from Bournemouth over the last few months. Blink and you’ll miss it, but just through Britford, immediately past the park and ride on the left hand side, some entrepreneur, someone clearly pitching for the Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival version of the Turner Prize has installed something which I can only describe as; ‘Still Life with Sofa and Elongated White Box’. It’s a passionate piece on a recently cleared patch of land and couched behind a post and wire rail fence. It started life as overgrown shrubby bushland, which was cleared back roughly a few months ago to reveal 30 or 40 bicycles hanging in the branches, which must have been stolen and stored there over a period of months if not years. It was an intriguing but short-lived display, not far removed from a 1950s Alexander Calder.

I’m intrigued to see what else develops on this site as spring approaches and the flower beds and roundabouts get planted up by the local authorities. And as I check my dwindling bank account and notice the direct debit going out to Wiltshire Council I’m left thinking Hurrah! £2,700 a year, well spent.

Meanwhile the dish that’s got me salivating this month is from Gill Meller’s cook book, ‘Gather’; Gamey tenderloin of wild boar, sweet parsnip puree, griddled savoy cabbage with butter, garlic and caraway. Fantastic fare for a late, rushed Saturday lunch.