Hereford is in an absolutely shocking state. Like a rural town in Pennsylvania
At least a third of the town centre properties are empty. Streets are deserted in areas. Sense of real deprivation. And this is in bright warm sun
I was here in feb 2022 and it felt bustling - in the cold. What has happened in the intervening year and a half? Covid belatedly impacting? Inflation?
It feels almost random. Ludlow is doing OK. Shrewsbury is thriving and crowded. Hereford is fucked
🤷♂️
Maybe everyone's at work?
No. This is weird, and sad
This is High Town, the premier retail street. Empty empty empty
The guy at Tanners wine merchant (based in thriving Shrewsbury, but which branches all down the Marches) warned me that Hereford is looking bad. He was right
@BartholomewRoberts will be pleased to hear that James Tanner has a theory for the apparent random declines. He says they’re not random - he reckons towns which heavily pedestrianised (Hereford) are now suffering badly cause covid made people lazy and they can’t be bothered to walk into town centres. If they can drive they come
I don’t believe it: I’m sure there is something else at work. There is plenty of parking in Hereford. But that’s the opinion of a retailer/merchant
Looks like a lot of town/city centres I know. Basically, people don't go to the town centre to do regular shopping anymore. If you've got nothing else to bring people in, then you're screwed. Places that are doing well have something else going on. Almost by definition that something else is hard to replicate and will be less ubiquitous than shopping. Hence a lot of areas doing badly, a few areas doing well. To do well you need to have at least one of the following imho:
Beautiful historical centre or some other big tourist draw
High population density with a lot of young families to guarantee footfall
A lot of wealthy people, ideally retirees with time on their hands
A lot of students
A concentration of independent shops that have created a sustainable ecosystem of demand.
If you haven't got any of these and can't find a way of getting them, just give up. Convert the area to housing, we need housing. We don't need street furniture and charity shops.
Lots of reasons why some places are fine and others not. Recently was in N Devon - Barnstaple is fine, shops filled, busy etc. Bideford (8 miles to the west) and Ilfracombe (10 to the north) much less so. It seems likely that businesses will rather go to the successful place, rather than the more run down ones, and its self reinforcing. Happily, Ilfracombe did look a bit better than this time last year, so all hope is not lost.
It's probably just a coincidence that Barnstable has a rail service but Ilfracombe or Bideford don't.
Hereford is in an absolutely shocking state. Like a rural town in Pennsylvania
At least a third of the town centre properties are empty. Streets are deserted in areas. Sense of real deprivation. And this is in bright warm sun
I was here in feb 2022 and it felt bustling - in the cold. What has happened in the intervening year and a half? Covid belatedly impacting? Inflation?
It feels almost random. Ludlow is doing OK. Shrewsbury is thriving and crowded. Hereford is fucked
🤷♂️
Maybe everyone's at work?
No. This is weird, and sad
This is High Town, the premier retail street. Empty empty empty
The guy at Tanners wine merchant (based in thriving Shrewsbury, but which branches all down the Marches) warned me that Hereford is looking bad. He was right
@BartholomewRoberts will be pleased to hear that James Tanner has a theory for the apparent random declines. He says they’re not random - he reckons towns which heavily pedestrianised (Hereford) are now suffering badly cause covid made people lazy and they can’t be bothered to walk into town centres. If they can drive they come
I don’t believe it: I’m sure there is something else at work. There is plenty of parking in Hereford. But that’s the opinion of a retailer/merchant
My observations of Canterbury and Ashford would not support the “pedestrianisation” theory. Canterbury, pedestrianised for 40 years, is doing better in every conceivable metric over Ashford. It’s tourists and students that tip the balance.
Hereford is in an absolutely shocking state. Like a rural town in Pennsylvania
At least a third of the town centre properties are empty. Streets are deserted in areas. Sense of real deprivation. And this is in bright warm sun
I was here in feb 2022 and it felt bustling - in the cold. What has happened in the intervening year and a half? Covid belatedly impacting? Inflation?
It feels almost random. Ludlow is doing OK. Shrewsbury is thriving and crowded. Hereford is fucked
🤷♂️
Oh. Now you've noticed. Now go to Stoke. Newport. Middlesbrough. Bognor. Southend. Enough of this artisanal Michael Portillo rubbish. Go somewhere crap.
Stop moaning like a tuppeny brass. I go where my work takes me, and honestly report what I see. You are free to ignore it
As a matter of interest, does your work take you to Middlesbrough or Stoke, ever?
Been to both! Stoke's train station not bad all
Railway station.
I should report you to the Rail Forums moderators for use of inappropriate language.
I always say 'train station' due to my wife mocking my pronunciation of railway :
Apparently my southern accent makes it 'rarlway'
You can always console yourself with a larte while waiting for your train.
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
It's way more than 26 councils - the 26 number comes from those complaining - many others are just keeping quiet and praying something changes...
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
I accept that it's all parties. The culture: not really enough funding, cutting financial red-tape, all coupled with a deluded belief that councils are clever enough to out-speculate speculators, has been at fault.
One thing most on here seem to agree on is that the UK has been living beyond its finances for many years. So, are we going to have ever crappier public services and a race toward third-world standards, or are we going to face facts and recognise that good public services cost money, and yes that means more taxes?
Doing the thread bottom up I've just come across a post extoling at considerable length the merits of driving as a mode of transport. Playing a little game with myself I tried to guess who it was from before getting to the top of it where the name appears. I guessed Bartholomew Roberts. Spot on!
In all fairness, we all have our hobbyhorses and stylistic quirks. I reckon you can tell most posters by their 'voice'.
Anyway, his point wasn't wrong. For families - certainly families with young children - driving is generally the easiest and cheapest way of getting about. Doesn't necessarily make for a good quality of place, but that isn't the point he was making.
