It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
It remains popular for all its flaws
Though how long that continues under King Charles, who knows?
William and Kate seem popular and there does not seem to be a demand to become a republic
I signed on for a two year contract with BT in December and I've just received a letter telling me that the price I agreed to is going up 9.4% this March. 3.9% annual increase and 5.5% for inflation!
I said 'that's odd considering you did a price based TV campaign at the end of last year. How were new customers supposed to guess their two year contracts would be subject to a nearly 10% rise two months after signing up?'
'How were we to know inflation would rise by 5.5%?' They replied
Despite the sharp practice by BT this is the first time I remember being given an extra charge specifically for inflation.
I'd consider getting a 4g/5g router, a £20 a month unlimited data sim from 3 (or similar PAYG sim) and saying goodbye to BT.
Too late unfortunately. I wish I could. I've signed up to two years and there's no way I can walk away without paying up the contract.
Which is 24 months at £150 a month! Don't touch BT with a bargepole.
If the price rises from what you have agreed you have 30 days to cancel without penalties.
I know this because once they forgot to tell me about a price rise - due to an administrative cock-up they wrote to my father instead - and they as a result not only had to cancel my contract at the time of my choosing but refund me the difference.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
The monarchy will ... outlive
We'll see.
I think they're in big trouble. When she does eventually go an awful lot of shit is going to come out.
William seems like a decent bloke though, grounded with a nice wife. The rest can all bugger off.
I think the world is moving on, with this and so many other things. The OK, Boomer generation's constant complaining about 'woke' this and 'woke' that, which surfaces on here quite a lot (especially when Leon is on the sauce) is like Custer's last stand. Or Canute's as a better analogy.
We've seen what you did to the world and we're moving on.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
It remains popular for all its flaws
Though how long that continues under King Charles, who knows?
William and Kate seem popular and there does not seem to be a demand to become a republic
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
That's not going to endear the Royal family to a lot of the country. Way over the top, though many will enjoy a free day off.
It won't endear them to republicans but who cares, they are not royal fans anyway
I thought right wing "Conservative" Party MPs were against lockdowns?
The death of her Majesty would need to be marked by a memorial of sufficient stature, it would also be temporary not months long Covid lockdown but a few weeks at most
How many of you here now remember what happened when the King died? Not a lot, I dom't think....
I remember Princess Elizabeth was on a safari holiday.
With Doctor Who as I recall.
She has appeared in a couple of stories so, you never know.
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
I’m not convinced. Will it be legally mandated to close? To not play music? I’ll crank up my car stereo then and drive up and down. People die. I’ve never met her. She’s had a good innings. I dread the thought of Charles 3rd, or George the 10th or whatever stupid name he chooses.
I am sure Priti Patel as Home Secretary will ensure there will be plenty of opportunity for the police and monarchist volunteers to hand out on the spot fines to anyone not being sufficiently sombre during the official mourning period and funeral
Dear me, you have lost it
HY is right on this one, it’s not just for us monarchists to be upset and respectful, everyone has to show respect in National morning. The clues in the title: it’s “National” morning.
We're not in Thailand. It's part of our national heritage to give zero shits about the monarchy.
Rubbish, of the top 3 most watched TV programmes ever in the UK 2 were royal connected. 1st was the 1966 World Cup final, second was the funeral of Princess Diana and third was the 1969 documentary on the Royal family
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
I simply don't believe there is anywhere in the UK where 80% of people are still habitually masking including many outdoors.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
I simply don't believe there is anywhere in the UK where 80% of people are still habitually masking including many outdoors.
Certainly not in our experience yesterday. In town for shopping, booking a holiday and a meal and a few bottles of wine. Hardly saw anyone wearing masks. Like when we were in the toon the week before. It was like Covid had never happened apart from the bus trip in.
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
I’m not convinced. Will it be legally mandated to close? To not play music? I’ll crank up my car stereo then and drive up and down. People die. I’ve never met her. She’s had a good innings. I dread the thought of Charles 3rd, or George the 10th or whatever stupid name he chooses.
I am sure Priti Patel as Home Secretary will ensure there will be plenty of opportunity for the police and monarchist volunteers to hand out on the spot fines to anyone not being sufficiently sombre during the official mourning period and funeral
Dear me, you have lost it
HY is right on this one, it’s not just for us monarchists to be upset and respectful, everyone has to show respect in National morning. The clues in the title: it’s “National” morning.
We're not in Thailand. It's part of our national heritage to give zero shits about the monarchy.
Rubbish, of the top 3 most watched TV programmes ever in the UK 2 were royal connected. 1st was the 1966 World Cup final, second was the funeral of Princess Diana and third was the 1969 documentary on the Royal family
Re the current topic of discussion here is my position for what it is worth:
In principle I am a republican.
However come the revolution, when I become your benign dictator, abolishing the monarchy will be very very low indeed on the to do list and might not get done.
Like all institutions I like some of their representatives and not others. Liz has been ok and as Douglas Adams would say mostly harmless. Phil was a good laugh and I loved his lack of political correctness. Don't have strong feelings about Charlie and quite like Will and Harry.
As for the funeral I obviously expect it to be an event. I won't be indulging in the mass mourning, but respect those that will. I hope they respect the fact that while I am happy to forego normal TV for a day and be bombarded with stuff I don't want to hear or see, they respect that I shouldn't have to put up with it on every channel for days on end.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
'If' I outlast the Queen, and I certainly do not presume on such a thing, then I will possibly watch the funeral but maybe not. Otherwise I shall go about my normal life.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
Has anyone suggested there will be a requirement for anyone to do (or not do ) anything they would normally do or not do when the Queen dies ? Yes , there will be a lot of television coverage but you dont have to watch it and plenty of alternatives in todays media world. Beyond that are some republicans just creating a straw man ? or straw Queen?
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
'If' I outlast the Queen, and I certainly do not presume on such a thing, then I will possibly watch the funeral but maybe not. Otherwise I shall go about my normal life.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
Has anyone suggested there will be a requirement for anyone to do (or not do ) anything they would normally do or not do when the Queen dies ? Yes , there will be a lot of television coverage but you dont have to watch it and plenty of alternatives in todays media world. Beyond that are some republicans just creating a straw man ? or straw Queen?
If there is a period of mourning schools will be shut for at least part of it, although I think the plan is to close them only for the day of the funeral itself.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
The monarchy will ... outlive
We'll see.
I think they're in big trouble. When she does eventually go an awful lot of shit is going to come out.
William seems like a decent bloke though, grounded with a nice wife. The rest can all bugger off.
I think the world is moving on, with this and so many other things. The OK, Boomer generation's constant complaining about 'woke' this and 'woke' that, which surfaces on here quite a lot (especially when Leon is on the sauce) is like Custer's last stand. Or Canute's as a better analogy.
We've seen what you did to the world and we're moving on.
It isn't, even Charles has a 60% favourable rating now, William as you say even more popular at 80%.
Leftwing republicans like you may desperately try and overthrow the monarchy when Charles will become King but you will lose that as you normally lose most general elections. Even Starmer has abandoned his youthful republicanism to say he now backs a reformed monarchy as even he realises no Labour leader who is a republican will get anyway near No 10, as Foot and Corbyn discovered
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
On what basis are you so rude to people who are doing nothing wrong?
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
Covid isn't going to disappear so are you going to wear a mask for the rest of your life ?
Not that it will stop you coming into contact with covid.
And whereabouts might I ask is 'here' ?
