I’ve just had a reasonable-sized punt on the tories in T&H @ 4/1
Flushing money away.
Talking about flushing, if you get the wrong wind direction Topsham doesn't half catch the sewage works ... Oh and when the wind is in the west you can hear the M5 loud as loud.
I remember a Giles cartoon from the.... I think 1960s.... (my grandad got me all the albums a long time ago). It was the golf club, and one member was looking out the window on 22nd June to see Grandma approaching. The text read, "What's the betting the first thing the old bag says is, "Longest day has come and gone, nights are drawing in.... soon be Christmas."?".
Of course, being the arsehole I am, I did comment to myself that 22nd June is indeed after the solstice, so the nights are drawing in [1].... but it would be another four days before you were closer to this years Christmas than the last one.
[1] Sometimes the solstice is on the 22nd. Don't know why. Something to do with the leap years I expect......
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Exeter is a nicer city to live in than to visit, if you see what I mean.
Has it got knockout attractions for the tourist? Underrated cathedral aside, and that's not exactly a full day out, no.
But it's pleasant, has a decent amount going on, and is close to a lot of attractive countryside and seaside.
The centre has also been significantly improved through more recent redevelopment after a very poor post-war period as you say. Worth a holiday? No. Worth a house hunt? Yes.
Even this is not exactly on the money. There's loads to do in Exeter.
The underground passages / catacombs are also well worth visiting and, yes, the cathedral. Roman walls of course, too.
Princeshay shopping centre and John Lewis have all added a touch of class.
Stroll out down the river and back along the canal. Gorgeous and glorious.
Masses of places to eat. For a top burger, Harry's.
Food-wise the best thing about Exeter was Pipers Farm shop, but they deliver nationwide, so. I did recommend the environs, but that was in the context of the restriction of recommending somewhere in the south. The only thing I really miss about the place is the shoe shop Chuckles, and its proprietor. He's insanely good at what he does.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
I remember a Giles cartoon from the.... I think 1960s.... (my grandad got me all the albums a long time ago). It was the golf club, and one member was looking out the window on 22nd June to see Grandma approaching. The text read, "What's the betting the first thing the old bag says is, "Longest day has come and gone, nights are drawing in.... soon be Christmas."?".
Of course, being the arsehole I am, I did comment to myself that 22nd June is indeed after the solstice, so the nights are drawing in [1].... but it would be another four days before you were closer to this years Christmas than the last one.
[1] Sometimes the solstice is on the 22nd. Don't know why. Something to do with the leap years I expect......
It is around late September when I first find myself thinking, 'oh god, Christmas is looming, spare me...'
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter ... rather dreary.
Ridiculous comment.
Exeter is a fab vibrant city with a whole mixture of architectures and a lively scene.
I get really tired of you pontificating about stuff you really don't know.
But you have just dismissed the entire population of Topsham as rather snooty!
Topsham isn't Exeter!!!!! It really, really, isn't.
I've never ever before heard anyone suggest it is. I suspect you haven't heard of the Topsham Gap?
Well, I don't pretend to know local sensibilities, but 1) it's within the city council, and 2) it's about 15 minutes walk from Topsham to Sandy Park. Unless I am thinking of the wrong place. So I'd say there was at least a smidgen of ambiguity about this. But doesn't dismissing the population of Topsham as rather snooty fall into the same category as dismissing Exeter as rather dreary?
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Well: I like towns over villages. While I was disappointed with Exeter, I still - despite having never visited it - hanker slightly after Topsham. It looks lovely without being extortionate. I'd want to live somewhere close to some hills. Dartmoor, or the Brecon Beacons. Cost is a consideration. I'm sure the Chilterns are splendid, but you can afford a house for twice the size in Gloucester that you can in Amersham. I love Cornwall very much, of course, and thought Falmouth splendid - but it's a long, long way away from everywhere else.
Herefordshire is the place to go! Untouched by industry. Largely unruined by planners. Nice-ish southern English climate if a bit wet towards the Welsh border
Or Dorset. Or even bits of Wiltshire. Malmesbury…
Someone else mentioned Stroud and that’s a good bet. It has suddenly become this counter cultural hub, perhaps because it is full of early industrial buildings which are quite handsome and can be easily repurposed, plus it is surrounded by extremely pretty countryside, Laurie Lee in the Slad valley etc
Winchester is probably my favourite small southern English cathedral city. But it is not cheap
Stroud looks nice but also a bit too hippy for my tastes. I'm keen to like Hereford but despite passing through it two or three times have never really got an impression of the place. I must return and give it another go. The county, as you say, is certainly lovely. One of the happiest days of my life was a bike ride through the Herefordshire/Wales borderlands, the highlight of which was a cycle over the top of the Begwyns. Almost no-one has heard of the Begwyns, and yet they are one of the most stunningly beautiful little ranges of hills in the country. I had such a good day I repeated it exactly the following day. But I've always lived in towns, and I simply can't imagine how life would be in a village.
i grew up in Hereford and, for a long time, remembered it as a sleepy, dull, slightly grey place, with a bit of post war ruination (the New Bridge and by pass) and no sense of a future
I went back last year for a week and I was stunned by the transformation. BECAUSE it stayed sleepy for so long it has kept a mediaeval network of streets, surrounding its lovely bijou cathedral. And there are no huge developments, yet it is full of life and exciting restaurants and cafes and pubs, it’s gorgeous. And it’s far enough away from London to have a sense of itself. And of course -as you note - the embracing countryside is quite something
it reminds me of one of those small unspoiled French cities in the Lot or the Dordogne or the Vosges where you think - why can’t England be like this? And lo, it can
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
It has been postulated that Johnson asked his supporters to send in letters at that moment in order to get the vote out of the way.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
They can still change the rules. If Brady really did approach May with a rule change, there is nothing to stop him doing the same for Johnson.
