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I suspect this is sub-optimal for the Tories and Sunak – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,047
edited June 16 in General
I suspect this is sub-optimal for the Tories and Sunak – politicalbetting.com

New ?@JLPartnersPolls? word cloud. What’s changed your mind about how you might vote? Two words stick out pic.twitter.com/gyqiGmbGDk

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Comments

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Indeed I’ll develop that argument. One of the great problems with American food is not the cooking or the restaurants - the chains and the recipes - it’s the corruption of the basic ingredients. Fructose and hormones. Shit at the source

    There is also the corporate push for deskilled kitchens. It far cheaper to create recipes that require little to no equipment beyond a microwave or ones of those special ovens that cooks /steams in rapid time, and in doing so doesn't require actual trained chefs. Its like the school dinners here, but in the US you are now paying $20-30-40 (+20% tip) for it.
    20%? Dream on. 30%!!

    https://x.com/thespectator/status/1793582677196485030?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw
    The funniest (if you want to call it that) I have seen is demand for a tip at a self service check-out.

    When minimum wage in the US was exceptionally low it made some sense, but in some states the minimum wage is as high as $20/hr, then to ask for 20% minimum tip on top is absolute piss take.

    It has creeped into London as well. The automatic service charge of 15%, including some establishments who try to frame it as compulsory fee.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357
    One word I would never attach to Farage is idiot. He knows exactly what he is doing.
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,380
    'Sunak' is fairly prominent in that first word cloud, but I suspect not in a good way if it's post D-Day etc.

    Starmer much less prominent, which probably suits Labour - when you're far ahead you don't need people to be changing votes based on your leader, unless your leader is very electorally appealing.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,946
    https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1800153898931695906?s=19
    'Drain the swamp'
    He's not even paying royalties!
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 22,458

    Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365
    I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham.
    Value in the odds not a prediction........

    Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.

    The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.

    On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
    To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 16,541
    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,946

    Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365
    I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham.
    Value in the odds not a prediction........

    Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.

    The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.

    On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
    To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
    MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close.
    Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 31,357

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 50,604

    https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1800153898931695906?s=19
    'Drain the swamp'
    He's not even paying royalties!

    Will we get Little Rishi and Lyin' Keir?
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,759
    It's surprising that 20% of Labour voters think that he has had a good influence on politics.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357
    edited June 10

    https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1800153898931695906?s=19
    'Drain the swamp'
    He's not even paying royalties!

    Will we get Little Rishi and Lyin' Keir?
    Robot Rishi. Dopey Davey. Keir Sanctimonious.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,544
    That sliding bar gentrification map of London on the previous thread is fascinating. The rapid gentrification of SE London, which I guess I have contributed to, is striking. It certainly accords with my own observation of how the areas around us have changed since we moved here in 2011, let alone when a friend moved to Brockley (which we'd never heard of) in the late 1990s and the area was awash with drug dealing and the local pub was full of NF supporters. If you know SE4 now that picture is impossible to visualise.
  • RichardrRichardr Posts: 94
    Sean_F said:

    It's surprising that 20% of Labour voters think that he has had a good influence on politics.

    Would someone who splits the other side and make a landslide for you with less than half the vote not be thought of as good?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357
    edited June 10
    Sean_F said:

    It's surprising that 20% of Labour voters think that he has had a good influence on politics.

    Old School Labour Red Wallers who have concerns about immigration, but will return to voting Labour this time around?
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,813
    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 22,458

    Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365
    I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham.
    Value in the odds not a prediction........

    Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.

    The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.

    On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
    To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
    MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close.
    Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
    I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.

    Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 27,551

    https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1800153898931695906?s=19
    'Drain the swamp'
    He's not even paying royalties!

    Will we get Little Rishi and Lyin' Keir?
    Little Rishi is quite positive. Lyin' Keir on the other hand smacks of a disgusting Charlatan.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,813
    Andy_JS said:

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
    A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,544
    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    But the important question is, do they have broccoli with their Nandos?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,135
    Sean_F said:

    It's surprising that 20% of Labour voters think that he has had a good influence on politics.

    Not really. Labour Brexiteers plus Labour obsessives who want a divided right are not insignificant in number.

    Personally I don't see much of a gap between Farage and the likes of Braverman, Patel, JRM or Francois. So find it quite weird the number of Tories who are horrified at both the prospect of ex Tories now voting elsewhere whilst simultaneously claiming Farage is unpalatable.

