Current Affairs

[Mervyn and Trish]

The thing that is really unfair is the level of business rates local shops pay in relation to their turnover compared to the on-line giants. It needs addressing.

[Stephen]

With regard to the death of the high street I see things going in a different direction to what many think it will go (btw the Magic mushrooms were lovely last night)

I have expressed various opinions as to what will happen to the high-street especially as online shopping is now part of everyday life….so here’s another one…I think online shopping and Covid will ultimately be the saviour of the High street.

With many of the bigger High street retailers closing down and the likelihood that out-of-town retail parks will also succumb to online shopping there is to my mind a very lucrative gap in the high-street for small independents to find various retail niches.

With a little help from the government/local councils I think there still could be a pleasant shopping experience to be found in the high street.

As much as we all say we would love to support our local shops, and sometimes we do, it all boils down to price and convenience. And that will never change.

[Onelife]

The thing that is really unfair is the level of business rates local shops pay in relation to their turnover compared to the on-line giants. It needs addressing.

Fair business rates were one of the things I was referring to re: Government/council.

The Government can’t have it both ways…They either encourage more retailers by way of fair rates or they face losing revenues used for the upkeep of the town and its services.

[Onelife]

With regard to the death of the high street I see things going in a different direction to what many think it will go (btw the Magic mushrooms were lovely last night)

I have expressed various opinions as to what will happen to the high-street especially as online shopping is now part of everyday life….so here’s another one…I think online shopping and Covid will ultimately be the saviour of the High street.

With many of the bigger High street retailers closing down and the likelihood that out-of-town retail parks will also succumb to online shopping there is to my mind a very lucrative gap in the high-street for small independents to find various retail niches.

With a little help from the government/local councils I think there still could be a pleasant shopping experience to be found in the high street.

As much as we all say we would love to support our local shops, and sometimes we do, it all boils down to price and convenience. And that will never change.

Stephen, we will lose a lot more than price and convenience should our towns descend into rabbit runs of vandalism and crime.

[Stephen]

With regard to the death of the high street I see things going in a different direction to what many think it will go (btw the Magic mushrooms were lovely last night)

I have expressed various opinions as to what will happen to the high-street especially as online shopping is now part of everyday life….so here’s another one…I think online shopping and Covid will ultimately be the saviour of the High street.

With many of the bigger High street retailers closing down and the likelihood that out-of-town retail parks will also succumb to online shopping there is to my mind a very lucrative gap in the high-street for small independents to find various retail niches.

With a little help from the government/local councils I think there still could be a pleasant shopping experience to be found in the high street.

As much as we all say we would love to support our local shops, and sometimes we do, it all boils down to price and convenience. And that will never change.

Stephen, we will lose a lot more than price and convenience should our towns descend into rabbit runs of vandalism and crime.

More likely to turn into bars, restaurants and hairdressers. Hang on a minute, they already have.

Any scuffles, that’s what we pay plod to deal with.

[towny44]

Last weekend we bought a new battery operated vacuum cleaner. The brand itself advertises it's British heritage going back to 1870's; the box it arrived in had a union jack on it and mentions of Britishness in large letters. In very small writing, on the bottom of the box and on the actual product it said 'Made in China'. It appears that nothing was made in the UK - possibly the box but even then there is no evidence of that. Shame!

I am struggling to think of a traditional UK vacuum cleaner company going back to 1870, however I have found a Wet and dry vac with 1870 as part of its name, but the company selling it only dates back to 1923.
But I think we all assume that over 90% of small domestic appliances are now made in the far east, with China as by far the largest supplier. So your comment comes as no surprise.

[Kendhni]

With many of the bigger High street retailers closing down and the likelihood that out-of-town retail parks will also succumb to online shopping there is to my mind a very lucrative gap in the high-street for small independents to find various retail niches.

Listening to our own local councillors one of the issues is giving people a reason for going into town and then, once there, giving them a reason to stay and move around. Many small businesses rely on footfall and if that isn't there then they will struggle. Much to many people's disgust our in-town shopping centre has been closed down and zoned for 'luxury apartments'.