If tonight is very bad for the Conservatives (and I'm not sure it will be), we might see Brady indeed tee something up.
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Well: I like towns over villages. While I was disappointed with Exeter, I still - despite having never visited it - hanker slightly after Topsham. It looks lovely without being extortionate. I'd want to live somewhere close to some hills. Dartmoor, or the Brecon Beacons. Cost is a consideration. I'm sure the Chilterns are splendid, but you can afford a house for twice the size in Gloucester that you can in Amersham. I love Cornwall very much, of course, and thought Falmouth splendid - but it's a long, long way away from everywhere else.
Herefordshire is the place to go! Untouched by industry. Largely unruined by planners. Nice-ish southern English climate if a bit wet towards the Welsh border
Or Dorset. Or even bits of Wiltshire. Malmesbury…
Someone else mentioned Stroud and that’s a good bet. It has suddenly become this counter cultural hub, perhaps because it is full of early industrial buildings which are quite handsome and can be easily repurposed, plus it is surrounded by extremely pretty countryside, Laurie Lee in the Slad valley etc
Winchester is probably my favourite small southern English cathedral city. But it is not cheap
Stroud looks nice but also a bit too hippy for my tastes. I'm keen to like Hereford but despite passing through it two or three times have never really got an impression of the place. I must return and give it another go. The county, as you say, is certainly lovely. One of the happiest days of my life was a bike ride through the Herefordshire/Wales borderlands, the highlight of which was a cycle over the top of the Begwyns. Almost no-one has heard of the Begwyns, and yet they are one of the most stunningly beautiful little ranges of hills in the country. I had such a good day I repeated it exactly the following day. But I've always lived in towns, and I simply can't imagine how life would be in a village.
i grew up in Hereford and, for a long time, remembered it as a sleepy, dull, slightly grey place, with a bit of post war ruination (the New Bridge and by pass) and no sense of a future
I went back last year for a week and I was stunned by the transformation. BECAUSE it stayed sleepy for so long it has kept a mediaeval network of streets, surrounding its lovely bijou cathedral. And there are no huge developments, yet it is full of life and exciting restaurants and cafes and pubs, it’s gorgeous. And it’s far enough away from London to have a sense of itself. And of course -as you note - the embracing countryside is quite something
it reminds me of one of those small unspoiled French cities in the Lot or the Dordogne or the Vosges where you think - why can’t England be like this? And lo, it can
Speaking of Macron - and this is a tenuous link, but hey - some of you may remember that in August 2020 as we inched out of Lockdown 1 there was a catastrophic explosion in Beirut caused by a warehouse full of fertiliser catching fire.
Two years on, the situation is getting considerably worse rather than better.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
What's the world coming to when the Tories don't know how to successfully eviscerate their leader...
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter ... rather dreary.
Ridiculous comment.
Exeter is a fab vibrant city with a whole mixture of architectures and a lively scene.
I get really tired of you pontificating about stuff you really don't know.
But you have just dismissed the entire population of Topsham as rather snooty!
Topsham isn't Exeter!!!!! It really, really, isn't.
I've never ever before heard anyone suggest it is. I suspect you haven't heard of the Topsham Gap?
Exeter has grown a lot over the last couple of decades. The Topsham Gap has been filled in. I think it's fair enough to call Topsham a suburb of Exeter these days.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
What's the world coming to when the Tories don't know how to successfully eviscerate their leader...
This particular Tory leader did it the other way round: he eviscerated the party.
I remember a Giles cartoon from the.... I think 1960s.... (my grandad got me all the albums a long time ago). It was the golf club, and one member was looking out the window on 22nd June to see Grandma approaching. The text read, "What's the betting the first thing the old bag says is, "Longest day has come and gone, nights are drawing in.... soon be Christmas."?".
Of course, being the arsehole I am, I did comment to myself that 22nd June is indeed after the solstice, so the nights are drawing in [1].... but it would be another four days before you were closer to this years Christmas than the last one.
[1] Sometimes the solstice is on the 22nd. Don't know why. Something to do with the leap years I expect......
It is around late September when I first find myself thinking, 'oh god, Christmas is looming, spare me...'
Loving all the suggestions for where to move to. I think maybe we might be doing a few trips away over the next 18 months to check some of these places out.
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
They can still change the rules. If Brady really did approach May with a rule change, there is nothing to stop him doing the same for Johnson.
If tonight is very bad for the Conservatives (and I'm not sure it will be), we might see Brady indeed tee something up.
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Exeter is a nicer city to live in than to visit, if you see what I mean.
Has it got knockout attractions for the tourist? Underrated cathedral aside, and that's not exactly a full day out, no.
But it's pleasant, has a decent amount going on, and is close to a lot of attractive countryside and seaside.
The centre has also been significantly improved through more recent redevelopment after a very poor post-war period as you say. Worth a holiday? No. Worth a house hunt? Yes.
Even this is not exactly on the money. There's loads to do in Exeter.
The underground passages / catacombs are also well worth visiting and, yes, the cathedral. Roman walls of course, too.
Princeshay shopping centre and John Lewis have all added a touch of class.
Stroll out down the river and back along the canal. Gorgeous and glorious.
Masses of places to eat. For a top burger, Harry's.
I'm from Exeter, but am not going to tout it as a holiday destination. I'll defend it - it's one of England's nicer small cities for sure. But it's a relatively slow burner - spend two decades rather than two weeks, and you're laughing.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
They say that - but it doesn’t really change the direction of travel. He’ll be gone in some shape or form
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Loving all the suggestions for where to move to. I think maybe we might be doing a few trips away over the next 18 months to check some of these places out.
Labour unveils plans to seek limited changes to Brexit deal - David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, confirms party won’t seek to rejoin single market or EU bloc
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
It has been postulated that Johnson asked his supporters to send in letters at that moment in order to get the vote out of the way.
I've never really been convinced by this.