    And Farage is a far better communicator than Braverman, Patel, JRM or Francois.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,544
    pigeon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
    A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
    Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 118,517

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,544

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    But the important question is, do they have broccoli with their Nandos?
    I think so, they all like broccoli.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357
    edited June 10

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
    It amazing have not a single person has come out of the woodwork to claim they also remember the infamous visit. Anybody would think it didn't happen.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 48,420

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
    Pizza Express, Dean St, in London is of interest. If you like live Jazz….
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357
    A consortium of international investors, which involves a member of the Saudi royal family, has made a £400m offer to buy Premier League club Everton.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 31,357
    edited June 10
    The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.
  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Posts: 1,256

    Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365
    I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham.
    Value in the odds not a prediction........

    Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.

    The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.

    On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
    To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
    MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close.
    Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
    Mahmood's constituency contains Newtown, Digbeth, the City Centre, and the Jewellery Quarter.... which mostly consists of black and mixed race voters and young, white middle-class professionals living in the city centre. If she doesn't get completely trounced in Alum Rock, Small Heath etc. she'll be ok.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,813

    pigeon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
    A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
    Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
    I dare say that it appealed to White Van Man, which is what mattered by that stage.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444
    edited June 10

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,796
    edited June 10

    pigeon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
    A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
    Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
    Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 8,845
    Andy_JS said:

    The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.

    It's now, by name, the most Woke town in the commuter belt.

    Leon will be giving it a wide berth.
  • ToryJimToryJim Posts: 4,149
    I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz99py9rgz5o
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 27,551

    Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365
    I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham.
    Value in the odds not a prediction........

    Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.

    The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.

    On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
    To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
    MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close.
    Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
    I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.

    Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
    I'm only on a Tory majority at 12. It circa 50 now, but I am less inclined than I was.

    Sorry about the Ladywood/ Yardley error.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,378

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    Have you ever eaten at the Pizza Express in Woking?
    It amazing have not a single person has come out of the woodwork to claim they also remember the infamous visit. Anybody would think it didn't happen.
    Unfathomable that none of the staff have sold their story of his visit to a tabloid.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 21,866
    Andy_JS said:

    The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.

    "I know I come from Woking
    And you think I'm a fraud
    But my heart lies in the city, where it belongs"

    (In the City)
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 51,722

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    the rest of my short life....
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,454

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Pizza Hut is shit.
    I've never been. What's it like, apart from shite in your view? Italian authenticity?
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,544

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
  • numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 6,520

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    There’s plenty of decent options in “Provincial England” you know!
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,139
    Andy_JS said:

    The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.

    And, the Martians landed there.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,206
    Striking map showing german election results, Lead party in each constituency creates the old East West border 35 years after union

    https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article250850434/Europawahl-400-Wahlkreise-ausgezaehlt-Alle-Ergebnisse-im-Ueberblick.html?source=puerto-reco-2_ABC-V39.1.C_plus35
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,946
    edited June 10

    Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365
    I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham.
    Value in the odds not a prediction........

    Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.

    The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.

    On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
    To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
    MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close.
    Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
    I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.

    Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
    I'm only on a Tory majority at 12. It circa 50 now, but I am less inclined than I was.

    Sorry about the Ladywood/ Yardley error.
    Yakoob, the other indies and WPB are running a pretty much united campaign in Birmingham all supporting each other so any traction has a good chance of spilling over constituencies. Labour are very fortunate they have big majorities in most of Brum because they will leak votes like crazy
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 21,866

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Pizza Hut is to pizza what Spoons is to ale.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 51,722
    I though "c****" would hgave been high in that word cloud. "T***" lets him off too lightly.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,454

    That sliding bar gentrification map of London on the previous thread is fascinating. The rapid gentrification of SE London, which I guess I have contributed to, is striking. It certainly accords with my own observation of how the areas around us have changed since we moved here in 2011, let alone when a friend moved to Brockley (which we'd never heard of) in the late 1990s and the area was awash with drug dealing and the local pub was full of NF supporters. If you know SE4 now that picture is impossible to visualise.

    Quite so re Orpington/Bromley. But also Stratford area.

    Nothing new though, in urban history, I suppose ...
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860

    Sean_F said:

    It's surprising that 20% of Labour voters think that he has had a good influence on politics.

    Old School Labour Red Wallers who have concerns about immigration, but will return to voting Labour this time around?
    TBH I think a lot of people even if they don't agree with him find it refreshing that somebody isn't a Party HQ Spinbot 3000.