A look at the map suggests its the places with the least mask wearing might now have the lowest infection rates:
Even if support for the monarchy dropped, which political party is going to support a referendum on its continued existence? Not the Conservatives, and Labour won't go anywhere near it for much the same reason why they aren't going to make any attempt to rejoin the EU anytime soon. Without a republican political party in government, then the monarchy will undoubtedly carry on for the foreseeable future.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
Covid isn't going to disappear so are you going to wear a mask for the rest of your life ?
Not that it will stop you coming into contact with covid.
And whereabouts might I ask is 'here' ?
A look at the map suggests its the places with the least mask wearing might now have the lowest infection rates:
Whereas Nick Palmer's 'masks almost universal in Sainsbury' Waverley has almost the highest current infection rate in the country.
Of course, that might be the other way around. Where people know there's a lot of infection they still wear masks. Where they think there isn't much infection, they don't bother.
People generally, in my totally anecdotal experience, are happy to follow rules (or indeed guidelines) if they can see a good reason for them. It's when they think there isn't one that they push back.
Cannock Church voted this morning to remove masks in services effective 1st March. Couldn't see anyone who voted against.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
I see no evidence of mask wearing in the street and pavements as you mention
I reckon it will be an eye opener for both groups. Republicans will be astonished by the widespread grief and mourning. Monarchists by the fact that there is a sizable minority who actually don't care at all.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
'If' I outlast the Queen, and I certainly do not presume on such a thing, then I will possibly watch the funeral but maybe not. Otherwise I shall go about my normal life.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
Has anyone suggested there will be a requirement for anyone to do (or not do ) anything they would normally do or not do when the Queen dies ? Yes , there will be a lot of television coverage but you dont have to watch it and plenty of alternatives in todays media world. Beyond that are some republicans just creating a straw man ? or straw Queen?
If there is a period of mourning schools will be shut for at least part of it, although I think the plan is to close them only for the day of the funeral itself.
I am wondering what we will have to do in the Civil Service.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
'If' I outlast the Queen, and I certainly do not presume on such a thing, then I will possibly watch the funeral but maybe not. Otherwise I shall go about my normal life.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
Has anyone suggested there will be a requirement for anyone to do (or not do ) anything they would normally do or not do when the Queen dies ? Yes , there will be a lot of television coverage but you dont have to watch it and plenty of alternatives in todays media world. Beyond that are some republicans just creating a straw man ? or straw Queen?
If there is a period of mourning schools will be shut for at least part of it, although I think the plan is to close them only for the day of the funeral itself.
I am wondering what we will have to do in the Civil Service.
Would it be rude of me to suggest on recent bitter experience whatever you do will make little practical difference?
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
What a bunch of crooks............... BORIS Johnson is facing fresh calls to resign after it was revealed multimillionaire Tory donors were given unprecedented access to the UK Government and PM through a secret advisory board.
The Times reports that the ultra-wealthy group were granted contact details of ministers and advisers which allowed some to directly lobby the government on Covid-19 procurement and strategy.
In return for a £250,000 donation the board members, whose investments span property, construction and big tobacco, were granted privileged access to Boris Johnson and his closest advisers.
What a bunch of crooks............... BORIS Johnson is facing fresh calls to resign after it was revealed multimillionaire Tory donors were given unprecedented access to the UK Government and PM through a secret advisory board.
The Times reports that the ultra-wealthy group were granted contact details of ministers and advisers which allowed some to directly lobby the government on Covid-19 procurement and strategy.
In return for a £250,000 donation the board members, whose investments span property, construction and big tobacco, were granted privileged access to Boris Johnson and his closest advisers.
While despicable, I would point out that this was revealed months ago. It's not revelatory in any sense.
I am not at all reassured by @EmmanuelMacron 's call w Putin. 'A summit meeting with a view to defining a new order of peace and security in Europe' shd not be on offer as long as Putin has a gun to Ukraine's head. Rewarding blackmail is never a good strategy.
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
I’m not convinced. Will it be legally mandated to close? To not play music? I’ll crank up my car stereo then and drive up and down. People die. I’ve never met her. She’s had a good innings. I dread the thought of Charles 3rd, or George the 10th or whatever stupid name he chooses.
I am sure Priti Patel as Home Secretary will ensure there will be plenty of opportunity for the police and monarchist volunteers to hand out on the spot fines to anyone not being sufficiently sombre during the official mourning period and funeral
Dear me, you have lost it
HY is right on this one, it’s not just for us monarchists to be upset and respectful, everyone has to show respect in National morning. The clues in the title: it’s “National” morning.
We're not in Thailand. It's part of our national heritage to give zero shits about the monarchy.
Rubbish, of the top 3 most watched TV programmes ever in the UK 2 were royal connected. 1st was the 1966 World Cup final, second was the funeral of Princess Diana and third was the 1969 documentary on the Royal family
Two of those were in the 1960s when there were only 2 TV channels, so it must have been something really bad on the other side.
As for the third, the erstwhile Duchess of Rothesay wasn't exactly a mainstream member of the Royal Family. Indeed, her entire story was pretty damaging to the cringing adulation of royalty.
It's a tad distasteful to discuss what happens on the death of a monarch who has served this country inexhaustibly.
However ... the idea that we should all be forced into mourning is an utter joke. I think the Queen has been amazing. But has she been perfect? No. She has presided over some disastrous errors of judgement.
'If' I outlast the Queen, and I certainly do not presume on such a thing, then I will possibly watch the funeral but maybe not. Otherwise I shall go about my normal life.
And as an institution the monarchy can bog off. It's thoroughly corrupt. When the Queen goes a lot of stuff will come out and I hope it ends this stupid sycophancy and preferably the whole institution of it. It's patently bonkers in this present era.
Has anyone suggested there will be a requirement for anyone to do (or not do ) anything they would normally do or not do when the Queen dies ? Yes , there will be a lot of television coverage but you dont have to watch it and plenty of alternatives in todays media world. Beyond that are some republicans just creating a straw man ? or straw Queen?
If there is a period of mourning schools will be shut for at least part of it, although I think the plan is to close them only for the day of the funeral itself.
I am wondering what we will have to do in the Civil Service.
Lots of virtue signalling, no doubt.
This story made me laugh at the time of the DoE's death:
A leading sight charity has stressed the need for inclusive web design after rail websites switched to black and white to mark Prince Philip’s death, leaving partially sighted people struggling.
Network Rail and National Rail websites turned from colour to greyscale in a tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh. The gesture backfired after customers highlighted accessibility issues and complained they could no longer use the website.
What a bunch of crooks............... BORIS Johnson is facing fresh calls to resign after it was revealed multimillionaire Tory donors were given unprecedented access to the UK Government and PM through a secret advisory board.
The Times reports that the ultra-wealthy group were granted contact details of ministers and advisers which allowed some to directly lobby the government on Covid-19 procurement and strategy.
In return for a £250,000 donation the board members, whose investments span property, construction and big tobacco, were granted privileged access to Boris Johnson and his closest advisers.
While despicable, I would point out that this was revealed months ago. It's not revelatory in any sense.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Why bother? Just make a complaint under section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986 and she gets six months.
I reckon it will be an eye opener for both groups. Republicans will be astonished by the widespread grief and mourning. Monarchists by the fact that there is a sizable minority who actually don't care at all.
I'm a monarchist and I won't care much, to be honest.