It's harder to draw a line.
If (and it's still "if") the Tories lose tonight on swings in the region of 10% to Labour and 30% to Lib Dems, it's written up as the People's No Confidence Vote.
One possibility is they get away with it - hold in T&H, narrow loss or narrow hold in Wakefield. In which case, it was a needless risk to trigger the MP vote.
But the other is they don't. In which case it's nightmarish. He's a dead man walking with no "win" in prospect to put him back on track. Could unravel quickly.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
What's the world coming to when the Tories don't know how to successfully eviscerate their leader...
I wonder if Boris's allies actually sent in a load on no-confidence letters to get the vote done early, knowing that if it came after the by-elections it would be curtains.
Labour campaigners in Wakefield confident of victory. One reckoned the party's on course for a result similar to '17 when Lab had 2k majority(Tories won w/ 3k in '19), depending on how indys do
But others say that's pessimistic & estimate 4k (NB: on smaller, by-election turnout)
I suspect that is expectation management Horse, a win by 2000 or even 4000 would be a poor effort against this backdrop
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter ... rather dreary.
Ridiculous comment.
Exeter is a fab vibrant city with a whole mixture of architectures and a lively scene.
I get really tired of you pontificating about stuff you really don't know.
I was at several of the public meetings when Topsham was cut off from Exeter constituency and there were a lot of protests from the locals. Ben Bradshaw was understandably keen to get rid of it.
I remember a Giles cartoon from the.... I think 1960s.... (my grandad got me all the albums a long time ago). It was the golf club, and one member was looking out the window on 22nd June to see Grandma approaching. The text read, "What's the betting the first thing the old bag says is, "Longest day has come and gone, nights are drawing in.... soon be Christmas."?".
Of course, being the arsehole I am, I did comment to myself that 22nd June is indeed after the solstice, so the nights are drawing in [1].... but it would be another four days before you were closer to this years Christmas than the last one.
[1] Sometimes the solstice is on the 22nd. Don't know why. Something to do with the leap years I expect......
It is around late September when I first find myself thinking, 'oh god, Christmas is looming, spare me...'
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter ... rather dreary.
Ridiculous comment.
Exeter is a fab vibrant city with a whole mixture of architectures and a lively scene.
I get really tired of you pontificating about stuff you really don't know.
But you have just dismissed the entire population of Topsham as rather snooty!
Topsham isn't Exeter!!!!! It really, really, isn't.
I've never ever before heard anyone suggest it is. I suspect you haven't heard of the Topsham Gap?
Well, I don't pretend to know local sensibilities, but 1) it's within the city council, and 2) it's about 15 minutes walk from Topsham to Sandy Park. Unless I am thinking of the wrong place. So I'd say there was at least a smidgen of ambiguity about this. But doesn't dismissing the population of Topsham as rather snooty fall into the same category as dismissing Exeter as rather dreary?
It's true that it's very much an oddity. Neither those in Topsham nor those in Exeter see it as Exeter.
It's been East Devon constituency since 2010 and that's certainly a case of the Boundary Commission getting it right.
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Exeter is a nicer city to live in than to visit, if you see what I mean.
Has it got knockout attractions for the tourist? Underrated cathedral aside, and that's not exactly a full day out, no.
But it's pleasant, has a decent amount going on, and is close to a lot of attractive countryside and seaside.
The centre has also been significantly improved through more recent redevelopment after a very poor post-war period as you say. Worth a holiday? No. Worth a house hunt? Yes.
Even this is not exactly on the money. There's loads to do in Exeter.
The underground passages / catacombs are also well worth visiting and, yes, the cathedral. Roman walls of course, too.
Princeshay shopping centre and John Lewis have all added a touch of class.
Stroll out down the river and back along the canal. Gorgeous and glorious.
Masses of places to eat. For a top burger, Harry's.
Food-wise the best thing about Exeter was Pipers Farm shop, but they deliver nationwide, so. I did recommend the environs, but that was in the context of the restriction of recommending somewhere in the south. The only thing I really miss about the place is the shoe shop Chuckles, and its proprietor. He's insanely good at what he does.
Pipers. If that's the same as the crisps it's bound to be good. You can't beat Walkers cheese & onion for everyday but as a treat it has to be Pipers. I have a big bag of them first Friday of every month.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
What's the world coming to when the Tories don't know how to successfully eviscerate their leader...
Well quite.
Back in the day the men in grey suits simply placed the political pearl handled revolver on the desk and the deed was done. Now Boris will have to be dragged kicking and screaming onto the scaffold and will likely be spouting utter bullsh*t well after his blond locks have settled in the guillotine basket.
*TORIES* Very downbeat. “Barring some unseen miracle we’re going to lose them both” says one source. Another when asked how it’s looking says simply “bad”. 2/
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Moral worth is certainly not your calling card.
To execute a conversational handbrake turn via a tenuous link, that reminds me of a chocolate bar that recently came into my ownership. "Look inside the wrapper", it said. So I did. "Why do we break up our chocolate unevenly?"the inide of the wrapper asked, rhetorically. The bar was indeed split into uneven chunks. "To us, it doesn't make sense to split a chocolate bar into uneven chunks when the profits of the chocolate industry Re divided unequally." Now, a non-sequitur on that scale is probably the most irritating thing about it all. But honestly, the sheer, dull, worthiness of it. It's not appealing. Maybe it is to some people. I'd rather have a product that didn't try to make me feel bad.
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter ... rather dreary.
Ridiculous comment.
Exeter is a fab vibrant city with a whole mixture of architectures and a lively scene.
I get really tired of you pontificating about stuff you really don't know.
I was at several of the public meetings when Topsham was cut off from Exeter constituency and there were a lot of protests from the locals. Ben Bradshaw was understandably keen to get rid of it.
Although funnily enough I believe it went Labour this year.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
You sure they weren't talking about Disraeli, Jack?