Apart from that many large stores are lying empty, loads of coffee shops and banks (but even they are closing down or downsizing into much smaller units). The two main ones that seem to be doing well in our area are hard to replicate online - a butchers and a fish mongers. I was talking to the owner of a clothes shop I used to like (until his prices got too high) and he was saying that if it wasn't for the school uniform trade he would have closed years ago.

While the town centres may be dying I would say that localised shopping seems to be doing better- basically multiple businesses working as a co-operative (you see it with the likes of Subway, Pizza place or butchers opening up in a petrol/mini-grocery store station). To survive town centres need to rethink and come into the 21st century. With more people "working from home" there appears to be a call for shared office space and shared work environments. That in itself could be a hub for additional coffee shops, fast food, etc.

[Kendhni]

Last weekend we bought a new battery operated vacuum cleaner. The brand itself advertises it's British heritage going back to 1870's; the box it arrived in had a union jack on it and mentions of Britishness in large letters. In very small writing, on the bottom of the box and on the actual product it said 'Made in China'. It appears that nothing was made in the UK - possibly the box but even then there is no evidence of that. Shame!

I am struggling to think of a traditional UK vacuum cleaner company going back to 1870, however I have found a Wet and dry vac with 1870 as part of its name, but the company selling it only dates back to 1923.
But I think we all assume that over 90% of small domestic appliances are now made in the far east, with China as by far the largest supplier. So your comment comes as no surprise.

The item we bought was from https://beldray.com/our-story/

[Manoverboard]

The thing that is really unfair is the level of business rates local shops pay in relation to their turnover compared to the on-line giants. It needs addressing.

Fair business rates were one of the things I was referring to re: Government/council.

The Government can’t have it both ways…They either encourage more retailers by way of fair rates or they face losing revenues used for the upkeep of the town and its services.

As Ken used to say " Be careful what you wish for "

Rates, residential and business, are way overdue for a review and no Government wants to touch it. The last serious attempt was in the 70s when our rates doubled ... if they do it again they could easily treble.

[Mervyn and Trish]

BBC News - Covid: Give jabs to poorer hotspots before boosters, urges WHO envoy
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56999351

All very well and noble but define poor country. India for example has a space programme.

[towny44]

Last weekend we bought a new battery operated vacuum cleaner. The brand itself advertises it's British heritage going back to 1870's; the box it arrived in had a union jack on it and mentions of Britishness in large letters. In very small writing, on the bottom of the box and on the actual product it said 'Made in China'. It appears that nothing was made in the UK - possibly the box but even then there is no evidence of that. Shame!

I am struggling to think of a traditional UK vacuum cleaner company going back to 1870, however I have found a Wet and dry vac with 1870 as part of its name, but the company selling it only dates back to 1923.
But I think we all assume that over 90% of small domestic appliances are now made in the far east, with China as by far the largest supplier. So your comment comes as no surprise.

The item we bought was from https://beldray.com/our-story/

I think our ironing board was from Beldray, but I didnt know they made vacuum cleaners.

[Kendhni]

BBC News - Covid: Give jabs to poorer hotspots before boosters, urges WHO envoy
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56999351

All very well and noble but define poor country. India for example has a space programme.

I keep hearing this comment being made, and it shows a lack of understanding of the original main drivers of the Indian space program? Granted its remit has since expanded in more recent years, into one of the top 6 space organisations in the world, but the research they do is driving technological advances that are being used globally. I don't begrudge any country trying to improve itself and the standard of living for its citizens.

At the minute India is desperation with second and third stage mutations. I watched a heart breaking video this weekend that showed one man, Anmol Goyal, prostrating himself on the ground begging the authorities to return the oxygen tank they had confiscated from his mother to give to a 'VIP' - his mother died a few hours later. People queuing for days trying to get oxygen. There is no doubt that it is overall a poor country housing about18% of the worlds population. We have to remember, as WHO has pointed out on several occasions, we are not out of this until everyone is vaccinated; the UK has ordered some 200million doses above and beyond what it needs (other richer countries have done the same) and it is overdue for us to start getting those distributed around the world. 'Greed and capitalism' do not build good will.