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
I’m not convinced. Will it be legally mandated to close? To not play music? I’ll crank up my car stereo then and drive up and down. People die. I’ve never met her. She’s had a good innings. I dread the thought of Charles 3rd, or George the 10th or whatever stupid name he chooses.
I am sure Priti Patel as Home Secretary will ensure there will be plenty of opportunity for the police and monarchist volunteers to hand out on the spot fines to anyone not being sufficiently sombre during the official mourning period and funeral
Dear me, you have lost it
HY is right on this one, it’s not just for us monarchists to be upset and respectful, everyone has to show respect in National morning. The clues in the title: it’s “National” morning.
We're not in Thailand. It's part of our national heritage to give zero shits about the monarchy.
Rubbish, of the top 3 most watched TV programmes ever in the UK 2 were royal connected. 1st was the 1966 World Cup final, second was the funeral of Princess Diana and third was the 1969 documentary on the Royal family
Two of those were in the 1960s when there were only 2 TV channels, so it must have been something really bad on the other side.
As for the third, the erstwhile Duchess of Rothesay wasn't exactly a mainstream member of the Royal Family. Indeed, her entire story was pretty damaging to the cringing adulation of royalty.
Diana was wife to the heir to the throne and mother to the 2nd in line to the throne and grandmother to the 3rd in line to the throne. She was pivotal to the future of the Crown once the Queen dies, indeed longer term far more than Camilla is
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Fortunately what you want is still confined to your grubby fantasies.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Why bother? Just make a complaint under section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986 and she gets six months.
In reality maskless people are all around Heathener and he/she does nothing about it, maybe tuts under their mask sometimes and basks in the glory of their own self satisfaction and virtue.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
That's not going to endear the Royal family to a lot of the country. Way over the top, though many will enjoy a free day off.
It won't endear them to republicans but who cares, they are not royal fans anyway
I thought right wing "Conservative" Party MPs were against lockdowns?
The death of her Majesty would need to be marked by a memorial of sufficient stature, it would also be temporary not months long Covid lockdown but a few weeks at most
How many of you here now remember what happened when the King died? Not a lot, I dom't think....
I do. The radio (no TV) was continual solemn music, apart from the News. Very, very boring. For some reason I couldn’t get Radio Luxembourg either! Lasted until after the funeral. I’m sure we didn’t have a day off from school to listen to the commentary.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
I’m not convinced. Will it be legally mandated to close? To not play music? I’ll crank up my car stereo then and drive up and down. People die. I’ve never met her. She’s had a good innings. I dread the thought of Charles 3rd, or George the 10th or whatever stupid name he chooses.
I am sure Priti Patel as Home Secretary will ensure there will be plenty of opportunity for the police and monarchist volunteers to hand out on the spot fines to anyone not being sufficiently sombre during the official mourning period and funeral
Dear me, you have lost it
HY is right on this one, it’s not just for us monarchists to be upset and respectful, everyone has to show respect in National morning. The clues in the title: it’s “National” morning.
We're not in Thailand. It's part of our national heritage to give zero shits about the monarchy.
Rubbish, of the top 3 most watched TV programmes ever in the UK 2 were royal connected. 1st was the 1966 World Cup final, second was the funeral of Princess Diana and third was the 1969 documentary on the Royal family
Two of those were in the 1960s when there were only 2 TV channels, so it must have been something really bad on the other side.
As for the third, the erstwhile Duchess of Rothesay wasn't exactly a mainstream member of the Royal Family. Indeed, her entire story was pretty damaging to the cringing adulation of royalty.
Diana was wife to the heir to the throne and mother to the 2nd in line to the throne and grandmother to the 3rd in line to the throne. She is pivotal to the future of the Crown once the Queen dies, indeed longer term far more than Camilla is
Of course: you aren't old enough to remember what happened then, I believe. Or at least not old enough to be allowed to rtad the press coverage.
I was working a few years later with someone who was an Akela for a pack of Cub Scouts who, at the time, had to compile a scrapbook of Royal news and events to get their basic skills badge (as I recall doing myself in my time). She was saying that it was increasingly difficult to do that without an unfortunate level of indelicacy and worse.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
I reckon it will be an eye opener for both groups. Republicans will be astonished by the widespread grief and mourning. Monarchists by the fact that there is a sizable minority who actually don't care at all.
I'm a monarchist and I won't care much, to be honest.
Me too. To the extent that I can't think of anything better. But I reckon we aren't the extremes on this one. I foresee a group demanding everything is cancelled. And another group determined not to cancel anything.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
There is that Diana angle too, obviously. However - and this is a contentious point - if he decides to openly try and exert some influence on issues of interest to both the left and right, that might be tolerated to a greater degree than with any previous monarch. Don't forget we live in a much more partisan culture ; and if the influence is seen to go both ways, objections to it might be more limited.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
Tbh, I would be surprised if he were to be on the throne for more than five years. That's not likely to be long enough to build up a head of republican steam.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
Quite. I don’t know her/him personally, but I do have the image of a slightly batty mid sixties harridan with a stick, screaming abuse at innocent people just trying to reach the bananas.
The US and UK governments believe the decision to attack was taken last week. They have considered the possibility that the Russians are deliberately laying a trail of false intelligence, as part of a psychological pressure campaign. But the sheer volume of preparation that they are seeing and hearing has convinced them otherwise. The decision to go to war has to be disseminated across the Russian system. It cannot be hidden. Nervous chatter among Russian troops who believe they are going into battle is also being monitored.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because shops have asked them to, such as Waitrose etc. And yes, some folk do believe they will help prevent them catching Covid. This should be the future. I have no beef with people wearing masks. I get annoyed at people being upset if I don’t.
I suppose that depends on if you want to live the rest of your life in fear of covid.
Not that it will do those people any good as everyone will still come into contact with it.
It clearly upsets you you that people still wear masks, not sure why, it's personal preference.
You assume people who do are living "in fear" of covid. They are not. There are still plenty of cases so I pop my mask on in a crowded shop or public transport. Why take a risk? If it doesn't have any effect then so be it, but there is no downside to putting it on for a couple of minutes as far as I can see.
I'm in my early 70's and whenever it has been allowed we have been eating out 3 or 4 times a week , travelling around , staying in hotels, going abroad, going to concerts, meeting friends etc but acting cautiously and wearing a mask when we feel it's wise to do so. We haven't yet caught Covid and could easily carry on as we are for years if necessary. it's not impacting on what we do in the least.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
There is that Diana angle too, obviously. However - and this is a contentious point - if he's seen to openly exert influence on issues of interest to both the left and right, that might be tolerated to a greater degree than with any previous monarch, I think. Don't forget we live in a much more partisan culture.
Point taken, but interference in affairs of state is prima facie an abuse of royalty, and a serious repudiation of the very concept of constitutional monarchy. It would be more damaging than simply balancing out upsetting the greens some of the time and the Rees-Moggs the rest of the time.
I signed on for a two year contract with BT in December and I've just received a letter telling me that the price I agreed to is going up 9.4% this March. 3.9% annual increase and 5.5% for inflation!
I said 'that's odd considering you did a price based TV campaign at the end of last year. How were new customers supposed to guess their two year contracts would be subject to a nearly 10% rise two months after signing up?'
'How were we to know inflation would rise by 5.5%?' They replied
Despite the sharp practice by BT this is the first time I remember being given an extra charge specifically for inflation.
I'd consider getting a 4g/5g router, a £20 a month unlimited data sim from 3 (or similar PAYG sim) and saying goodbye to BT.