*TORIES* Very downbeat. “Barring some unseen miracle we’re going to lose them both” says one source. Another when asked how it’s looking says simply “bad”. 2/
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Moral worth is certainly not your calling card.
To execute a conversational handbrake turn via a tenuous link, that reminds me of a chocolate bar that recently came into my ownership. "Look inside the wrapper", it said. So I did. "Why do we break up our chocolate unevenly?"the inide of the wrapper asked, rhetorically. The bar was indeed split into uneven chunks. "To us, it doesn't make sense to split a chocolate bar into uneven chunks when the profits of the chocolate industry Re divided unequally." Now, a non-sequitur on that scale is probably the most irritating thing about it all. But honestly, the sheer, dull, worthiness of it. It's not appealing. Maybe it is to some people. I'd rather have a product that didn't try to make me feel bad.
That, to me, says "we don't want you as a customer" (aka the Ryanair gambit).
And now, as it's past midnight here and CHB and Scott seem determined to fill the comments by pasting the same tweets as each other, I'll call it a day. Night all.
Labour unveils plans to seek limited changes to Brexit deal - David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, confirms party won’t seek to rejoin single market or EU bloc
*TORIES* Very downbeat. “Barring some unseen miracle we’re going to lose them both” says one source. Another when asked how it’s looking says simply “bad”. 2/
Oh dear what a shame
Presumably Johnsons cronies will blame it on mid term blues. Yeah, right
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
What's the world coming to when the Tories don't know how to successfully eviscerate their leader...
Well quite.
Back in the day the men in grey suits simply placed the political pearl handled revolver on the desk and the deed was done. Now Boris will have to be dragged kicking and screaming onto the scaffold and will likely be spouting utter bullsh*t well after his blond locks have settled in the guillotine basket.
Petrol prices have been rising virtually every day for a month Few govts can withstand that
Yes. General opinion is we've had two outliers today. Their average is probably where we are. That is, no change really. Yet again.
Yep that Lab 5 or 6 pt lead is looking set in cement. Only a fool would assume there's still much uncertainty and things could change before the general election.
It’s OK tho because the BBC has the Nigerian politician organ harvesting story in….. pidgin? Creole? WTF is this?
Organ harvesting or evidence of organ harvesting dey for various kontries for di world. Especially for places like China, India, and di Sinai Peninsula. Na so international society for human rights tok. Organ transplantation for People’s Republic of China dey boom well-well, for dia di number of transplants dey rise. Evidence suggest say dem murder pipo to sell and transplant dia organs –wit allege involvement and support of goment agencies. Most cases of organ harvesting in di world dey take place for China. Egypt na di regional hub of organ trafficking. According to World Health Organization.
Sort of. The latest sunset is actually on June 25th.
Just as the earliest sunset is roughly Dec 14th.
True but incomprehensible to me at least. You or rather I would expect an offset in the same direction each time but actually there's only 5 and a half months from latest to earliest
*TORIES* Source argues in Tiverton it’s essentially been 3 elections - One when vote triggered due to porn-watching MP and chunk of Tories decided they’d protest vote - Another when postal votes dropped almost exactly on day of confidence vote - Then today. Few persuadables left
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter ... rather dreary.
Ridiculous comment.
Exeter is a fab vibrant city with a whole mixture of architectures and a lively scene.
I get really tired of you pontificating about stuff you really don't know.
I was at several of the public meetings when Topsham was cut off from Exeter constituency and there were a lot of protests from the locals. Ben Bradshaw was understandably keen to get rid of it.
This is a different thing from identifying with Exeter.
The argument is you don't want to be an "orphan" ward, where your MP and staff only really interact with the Council for a handful of issues in a very limited area. Ben Bradshaw has clout with Exeter City Council officers. They honestly won't give a shit what Simon Jupp (or Hugo Swire before him) says.
Just on a practical basis, this is a really solid argument. Does it mean Topsham feels like a suburb of Exeter? No.
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Moral worth is certainly not your calling card.
To execute a conversational handbrake turn via a tenuous link, that reminds me of a chocolate bar that recently came into my ownership. "Look inside the wrapper", it said. So I did. "Why do we break up our chocolate unevenly?"the inide of the wrapper asked, rhetorically. The bar was indeed split into uneven chunks. "To us, it doesn't make sense to split a chocolate bar into uneven chunks when the profits of the chocolate industry Re divided unequally." Now, a non-sequitur on that scale is probably the most irritating thing about it all. But honestly, the sheer, dull, worthiness of it. It's not appealing. Maybe it is to some people. I'd rather have a product that didn't try to make me feel bad.
That, to me, says "we don't want you as a customer" (aka the Ryanair gambit).
And now, as it's past midnight here and CHB and Scott seem determined to fill the comments by pasting the same tweets as each other, I'll call it a day. Night all.
That's kind of how I felt. It was a nice chocolate bar. But a bit of chocolate is there for a cheap bit of pleasure. If you take the pleasure away by preaching at me, it becomes pointless. It wasn't massively nicer than a bar of Dairy Milk, and Dairy Milk appears to accept me for what I am.
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Well: I like towns over villages. While I was disappointed with Exeter, I still - despite having never visited it - hanker slightly after Topsham. It looks lovely without being extortionate. I'd want to live somewhere close to some hills. Dartmoor, or the Brecon Beacons. Cost is a consideration. I'm sure the Chilterns are splendid, but you can afford a house for twice the size in Gloucester that you can in Amersham. I love Cornwall very much, of course, and thought Falmouth splendid - but it's a long, long way away from everywhere else.