[david63]

The point there Ken is that we have "ordered" these vaccines not that we have them stockpiled. Many of these vaccines have not completed testing, let alone been approved.

[towny44]

Ken, I would imagine that a covid free, or almost, Western world will be far more beneficial economically to India and the remainder of the less developed world, than providing it with a few million extra vaccines now, which will be but a drop in their ocean.

[Kendhni]

The point there Ken is that we have "ordered" these vaccines not that we have them stockpiled. Many of these vaccines have not completed testing, let alone been approved.

More than enough to satisfy the UKs needs have been approved. The point is that there should have been a fairer distribution of vaccines from the very beginning - I know, given our me-me-me human nature (especially in richer countries) that is probably a very left-field pie-in-the-sky unicorns and rainbows suggestion. But I still believe more of an effort should have been made.

We saw the outcry in this country when various companies tried to purchase vaccines for their employees - that is how poorer countries look upon those with vaccines. When it comes to the boosters it is possible that it will be more of a free-for-all and the organised roll-out may be much more commercialised.

[Kendhni]

Ken, I would imagine that a covid free, or almost, Western world will be far more beneficial economically to India and the remainder of the less developed world, than providing it with a few million extra vaccines now, which will be but a drop in their ocean.

I neither agree not disagree with your comment. However I know exactly what my old grandmother would have said ...
"... and I am sure those people from the less developed world will thank you for your kind consideration as they bury their families."

At the start of the vaccine roll out I suggested that at the top of the list should have been those that worked but could not work from home. That would have been far more beneficial to our economy than providing vaccines to the economically less active. Your line of argument would back that suggestion up. Yet we did not adopt such a suggestion.

Similarly your suggestion would provide backing to those companies that tried to buy vaccines for their workers - but yet society poured scorn upon them. So what makes such suggestions right today?

[towny44]

Ken, I would imagine that a covid free, or almost, Western world will be far more beneficial economically to India and the remainder of the less developed world, than providing it with a few million extra vaccines now, which will be but a drop in their ocean.

I neither agree not disagree with your comment. However I know exactly what my old grandmother would have said ...
"... and I am sure those people from the less developed world will thank you for your kind consideration as they bury their families."

At the start of the vaccine roll out I suggested that at the top of the list should have been those that worked but could not work from home. That would have been far more beneficial to our economy than providing vaccines to the economically less active. Your line of argument would back that suggestion up. Yet we did not adopt such a suggestion.

Similarly your suggestion would provide backing to those companies that tried to buy vaccines for their workers - but yet society poured scorn upon them. So what makes such suggestions right today?

The crux of the matter is whether you believe that the free market economy, or capitalism as you disparigingly call it, is the best way to improve living standards for everyone, or you think that a state run system is best. So far the former is streets ahead of the latter, and getting the major economies moving again will not only improve the west, but the extra demands they generate will help the developing nations, either by higher purchasing from the poorer economies, or by increasing their ability to improve foreign aid.
As to whether we chose the correct vaccine regime there will be debates over this for years, but most western economies with an aging population chose to try and minimise the impact of covid on their health services, and that certainly seems to have worked in the UK.

[Stephen]

Let the gun ships put a few rounds across their bows. The white flag will be up before you can say French stick.


Royal Navy ships patrolling Jersey amid fishing row with France https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57003069

[Kendhni]

Ken, I would imagine that a covid free, or almost, Western world will be far more beneficial economically to India and the remainder of the less developed world, than providing it with a few million extra vaccines now, which will be but a drop in their ocean.

I neither agree not disagree with your comment. However I know exactly what my old grandmother would have said ...
"... and I am sure those people from the less developed world will thank you for your kind consideration as they bury their families."

At the start of the vaccine roll out I suggested that at the top of the list should have been those that worked but could not work from home. That would have been far more beneficial to our economy than providing vaccines to the economically less active. Your line of argument would back that suggestion up. Yet we did not adopt such a suggestion.

Similarly your suggestion would provide backing to those companies that tried to buy vaccines for their workers - but yet society poured scorn upon them. So what makes such suggestions right today?