Too late unfortunately. I wish I could. I've signed up to two years and there's no way I can walk away without paying up the contract.
Which is 24 months at £150 a month! Don't touch BT with a bargepole.
If the price rises from what you have agreed you have 30 days to cancel without penalties.
I know this because once they forgot to tell me about a price rise - due to an administrative cock-up they wrote to my father instead - and they as a result not only had to cancel my contract at the time of my choosing but refund me the difference.
Are you certain? I told them I'd like to cancel and they said only if you pay up your contract.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Why bother? Just make a complaint under section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986 and she gets six months.
In reality maskless people are all around Heathener and he/she does nothing about it, maybe tuts under their mask sometimes and basks in the glory of their own self satisfaction and virtue.
Leaving aside the unpleasant and aggressive tone of his/her posts, what on Earth is he/she on about? Mask mandates were abolished weeks ago.
I am not at all reassured by @EmmanuelMacron 's call w Putin. 'A summit meeting with a view to defining a new order of peace and security in Europe' shd not be on offer as long as Putin has a gun to Ukraine's head. Rewarding blackmail is never a good strategy.
Putin wants just Ukraine , Germany and France at any summit for obvious reasons. Whether any summit has a chance of success clearly he doesn’t want to look like he’s made any sort of deal with the UK and USA.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because shops have asked them to, such as Waitrose etc. And yes, some folk do believe they will help prevent them catching Covid. This should be the future. I have no beef with people wearing masks. I get annoyed at people being upset if I don’t.
I suppose that depends on if you want to live the rest of your life in fear of covid.
Not that it will do those people any good as everyone will still come into contact with it.
It clearly upsets you you that people still wear masks, not sure why, it's personal preference.
You assume people who do are living "in fear" of covid. They are not. There are still plenty of cases so I pop my mask on in a crowded shop or public transport. Why take a risk? If it doesn't have any effect then so be it, but there is no downside to putting it on for a couple of minutes as far as I can see.
I'm in my early 70's and whenever it has been allowed we have been eating out 3 or 4 times a week , travelling around , staying in hotels, going abroad, going to concerts, meeting friends etc but acting cautiously and wearing a mask when we feel it's wise to do so. We haven't yet caught Covid and could easily carry on as we are for years if necessary. it's not impacting on what we do in the least.
I’m not upset that people wear masks. I’m very upset that I am still required to at work and expected to at my preferred supermarket. I think it’s reasonable that I shouldn’t have to, but my employer and John Lewis don’t seem to agree.
You seem to spend a lot of time on Twitter. There are quite a few there blaming Boris.
As for Nokes comment I don’t see why one very wealthy, privileged, individual catching Covid changes anything with regards to ending restrictions. It’s the right thing to do, other nations are opening up. So should we.
There is utterly no reason whatsoever to postpone Covid changes.
I hope the Queen is OK but she's mortal and her card will be marked one day, whether it be Covid or anything else, we have to trust the vaccines.
If not now, post-three doses of vaccine, then when?
Indeed, then we have a month of national mourning, then prepare for King Charles' coronation in 6 months as he finally gets the role he has waited his life for at 73.
Hopefully however Her Majesty has a few years left in her but she is 95, she has had as much protection as she can get being double vaccinated and boosted
Point of order: we get about six hours of national mourning, after which viewers start to ring up the BBC complaining about EastEnders being replaced by Nick Witchell.
Tough. I want full Iranian style national mourning when the Queen dies.
I want sombre music on every radio station and wall to wall coverage on all the main freeview channels until her funeral is over. I also want shops shut throughout the day of her funeral.
Anyone who complains gets sent to the Tower., that would also help weed out republicans. After all, what else did we elect a Tory government for?
Good japes!
It's going to be wall to wall for at least a week, and yes, people will complain about it, but it's a one off so I am sure people will manage.
Interestingly, there was a discussion about getting insurance at our recent Dart Music Festival Committee Meeting. One of the things we are having to look at is an additional sum to cover the death of HM the Queen. In the event of it happening, everything - and I mean everything - closes down for three days. Including our free Festival.
The vast majority of people in the UK, who have lived there all their lives, have never experienced the death of a monarch before. Between the death and the funeral, there won’t be a lot going on, the country will be utterly shocked in a way that’s never been experienced by anyone under 70.
I just don’t agree with this. People were shocked when Diana died because it was so unexpected. Everyone knows she will die at some point soon. Yes there will be an outpouring of love and grief, but it will be her time. I don’t see most people being that shocked. Do you expect businesses and schools to close until she is buried? I don’t. You may see sports cancelled for a weekend.
In a word, yes.
The first three days, and the day of the funeral itself (day 9), will be like Christmas Day on the High St. there will be no music in bars for the week, sports will all be off for the first three days too, schools may well close and businesses work to bank holiday hours for the week.
I’m not convinced. Will it be legally mandated to close? To not play music? I’ll crank up my car stereo then and drive up and down. People die. I’ve never met her. She’s had a good innings. I dread the thought of Charles 3rd, or George the 10th or whatever stupid name he chooses.
I am sure Priti Patel as Home Secretary will ensure there will be plenty of opportunity for the police and monarchist volunteers to hand out on the spot fines to anyone not being sufficiently sombre during the official mourning period and funeral
Dear me, you have lost it
HY is right on this one, it’s not just for us monarchists to be upset and respectful, everyone has to show respect in National morning. The clues in the title: it’s “National” morning.
We're not in Thailand. It's part of our national heritage to give zero shits about the monarchy.
Rubbish, of the top 3 most watched TV programmes ever in the UK 2 were royal connected. 1st was the 1966 World Cup final, second was the funeral of Princess Diana and third was the 1969 documentary on the Royal family
Two of those were in the 1960s when there were only 2 TV channels, so it must have been something really bad on the other side.
As for the third, the erstwhile Duchess of Rothesay wasn't exactly a mainstream member of the Royal Family. Indeed, her entire story was pretty damaging to the cringing adulation of royalty.
Au contraire. Baldy is a pretty uninspiring pudding of a man, his wife to me looks like a death's head from which the last 10% of skin has yet to fall, but the reflected glory of st Di will keep them secure on the throne
I signed on for a two year contract with BT in December and I've just received a letter telling me that the price I agreed to is going up 9.4% this March. 3.9% annual increase and 5.5% for inflation!
I said 'that's odd considering you did a price based TV campaign at the end of last year. How were new customers supposed to guess their two year contracts would be subject to a nearly 10% rise two months after signing up?'
'How were we to know inflation would rise by 5.5%?' They replied
Despite the sharp practice by BT this is the first time I remember being given an extra charge specifically for inflation.
I'd consider getting a 4g/5g router, a £20 a month unlimited data sim from 3 (or similar PAYG sim) and saying goodbye to BT.
Too late unfortunately. I wish I could. I've signed up to two years and there's no way I can walk away without paying up the contract.
Which is 24 months at £150 a month! Don't touch BT with a bargepole.
If the price rises from what you have agreed you have 30 days to cancel without penalties.
I know this because once they forgot to tell me about a price rise - due to an administrative cock-up they wrote to my father instead - and they as a result not only had to cancel my contract at the time of my choosing but refund me the difference.
Are you certain? I told them I'd like to cancel and they said only if you pay up your contract.