Herefordshire is the place to go! Untouched by industry. Largely unruined by planners. Nice-ish southern English climate if a bit wet towards the Welsh border
Or Dorset. Or even bits of Wiltshire. Malmesbury…
Someone else mentioned Stroud and that’s a good bet. It has suddenly become this counter cultural hub, perhaps because it is full of early industrial buildings which are quite handsome and can be easily repurposed, plus it is surrounded by extremely pretty countryside, Laurie Lee in the Slad valley etc
Winchester is probably my favourite small southern English cathedral city. But it is not cheap
Stroud looks nice but also a bit too hippy for my tastes. I'm keen to like Hereford but despite passing through it two or three times have never really got an impression of the place. I must return and give it another go. The county, as you say, is certainly lovely. One of the happiest days of my life was a bike ride through the Herefordshire/Wales borderlands, the highlight of which was a cycle over the top of the Begwyns. Almost no-one has heard of the Begwyns, and yet they are one of the most stunningly beautiful little ranges of hills in the country. I had such a good day I repeated it exactly the following day. But I've always lived in towns, and I simply can't imagine how life would be in a village.
i grew up in Hereford and, for a long time, remembered it as a sleepy, dull, slightly grey place, with a bit of post war ruination (the New Bridge and by pass) and no sense of a future
I went back last year for a week and I was stunned by the transformation. BECAUSE it stayed sleepy for so long it has kept a mediaeval network of streets, surrounding its lovely bijou cathedral. And there are no huge developments, yet it is full of life and exciting restaurants and cafes and pubs, it’s gorgeous. And it’s far enough away from London to have a sense of itself. And of course -as you note - the embracing countryside is quite something
it reminds me of one of those small unspoiled French cities in the Lot or the Dordogne or the Vosges where you think - why can’t England be like this? And lo, it can
I agree with that, it was somewhere I have thought about moving to.
Not far away, Shrewsbury is the same - and possibly even less well known. If it had a Cathedral, everyone would go there, but it doesn't, so nobody does. Most people just whizz past on the A5 towards North Wales. They should stop - I went for the first time only last year and was pleasantly surprised. And it is surrounded by varied countryside.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
You sure they weren't talking about Disraeli, Jack?
No, that's a zoom call with Benji and Will Gladstone in the morning ..
I remember a Giles cartoon from the.... I think 1960s.... (my grandad got me all the albums a long time ago). It was the golf club, and one member was looking out the window on 22nd June to see Grandma approaching. The text read, "What's the betting the first thing the old bag says is, "Longest day has come and gone, nights are drawing in.... soon be Christmas."?".
Of course, being the arsehole I am, I did comment to myself that 22nd June is indeed after the solstice, so the nights are drawing in [1].... but it would be another four days before you were closer to this years Christmas than the last one.
[1] Sometimes the solstice is on the 22nd. Don't know why. Something to do with the leap years I expect......
It is around late September when I first find myself thinking, 'oh god, Christmas is looming, spare me...'
Could see Tories tanking in polls further as recession now looks inevitable Could though see a Farage type offshoot develop
Yep that Lab 5 or 6 pt lead is looking set in cement. Only a fool would assume there's still much uncertainty and things could change before the general election.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
What's the world coming to when the Tories don't know how to successfully eviscerate their leader...
*TORIES* Source argues in Tiverton it’s essentially been 3 elections - One when vote triggered due to porn-watching MP and chunk of Tories decided they’d protest vote - Another when postal votes dropped almost exactly on day of confidence vote - Then today. Few persuadables left
Time up
Perhaps the stark realisation will cross the Tory party when they realise there’s about 290 ish seats less safe than Tiverton
Congratulations to Ukraine (and Moldova) on attaining EU candidate member status.
However, I am confused. This candidate member status - described by President of the European Council Charles Michel as "a crucial step on your path towards the EU" seems to be the same one that Turkey has had for some years. However, during and after the referendum campaign, I was repeatedly informed on here (and other places) that there was no chance of Turkey joining the EU, ever, and claiming otherwise, was in some way bigoted. Which is it?
Being on the path doesnt mean you are progressing down the path. Turkey has been on it for decades and is if anything going backwards. They dont even seem to want it anymore.
It was not dishonest to say EU membership was officially a target for Turkey. It was dishonest to pretend it was imminent or even likely, which was the implication.
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Exeter is a nicer city to live in than to visit, if you see what I mean.
Has it got knockout attractions for the tourist? Underrated cathedral aside, and that's not exactly a full day out, no.
But it's pleasant, has a decent amount going on, and is close to a lot of attractive countryside and seaside.
The centre has also been significantly improved through more recent redevelopment after a very poor post-war period as you say. Worth a holiday? No. Worth a house hunt? Yes.
Even this is not exactly on the money. There's loads to do in Exeter.
The underground passages / catacombs are also well worth visiting and, yes, the cathedral. Roman walls of course, too.
Princeshay shopping centre and John Lewis have all added a touch of class.
Stroll out down the river and back along the canal. Gorgeous and glorious.
Masses of places to eat. For a top burger, Harry's.
Food-wise the best thing about Exeter was Pipers Farm shop, but they deliver nationwide, so. I did recommend the environs, but that was in the context of the restriction of recommending somewhere in the south. The only thing I really miss about the place is the shoe shop Chuckles, and its proprietor. He's insanely good at what he does.
Pipers. If that's the same as the crisps it's bound to be good. You can't beat Walkers cheese & onion for everyday but as a treat it has to be Pipers. I have a big bag of them first Friday of every month.
No, a different outfit, but the best meat I've eaten in the UK. I think we tried beef mince from one place in Scotland after we moved away, and then decided to get it delivered from Pipers Farm instead. We don't eat meat at every meal, so when we do we don't want it to be disappointing. Pipers Farm
Could see Tories tanking in polls further as recession now looks inevitable Could though see a Farage type offshoot develop
Yep that Lab 5 or 6 pt lead is looking set in cement. Only a fool would assume there's still much uncertainty and things could change before the general election.
My Conservative source - "We're in for a terrible drubbing tonight. The rebels should have kept their powder dry for a few weeks and Boris would have been a goner by the months end."