The crux of the matter is whether you believe that the free market economy, or capitalism as you disparigingly call it, is the best way to improve living standards for everyone, or you think that a state run system is best. So far the former is streets ahead of the latter, ...

Let's get terminology out of the way first.
- A 'free market' and 'capitalism' are not the same thing.
- I didn't use 'capitalism' except to quote our own prime ministers words - I have no idea if he was being disparaging at the time.

I don't believe any political dogma trumps another, what is required is a balance of several different dogmas. Most democratic countries including our own do strike that balance but sometimes it drifts a little left and other times it drifts a little right.

... and getting the major economies moving again will not only improve the west, but the extra demands they generate will help the developing nations, either by higher purchasing from the poorer economies, or by increasing their ability to improve foreign aid.

I suppose the argument to that is if you rebuild your own economy allowing the body bags to pile up in other countries then who, in those countries will do the work to restart their economies? - assuming we apply the same standards of protection and social distancing to them as we expect for ourselves. Their industries will remain shut down until they reach the same level of protection as we have - the supply chain would be totally screwed.

As to whether we chose the correct vaccine regime there will be debates over this for years, but most western economies with an aging population chose to try and minimise the impact of covid on their health services, and that certainly seems to have worked in the UK.

I agree. However I have a feeling that in the coming months that may change. Johnson was against the first lockdown (according to various reports), he was against the second lockdown (after saying he would take full responsibility for releasing the first lockdown), and he has openly stated there will be no more lockdowns. On this last comment I can see his point, like heart attacks, cancer etc. there are simply going to be people (mostly elderly) who will die from COVID ... we have to learn to live with that and accept the losses. I make no comment on whether I agree or disagree with that.

[Manoverboard]

Be it heart attacks, cancer or Covid ( all essentially age related deceases ) it is absolutely correct to protect the elderly because it is they, for the most part, who are most at risk .. to do otherwise is euthanasia.

[Manoverboard]

Just read ( B of E ) that we are poised to have the highest growth rate in 70 years and elsewhere that the EU are going into a double dip recession ... so much for the doom mongers' predictions.
.

[Ray B]

Let the gun ships put a few rounds across their bows. The white flag will be up before you can say French stick.


Royal Navy ships patrolling Jersey amid fishing row with France https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57003069

We have sunk a few of their ships over the years, but I don't think they have ever forgiven us for sinking their Mediterranean fleet in 1940.

[Kendhni]

Just read ( B of E ) that we are poised to have the highest growth rate in 70 years and elsewhere that the EU are going into a double dip recession ... so much for the doom mongers' predictions.
.

Unless you put that into context then it is meaningless. The UK is still recovering from last years slump, the EU had fared better. So basically all that is happening is that we expect to arrive back to the position we were in at the end of 2019. But again to quote Andrew Bailey "That is good news in the context of where we’ve been." - I agree. However there is no indication on whether or not this is sustainable or stable - it is an overdue and much anticipated "bounce back" from a very low bar (something I posted about a several weeks ago).

So far 2021 isn't being kind to the EU (in the same way as 2020 was not kind to the UK). General expectation is that the second half of 2021 will be much kinder to the EU, which in turn will help the UK. As they say it is not where you start, is where you finish that matters.

[Onelife]

Just read ( B of E ) that we are poised to have the highest growth rate in 70 years and elsewhere that the EU are going into a double dip recession ... so much for the doom mongers' predictions.
.

Unless you put that into context then it is meaningless. The UK is still recovering from last years slump, the EU had fared better. So basically all that is happening is that we expect to arrive back to the position we were in at the end of 2019. But again to quote Andrew Bailey "That is good news in the context of where we’ve been." - I agree. However there is no indication on whether or not this is sustainable or stable - it is an overdue and much anticipated "bounce back" from a very low bar (something I posted about a several weeks ago).

So far 2021 isn't being kind to the EU (in the same way as 2020 was not kind to the UK). General expectation is that the second half of 2021 will be much kinder to the EU, which in turn will help the UK. As they say it is not where you start, is where you finish that matters.

Absolutely…and as yet not at the bottom of a cliff like some were predicting

[david63]

A polite request - will you please only quote what is necessary and not large swathes of posts with just a one line answer.