Well, I'm certain they had to let me cancel my contract without paying up the full cost, because they did, in the end. That was the way I got out of it a couple of years ago. Check and double check your contract, but it was a requirement that they notified me in advance so I could cancel if I wished. Which they'd forgotten to do.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
There is that Diana angle too, obviously. However - and this is a contentious point - if he's seen to openly exert influence on issues of interest to both the left and right, that might be tolerated to a greater degree than with any previous monarch, I think. Don't forget we live in a much more partisan culture.
Point taken, but interference in affairs of state is prima facie an abuse of royalty, and a serious repudiation of the very concept of constitutional monarchy. It would be more damaging than simply balancing out upsetting the greens some of the time and the Rees-Moggs the rest of the time.
I think Charles will very carefully skirt the grey areas in this case, making references to his hobby horses - environmentalism/multicultural religion on one side, and traditional architecture/rural Britain on the other - but much more obliquely than as Prince. It may well be presented in vague terms of national unity and a balance of talking points in his christmas TV broadcasts and speeches ; something like that.
This will appeal to both partisans on left and right and unifiers.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
So, like many monarchs before him...
And William? A chip off the old block. Not everything about him is Rosy.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Why bother? Just make a complaint under section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986 and she gets six months.
In reality maskless people are all around Heathener and he/she does nothing about it, maybe tuts under their mask sometimes and basks in the glory of their own self satisfaction and virtue.
Leaving aside the unpleasant and aggressive tone of his/her posts, what on Earth is he/she on about? Mask mandates were abolished weeks ago.
They are completely barmy. So many people have made masks some totem of COVID virtue and decided that those who don't wear them are evil murderers. The government shares some of the blame and so does the media. There still seems to be some expectation out there that it will be possible to not get it and wearing masks in some locations but not others will prevent infections.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
It would also be very presumptuous of them - how are they to know you haven’t got a medical exemption?
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
Tbh, I would be surprised if he were to be on the throne for more than five years. That's not likely to be long enough to build up a head of republican steam.
I suspect Charles will abdicate and hand over to William by the time he is 85 and retire to Highgrove with Camilla.
He just wants to have been King but has no desire to do it for life like his mother
MUNICH — The Kremlin on Sunday used a telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron to broadcast an array of provocative, unproven allegations of belligerence by Ukraine and NATO countries, insisting the West was “pushing Kyiv towards a military solution to the so-called Donbass problem.”
Moscow’s unfounded claims, put forward while Russia has mobilized more than 100,000 troops and sophisticated weapons on the Ukrainian border, sharply raised the danger that Putin might use fabricated charges to justify a military attack.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
That just makes you sound like a thug. Someone hits you (presumably lightly) with a pole, and you punch them hard in the face.
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
Yes, he’s neither an adulterer or interferes in politics. He seems more interested in devoting his time to causes he cares about like mental health. He seems a good egg.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Proroguing Parliament is not the same as refusing to sign an Act passed by Parliament. Even the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
I see the diminishing ranks of face rag police are on here tonight.
Will be fascinating to see what happens when they're dropped as a legal requirement in Scotland. The only place I've been challenged about it in recent months; hilariously, I was actually wearing a face covering at the time.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
There is that Diana angle too, obviously. However - and this is a contentious point - if he's seen to openly exert influence on issues of interest to both the left and right, that might be tolerated to a greater degree than with any previous monarch, I think. Don't forget we live in a much more partisan culture.
Point taken, but interference in affairs of state is prima facie an abuse of royalty, and a serious repudiation of the very concept of constitutional monarchy. It would be more damaging than simply balancing out upsetting the greens some of the time and the Rees-Moggs the rest of the time.
Agreed. Even if he makes speeches as King on controversial issues where I entirely agree with what he says, I'd rather he didn't. Otherwise, we have someone elevated by accident of birth into a position of influence, which is not the way constitutional monarchy has evolved. The spider letters are bad enough.
I don't dislike him I'd rather have a drink with him than Willian and Kate, who seem a bit dull) and he can be a campaigner on any isue he likes, but not if he takes the job of King - it's not in the job description.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
That just makes you sound like a thug. Someone hits you (presumably lightly) with a pole, and you punch them hard in the face.
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
Not really, it's self defence. You think it's right that anyone would attack someone else unprovoked yet condemn anyone who would defend themselves.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
That just makes you sound like a thug. Someone hits you (presumably lightly) with a pole, and you punch them hard in the face.
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
I am loving all this hypothetical ardness. I think a good solid Glasgow kiss is about the right response to a stick poke.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Why bother? Just make a complaint under section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986 and she gets six months.
In reality maskless people are all around Heathener and he/she does nothing about it, maybe tuts under their mask sometimes and basks in the glory of their own self satisfaction and virtue.
Leaving aside the unpleasant and aggressive tone of his/her posts, what on Earth is he/she on about? Mask mandates were abolished weeks ago.
They are completely barmy. So many people have made masks some totem of COVID virtue and decided that those who don't wear them are evil murderers. The government shares some of the blame and so does the media. There still seems to be some expectation out there that it will be possible to not get it and wearing masks in some locations but not others will prevent infections.
The one that still drives me barmy is people wearing them between the pub door and the bar. As if Covid only lurks in doorways.
In Scotland this is still the law. And they never had the no mask freedom day that we did.
Surprise surprise, anything approaching fun in Edinburgh was (relatively) deserted when I was there earlier in the month.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Proroguing Parliament is not the same as refusing to sign an Act passed by Parliament. Even the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
Cambridge graduate? I wonder how he achieved admission to Fen poly? I got 4A’s at A level, with a distinction in the chemistry special paper and still didn’t get in. Reckon he exceeded my grades?
Off topic 2: Less than 2 months since testing positive (on Christmas Day) my wife has another dose of Covid. Mild cold-like symptoms so far. Bit of a bugger as she was due to visit a friend in Kent this week.
Unless the friend is very vulnerable, why not just visit the friend anyway?
As you said, its a cold.
Because each infection is different. It’s been a cold for his wife, someone else might have had no symptoms at all, but someone else again could have a much worse time. You seem to struggle with this basic concept that different people at different times react differently. On average, COVID remains worse than flu and much worse than a cold.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
That just makes you sound like a thug. Someone hits you (presumably lightly) with a pole, and you punch them hard in the face.
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
Sorry but in the hypothetical scenario surely the person assaulting MaxPB with a stick is the one in the wrong and the provocateur ?
If someone did that to me I wouldn’t immediately hit them but if I was concerned for my safety I might. I’d sooner remove myself from the risk. They’re carrying a sharp stick after all and using it as a weapon.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
Yes, he’s neither an adulterer or interferes in politics. He seems more interested in devoting his time to causes he cares about like mental health. He seems a good egg.
All of that is true, and a lot stems from being allowed to marry someone he chose, rather than being forced not to as per his dad.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
That just makes you sound like a thug. Someone hits you (presumably lightly) with a pole, and you punch them hard in the face.
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
Although it is an offence to hit somebody with a pole so it might legitimately be argued punching them back is self defence.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Proroguing Parliament is not the same as refusing to sign an Act passed by Parliament. Even the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
Cambridge graduate? I wonder how he achieved admission to Fen poly? I got 4A’s at A level, with a distinction in the chemistry special paper and still didn’t get in. Reckon he exceeded my grades?
I believe HMQ got some pretty solid grounding in constitutional law from some distinguished private tutors. Charlie is patently thick as fuck, Cambridge or not.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
There is that Diana angle too, obviously. However - and this is a contentious point - if he's seen to openly exert influence on issues of interest to both the left and right, that might be tolerated to a greater degree than with any previous monarch, I think. Don't forget we live in a much more partisan culture.