What's the world coming to when the Tories don't know how to successfully eviscerate their leader...
Well quite.
Back in the day the men in grey suits simply placed the political pearl handled revolver on the desk and the deed was done. Now Boris will have to be dragged kicking and screaming onto the scaffold and will likely be spouting utter bullsh*t well after his blond locks have settled in the guillotine basket.
Out of interest how's your mate Ex-Speaker Bercow holding up now he's been exposed as a bully, banned from Parliament and no broadcaster in the land seems to want to go near him with a ten foot barge pole?
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Well: I like towns over villages. While I was disappointed with Exeter, I still - despite having never visited it - hanker slightly after Topsham. It looks lovely without being extortionate. I'd want to live somewhere close to some hills. Dartmoor, or the Brecon Beacons. Cost is a consideration. I'm sure the Chilterns are splendid, but you can afford a house for twice the size in Gloucester that you can in Amersham. I love Cornwall very much, of course, and thought Falmouth splendid - but it's a long, long way away from everywhere else.
Herefordshire is the place to go! Untouched by industry. Largely unruined by planners. Nice-ish southern English climate if a bit wet towards the Welsh border
Or Dorset. Or even bits of Wiltshire. Malmesbury…
Someone else mentioned Stroud and that’s a good bet. It has suddenly become this counter cultural hub, perhaps because it is full of early industrial buildings which are quite handsome and can be easily repurposed, plus it is surrounded by extremely pretty countryside, Laurie Lee in the Slad valley etc
Winchester is probably my favourite small southern English cathedral city. But it is not cheap
Stroud looks nice but also a bit too hippy for my tastes. I'm keen to like Hereford but despite passing through it two or three times have never really got an impression of the place. I must return and give it another go. The county, as you say, is certainly lovely. One of the happiest days of my life was a bike ride through the Herefordshire/Wales borderlands, the highlight of which was a cycle over the top of the Begwyns. Almost no-one has heard of the Begwyns, and yet they are one of the most stunningly beautiful little ranges of hills in the country. I had such a good day I repeated it exactly the following day. But I've always lived in towns, and I simply can't imagine how life would be in a village.
i grew up in Hereford and, for a long time, remembered it as a sleepy, dull, slightly grey place, with a bit of post war ruination (the New Bridge and by pass) and no sense of a future
I went back last year for a week and I was stunned by the transformation. BECAUSE it stayed sleepy for so long it has kept a mediaeval network of streets, surrounding its lovely bijou cathedral. And there are no huge developments, yet it is full of life and exciting restaurants and cafes and pubs, it’s gorgeous. And it’s far enough away from London to have a sense of itself. And of course -as you note - the embracing countryside is quite something
it reminds me of one of those small unspoiled French cities in the Lot or the Dordogne or the Vosges where you think - why can’t England be like this? And lo, it can
I agree with that, it was somewhere I have thought about moving to.
Not far away, Shrewsbury is the same - and possibly even less well known. If it had a Cathedral, everyone would go there, but it doesn't, so nobody does. Most people just whizz past on the A5 towards North Wales. They should stop - I went for the first time only last year and was pleasantly surprised. And it is surrounded by varied countryside.
Yep. Ditto Ludlow, Kington, Leominster, Ledbury and others
The Welsh Marches are the lost but preserved loveliness of England, and long may they remain so
They bring with them a pang, however. When you walk around a largely unspoiled town like Ledbury or Ross you realise that, once, all of England was like this
Guns have killed more Americans than all the combined wars they’ve fought including their Civil War .
And yet still nothing changes . And with today’s SCOTUS decision effectively expanding gun rights there really comes a point when if you live in Europe you just have to give up on the country .
It's a democracy. They all have a vote. IMHO more of them should use it, but it isn't our call. How they run it is a matter for them.
No, a handful of SC justices have a vote. NY elected an administration which enacted gun control regulations which the court has just set aside.
The SC seems disproportionately powerful as an institution compared the the other branches. A handful of people who serve direct decades can pursue their political aims without much hindrance, so long as they are patient in waiting for a case to use as a pretext.
Ok here's a PB challenge. Mrs P and I are planning to move in the next few years. What's the best small town or large village to move to?
It needs to be in the south of England* (anywhere south of Worcester-Northampton-Norwich) for family reasons. Ideally it'll be somewhere with: lots going on, good transport connections, easy access to London or another major city, sensible property prices.
Any ideas?
(*Yes I know, there are lots of fantastic places to live outside the south of England, we have lived in some, but... family connections rule them out for us now.)
A pity it has to be in the south of England because there are so many great places slightly further north.
Where were you thinking of Andy? The Worcester-Northampton-Norwich line is not set in stone.
Thanks for the other good suggestions on the previous thread too!
The area around Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth is nice. Just as example.
Stoneleigh, Berkswell and Meriden are pleasant villages
If I had to live in the South - and I have a spreadsheet ranking this - my favoured place would be the Exeter suburb of Topsham. If that is too far west, I would go for Gloucester. Still too far west? Devizes, Wiltshire.
Exeter and Gloucester are both rather dreary. Both ruined by war/post war planners. Odd choice
Do you simply like red brick, cheap concrete and multi storey car parks?
Well: I like towns over villages. While I was disappointed with Exeter, I still - despite having never visited it - hanker slightly after Topsham. It looks lovely without being extortionate. I'd want to live somewhere close to some hills. Dartmoor, or the Brecon Beacons. Cost is a consideration. I'm sure the Chilterns are splendid, but you can afford a house for twice the size in Gloucester that you can in Amersham. I love Cornwall very much, of course, and thought Falmouth splendid - but it's a long, long way away from everywhere else.