I remember the first time driving *wasn't* the easiest mode for my family. It was the Greater Manchester Marathon, and the roads around my way had been shut. My kids were roughly 8, 6 and 3. They were old enough that at least the oldest two were perfectly capable of walking the mile or so to the nearest town centre - and indeed in was much more pleasant, and actually no slower than the usual drive, to do so. There was no need to repeatedly shepherd them over side roads where cars might be. I had to pop back later, and used my bike, and again, it was uncommonly pleasant. I briefly wondered about the practicality of a permanent solution. It wouldn't have been any good for going anywhere further afield, of course (apart from anywhere on the tram line). But my quality of life was increased for that day, under those special circumstances.
The trick is to get that quality of life without killing the ability of people to get around. Which, sadly, is almost impossible to do. Doesn't mean there aren't some wins to be had, however.
Oh indeed. And it's a funny one. I'm often struck by the absurdity of cars yet I like having and driving one.
Re people's 'voice', yes, I somewhat tragically am able to pinpoint every single regular poster from just a couple of sentences.
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
It's way more than 26 councils - the 26 number comes from those complaining - many others are just keeping quiet and praying something changes...
I am sure you are right but that is the Guardian's take on it
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
Nigel Foremain was making hay over Labour's economic chaos in Birmingham l, although as Foxy pointed out, the equal pay issue that required the section 114 notice was a legacy issue from the Con/ LD years
To be honest (and I know the above paragraph is an anti Tory dig) some of the most vulnerable children in our society will be the individual to suffer most in this crisis. So party politics is best left out of this.
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
I accept that it's all parties. The culture: not really enough funding, cutting financial red-tape, all coupled with a deluded belief that councils are clever enough to out-speculate speculators, has been at fault.
One thing most on here seem to agree on is that the UK has been living beyond its finances for many years. So, are we going to have ever crappier public services and a race toward third-world standards, or are we going to face facts and recognise that good public services cost money, and yes that means more taxes?
I agree, and the scale of the problem is simply not being admitted by politicians as the decisions needed will not be popular at all
The triple lock has to go (and I do benefit from it) and some form of wealth tax is needed
The football transfers have just cost in excess of £2.5 billion, so how about a 50% tax on all transfer fees for a starter
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
(Sorry to be a pedant, but Germany had 244,132 asylum applications last year. It is on track to see asylum applications rise 77% this year, if current trends continue.)
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
Nigel Foremain was making hay over Labour's economic chaos in Birmingham l, although as Foxy pointed out, the equal pay issue that required the section 114 notice was a legacy issue from the Con/ LD years
To be honest (and I know the above paragraph is an anti Tory dig) some of the most vulnerable children in our society will be the individual to suffer most in this crisis. So party politics is best left out of this.
It would be refreshing if the politicians could grow up and come together but unfortunately I just do not see it
The Spectator will be holding a party at the Labour Party conference for the first time in a generation, if I recall correctly....
I've put up with a lot from Starmer since he decided to win the next election instead of having principles but there's a limit and this is it. Off to get my membership card and some scissors.
The Spectator will be holding a party at the Labour Party conference for the first time in a generation, if I recall correctly....
I've put up with a lot from Starmer since he decided to win the next election instead of having principles but there's a limit and this is it. Off to get my membership card and some scissors.
Hold fire and see which Labourites attend. In fact we could have a sweepstake..
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
Hereford is in an absolutely shocking state. Like a rural town in Pennsylvania
At least a third of the town centre properties are empty. Streets are deserted in areas. Sense of real deprivation. And this is in bright warm sun
I was here in feb 2022 and it felt bustling - in the cold. What has happened in the intervening year and a half? Covid belatedly impacting? Inflation?
It feels almost random. Ludlow is doing OK. Shrewsbury is thriving and crowded. Hereford is fucked
🤷♂️
Maybe everyone's at work?
No. This is weird, and sad
This is High Town, the premier retail street. Empty empty empty
The guy at Tanners wine merchant (based in thriving Shrewsbury, but which branches all down the Marches) warned me that Hereford is looking bad. He was right
@BartholomewRoberts will be pleased to hear that James Tanner has a theory for the apparent random declines. He says they’re not random - he reckons towns which heavily pedestrianised (Hereford) are now suffering badly cause covid made people lazy and they can’t be bothered to walk into town centres. If they can drive they come
I don’t believe it: I’m sure there is something else at work. There is plenty of parking in Hereford. But that’s the opinion of a retailer/merchant
My observations of Canterbury and Ashford would not support the “pedestrianisation” theory. Canterbury, pedestrianised for 40 years, is doing better in every conceivable metric over Ashford. It’s tourists and students that tip the balance.
We have been in Ashford all week and it is an excellent base but the town itself is nothing to write home about. Canterbury was buzzing even although I am not sure the students are all back yet. They have 4 universities in a modest town and our tour guide confirmed education is the biggest employer in town. He was superb by the way, breaking into Chaucer at appropriate points. Huge numbers of cafes and restaurants which seemed to be thriving.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
Not a comment on you and yours; lang may yer lum reek.
Just me subverting the words you used. Cul de sac sounds so nice and middle class, but dead end sounds like a sink estate. I'm picturing you in a council house with a rusting Hillman Avenger in your front garden.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
I'm just not sure why anything Eabhal suggests would have an impact on ability to park in a cul de sac. Cul de sacs are basically the last place anyone is interested in touching in terms of traffic changes - they aren't through roads and are basically used exclusively by the residents and those servicing them through deliveries etc.
Maybe you have a point, but it's rather unclear to me at least what it actually is.
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I'm starting to think that your exceedingly well travelled dog is in fact @Leon.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I'm starting to think that your exceedingly well travelled dog is in fact @Leon.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
I'm right, aren't I?
PS Mods: doxing someone as a dog is OK, isn't it?
If this conversation goes into collars and leashes, I'm out
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
Not a comment on you and yours; lang may yer lum reek.