    Most folk don't have anywhere near the granular interest in politics that we do and probably don't rake over his motives to the same degree.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 21,866
    Roger said:

    pigeon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
    A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
    Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
    Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
    Plus she was best mates with General Pinochet.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,544
    Roger said:

    pigeon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
    A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
    Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
    Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
    Yeah there's lots to not like about her, I will never be a fan although I do find myself admiring aspects of her character more as the quality of her political descendants has declined. But I think the Section 28 stuff is just really nasty and tawdry and hard to justify wherever you sit on the left-right spectrum.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 22,458
    edited June 10
    Carnyx said:

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Pizza Hut is shit.
    I've never been. What's it like, apart from shite in your view? Italian authenticity?
    It's just commercial slop, big portions over authenticity. PX is vastly superior – but there are many better places.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444
    edited June 10
    ToryJim said:

    I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz99py9rgz5o

    It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.

    The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,378

    Striking map showing german election results, Lead party in each constituency creates the old East West border 35 years after union

    https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article250850434/Europawahl-400-Wahlkreise-ausgezaehlt-Alle-Ergebnisse-im-Ueberblick.html?source=puerto-reco-2_ABC-V39.1.C_plus35

    The Soviets really screwed up the East didn't they?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,112

    That sliding bar gentrification map of London on the previous thread is fascinating. The rapid gentrification of SE London, which I guess I have contributed to, is striking. It certainly accords with my own observation of how the areas around us have changed since we moved here in 2011, let alone when a friend moved to Brockley (which we'd never heard of) in the late 1990s and the area was awash with drug dealing and the local pub was full of NF supporters. If you know SE4 now that picture is impossible to visualise.

    I moved to Brockley in 2000 after 2 years in Hatcham Park in SE14, and it was never that rough, aside from the drug problem at the Breakspear Arms (now a Wetherspoons). The housing stock was always pretty pleasant. There was just nothing to do, no decent shops or restaurants except for one well established Thai cafe, now sadly gone, and a wine bar in Crofton Park.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 22,458

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    At least PX tries to have some nod to Italian cookery. PH is fast food garbage.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Pizza Hut is shit.
    That's kinda my point. Pizza Express is worse.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,135
    edited June 10
    Franco Manca the best pizza chain and it is not even close.
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,270

    https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1800153898931695906?s=19
    'Drain the swamp'
    He's not even paying royalties!

    Will we get Little Rishi and Lyin' Keir?
    Little Rishi is quite positive. Lyin' Keir on the other hand smacks of a disgusting Charlatan.
    Yes, good description of the poster who posted that.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 16,910

    ToryJim said:

    I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz99py9rgz5o

    It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.

    The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
    I'm probably out of touch but this doesn't seem like normal behaviour to me:

    "The court heard one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had been passing it between him and his co-accused that day."
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 50,604

    ToryJim said:

    I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz99py9rgz5o

    It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.

    The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
    I'm probably out of touch but this doesn't seem like normal behaviour to me:

    "The court heard one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had been passing it between him and his co-accused that day."
    Have the boys been named?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,378
    edited June 10

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,025

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Pizza Hut is to pizza what Spoons is to ale.
    I don't think that's fair. You can drink reasonably well in most Spoons.

    I do have a soft spot for Pizza Express. I really like their Caffe Reals. (sp?) Plus, you used to be able to eat there astonishingly cheaply with tesco vouchers. Not eaten there for a few years - after being a foodie desert for years, my home town is now surprisingly awash with good food options, including a couple of very good independent pizzerias.

  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    There’s plenty of decent options in “Provincial England” you know!
    I'm sure there are, in plenty of places, but quite often there aren't.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,503
    Andy_JS said:

    The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.

    Weller not a Starmer fan.

    https://x.com/bigissue/status/1797589896787583358?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 80,357

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
    Now that i don't understand....they aren't even cheap.
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 3,705

    I though "c****" would hgave been high in that word cloud. "T***" lets him off too lightly.

    i must be naive, but I thought it meant twit.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,228

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    Pizza Hut tomato sauce is bizarrely - and disgustingly - sweet.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 16,910

    ToryJim said:

    I cannot begin to comprehend how children of 12 can end up committing a crime of this level of calculated depravity. No doubt police forces will soon embark on yet more ludicrous knife amnesties.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz99py9rgz5o

    It reads to me like a spur of the moment sort of thing, rather than a calculated act. Doesn't lessen the brutality, of course.