Herefordshire is the place to go! Untouched by industry. Largely unruined by planners. Nice-ish southern English climate if a bit wet towards the Welsh border
Or Dorset. Or even bits of Wiltshire. Malmesbury…
Someone else mentioned Stroud and that’s a good bet. It has suddenly become this counter cultural hub, perhaps because it is full of early industrial buildings which are quite handsome and can be easily repurposed, plus it is surrounded by extremely pretty countryside, Laurie Lee in the Slad valley etc
Winchester is probably my favourite small southern English cathedral city. But it is not cheap
Stroud looks nice but also a bit too hippy for my tastes. I'm keen to like Hereford but despite passing through it two or three times have never really got an impression of the place. I must return and give it another go. The county, as you say, is certainly lovely. One of the happiest days of my life was a bike ride through the Herefordshire/Wales borderlands, the highlight of which was a cycle over the top of the Begwyns. Almost no-one has heard of the Begwyns, and yet they are one of the most stunningly beautiful little ranges of hills in the country. I had such a good day I repeated it exactly the following day. But I've always lived in towns, and I simply can't imagine how life would be in a village.
i grew up in Hereford and, for a long time, remembered it as a sleepy, dull, slightly grey place, with a bit of post war ruination (the New Bridge and by pass) and no sense of a future
I went back last year for a week and I was stunned by the transformation. BECAUSE it stayed sleepy for so long it has kept a mediaeval network of streets, surrounding its lovely bijou cathedral. And there are no huge developments, yet it is full of life and exciting restaurants and cafes and pubs, it’s gorgeous. And it’s far enough away from London to have a sense of itself. And of course -as you note - the embracing countryside is quite something
it reminds me of one of those small unspoiled French cities in the Lot or the Dordogne or the Vosges where you think - why can’t England be like this? And lo, it can
I agree with that, it was somewhere I have thought about moving to.
Not far away, Shrewsbury is the same - and possibly even less well known. If it had a Cathedral, everyone would go there, but it doesn't, so nobody does. Most people just whizz past on the A5 towards North Wales. They should stop - I went for the first time only last year and was pleasantly surprised. And it is surrounded by varied countryside.
I haven't been to Shrewsbury since 1998. But liked it. As did my girlfriend at the time, sort of. She called it a 'less-bad version of Durham'. She was not given to great displays of unreserved enthusiasm.
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Trashy post even by your standards
She’s spent the entire evening calling me a liar and a bullshitter and asking that I be banned
Now, you may agree. You probably do. You’re a halfwit. But if someone is going to be consistently rude I will eventually be catty in my replies
*TORIES* Very downbeat. “Barring some unseen miracle we’re going to lose them both” says one source. Another when asked how it’s looking says simply “bad”. 2/
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Trashy post even by your standards
She’s spent the entire evening calling me a liar and a bullshitter and asking that I be banned
Now, you may agree. You probably do. You’re a halfwit. But if someone is going to be consistently rude I will eventually be catty in my replies
But you are a liar and a bullshitter, and you have been banned on multiple occasions.
Guns have killed more Americans than all the combined wars they’ve fought including their Civil War .
And yet still nothing changes . And with today’s SCOTUS decision effectively expanding gun rights there really comes a point when if you live in Europe you just have to give up on the country .
It's a democracy. They all have a vote. IMHO more of them should use it, but it isn't our call. How they run it is a matter for them.
No, a handful of SC justices have a vote. NY elected an administration which enacted gun control regulations which the court has just set aside.
The SC seems disproportionately powerful as an institution compared the the other branches. A handful of people who serve direct decades can pursue their political aims without much hindrance, so long as they are patient in waiting for a case to use as a pretext.
They don't have to be that patient. There are plenty enough people to cooperate with in the State legislatures who will pass legislation for the purpose of triggering a court challenge.
Labour unveils plans to seek limited changes to Brexit deal - David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, confirms party won’t seek to rejoin single market or EU bloc
Dreariness is entirely in the eye of the beholder, so there's absolutely no point in this silly argument.
Quite so
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
Trashy post even by your standards
She’s spent the entire evening calling me a liar and a bullshitter and asking that I be banned
Now, you may agree. You probably do. You’re a halfwit. But if someone is going to be consistently rude I will eventually be catty in my replies
She is a total button wanting everyone who does not agree with her crap to be banned. You are in good company leon.
Exeter is in the South East of England, according to the strictures of the Network Railcard. So you can have 1/3 off rail travel to London and other points east, at any age.
Comments
Talking about flushing, if you get the wrong wind direction Topsham doesn't half catch the sewage works ... Oh and when the wind is in the west you can hear the M5 loud as loud.
Of course, being the arsehole I am, I did comment to myself that 22nd June is indeed after the solstice, so the nights are drawing in [1].... but it would be another four days before you were closer to this years Christmas than the last one.
[1] Sometimes the solstice is on the 22nd. Don't know why. Something to do with the leap years I expect......
The Site would fall silent.
Nite nite.
But doesn't dismissing the population of Topsham as rather snooty fall into the same category as dismissing Exeter as rather dreary?
I went back last year for a week and I was stunned by the transformation. BECAUSE it stayed sleepy for so long it has kept a mediaeval network of streets, surrounding its lovely bijou cathedral. And there are no huge developments, yet it is full of life and exciting restaurants and cafes and pubs, it’s gorgeous. And it’s far enough away from London to have a sense of itself. And of course -as you note - the embracing countryside is quite something
it reminds me of one of those small unspoiled French cities in the Lot or the Dordogne or the Vosges where you think - why can’t England be like this? And lo, it can
Westminster voting intention:
LAB: 42% (+2)
CON: 31% (-3)
LDEM: 10% (-)
GRN: 5% (+1)
via @SavantaComRes, 17 - 19 Jun
https://t.co/5ksWvd9Km0
If tonight is very bad for the Conservatives (and I'm not sure it will be), we might see Brady indeed tee something up.