Just me subverting the words you used. Cul de sac sounds so nice and middle class, but dead end sounds like a sink estate. I'm picturing you in a council house with a rusting Hillman Avenger in your front garden.
The odd thing about cul de sac is that the French don't say it. To them it just means 'the bottom of a bag' (or worse).
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I'm starting to think that your exceedingly well travelled dog is in fact @Leon.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
I'm right, aren't I?
PS Mods: doxing someone as a dog is OK, isn't it?
I"ve just been to drop off my accounts for my first year's full trading as a tutor.
My accountant's dog was certainly determined to make herself the centre of attention. She nearly knocked me over with the enthusiasm of her welcome.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
We have not considered moving not least because the family are close by and it is home to them
Indeed it is possible one of them will buy it from our estate
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
Not a comment on you and yours; lang may yer lum reek.
Just me subverting the words you used. Cul de sac sounds so nice and middle class, but dead end sounds like a sink estate. I'm picturing you in a council house with a rusting Hillman Avenger in your front garden.
With appropriate connections for walking, wheeling and cycling cul-de-sacs don't need to be dead ends !
Hereford is in an absolutely shocking state. Like a rural town in Pennsylvania
At least a third of the town centre properties are empty. Streets are deserted in areas. Sense of real deprivation. And this is in bright warm sun
I was here in feb 2022 and it felt bustling - in the cold. What has happened in the intervening year and a half? Covid belatedly impacting? Inflation?
It feels almost random. Ludlow is doing OK. Shrewsbury is thriving and crowded. Hereford is fucked
🤷♂️
Maybe everyone's at work?
No. This is weird, and sad
This is High Town, the premier retail street. Empty empty empty
The guy at Tanners wine merchant (based in thriving Shrewsbury, but which branches all down the Marches) warned me that Hereford is looking bad. He was right
@BartholomewRoberts will be pleased to hear that James Tanner has a theory for the apparent random declines. He says they’re not random - he reckons towns which heavily pedestrianised (Hereford) are now suffering badly cause covid made people lazy and they can’t be bothered to walk into town centres. If they can drive they come
I don’t believe it: I’m sure there is something else at work. There is plenty of parking in Hereford. But that’s the opinion of a retailer/merchant
My observations of Canterbury and Ashford would not support the “pedestrianisation” theory. Canterbury, pedestrianised for 40 years, is doing better in every conceivable metric over Ashford. It’s tourists and students that tip the balance.
We have been in Ashford all week and it is an excellent base but the town itself is nothing to write home about. Canterbury was buzzing even although I am not sure the students are all back yet. They have 4 universities in a modest town and our tour guide confirmed education is the biggest employer in town. He was superb by the way, breaking into Chaucer at appropriate points. Huge numbers of cafes and restaurants which seemed to be thriving.
A modest TOWN????!!!??? The locals will have you run out of it if you refer to Canterbury as anything less than a City. Henry VIII’s goons may well have permanently stunted its growth by destroying its main tourist (“pilgrimage”) attraction in September 1538 but damned if you’re taking away our City status. We’re not Rochester.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
I have done the opposite. Moved to a hill and a house with stairs and garden on lots of different levels precisely in order to have to do lots of exercise good for the heart just to get around the place!
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I'm starting to think that your exceedingly well travelled dog is in fact @Leon.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
I'm right, aren't I?
PS Mods: doxing someone as a dog is OK, isn't it?
If this conversation goes into collars and leashes, I'm out
It's when somebody doxxes Karma and reveals she's a bitch that we'll need to worry.
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I'm starting to think that your exceedingly well travelled dog is in fact @Leon.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
I'm right, aren't I?
PS Mods: doxing someone as a dog is OK, isn't it?
If this conversation goes into collars and leashes, I'm out
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I'm starting to think that your exceedingly well travelled dog is in fact @Leon.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
I'm right, aren't I?
PS Mods: doxing someone as a dog is OK, isn't it?
If this conversation goes into collars and leashes, I'm out
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I'm starting to think that your exceedingly well travelled dog is in fact @Leon.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
I'm right, aren't I?
PS Mods: doxing someone as a dog is OK, isn't it?
If this conversation goes into collars and leashes, I'm out
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
I'm just not sure why anything Eabhal suggests would have an impact on ability to park in a cul de sac. Cul de sacs are basically the last place anyone is interested in touching in terms of traffic changes - they aren't through roads and are basically used exclusively by the residents and those servicing them through deliveries etc.
Maybe you have a point, but it's rather unclear to me at least what it actually is.
The point is the car is used for most every manner of things including going into town and the school runs
There is no indication the convenience of the car is going to change
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
Not a comment on you and yours; lang may yer lum reek.
Just me subverting the words you used. Cul de sac sounds so nice and middle class, but dead end sounds like a sink estate. I'm picturing you in a council house with a rusting Hillman Avenger in your front garden.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
We have not considered moving not least because the family are close by and it is home to them
Indeed it is possible one of them will buy it from our estate
I sincerely hope neither of you will find yourselves in the position I am. There is no way, for example, I could face even a short set of stairs.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
We have not considered moving not least because the family are close by and it is home to them
Indeed it is possible one of them will buy it from our estate
I sincerely hope neither of you will find yourselves in the position I am. There is no way, for example, I could face even a short set of stairs.
I understand that and can only send you my heart-felt best wishes
If either of us could not go upstairs we would alter our ground floor accordingly
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
I'm just not sure why anything Eabhal suggests would have an impact on ability to park in a cul de sac. Cul de sacs are basically the last place anyone is interested in touching in terms of traffic changes - they aren't through roads and are basically used exclusively by the residents and those servicing them through deliveries etc.
Maybe you have a point, but it's rather unclear to me at least what it actually is.
