Welcome to Castford

So. I guess you’re wondering why you’re here. Well, it’s time to tell you who you are.

Ok, so this one was a long time in the making. As in I wanted to do a design from White Bear but could never get my head round it. Mostly because I set myself some rules. The episode is hugely popular amongst Black Mirror enthusiasts – including myself – because, I dunno, we’re a bunch of fucking sickos or something. HOWEVER, the internet is awash with designs relating to the White Bear Justice Park, mostly using the rugby-post fork emblem thing synonymous with the show (it’s originally from this one but also features in many more, including Bandersnatch and Demon 79). So my challenge was to not mention ‘White Bear’ outright and not use the symbol. Because we can’t have that, can we?

I discovered very quickly, though, that that knocks out 95% of useable material from the programme. So I ummed and ahhed for absolutely ages, watching and rewatching the show (because I’m a fucking sicko) and could never get anything remotely usable out of it. Then it finally happened. The petrol station. When Tires from Spaced is chasing the two lasses wearing the balaclava, they end up in a petrol station. That’ll do it. For the main scene you can’t make anything out, but during the credits you see them replacing a pane of glass and glory be. There it’s is. Castford Garage & Services’ logo, clear as day.

Now, as far as I’m concerned, replications need to be not only niche but also challenging to do. Which this was but hey – I now have the name of a place where White Bear could actually be, so that gives us a lot more to play with. I’ll just do a village sign, then. So this is that. Obviously they usually do a ‘please drive carefully’ subheading for stuff like this, but I’ve put in place of that the rules for the people who are visiting to observe the… show?! Can you call it that? It’s basically torture. Bunch of fucking sickos. It’s suitably ominous in this context as well, so thumbs up there.

Then, underneath that is a brown British tourism sign, pointing the way to the Justice Park. No names but an icon of a bear that happens to be white. These signs are ubiquitous in Britain but if you’re not from here, they can tend to be vague in description and often don’t call things by their official name (especially if there is a private business aspect). Hence the vague ‘Justice Park’. Likewise, they tend to not feature logos, more their own government issue-esque generic graphic. So it makes sense to have an actual bear here rather than the BM fork glyph thing.

You might also be pleased to learn that the place is 1/3 of a mile away because the show was first broadcast in 2013. I know. Indifferent at best.