Macrons comment was “we don’t do that anymore”
https://www.qvcuk.com/content/home-and-kitchen/christmas-in-july.html
Thanks all!
I probably put more value on aesthetics. @Heathener being a late middle aged woman, likely puts more value on moral worth or vibrancy, as aesthetics are no longer her calling card
How about Birkenhead North?
https://flickr.com/photos/arthurjohnpicton/4200516744
- David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, confirms party won’t seek to rejoin single market or EU bloc
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/23/labour-unveil-plans-to-seek-limited-changes-to-brexit-deal
It's harder to draw a line.
If (and it's still "if") the Tories lose tonight on swings in the region of 10% to Labour and 30% to Lib Dems, it's written up as the People's No Confidence Vote.
One possibility is they get away with it - hold in T&H, narrow loss or narrow hold in Wakefield. In which case, it was a needless risk to trigger the MP vote.
But the other is they don't. In which case it's nightmarish. He's a dead man walking with no "win" in prospect to put him back on track. Could unravel quickly.
LABOUR :"The message we have heard is clear: many are coming back to Labour under Keir Starmer’s leadership.”
LDs: "A huge mountain to climb... if the Cons lose significant numbers of votes tonight...there will be countless Cons MPs looking over their shoulders"
https://twitter.com/LouisDegenhardt/status/1540080897998962691
I apologise if this similarly ruins such a delightful channel for anyone else
It's been East Devon constituency since 2010 and that's certainly a case of the Boundary Commission getting it right.
Very downbeat. “Barring some unseen miracle we’re going to lose them both” says one source. Another when asked how it’s looking says simply “bad”. 2/
https://twitter.com/benrileysmith/status/1540082788132691970
Back in the day the men in grey suits simply placed the political pearl handled revolver on the desk and the deed was done. Now Boris will have to be dragged kicking and screaming onto the scaffold and will likely be spouting utter bullsh*t well after his blond locks have settled in the guillotine basket.
Very downbeat. “Barring some unseen miracle we’re going to lose them both” says one source. Another when asked how it’s looking says simply “bad”. 2/
Now, a non-sequitur on that scale is probably the most irritating thing about it all. But honestly, the sheer, dull, worthiness of it. It's not appealing.
Maybe it is to some people. I'd rather have a product that didn't try to make me feel bad.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/23/scottish-islanders-save-us-couples-wedding-after-their-luggage-gets-lost
This story
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/23/man-woman-charged-trying-bring-child-uk-harvest-organs?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
And now, as it's past midnight here and CHB and Scott seem determined to fill the comments by pasting the same tweets as each other, I'll call it a day. Night all.
Thoroughly grim.
Humans, eh?
A sensible Conservative leader,
on the other hand could agree to closer ties, and that would enhance their electoral chances too.
Organ harvesting or evidence of organ harvesting dey for various kontries for di world.
Especially for places like China, India, and di Sinai Peninsula.
Na so international society for human rights tok.
Organ transplantation for People’s Republic of China dey boom well-well, for dia di number of transplants dey rise.
Evidence suggest say dem murder pipo to sell and transplant dia organs –wit allege involvement and support of goment agencies.
Most cases of organ harvesting in di world dey take place for China.
Egypt na di regional hub of organ trafficking. According to World Health Organization.
https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cy69g5yzp47o
Source argues in Tiverton it’s essentially been 3 elections
- One when vote triggered due to porn-watching MP and chunk of Tories decided they’d protest vote
- Another when postal votes dropped almost exactly on day of confidence vote
- Then today. Few persuadables left
Time up
The argument is you don't want to be an "orphan" ward, where your MP and staff only really interact with the Council for a handful of issues in a very limited area. Ben Bradshaw has clout with Exeter City Council officers. They honestly won't give a shit what Simon Jupp (or Hugo Swire before him) says.
Just on a practical basis, this is a really solid argument. Does it mean Topsham feels like a suburb of Exeter? No.
It was a nice chocolate bar. But a bit of chocolate is there for a cheap bit of pleasure. If you take the pleasure away by preaching at me, it becomes pointless. It wasn't massively nicer than a bar of Dairy Milk, and Dairy Milk appears to accept me for what I am.
Not far away, Shrewsbury is the same - and possibly even less well known. If it had a Cathedral, everyone would go there, but it doesn't, so nobody does. Most people just whizz past on the A5 towards North Wales. They should stop - I went for the first time only last year and was pleasantly surprised. And it is surrounded by varied countryside.
Could see Tories tanking in polls further as recession now looks inevitable Could though see a Farage type offshoot develop
Yep that Lab 5 or 6 pt lead is looking set in cement. Only a fool would assume there's still much uncertainty and things could change before the general election.
“No, Mr. Johnson, we expect you to resign.”
It was not dishonest to say EU membership was officially a target for Turkey. It was dishonest to pretend it was imminent or even likely, which was the implication.
I said so at the time and was a leaver then.
Tiverton & Honinton:
2019 — 4:49am
2017 — 4:50am
2015 — 7:54am
Wakefield:
2019 — 3:40am
2017 — 4:55am
2015 — 6:08am
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mVF_IPhgNgMar-oH3Q4XhWJnpVt4UiECLkFhDIXwZlY/edit#gid=0
Rod Crosby used to love challenges like that.
The Welsh Marches are the lost but preserved loveliness of England, and long may they remain so
They bring with them a pang, however. When you walk around a largely unspoiled town like Ledbury or Ross you realise that, once, all of England was like this
Regardless of what happens to Johnson I think much of the red wall is now lost
"Tories in Tiverton — very long faces "
But liked it. As did my girlfriend at the time, sort of. She called it a 'less-bad version of Durham'.
She was not given to great displays of unreserved enthusiasm.
Now, you may agree. You probably do. You’re a halfwit. But if someone is going to be consistently rude I will eventually be catty in my replies
As for “consistently rude”?!? Jeepers.