    The point of an amnesty would be that something like this wouldn't happen on a whim if the boys hadn't had such a weapon on their person. Of course, you'd expect the police to take other action too, but an amnesty doesn't strike me as being particularly objectionable.
    I'm probably out of touch but this doesn't seem like normal behaviour to me:

    "The court heard one of the boys regularly carried a machete, and had been passing it between him and his co-accused that day."
    Have the boys been named?
    Not yet - I suppose the judge will have to determine whether they should be.

    I have mixed feelings about naming them. In one sense we should have a right to know, but to what end? 12 year old kids don't suddenly do things like this from nowhere -something has gone very wrong in their lives and upbringing. This is NOT normal behaviour.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,112

    Franco Manca the best pizza chain and it is not even close.

    Only if you like thicker doughy crust. Which I do, sometimes. But sometimes it’s nice to have a thinner one. PX Romana crusts do the job.
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,380

    Striking map showing german election results, Lead party in each constituency creates the old East West border 35 years after union

    https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article250850434/Europawahl-400-Wahlkreise-ausgezaehlt-Alle-Ergebnisse-im-Ueberblick.html?source=puerto-reco-2_ABC-V39.1.C_plus35

    It is indeed striking. But then, the 2019 (or 2015!) UK general election map pretty neatly recreates the old England-Scotland border 300 years after union :wink:
  • stodgestodge Posts: 13,643
    Afternoon all :)

    Out and about in North London this morning - found a pleasant cafe near Archway for an early lunch but parts of North London, and I say this as an East Londoner, are pretty awful. There are homeless all over the streets and shoplifting, as I saw in a branch of Wenzels, is endemic with two people coming in, nicking a sandwich and running off.

    To be fair, shoplifting is a huge problem in East London along with fare evasion but I presume the supermarkets and food companies, along with Transport for London, have decided the cost of trying to prevent the theft or evasion set against the actual amounts lost or fares not collected, isn't justifiable. If they can live it what is anyone else going to do? It's much harder if you're running a small corner shop and you lose N% of your income to theft.

    Some might say the poor, along with unrealistic expectations for our national football team, will always be with us.

    It's amazing and amusing to hear one of the few Tory sympathisers on here this morning bemoaning the level of debt interest payments and the impact that has on the public finances. Yet no one thought borrowing a bad idea when it was all the rage and interest rates were low. Said finances have been badly managed for decades but as has been said by more than a few, we can't or won't have a serious discussion about any of this until ALL parties agree the choice is spending cuts or tax rises versus spending cuts AND tax rises.

    It's time to revisit land value taxation - the value of undeveloped land versus the value of land with planning permission. A site worth £25m without permission can be worth £250m with that permission and needless to say you don't spend £225m to get that permission so perhaps we can bring some sense to the planning and development process by saying the more properties you squeeze on to a site the more Development Tax you will pay.

    Conversely, if land which is agreed can be developed is sitting there undeveloped it could be taxed to full developmental value which should slow down landbanking.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
    No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 5,631
    edited June 10
    TimS said:

    Franco Manca the best pizza chain and it is not even close.

    Only if you like thicker doughy crust. Which I do, sometimes. But sometimes it’s nice to have a thinner one. PX Romana crusts do the job.
    They took diavolo away from me and I will never forgive them.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,228
    edited June 10

    Striking map showing german election results, Lead party in each constituency creates the old East West border 35 years after union

    https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article250850434/Europawahl-400-Wahlkreise-ausgezaehlt-Alle-Ergebnisse-im-Ueberblick.html?source=puerto-reco-2_ABC-V39.1.C_plus35

    The amazing bit, though, is how well Eastern Germany has done relatively: income gaps with Western Germany are less than between the richest and poorest parts of the UK, housing is inexpensive, and unemployment is low - compared even to 2004.

    I would have assumed West Germans, who are still paying for this leveling up, would be the ones who would be upset. But they are not.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,077
    That word cloud for Nigel Farage could be @Leon couldn’t it?

    Is this another alias of which we haven’t been informed?

    (No offence @Leon only joshing)
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 22,458

    Interesting odds appearing now on Bet365
    I'd recommend (as value) 12/1 on Jody McIntyre for WPB in Birmingham Yardley. They are pushing this one hard, its Labour's weakest held seat in Brum and although Jess P has a profile this might be closer than imagined given Labour's chaos in Birmingham.
    Value in the odds not a prediction........

    Word on the street has been Jess is toast since the Mayoralty when this guy did well.

    The most gratifying Portillo moments for the PB Tories will be Phillips, Streeting and Debonnaire.

