OneGuyFromBarlick

I haven't seen it first hand Maz but from what I hear the picture is very similar here. There is a deeply pessimistic feeling in the High Street in the big shops because many of them are teetering on the brink of failure. This isn't all down to online sales, the bad news is that people are getting frightened about debt which is at an all time high. I paid my credit card bill a couple of days ago and reflected that so many people would love to be in that position. Sooner or later the borrowing has to stop and it looks as though this is beginning to dawn on a lot of shoppers.
Have a look at THIS, I knew nothing about this until I saw reports in Private Eye that civil unrest is breaking out between Right wingers and people protesting against the 'black face' Santa helper. At least we haven't got this to deal with!

"Town" was once for high end shops. There is a greater proportion of "cheap" shops now. Maybe that is the great equaliser in these modern times, but we get enough cheap shops in the suburbs where shop rents are lower.
Town is not what it used to be. One used to dress up to go to town! I came away thinking I could get most of this tat anywhere!

And I have to say that the "sounds" of the city are different. Booming head banging music in bookstores and £2 T-shirt shops doesn't do it for me! ( and I was a teenager in the 70s when we loved these things).
And I saw so many twiggy-legged 12 year old girls with their backsides hanging out of super short cut shorts... It was not remotely appealing.

The other high street problem is the one I keep banging on about - shops not having stuff in stock or showing the wrong details or wrong prices. I now live within walking distance of lots of shops but still I'm often giving up on them and having to resort to Amazon. Also there's a possible death sentence hanging over the town's three Park & Ride sites.

Supermarket was packed this morning...

I walk thru a large shopping centre 2 mornings a week at 8.45am , usually I only see about 10 or less people (apart from shop-owners opening their shops) but since about a week or two ago I'm seeing easily 100 people. A lot of them are waiting at shop entry 's for them to open. The bigger department stores are already open.

The pace is hotting up now, serious Xmas shopping being done aND TODAY THEY COULD BE DOING IT IN xMAS WEATHER.... cOULD SNOW.... (bugger caps lock)

No snow but despite the absolutely horrible weather yesterday afternoon at 15:00 the town was lifting with shoppers who seem to have woken up to the fact that there is just over a week left to make sure the house is full to bursting with food!
Which reminds me that next Friday is the last butcher's day before Xmas and as usual I will ask Kathy for a wrap-up on the night they close down for the Xmas break. I love them. You never know what you are going to get and the price is always right because it suits them to find a home for anything that needs getting out of the shop. If you've never tried it, ask your butcher if he does it, well worth asking.

Have a read of THIS and have a think about the chaos lurking behind the festive season. Not really a seasonal message I know but I'm afraid there are some grim realities to be faced all round and it looks as though Xmas is going to be one of them. Sorry kids!

Stanley wrote: ↑17 Dec 2018, 14:08 I'm afraid there are some grim realities to be faced

Too true - It's getting serious - even down here. Aston Martin shares are down by 40 % and I noticed the local main dealer had a ' For Sale' sign up last week.

Says it's due to 'relocation'.

Despite the bad news on the High Street Colin and I ventured forth to B&Q and splashed the cash on a half price Xmas Tree. Mr Scrooge thought £18 was way too expensive for a handsome 5ft Nordmann fir tree and nearly ran away but for once my withering stare worked and we have it safe in the barn. It will come in nearer the weekend....probably to celebrate the shortest day. I also posted Xmas cards.

We went to a garden centre this afternoon to buy a plant. Silly us, you couldn't move for Christmas tat gifts. Endless rows of plastic animals (including a life-size bulldog and pig!). Mind you, this place always has an 8-foot high animated Tyrannosaurus rex waving its head about and showing its teeth (no price on it). Everything you never knew you wanted. I wonder if it will all still be there after Christmas? If they try and send it all back to China for recycling they'll refuse to take it and we'll have to hawk it around Asia and Africa.

And everyone has their begging bowls out...
I was approached in the park today by a man asking for $30 so he could buy a car! As he had a fag hanging out of his mouth, and they cost over $30 a packet, it seemed to me he had already made his choice about the car...

For once I believe the reasons being put forward for the slump, people starting to shy away from taking on more debt because of uncertainty and the terrible effect the import of Black Friday has had on discounts in the market. A classic case of short term increase in sales at the expense of profit margin. Volume of sales up, profit down. Bit of a no-brainer actually.
Expect the emitters to be turned up to full power this week!

All the Laura Ashley Stores, ( homewares, fabrics, fashion etc) here in Oz are closing as we speak. Big discounts. I think they have only been here 15/20 years ??

Just adding - according to a bbc report they are owned by Malayan United Industries and they plan to expand the companies presence in China.
40 stores in the UK are closing or have just closed.

Cathy, the Financial Times has collapsing UK retail sales at the top of its front page this morning. Asos down about 35%, and that's an online seller. But others are keeling over too. There are reports of online companies desperate to sell and offering massive discounts.

Doom and gloom in every topic. Here's a little cartoon to cheer everyone up .....just what will happen here with little Bella and her first Xmas!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2h3_aH3vo

Very good Wendy. How about this too...

One thing I would like to hear is Nigella Lawson saying "I couldn't eat another thing".

Nice one Tiz, and also very relevant in our house as old dog Bertie is losing bladder control!

We are avoiding all cookery programmes! I'm looking for "fat bomb" recipes to make some chocolatey, nutty, buttery treats.

Truffles, Wendy!

I get an early Xmas present on Xmas Eve. My final diagnosis and treatment options at Airedale. Deep Joy! Susan is away for Xmas but Muthomi is going to take me.....
Love the cartoon Tiz....
Wendy, I know how Bertie feels!