The point is the car is used for most every manner of things including going into town and the school runs
There is no indication the convenience of the car is going to change
Isn't Eabhal's suggestion that the balance of that changes if you introduce measures to make cycling, walking and going by bus more attractive and, bluntly, car use less so? That seems uncontroversial and not necessarily a bad thing.
I'd also note that car ownership and car use are not the same thing. Most people who use a car also use other modes of transport (bikes, buses, good old-fashioned legs) for certain purposes. It's perfectly conceivable that your cul de sac could continue to have just as many cars as it does now, but with fewer car journeys being made.
The Spectator will be holding a party at the Labour Party conference for the first time in a generation, if I recall correctly....
I've put up with a lot from Starmer since he decided to win the next election instead of having principles but there's a limit and this is it. Off to get my membership card and some scissors.
Hold fire and see which Labourites attend. In fact we could have a sweepstake..
I’m claiming Wes.
Cheating - that's a cert.
Tell you who won't be there though - the great Ed Miliband. Ageing beautifully in every way. They say you get the face you deserve at 50 and boy is that the case here. Still in the Shad Cab. The Keeper of the Flame.
How can one community be expected to endure 30 years of zero leisure services to pay for the crackpot decisions of a group of Tory councillors?
Central Government will have to step in. While they're at it set some firm rules about what councils are and are not allowed to do financially. And place get-rich-quick speculation on the 'Not' list.
It is not just conservative councils as the Guardian explains in that article
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
It's way more than 26 councils - the 26 number comes from those complaining - many others are just keeping quiet and praying something changes...
Definitely - the ones who have really hit the headlines like Thurrock are clearly just epically mismanaged, but many more are scraping past needing to issue a notice.
The government clearly knows this, hence why it has used various different means over the last five years or so to get around the referendum limit on council tax rises (temporary extention, counting a levy for adult social care separately etc), but there's no popularity in more money for local councils (even though they have cut an awful lot over the last decade, more than many other areas), so they just keep applying temporary solutions.
Hereford is in an absolutely shocking state. Like a rural town in Pennsylvania
At least a third of the town centre properties are empty. Streets are deserted in areas. Sense of real deprivation. And this is in bright warm sun
I was here in feb 2022 and it felt bustling - in the cold. What has happened in the intervening year and a half? Covid belatedly impacting? Inflation?
It feels almost random. Ludlow is doing OK. Shrewsbury is thriving and crowded. Hereford is fucked
🤷♂️
Maybe everyone's at work?
No. This is weird, and sad
This is High Town, the premier retail street. Empty empty empty
The guy at Tanners wine merchant (based in thriving Shrewsbury, but which branches all down the Marches) warned me that Hereford is looking bad. He was right
@BartholomewRoberts will be pleased to hear that James Tanner has a theory for the apparent random declines. He says they’re not random - he reckons towns which heavily pedestrianised (Hereford) are now suffering badly cause covid made people lazy and they can’t be bothered to walk into town centres. If they can drive they come
I don’t believe it: I’m sure there is something else at work. There is plenty of parking in Hereford. But that’s the opinion of a retailer/merchant
My observations of Canterbury and Ashford would not support the “pedestrianisation” theory. Canterbury, pedestrianised for 40 years, is doing better in every conceivable metric over Ashford. It’s tourists and students that tip the balance.
We have been in Ashford all week and it is an excellent base but the town itself is nothing to write home about. Canterbury was buzzing even although I am not sure the students are all back yet. They have 4 universities in a modest town and our tour guide confirmed education is the biggest employer in town. He was superb by the way, breaking into Chaucer at appropriate points. Huge numbers of cafes and restaurants which seemed to be thriving.
A modest TOWN????!!!??? The locals will have you run out of it if you refer to Canterbury as anything less than a City. Henry VIII’s goons may well have permanently stunted its growth by destroying its main tourist (“pilgrimage”) attraction in September 1538 but damned if you’re taking away our City status. We’re not Rochester.
Yes, Brexit 1 had a major negative impact on Canterbury as we heard. IT’s population fell to 3k which is not much of a city. Even now it seems a very pleasant place, compact and comfortable. I really liked it.
Hereford is in an absolutely shocking state. Like a rural town in Pennsylvania
At least a third of the town centre properties are empty. Streets are deserted in areas. Sense of real deprivation. And this is in bright warm sun
I was here in feb 2022 and it felt bustling - in the cold. What has happened in the intervening year and a half? Covid belatedly impacting? Inflation?
It feels almost random. Ludlow is doing OK. Shrewsbury is thriving and crowded. Hereford is fucked
🤷♂️
Maybe everyone's at work?
No. This is weird, and sad
This is High Town, the premier retail street. Empty empty empty
The guy at Tanners wine merchant (based in thriving Shrewsbury, but which branches all down the Marches) warned me that Hereford is looking bad. He was right
@BartholomewRoberts will be pleased to hear that James Tanner has a theory for the apparent random declines. He says they’re not random - he reckons towns which heavily pedestrianised (Hereford) are now suffering badly cause covid made people lazy and they can’t be bothered to walk into town centres. If they can drive they come
I don’t believe it: I’m sure there is something else at work. There is plenty of parking in Hereford. But that’s the opinion of a retailer/merchant
My observations of Canterbury and Ashford would not support the “pedestrianisation” theory. Canterbury, pedestrianised for 40 years, is doing better in every conceivable metric over Ashford. It’s tourists and students that tip the balance.
We have been in Ashford all week and it is an excellent base but the town itself is nothing to write home about. Canterbury was buzzing even although I am not sure the students are all back yet. They have 4 universities in a modest town and our tour guide confirmed education is the biggest employer in town. He was superb by the way, breaking into Chaucer at appropriate points. Huge numbers of cafes and restaurants which seemed to be thriving.