Point taken, but interference in affairs of state is prima facie an abuse of royalty, and a serious repudiation of the very concept of constitutional monarchy. It would be more damaging than simply balancing out upsetting the greens some of the time and the Rees-Moggs the rest of the time.
Agreed. Even if he makes speeches as King on controversial issues where I entirely agree with what he says, I'd rather he didn't. Otherwise, we have someone elevated by accident of birth into a position of influence, which is not the way constitutional monarchy has evolved. The spider letters are bad enough.
I don't dislike him I'd rather have a drink with him than Willian and Kate, who seem a bit dull) and he can be a campaigner on any isue he likes, but not if he takes the job of King - it's not in the job description.
I think he'll be very careful not to remain an overt campaigner on these issues - but he will mention them more explicitly than his mother, and I think his advisers will always seek to bunch them and balance them with other issues so he can't be accused of this.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Proroguing Parliament is not the same as refusing to sign an Act passed by Parliament. Even the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
Cambridge graduate? I wonder how he achieved admission to Fen poly? I got 4A’s at A level, with a distinction in the chemistry special paper and still didn’t get in. Reckon he exceeded my grades?
I believe HMQ got some pretty solid grounding in constitutional law from some distinguished private tutors. Charlie is patently thick as fuck, Cambridge or not.
I have heard similar, via a friend who knew one of his tutors.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
Yes, he’s neither an adulterer or interferes in politics. He seems more interested in devoting his time to causes he cares about like mental health. He seems a good egg.
All of that is true, and a lot stems from being allowed to marry someone he chose, rather than being forced not to as per his dad.
Do you think the future of the Royal family would have been as secure if it was the first son of Charles and Camilla that would become Prince of Wales when the Queen dies rather than the first son of Charles and Diana, the latter one of the biggest British global icons ever? Camilla may have been better suited to Charles but Diana was better for a 21st century monarchy and Charles has ended up with Camilla anyway
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
That just makes you sound like a thug. Someone hits you (presumably lightly) with a pole, and you punch them hard in the face.
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
Although it is an offence to hit somebody with a pole so it might legitimately be argued punching them back is self defence.
It *might*, although you are very unlikely to be killed by being hit with a walking pole. A smack to the face or head can kill.
As ever in a violent situation, be the bigger man and de-escalate if you can. Only attack back if you genuinely feel threatened.
Heathener is in the wrong. Max attacking back - harder - would also be in the wrong. Possibly more wrong.
One thing I noticed last night on the way home, street lamps in the suburbs seem to have been switched off. It seems as though the electricity capacity situation is worse than the government is letting on.
I see the diminishing ranks of face rag police are on here tonight.
Will be fascinating to see what happens when they're dropped as a legal requirement in Scotland. The only place I've been challenged about it in recent months; hilariously, I was actually wearing a face covering at the time.
There really aren't. There are no such people, and even if there were standing to them doesn't make you Douglas Quaid.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Proroguing Parliament is not the same as refusing to sign an Act passed by Parliament. Even the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
Cambridge graduate? I wonder how he achieved admission to Fen poly? I got 4A’s at A level, with a distinction in the chemistry special paper and still didn’t get in. Reckon he exceeded my grades?
I believe HMQ got some pretty solid grounding in constitutional law from some distinguished private tutors. Charlie is patently thick as fuck, Cambridge or not.
I have heard similar, via a friend who knew one of his tutors.
Odd then, that when he has often spoken out on 'unfashionable' topics, such as the environment (built and natural), he has generally been proven to be on the 'right' side.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Proroguing Parliament is not the same as refusing to sign an Act passed by Parliament. Even the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
Cambridge graduate? I wonder how he achieved admission to Fen poly? I got 4A’s at A level, with a distinction in the chemistry special paper and still didn’t get in. Reckon he exceeded my grades?
Prince Charles got a B and C A levels which were perfectly respectable when he took them in the 1960s pre grade inflation. Indeed even most Oxbridge undergraduates did not have straight As then
Under Ofcom's rules, any changes to contractual prices during a fixed term contract have to be subject to a 30 day notice period plus no penalty cancellation. This is the system I used to get out.
However, it turns out that precisely because so many people are doing what I did, as of September 2020 the annual price rise is in BT's terms and conditions.
I think my question would be, did they flag this up to you at the time of signing it? If not, you may be able to argue it was mis-sold given that even a bunch of people as retarded as BT must have known two months ago that inflation would be between 5 and 6% (their answer to you is not only not credible, it's a deliberate insult to your intelligence).
I signed on for a two year contract with BT in December and I've just received a letter telling me that the price I agreed to is going up 9.4% this March. 3.9% annual increase and 5.5% for inflation!
I said 'that's odd considering you did a price based TV campaign at the end of last year. How were new customers supposed to guess their two year contracts would be subject to a nearly 10% rise two months after signing up?'
'How were we to know inflation would rise by 5.5%?' They replied
Despite the sharp practice by BT this is the first time I remember being given an extra charge specificinnApally for inflation.
Actually I did the same and it was clear both in our discussions and their contact that a price rise of inflation plus 3.9% would apply in April, so if you did not read your contract then you have nobody but yourself to blame
Maybe you have a better concentration span than me. If they did tell me they were going to increase their charges 9.4% two months after signing up I missed it. Who would go ahead when you're buying a pig in a poke? My charges for three mobiles BT and Sky Sport and Halo 3 Broadband was £152. Maybe you've got a nicer telephone manner. The broadband alone was £59.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
He is still an adulterer that uses the privilege of birth to interfere in politics. The sooner William is on the throne, the better.
Yes, he’s neither an adulterer or interferes in politics. He seems more interested in devoting his time to causes he cares about like mental health. He seems a good egg.
All of that is true, and a lot stems from being allowed to marry someone he chose, rather than being forced not to as per his dad.
Do you think the future of the Royal family would have been as secure if it was the first son of Charles and Camilla that would become Prince of Wales when the Queen dies rather than the first son of Charles and Diana, the latter one of the biggest British global icons ever? Camilla may have been better suited to Charles but Diana was better for a 21st century monarchy and Charles has ended up with Camilla anyway
I don’t give a shit about the monarchy and would prefer abolition I don’t really care...
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because shops have asked them to, such as Waitrose etc. And yes, some folk do believe they will help prevent them catching Covid. This should be the future. I have no beef with people wearing masks. I get annoyed at people being upset if I don’t.
I suppose that depends on if you want to live the rest of your life in fear of covid.
Not that it will do those people any good as everyone will still come into contact with it.
It clearly upsets you you that people still wear masks, not sure why, it's personal preference.
You assume people who do are living "in fear" of covid. They are not. There are still plenty of cases so I pop my mask on in a crowded shop or public transport. Why take a risk? If it doesn't have any effect then so be it, but there is no downside to putting it on for a couple of minutes as far as I can see.
I'm in my early 70's and whenever it has been allowed we have been eating out 3 or 4 times a week , travelling around , staying in hotels, going abroad, going to concerts, meeting friends etc but acting cautiously and wearing a mask when we feel it's wise to do so. We haven't yet caught Covid and could easily carry on as we are for years if necessary. it's not impacting on what we do in the least.
I’m not upset that people wear masks. I’m very upset that I am still required to at work and expected to at my preferred supermarket. I think it’s reasonable that I shouldn’t have to, but my employer and John Lewis don’t seem to agree.