    On the other hand Hunt, Penny and JRM all survive even if it is a bad night for the Tories.
    To be clear, are you predicting that Wes Streeting will lose his seat?
    MexicanPete I think is confusing Jody McIntyre with Akhmed Yakoob who is against Shabhana Mahmood in Ladywood (and has a very good chance of getting close too, he's an indy). Jody will also run Jess close.
    Streeting is interesting. Swing in London will be much lower and if Leanne Mohammed (indy, gaza)gets traction Tories through the middle or her herself is unlikely but not unthinkable. DYOR
    I'm more interested in Mexican's prediction. He couches his posts in the language of certainty.

    Some might say he does it to garner attention rather than as a betting tip. Indeed, if all of his 'racing certainties' come in he will be a very rich man!!!
    I'm only on a Tory majority at 12. It circa 50 now, but I am less inclined than I was.

    Sorry about the Ladywood/ Yardley error.
    NOC was 20 last time I looked. Presumably the Mexican Michelin-starred dinner fund has been heavily invested in that market!?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 118,517
    Roger said:

    pigeon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    The Conservative problem is that their voters (and probably their candidates) are split pretty evenly. So both broad strategies (we hail Nigel and we hate Nigel) will annoy some of the voters they are after.

    Hey ho. Should have (politically) strangled him at birth.

    Thatcher somehow managed to appeal to both at the same time.
    A figure from a bygone era. Strategies that worked a treat for her (e.g. gay bashing) aren't quite as effective as they used to be, thank God.
    Thatcher's position on gay rights is sad. She started her career as a standout liberal on this issue on the Conservative benches but ended it with Section 28, which is a horrible stain on her legacy.
    Her boasting about being the only country not to have sanctions against apartheid South Africa pipped her gay bashing for me. I just don't get this Thatcher revisionism.
    I love it when Roger knows more about ending apartheid than Nelson Mandela.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/margaret-thatcher/9997714/Margaret-Thatchers-vital-role-in-ending-apartheid.html
  • WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next.
    I'm shocked.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,378
    O/T Greens averaging over 5% in the polls should worry the Tories, imo.

    In the last two elections they've ended up on 1.7% and 2.7%. I expect the green vote to hold up well in safe Labour seats but in Tory-Labour marginals, 2 or 3% of that Green support will fold into Labour on polling day imo.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 22,458

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
    No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
    If sugar and salt rather than authenticity and flavour are your thing...
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 50,604
    When are the next polls from YouGov or R&W due?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,139

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
    No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
    That's insane.

    Dominos is horrendous junk and Pizza Express is far better.

    I can't decide between Hut and Express. Hut at least has nice salad.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,077
    edited June 10

    Andy_JS said:

    The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.

    It's now, by name, the most Woke town in the commuter belt.

    Leon will be giving it a wide berth.
    I don’t think Woking is woke. I can’t really think of any way in which it is. Not in the way that, say, Guildford is at any rate. Oh I see. Doh. The name :smiley:

    But it is very definitely LibDem now. Rock solidly so.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,206
    edited June 10
    rcs1000 said:

    Striking map showing german election results, Lead party in each constituency creates the old East West border 35 years after union

    https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article250850434/Europawahl-400-Wahlkreise-ausgezaehlt-Alle-Ergebnisse-im-Ueberblick.html?source=puerto-reco-2_ABC-V39.1.C_plus35

    The amazing bit, though, is how well Eastern Germany has dubbed relatively: income gaps with Western Germany are less than between the richest and poorest parts of the UK, housing is inexpensive, and unemployment is low - compared even to 2004.

    I would have assumed West Germans, who are still paying for this leveling up, would be the ones who would be upset. But they are not.
    Depends on the Wessi, however what strikes me is how much Longer CDU/CSU can keep the AfD at arms length. At some point they will start to do a deal.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 5,631

    WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next.
    I'm shocked.

    KFC.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 118,517
    edited June 10

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
    No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
    That's insane.

    Dominos is horrendous junk and Pizza Express is far better.

    I can't decide between Hut and Express. Hut at least has nice salad.
    I don't like Pizza Express pizzas as their bases are just too fucking thin, it is like eating pizza toppings on air.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 41,258
    Having taken the usual necessary precautions (dark room, mellow music, a couple of pills) I’ve been thinking about the Conservative Party. How have they got themselves into such an omnipickle that they could be reduced in a general election to under 100 seats and perhaps not even be the Opposition? Less than three years ago they were topping the polls, and now this. It’s an astonishing feat. How in the name of all that’s holy have they managed it? Books will be written, but while we’re waiting for them I’ve been pondering the matter and the answer, it seems to me, is Brexit.