A modest TOWN????!!!??? The locals will have you run out of it if you refer to Canterbury as anything less than a City. Henry VIII’s goons may well have permanently stunted its growth by destroying its main tourist (“pilgrimage”) attraction in September 1538 but damned if you’re taking away our City status. We’re not Rochester.
I love that they lost their city status due to bureaucratic oversight. It's so British.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
Not a comment on you and yours; lang may yer lum reek.
Just me subverting the words you used. Cul de sac sounds so nice and middle class, but dead end sounds like a sink estate. I'm picturing you in a council house with a rusting Hillman Avenger in your front garden.
With appropriate connections for walking, wheeling and cycling cul-de-sacs don't need to be dead ends !
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
We're ahead of the game. Moved to a bungalow in our 50s. Future proofed.
I'm always fascinated by other people's limits on using their car. I have a neighbour who will, no lie, drive 150 metres to the shop to buy a pack of fags. I think that's absurd. He's not got any mobility problems. Then again, in another place, I would get told off by a green friend for regularly driving ~1.5km to get my weekly shopping when there was a perfectly good cycle path. She thought I ought to make several smaller trips and save the fuel. I think she had a point but I didn't think so at the time.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
Yes my parents could so do with a bungalow now. Very hard to leave a house you've lived in for 50 years though. I've just moved after 17 years and that was a wrench.
The Spectator will be holding a party at the Labour Party conference for the first time in a generation, if I recall correctly....
I've put up with a lot from Starmer since he decided to win the next election instead of having principles but there's a limit and this is it. Off to get my membership card and some scissors.
Hold fire and see which Labourites attend. In fact we could have a sweepstake..
I’m claiming Wes.
They say you get the face you deserve at 50
That sounds like an old wive's tale to mollify people under 50 without the face they would like. But I hold out hope, wait for my update in 13 years.
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
We're ahead of the game. Moved to a bungalow in our 50s. Future proofed.
No upstairs is no loss.
Upstairs is quite nice at this moment. Cooler than downstairs, with all the windows open behind the curtains and a refreshing breeze coming through.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
We're ahead of the game. Moved to a bungalow in our 50s. Future proofed.
No upstairs is no loss.
Very wise. Although my mother, in her nineties, hated living a bungalow. Made one lazy, she said. And she died after falling downstairs in the care home in which she lived, because she wouldn't use the lift.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
cul de sac --> dead end
My wife and I keep taking our pills hoping we can defer that as long as possible
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
It's not always a good thing to stay in a house when one (or both of you) are past 70. Especially if the bedrooms and bathroom/toilet are upstairs! When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
Yes my parents could so do with a bungalow now. Very hard to leave a house you've lived in for 50 years though. I've just moved after 17 years and that was a wrench.
The week my father died I had been making arrangements to convert one of the downstairs rooms into a bedroom because my sister and I were getting more and more worried he would fall down the stairs.
As it happens, I think those last few weeks he had been sleeping on the settee anyway (without telling us) as he'd come to the same conclusion himself.
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
I think Labour need to do more than get close, really, as a miss is as good as a mile with this sort of thing. If the Tories hold it, they can chalk it up as a win - no doubt the Labour bod on the election night special will say "we did jolly well to get within 2,000 votes..." but the headline is "Tory win".
Not saying they can't lose Tamworth and win a General Election, just that in terms of how the result of a by-election will be perceived by the media and public only two results are possible - Labour Win or Tory Win.
18 months or two years ago, that wouldn't have been the case - people wouldn't really have been expecting a Labour gain in this seat. But consistently good polling and Selby sets the expectations bar higher. It's like if the Lib Dems had failed to take Tiverton or Somerton having grabbed harder seats in Chesham and Shropshire. It might be a bit unfair, but close but no cigar when expectations are high is likely to be written up as a fail.
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
Why don't Conservative Thought Leaders (stop sniggering) see this?
It's not unheard of in Tory circles, though not always well received. See this piece from a council leader in ConHome after the locals
Poll after poll shows a vanishingly small fraction of voters want us to abandon the Conservative government’s world-leading climate goals. This doesn’t mean we should ignore those with concerns about the journey to Net Zero. We must take the public with us at every stage. But it does mean that as well as being the wrong thing to do, there is absolutely no chance of building an electoral coalition, locally or nationally, based on reneging our commitment to Net Zero. Net Zero is not a poison dart, and ditching it is not a silver bullet
The Spectator will be holding a party at the Labour Party conference for the first time in a generation, if I recall correctly....
I've put up with a lot from Starmer since he decided to win the next election instead of having principles but there's a limit and this is it. Off to get my membership card and some scissors.
Hold fire and see which Labourites attend. In fact we could have a sweepstake..
I’m claiming Wes.
They say you get the face you deserve at 50
That sounds like an old wive's tale to mollify people under 50 without the face they would like. But I hold out hope, wait for my update in 13 years.
Gosh you're not much older than my son. Yet you show me no deference at all. Something wrong there methinks.
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
Why don't Conservative Thought Leaders (stop sniggering) see this?
Isn't their argument that the CONCEPT of Net Zero appeals to people but the practical measures needed to achieve it aren't?
There are quite a lot of things in life where people want the destination but don't want the journey. That's human nature for you.
In part that is true, and that polling question is what I would call pretty fluffy as it comes down to 'would you like to do good thing x'? But I would suggest it still shows that convincing people that the party is against net zero specifics because of practicalities, and not just against net zero in reactionary fashion, will not be easy.
The Spectator will be holding a party at the Labour Party conference for the first time in a generation, if I recall correctly....
I've put up with a lot from Starmer since he decided to win the next election instead of having principles but there's a limit and this is it. Off to get my membership card and some scissors.
Hold fire and see which Labourites attend. In fact we could have a sweepstake..
I’m claiming Wes.
They say you get the face you deserve at 50
That sounds like an old wive's tale to mollify people under 50 without the face they would like. But I hold out hope, wait for my update in 13 years.