I can't comment on your employer but you are under no obligation to do so in a shop and nobody is going to say anything if you don't.
If a shop requested I did something whilst on their premises I would probably do so out of common courtesy if nothing else even if I didn't think it was necessary. It just wouldn't be a big deal. There's more to worry about in this life than something as inconsequential as whether to pop a mask on in a shop for a couple of minutes.
One thing I noticed last night on the way home, street lamps in the suburbs seem to have been switched off. It seems as though the electricity capacity situation is worse than the government is letting on.
More likely due to reclaim the night sky initiatives. Similar round here. Of course there are still a lot of power cuts in places - my parents are still off since Friday.
One thing I noticed last night on the way home, street lamps in the suburbs seem to have been switched off. It seems as though the electricity capacity situation is worse than the government is letting on.
Street lights in the smaller streets have been turned off at midnight for many years now.
In other news, Camden's night life is back. Been out there Friday last week with my friends and then again yesterday with my wife's friends. Bars and pubs are all packed, not many people milling about outdoors but everywhere had queues to get in, The Underworld has been refurbished and you can wear canvas shoes risk free and use the gents.
Londoners have got their confidence back. What I don't see as much is out of towners like people from Essex heading into Liverpool Street on Fridays for a night in one of Leicester Square's more commercial bars/clubs. Hopefully as we head into the summer this crowd will be back too, despite the fights/piss/rowdiness London needs the two sizes too small polo shirt wearing crowd.
I have seen the same. Camden Market today is RAMMED despite the lousy weather: completely back to pre-pandemic levels, indeed possibly busier than normal for a very wintry, wet Sunday. Barely possible to drive through, all the pubs full at 4.30pm
Another thing I have noticed: gentrification has sped along, up from Camden High Street, down Kentish Town Road, all the way to Tufnell Park and even tentatively as far as - yes - Archway, previously a dystopian urban Toilet.
This seems to be a post-demic thing, or at least the process has been vastly speeded up by the plague. What used to be crappy pound stores, betting shops, charity outlets, is now all trendy bars, Vietnamese pho pop-ups, organic grocers, new cafes, wine shops, fancy clothes stores.
Intriguing
Of course this leaves the Big Question: how is CENTRAL London doing?
The City was still incredibly quiet the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. And Canary Wharf.
Yes, it's a major concern. Central London is THE motor
We need tourists back
Commuters are definitely returning
Out here in the blue wall, people are quietly having fun while remaining cautious in shops - masks almost universal in Sainsbury. A friend's funeral is getting a good turnout, but some of the elderly folk are not coming. Generally it all seems quite sensible - enjoy life as you usually would, but if you're concerned about gettting the bug, avoid unnecessary exposure that doesn't stop you having fun.
My office will reopen at the end of March, with most people planning to come in two days a week, permanently - nobody is very keen, but it 's recognised that 100% wfh has its drawbacks. An interesting side-effect has been that some people are working overtime as needed without claiming TOIL - as one said, "I'm saving two hours a day on commuting, I'm not fussed if I need to spend half an hour extra finishing a report."
Why are people still wearing masks in shops ?
Do they actually think it will do any good or has it become some sort of weird social habit ?
Because they do indeed do good.
I gave someone a piece of my mind yesterday who came near me without a mask. Thankfully 80%+ of people around here are all still wearing masks and many do so even outdoors.
Why? Because we know that this killer virus isn't done with us yet and we're not selfish.
In what context did you give them a piece of your mind? In hospital? Then fair enough. Almost anywhere else you are bang out of order. And rude to be honest.
There are far more not wearing masks and I simply do not see anyone brave or foolish enough to challenge them
Anyone comes near me in a shop without a mask they get a broadside. And my titanium tipped pole.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
If you did that to me you'd get a punch in the face tbh. A very, very hard punch in the face.
Gloating about violence. How pathetic.
No gloating, just reality. Anyone who attacks me physically for not wearing a mask would get a retaliation.
That just makes you sound like a thug. Someone hits you (presumably lightly) with a pole, and you punch them hard in the face.
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
Sorry but in the hypothetical scenario surely the person assaulting MaxPB with a stick is the one in the wrong and the provocateur ?
If someone did that to me I wouldn’t immediately hit them but if I was concerned for my safety I might. I’d sooner remove myself from the risk. They’re carrying a sharp stick after all and using it as a weapon.
It depends on the circumstances and the strength of the 'hit'. But Max's reply about a 'very, very hard punch in the face' is stupid.
Lives have been ruined and taken by that sort of attitude.
I mean, imagine if it was an accident, and Max saw the person was wearing a mask, and therefore punched her 'very, very hard in the face'.
As ever, if you can, deescalate a violent situation. Run away if necessary. Only attack back if you cannot.
Charles will probably turn out to be a slightly more popular king than it appears now. An even more outspokenly multicultural view on religion and environmentalism than his mother, for the left, and an old-Britain traditionalism on issues like architecture, and somewhat general rural-tweediness, for the right. Quite a reasonable balance and mix, in fact.
Yes, I think Charles will be a decent enough king though probably not so popular. Not that popularity matters, we have had plenty of unpopular monarchs over the years. Republicanism is nothing new.
I also don't think Charles would have prorogued Parliament as the Queen did (not least as he is probably a closet Remainer while the Queen was more pro Brexit).
Charles would have no choice . He couldn’t refuse and put himself in the middle of a political storm .
Proroguing Parliament is not the same as refusing to sign an Act passed by Parliament. Even the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
Cambridge graduate? I wonder how he achieved admission to Fen poly? I got 4A’s at A level, with a distinction in the chemistry special paper and still didn’t get in. Reckon he exceeded my grades?
I believe HMQ got some pretty solid grounding in constitutional law from some distinguished private tutors. Charlie is patently thick as fuck, Cambridge or not.
I have heard similar, via a friend who knew one of his tutors.
Odd then, that when he has often spoken out on 'unfashionable' topics, such as the environment (built and natural), he has generally been proven to be on the 'right' side.
One thing I noticed last night on the way home, street lamps in the suburbs seem to have been switched off. It seems as though the electricity capacity situation is worse than the government is letting on.
More likely due to reclaim the night sky initiatives. Similar round here. Of course there are still a lot of power cuts in places - my parents are still off since Friday.
I hope they know what they're doing. Disconnection and reconnection fees can come expensive...
Of course, it always used to be the case that they went off at midnight anyway on the grounds anyone not out for nefarious purposes was peacefully at home asleep by then.
Comments
I know this because once they forgot to tell me about a price rise - due to an administrative cock-up they wrote to my father instead - and they as a result not only had to cancel my contract at the time of my choosing but refund me the difference.
I think they're in big trouble. When she does eventually go an awful lot of shit is going to come out.
William seems like a decent bloke though, grounded with a nice wife. The rest can all bugger off.
I think the world is moving on, with this and so many other things. The OK, Boomer generation's constant complaining about 'woke' this and 'woke' that, which surfaces on here quite a lot (especially when Leon is on the sauce) is like Custer's last stand. Or Canute's as a better analogy.
We've seen what you did to the world and we're moving on.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_watched_television_broadcasts_in_the_United_Kingdom
In principle I am a republican.
However come the revolution, when I become your benign dictator, abolishing the monarchy will be very very low indeed on the to do list and might not get done.
Like all institutions I like some of their representatives and not others. Liz has been ok and as Douglas Adams would say mostly harmless. Phil was a good laugh and I loved his lack of political correctness. Don't have strong feelings about Charlie and quite like Will and Harry.