    We often hear that Boris Johnson delivered it, which is true, however the reverse is also true, Brexit delivered Boris Johnson, it’s how he became PM, and in picking this rogue, this wrong un, to lead them the Tories planted the seeds of their catastrophe. To prosper in torytown under Johnson you had to jettison your judgment and integrity, or better still not be encumbered with any to start with, therefore the ‘people quality’ on the blue side sank in short order to historical lows. Johnson corrupted and infantilised the party. This meant when he imploded, due to the character defects known about from the outset, they were unable to right the ship. Instead they lost the plot entirely and replaced him with perhaps the only contender even more unsuitable.

    TLDR, Brexit begat Johnson and a degraded organisation, this begat Truss, and lo here we are, a ruined Tory Party. Of course you can construct other defensible takes but I do like this one, that Brexit has destroyed the Tories. I like it because in a world generally lacking in justice what we have here is karma at its most pure and righteous. Brexit was (is) wall-to-wall cost and stress and division, with almost zero compensating tangible benefit, an absolute donkey’s arse of a project, and so how very apt that the biggest price of all is paid by the entity responsible for inflicting it upon us.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,946
    Simon Clarke gets the backing of the Reform proposed candidate who did not stand in Middlesborough S and Cleveland E in case it affects your expectations there in any way
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444

    WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next.
    I'm shocked.

    I mean, yes, we often cook our own pizzas from scratch, albeit cheating with fast-acting yeast, but sometimes you are away from home, or you are short of time, and you have a choice between a number of less than optimal options.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,077
    Andy_JS said:

    The only thing I know about Woking is that Paul Weller and The Jam were/are from there.

    And me.

    Well kind of. Not any more though, sadly. My name is taken from one of the many heaths.

    (As opposed to being a pagan)
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 22,458

    WTF? I though PB was a bastion of fine dining? You're all arguing over what is the best UPF fast food restaurant! You'll be fighting over which is the nicest transnational "food" corporation next.
    I'm shocked.

    Indeed it is a sad day on here when PBers – PBers! – are extolling the virtues of Dominos and Pizza Hut. Next up: NPXMP on the joys of a microwaved ready meal from Tescos.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,378

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
    Now that i don't understand....they aren't even cheap.
    Yeah, bizarre - you'd expect Dominos' numbers to match up.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 5,631

    How *in the name of fuck* are you able to still lay Michelle Obama at almost 20/1 for the Democratic Nomination?

    Are some people just batshit insane?

    Yes, including at least one of the candidates in that election….
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 17,444

    pigeon said:

    Re: restaurants (FPT, can't quote, too fiddly on a primitive phone):

    "Middle class" chains: I find Pizza Express very reliable, Nando's variable and overrated.

    Pub food: is pot luck, but certainly not uniformly bad. Two examples that I frequent semi-regularly spring to mind, one good, one very good.

    As big a factor in the quality of mid-range restaurants as that of the food itself is that of the service, especially how bloody slow some of them are. They fail to employ enough people to wait tables and/or make the stuff in the first place, so even if it's very good it takes so long to arrive that it ruins the experience. I've given up on one local restaurant entirely because of this; I recently went into another, sat at table for an age and then walked out again when it became obvious that the one woman they had taking orders was going to take about two hours just to get to us. Hopeless.

    I much prefer Pizza Express to Nandos but the kids love Nandos for some unfathomable reason. I could quite happily eat every meal at Pizza Express for the rest of my life.
    I would genuinely prefer to go to Pizza Hut than Pizza Express, though as you are in London there are loads of independent pizza places that are superior to both all over the place, but if in provincial England and not fortunate to have that option it would be Pizza Hut every time.
    Really? I would put Pizza Hut in the same category as Dominos. We are lucky to have several independent pizza places nearby. But I actually rate Pizza Express pizzas. I worked in a pizza restaurant for four years when I was younger and would sometimes have pizza for lunch and dinner depending on the shift. Luckily I love pizza.
    I think the pizzas at Pizza Express are the worst pizzas I have ever eaten.
    You've obviously never been subjected to Dominos
    No, I would rate Dominos marginally above Pizza Hut, both of them >>> Pizza Express.
    If sugar and salt rather than authenticity and flavour are your thing...
    There is nothing authentic about the pizzas at Pizza Express.
This discussion has been closed.