Gosh you're not much older than my son. Yet you show me no deference at all. Something wrong there methinks.
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
It seems to me that the relevant element here is the date - 2050 - which means that the responder need make no difficult, demanding, complicated or expensive step either right now or indeed in the next few years as a result of their opinion.
The reality is that no-one has a clue what 2050 will be like or what its needs will be. However on current trajectories - and there is no sign they will change - there is not the tiniest chance of the globe achieving net zero by then, unless there were a gigantic global scale capture from the atmosphere involving a scale up of monumental proportions.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
Sounds like you live in an LTN, so are largely protected from through traffic. I'm envious!
I'm from rural Scotland so understand your position. Here, cars will always be king and the current tax system on motoring massively depresses economic activity. But we represent only a small proportion of the population (around 20%).
None of the measures I've suggested would significantly reduce the number of households with access to a car outwith major cities. It would probably only have a marginal impact on total miles driven too.
What they would do is reduce congestion and parking space in our towns and cities , opening them up for commercial activity and a more attractive public realm. People would be healthier and safer, and poorer people who can't afford to run a car would see their accessibility to services increase.
Chester City supporters taunted rival Hereford United fans with a sick Lucy Letby chant at a match between the clubs, it has emerged.
City have condemned the actions of those accused of singing, ‘Lucy Letby, she’s one of your own’, during their 2-1 National League North defeat at the Deva Stadium on Tuesday night and said they were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
Letby, who was born in Hereford, was convicted last month of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants while working as a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
'companies he/she controls' always feels like a red flag to me in these situations. Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I get suspicious when people who aren't mass business moguls are getting paid through companies or companies they control are getting monies, as if to conceal how much they are getting.
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
Chester City supporters taunted rival Hereford United fans with a sick Lucy Letby chant at a match between the clubs, it has emerged.
City have condemned the actions of those accused of singing, ‘Lucy Letby, she’s one of your own’, during their 2-1 National League North defeat at the Deva Stadium on Tuesday night and said they were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
Letby, who was born in Hereford, was convicted last month of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants while working as a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
'companies he/she controls' always feels like a red flag to me in these situations. Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I get suspicious when people who aren't mass business moguls are getting paid through companies or companies they control are getting monies, as if to conceal how much they are getting.
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
A "charity" is one of those words which now, as often as not, seems to mean "opportunity to scam".
Chester City supporters taunted rival Hereford United fans with a sick Lucy Letby chant at a match between the clubs, it has emerged.
City have condemned the actions of those accused of singing, ‘Lucy Letby, she’s one of your own’, during their 2-1 National League North defeat at the Deva Stadium on Tuesday night and said they were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
Letby, who was born in Hereford, was convicted last month of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants while working as a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
'companies he/she controls' always feels like a red flag to me in these situations. Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I get suspicious when people who aren't mass business moguls are getting paid through companies or companies they control are getting monies, as if to conceal how much they are getting.
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
A "charity" is one of those words which now, as often as not, seems to mean "opportunity to scam".
There should be some minimum level of training and accreditation before you can start or lead a charity.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
'companies he/she controls' always feels like a red flag to me in these situations. Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I get suspicious when people who aren't mass business moguls are getting paid through companies or companies they control are getting monies, as if to conceal how much they are getting.
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
A "charity" is one of those words which now, as often as not, seems to mean "opportunity to scam".
I will agree right up to the moment I become a CEO of a major charity and pay myself 150k per year.
(Yes, people can be well paid in the sector, but come on, staff costs and overheads are sometimes ridiculous)
Then you get onto how some have truly toxic cultures and cover up horrendous things, which they expect to be excused because they ostensibly do good things.
The problem with pedestrianisation is we have reached the end of a vicious cycle of car dependency that is very hard to break. Examples:
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
There are 10 homes in our cul de sac, 6 with retirees, (one this year) and 4 families, 2 with young children
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
Sounds like you live in an LTN, so are largely protected from through traffic. I'm envious!
I'm from rural Scotland so understand your position. Here, cars will always be king and the current tax system on motoring massively depresses economic activity. But we represent only a small proportion of the population (around 20%).
None of the measures I've suggested would significantly reduce the number of households with access to a car outwith major cities. It would probably only have a marginal impact on total miles driven too.
What they would do is reduce congestion and parking space in our towns and cities , opening them up for commercial activity and a more attractive public realm. People would be healthier and safer, and poorer people who can't afford to run a car would see their accessibility to services increase.
I absolutely do not live in a LTN and they are few and far between in our area
The point is not the cul de sac, but that most every person and their dog, cul de sac or not depend, on the use of their cars for convenience and there is no indication that either the LA or the public are going to change their ways anytime soon
Chester City supporters taunted rival Hereford United fans with a sick Lucy Letby chant at a match between the clubs, it has emerged.
City have condemned the actions of those accused of singing, ‘Lucy Letby, she’s one of your own’, during their 2-1 National League North defeat at the Deva Stadium on Tuesday night and said they were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
Letby, who was born in Hereford, was convicted last month of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants while working as a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
'companies he/she controls' always feels like a red flag to me in these situations. Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I get suspicious when people who aren't mass business moguls are getting paid through companies or companies they control are getting monies, as if to conceal how much they are getting.
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
A "charity" is one of those words which now, as often as not, seems to mean "opportunity to scam".
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
'companies he/she controls' always feels like a red flag to me in these situations. Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I get suspicious when people who aren't mass business moguls are getting paid through companies or companies they control are getting monies, as if to conceal how much they are getting.
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
A "charity" is one of those words which now, as often as not, seems to mean "opportunity to scam".
There should be some minimum level of training and accreditation before you can start or lead a charity.
They should apply the fit and proper person test they use for Premier League owners. Faultless.