As for the funeral I obviously expect it to be an event. I won't be indulging in the mass mourning, but respect those that will. I hope they respect the fact that while I am happy to forego normal TV for a day and be bombarded with stuff I don't want to hear or see, they respect that I shouldn't have to put up with it on every channel for days on end.
But fortunately most everyone wears them around here and virtually all the shop assistants. Whenever anyone approaches on the pavement we all cross the road: it has become a thing.
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/12/02/public-opinion-prince-charles-improves-latest-roya
Leftwing republicans like you may desperately try and overthrow the monarchy when Charles will become King but you will lose that as you normally lose most general elections. Even Starmer has abandoned his youthful republicanism to say he now backs a reformed monarchy as even he realises no Labour leader who is a republican will get anyway near No 10, as Foot and Corbyn discovered
Not that it will stop you coming into contact with covid.
And whereabouts might I ask is 'here' ?
A look at the map suggests its the places with the least mask wearing might now have the lowest infection rates:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map/cases
Whereas Nick Palmer's 'masks almost universal in Sainsbury' Waverley has almost the highest current infection rate in the country.
Without a republican political party in government, then the monarchy will undoubtedly carry on for the foreseeable future.
People generally, in my totally anecdotal experience, are happy to follow rules (or indeed guidelines) if they can see a good reason for them. It's when they think there isn't one that they push back.
Cannock Church voted this morning to remove masks in services effective 1st March. Couldn't see anyone who voted against.
Monarchists by the fact that there is a sizable minority who actually don't care at all.
BORIS Johnson is facing fresh calls to resign after it was revealed multimillionaire Tory donors were given unprecedented access to the UK Government and PM through a secret advisory board.
The Times reports that the ultra-wealthy group were granted contact details of ministers and advisers which allowed some to directly lobby the government on Covid-19 procurement and strategy.
In return for a £250,000 donation the board members, whose investments span property, construction and big tobacco, were granted privileged access to Boris Johnson and his closest advisers.
https://twitter.com/CER_IanBond/status/1495457694362316811?s=20&t=KcisHDCD53xlXmiF3OCoCg
As for the third, the erstwhile Duchess of Rothesay wasn't exactly a mainstream member of the Royal Family. Indeed, her entire story was pretty damaging to the cringing adulation of royalty.
This story made me laugh at the time of the DoE's death:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/12/visually-impaired-users-complain-rail-websites-greyscale-prince-philip
A leading sight charity has stressed the need for inclusive web design after rail websites switched to black and white to mark Prince Philip’s death, leaving partially sighted people struggling.
Network Rail and National Rail websites turned from colour to greyscale in a tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh. The gesture backfired after customers highlighted accessibility issues and complained they could no longer use the website.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentional_harassment,_alarm_or_distress
Lasted until after the funeral.
I’m sure we didn’t have a day off from school to listen to the commentary.
I was working a few years later with someone who was an Akela for a pack of Cub Scouts who, at the time, had to compile a scrapbook of Royal news and events to get their basic skills badge (as I recall doing myself in my time). She was saying that it was increasingly difficult to do that without an unfortunate level of indelicacy and worse.
I foresee a group demanding everything is cancelled. And another group determined not to cancel anything.
https://www.ft.com/content/73df6814-49fa-4645-97cf-a6732933bc38?shareType=nongift
You assume people who do are living "in fear" of covid. They are not. There are still plenty of cases so I pop my mask on in a crowded shop or public transport. Why take a risk? If it doesn't have any effect then so be it, but there is no downside to putting it on for a couple of minutes as far as I can see.
I'm in my early 70's and whenever it has been allowed we have been eating out 3 or 4 times a week , travelling around , staying in hotels, going abroad, going to concerts, meeting friends etc but acting cautiously and wearing a mask when we feel it's wise to do so. We haven't yet caught Covid and could easily carry on as we are for years if necessary. it's not impacting on what we do in the least.
This will appeal to both partisans on left and right and unifiers.
And William? A chip off the old block. Not everything about him is Rosy.
He just wants to have been King but has no desire to do it for life like his mother
MUNICH — The Kremlin on Sunday used a telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron to broadcast an array of provocative, unproven allegations of belligerence by Ukraine and NATO countries, insisting the West was “pushing Kyiv towards a military solution to the so-called Donbass problem.”
Moscow’s unfounded claims, put forward while Russia has mobilized more than 100,000 troops and sophisticated weapons on the Ukrainian border, sharply raised the danger that Putin might use fabricated charges to justify a military attack.
https://www.politico.eu/article/kremlin-vladimir-putin-call-emmanuel-macron-volodymyr-zelenskiy-france-russia-ukraine-nato/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social
If you're like that in irl, then you're a nutter. If you're not like that, then you're just a prick on the Internet pretending to be a hard man.
Remember Charles is a Cambridge graduate while the Queen never went to university, he will be more aware when he can use his powers and not
Will be fascinating to see what happens when they're dropped as a legal requirement in Scotland. The only place I've been challenged about it in recent months; hilariously, I was actually wearing a face covering at the time.
I don't dislike him I'd rather have a drink with him than Willian and Kate, who seem a bit dull) and he can be a campaigner on any isue he likes, but not if he takes the job of King - it's not in the job description.
In Scotland this is still the law. And they never had the no mask freedom day that we did.
Surprise surprise, anything approaching fun in Edinburgh was (relatively) deserted when I was there earlier in the month.
Sorry but in the hypothetical scenario surely the person assaulting MaxPB with a stick is the one in the wrong and the provocateur ?
If someone did that to me I wouldn’t immediately hit them but if I was concerned for my safety I might. I’d sooner remove myself from the risk. They’re carrying a sharp stick after all and using it as a weapon.
Sad state of affairs that will fundamentally shift the dial for the west
As ever in a violent situation, be the bigger man and de-escalate if you can. Only attack back if you genuinely feel threatened.
Heathener is in the wrong. Max attacking back - harder - would also be in the wrong. Possibly more wrong.
Under Ofcom's rules, any changes to contractual prices during a fixed term contract have to be subject to a 30 day notice period plus no penalty cancellation. This is the system I used to get out.
However, it turns out that precisely because so many people are doing what I did, as of September 2020 the annual price rise is in BT's terms and conditions.
https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/guides/bt-announce-price-hikes-what-can-consumers-do/
I think my question would be, did they flag this up to you at the time of signing it? If not, you may be able to argue it was mis-sold given that even a bunch of people as retarded as BT must have known two months ago that inflation would be between 5 and 6% (their answer to you is not only not credible, it's a deliberate insult to your intelligence).
I don’t give a shit about the monarchy and would prefer abolitionI don’t really care...If a shop requested I did something whilst on their premises I would probably do so out of common courtesy if nothing else even if I didn't think it was necessary. It just wouldn't be a big deal. There's more to worry about in this life than something as inconsequential as whether to pop a mask on in a shop for a couple of minutes.
Lives have been ruined and taken by that sort of attitude.
I mean, imagine if it was an accident, and Max saw the person was wearing a mask, and therefore punched her 'very, very hard in the face'.
As ever, if you can, deescalate a violent situation. Run away if necessary. Only attack back if you cannot.
Max evidently goes for escalation.
Of course, it always used to be the case that they went off at midnight anyway on the grounds anyone not out for nefarious purposes was peacefully at home asleep by then.