How would Red Wall voters vote in a referendum regarding whether the United Kingdom should or should not commit to achieving net zero by 2050? (3 September)
Although I bet if we had such a referendum (and please god no) the NOT campaign, powered by Nigel Farage and Nick Ferrari, the two of them taking turns to drive the bus, would pull off a 52/48 victory.
"No point cos it's all China"
"Let's cut the green crap and fix our potholes instead"
Chester City supporters taunted rival Hereford United fans with a sick Lucy Letby chant at a match between the clubs, it has emerged.
City have condemned the actions of those accused of singing, ‘Lucy Letby, she’s one of your own’, during their 2-1 National League North defeat at the Deva Stadium on Tuesday night and said they were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
Letby, who was born in Hereford, was convicted last month of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants while working as a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has received more than £150,000 from the charity set up in her father’s name, the latest accounts reveal.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
'companies he/she controls' always feels like a red flag to me in these situations. Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I get suspicious when people who aren't mass business moguls are getting paid through companies or companies they control are getting monies, as if to conceal how much they are getting.
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
A "charity" is one of those words which now, as often as not, seems to mean "opportunity to scam".
Sadly so.
I think it has been that way for a long time. Not only does the charitable thing give you free money, but you're also in line for great honours.
RSS Conference Harrogate 2023 ended today at 17:57. After a three-minute invite to RSS Conference Brighton 2-5 Sept 2024 proceedings ended at 18:00. Am now a bit sad.
Comments
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is used in the roof of Cardiff's St David's Hall
A concert venue in the heart of Wales' capital has closed with immediate effect so checks can be carried out on concrete.
Cardiff council announced the decision to temporarily shut St David's Hall for at least four weeks.
It follows fears across the UK over buildings that contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).
The council said the decision was made to close the building after discussions with independent structural engineers.
It was confirmed at the venue by the local authority earlier this week.
Those due to perform in the coming weeks include comedian Adrian Edmondson, singer Alfie Boe, 80s rock band Europe and Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell.
Anyway, nice of you to shower us with humour.
We have been living beyond our means for a very long time:-
Birmingham city council, the largest local authority in the UK, became the latest to issue such a notice this week, blaming a £760m bill for equal pay claims, problems installing a new IT system and £1bn in government cuts over the past decade.
Senior Tories have attempted to capitalise on the Labour-run authority’s meltdown, with the party chair, Greg Hands, suggesting it showed Keir Starmer’s party could not be trusted with the national finances.
However, councils from across the political divide are increasingly sounding the alarm over their finances, after years of cuts to central government funding, soaring inflation, and rising demand amid the cost of living crisis.
Others to issue section 114 notices in the past couple of years include Conservative-run Northamptonshire and Thurrock, alongside Labour-run Slough and Nottingham. At least 26 English local authorities are thought to be at risk of issuing a section 114 notice within the next two years.
A hospital in North Wales has identified RAAC after 2 schools closed yesterday
RAAC concrete found at North Wales hospital
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/section-north-wales-hospital-closed-27662669#ICID=Android_DailyPostNewsApp_AppShare
We went to Manchester yesterday. Early afternoon, outside tables thronged with people eating and drinking and enjoying the weather.
So why weren't all these bloody slackers at work?
But House of Fraser was deserted.
Meanwhile the dog is happy to make his first visit to the country of his mother's birth (bridge for scale)
One thing most on here seem to agree on is that the UK has been living beyond its finances for many years. So, are we going to have ever crappier public services and a race toward third-world standards, or are we going to face facts and recognise that good public services cost money, and yes that means more taxes?
Re people's 'voice', yes, I somewhat tragically am able to pinpoint every single regular poster from just a couple of sentences.
To be honest (and I know the above paragraph is an anti Tory dig) some of the most vulnerable children in our society will be the individual to suffer most in this crisis. So party politics is best left out of this.
The triple lock has to go (and I do benefit from it) and some form of wealth tax is needed
The football transfers have just cost in excess of £2.5 billion, so how about a 50% tax on all transfer fees for a starter
Walking into town is often deeply unpleasant, crossing busy roads and 70s dual carriageways.
Shopping areas are low density due to the number of car parks, so it takes ages to walk between shops.
The bus to the town centre gets caught up in loads of car traffic.
A one or two mile walk is now unachievable for large parts of the population given our exceptionally high obesity rates. Which, in turn, are partly a result of car dependency.
Simply pedestrianising your high street isn't enough. It needs to be part of a package of interventions, including park and ride, 15 minute buses and 24/7 bus lanes, bus gates, safe arterial walking and cycling routes.
I’m claiming Wes.
There are 18 cars, indeed 19 until my wife gave up her car last year due to a serious shoulder issue.
And this is not unique, my daughters cul de sac has a similar ratio of homes and cars as does my sons family
You are entitled to your view, and of course it is from your perception, but it is not going to happen where we live here in North Wales
We have lived in our present home for 47 years, raising our three children, and it is very much the family home
Just me subverting the words you used. Cul de sac sounds so nice and middle class, but dead end sounds like a sink estate. I'm picturing you in a council house with a rusting Hillman Avenger in your front garden.
Maybe you have a point, but it's rather unclear to me at least what it actually is.
And that he has someone recounting @Leon's adventures (not all of which are true, obviously).
It would explain @Leon's breathless excitement, sexually incontinent talk, hatred of cats (cleverly masquerading as a worry about pets & climate change), determination to make himself the centre of attention & love of eating.
I'm right, aren't I?
PS Mods: doxing someone as a dog is OK, isn't it?
When we retired we moved to a bungalow and now I'm very glad we did!
My accountant's dog was certainly determined to make herself the centre of attention. She nearly knocked me over with the enthusiasm of her welcome.
Indeed it is possible one of them will buy it from our estate
There is no indication the convenience of the car is going to change
We are very fortunate
Bye Rose.
If either of us could not go upstairs we would alter our ground floor accordingly
I'd also note that car ownership and car use are not the same thing. Most people who use a car also use other modes of transport (bikes, buses, good old-fashioned legs) for certain purposes. It's perfectly conceivable that your cul de sac could continue to have just as many cars as it does now, but with fewer car journeys being made.
Tell you who won't be there though - the great Ed Miliband. Ageing beautifully in every way. They say you get the face you deserve at 50 and boy is that the case here. Still in the Shad Cab. The Keeper of the Flame.
The government clearly knows this, hence why it has used various different means over the last five years or so to get around the referendum limit on council tax rises (temporary extention, counting a levy for adult social care separately etc), but there's no popularity in more money for local councils (even though they have cut an awful lot over the last decade, more than many other areas), so they just keep applying temporary solutions.
No upstairs is no loss.
Then again, in another place, I would get told off by a green friend for regularly driving ~1.5km to get my weekly shopping when there was a perfectly good cycle path. She thought I ought to make several smaller trips and save the fuel. I think she had a point but I didn't think so at the time.
Should commit 64%
Should NOT commit 22%
https://twitter.com/RedfieldWilton/status/1699814786341752994
And she died after falling downstairs in the care home in which she lived, because she wouldn't use the lift.
As it happens, I think those last few weeks he had been sleeping on the settee anyway (without telling us) as he'd come to the same conclusion himself.
The SNP have fewer morals than the Tories, let that sink in.
Not saying they can't lose Tamworth and win a General Election, just that in terms of how the result of a by-election will be perceived by the media and public only two results are possible - Labour Win or Tory Win.
18 months or two years ago, that wouldn't have been the case - people wouldn't really have been expecting a Labour gain in this seat. But consistently good polling and Selby sets the expectations bar higher. It's like if the Lib Dems had failed to take Tiverton or Somerton having grabbed harder seats in Chesham and Shropshire. It might be a bit unfair, but close but no cigar when expectations are high is likely to be written up as a fail.
Why don't Conservative Thought Leaders (stop sniggering) see this?
There are quite a lot of things in life where people want the destination but don't want the journey. That's human nature for you.
Poll after poll shows a vanishingly small fraction of voters want us to abandon the Conservative government’s world-leading climate goals. This doesn’t mean we should ignore those with concerns about the journey to Net Zero. We must take the public with us at every stage. But it does mean that as well as being the wrong thing to do, there is absolutely no chance of building an electoral coalition, locally or nationally, based on reneging our commitment to Net Zero. Net Zero is not a poison dart, and ditching it is not a silver bullet
https://conservativehome.com/2023/07/10/richard-clewer-net-zero-wasnt-to-blame-for-our-local-election-losses/
The reality is that no-one has a clue what 2050 will be like or what its needs will be. However on current trajectories - and there is no sign they will change - there is not the tiniest chance of the globe achieving net zero by then, unless there were a gigantic global scale capture from the atmosphere involving a scale up of monumental proportions.
The Captain Tom Foundation, which has stopped taking donations amid controversy over its links to Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family companies, has continued paying her thousands despite the scandal.
Since the foundation started in May 2020 it has paid just over £152,000 to Mrs Ingram-Moore and companies she controls along with her husband Colin, who is also a trustee of the charity.
Over the same period the charity has given out only £370,000 to charity.
The payments include almost £25,000 in office costs to Maytrix Group Limited in the last financial year, a company owned by the couple. The rent payments have continued while the charity is under investigation by the regulator.
The charity blamed the regulator’s inquiry for a drop in the donations that they have received, which fell from just over £1 million in the year to May 2021 to almost £400,000 in the 18 months from June 2021 to November 2022.
The trustees said that the intervention of the Charity Commission, which opened a regulatory inquiry in March 2022 and then a statutory inquiry in June 2022, has had a “massive adverse impact”.
The money comes on top of the thousands that Mrs Ingram-Moore was paid via the family company in relation to appearances at an awards ceremony bearing the charity name.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/07/captain-sir-tom-moore-daughter-received-more-than-150000/
Manchester United deny Antony ‘cover-up’ after ex-girlfriend makes club doctor allegation
Cavallin's lawyer claims United tried to conceal the alleged incident by calling a doctor to treat her so that she would not attend hospital
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/09/07/man-utd-deny-antony-cover-up-ex-girlfriend-club-doctor/
I'm from rural Scotland so understand your position. Here, cars will always be king and the current tax system on motoring massively depresses economic activity. But we represent only a small proportion of the population (around 20%).
None of the measures I've suggested would significantly reduce the number of households with access to a car outwith major cities. It would probably only have a marginal impact on total miles driven too.
What they would do is reduce congestion and parking space in our towns and cities , opening them up for commercial activity and a more attractive public realm. People would be healthier and safer, and poorer people who can't afford to run a car would see their accessibility to services increase.
City have condemned the actions of those accused of singing, ‘Lucy Letby, she’s one of your own’, during their 2-1 National League North defeat at the Deva Stadium on Tuesday night and said they were reviewing CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
Letby, who was born in Hereford, was convicted last month of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants while working as a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/09/07/chester-fc-fans-sick-lucy-letby-chant-hereford-match/
And frankly even for business moguls the way many corporate structures are set up to be as convoluted as possible, which cannot possibly be a benefit to the controllers in terms of governance, feels like it should be unlawful as well.
(Yes, people can be well paid in the sector, but come on, staff costs and overheads are sometimes ridiculous)
Then you get onto how some have truly toxic cultures and cover up horrendous things, which they expect to be excused because they ostensibly do good things.
The point is not the cul de sac, but that most every person and their dog, cul de sac or not depend, on the use of their cars for convenience and there is no indication that either the LA or the public are going to change their ways anytime soon
"No point cos it's all China"
"Let's cut the green crap and fix our potholes instead"
(Some charities are what the say they are)