Concerns me greatly but another topic entirely.

I don't like the fact that innocent people can be locked up for crimes that never took place, but it doesn't influence my shopping habits!

JK2006 wrote:
but it doesn't influence my shopping habits!

You really have done the full circle JK!!

Apart from shopping preferences, empty High Streets bring major social problems.

A different topic, maybe. But, NOT entirely.

Your involvment in this thread just shows, on your part, a smug and insular approach to life by a fairly well to do west London OAP who feels hard done by, but who must have things his way.

Goodbye and good luck.

High Street problems need solving - yes. But not in negative ways. Closing or slagging off Westfield does nothing for the High Streets. Westfield is great. And High Street problems must be solved not by defying progress but by positive suggestions and improving ideas.

you can always do what Ellen does..uses big malls to walk for miles in..good exercise.

I'm not the best shopper anyway..too much of a bitch.. get a bit bored with Westfield's 'sameness'.

I am amazed though how they all survive.

JK2006 wrote:
but by positive suggestions and improving ideas.
This might be one - Gunwharf Quay, Portsmouth.

Essentially, this is a Factory Outlet Shopping Centre built on part of the old Naval Dockyard. It benefits from water frontage (Solent) and is full of factory shops selling at factory prices - no seconds.

With a huge modern underground car park, the Quay has all the big name shops selling their goods at cheaper prices. Such as Adidas, Canon, Burberry, Rolex, Puma, Sony, Panasonic, Nike, Wilson etc.

Full of bars/pubs and restaurants, the compact area also has apartments (Berkeley Homes et al), cinemas, a casino, night clubs, a massive bowling alley and hotels. In essence, the Centre becomes a vibrant small town at night - when the shops close.

Business is good (it has the best of both worlds - with residents and good transport links/the Railway Station is adjacent) and the place seems to trade in a completely different way to Portsmouth itself which is still doing rather well.

Other Centres seem to have limited time usage and attract vandals at night unless expensive security is in place (and reflected in retail prices!); the Quay appears to trade about 20/7 - although the idea might not suit everywhere.

I cant stand these shopping centres myself all they have are horrible nasty chain shops and outlets. I want choice not cheap nasty tat with an inflated price tag . Personally I love places like Brighton with all the independant weird and wonderful shops in the lanes districts a far better shopping experience than any shopping centre can offer.

JK2006 wrote:

All that concerns me is - which shops are best

A very sad admission.

I knew you as far back as the Decca/Lewis days and thought that a great future was ahead.

But, you nearly made it.

Pete wrote:
JK2006 wrote:

All that concerns me is - which shops are best

A very sad admission.

I knew you as far back as the Decca/Lewis days and thought that a great future was ahead.

But, you nearly made it.

Could you name me anybody who has done more things over the years than JK?
No1 charting artist,top producer,boss of major record label,writer,eurovision saviour......and the list goes on,not least to my mind his major achievement is coming through a false allegation and prison term,and becoming a better person as a result!

Was that a rather feeble attempt at intelligent trolling Pete?

Ah IA those trolls come in so many disguises - even The Sun is rumbling them!

Petroff wrote:
veritas wrote:
...and the UK needs it's High Streets already under threat
Very true veitas. UK High Streets are going the same way as British pubs (the latter closing at a rate of 500 a year), but for different reasons.

These large entities build just outside towns if they can't get in - and towns and city areas just die (and £/99p shops spring up!).

The public gets what the public wants !

One reason High Streets are dying is the amount of scum in them ! At least if you drive out of town you wont run into a dosser, druggie or whino (as they haven't got cars).

Town centres are largely the "home" of the underclass (and they love Pound Shops !).

In The Know wrote:
....and they love Pound Shops

Moi aussi. For basic essentials like toilet paper, toothpaste, cleaning materials, soft drinks, tissues, sweets, string, envelopes, plugs etc. etc.etc., these shops are ideal - if one is not too snobish to enter.

Brand names are all the usual (Colgate, Detol, Andrex, Pepsi et al) and a saving of about £10/£15 is easily achievable in a typical monthly shop - compared to buying in Boots, Tesco and the rest.

Sell-by dates are far out and I have no idea how they do it. They replicate the $/99c shops which are now quite common in the USA. As far as I know, they have no plans to trade from Westfields.

Nothing wrong with pound shops I allways buy my batteries in them a quarter of the price of the supermarkets. They are also great for buying boxes of X mas cards to send to people you dont like !

Me too; we must all be scum (or sensible).

In The Know wrote:
dosser, druggie or whino....the underclass
The latter two chaps are addicted to substances and are largely an NHS problem.

But, the former (dosser) is usually a chap who is unemployed and/or homeless.

In my view, these chaps form two of the three principal 'underclasss' types - the other being thieves/criminals; these types sometimes overlap.

Often, the dosser has lost his job and/or home through no fault of his own; I know a few.

Accordingly, the dosser is top of the class pile and the one to whom I will pass on the odd £5 to. Usually, they are not too hard fo differentiate - if you bother to take a little time on your busy rush to the forum...

Last week, I spoke to such a chap (and I am no Mother Theresa). A Falkland veteran.

Doris M wrote:
In The Know wrote:
dosser, druggie or whino....the underclass
The latter two chaps are addicted to substances and are largely an NHS problem.

But, the former (dosser) is usually a chap who is unemployed and/or homeless.

In my view, these chaps form two of the three principal 'underclasss' types - the other being thieves/criminals; these types sometimes overlap.

Often, the dosser has lost his job and/or home through no fault of his own; I know a few.

Accordingly, the dosser is top of the class pile and the one to whom I will pass on the odd £5 to. Usually, they are not too hard fo differentiate - if you bother to take a little time on your busy rush to the forum...

Last week, I spoke to such a chap (and I am no Mother Theresa). A Falkland veteran.




Well said Doris

Doris M wrote:
In The Know wrote:
....and they love Pound Shops

Moi aussi. For basic essentials like toilet paper, toothpaste, cleaning materials, soft drinks, tissues, sweets, string, envelopes, plugs etc. etc.etc., these shops are ideal - if one is not too snobish to enter.

Brand names are all the usual (Colgate, Detol, Andrex, Pepsi et al) and a saving of about £10/£15 is easily achievable in a typical monthly shop - compared to buying in Boots, Tesco and the rest.

Sell-by dates are far out and I have no idea how they do it. They replicate the $/99c shops which are now quite common in the USA. As far as I know, they have no plans to trade from Westfields.

I think you will find most stock with brand names (in $2 / 1 pound shops)is from Asia and manufactured and packaged for sale there so does not necessarily have the same "quality' as what is packaged for Europe.

But the Asians survive so you should as well.

sad about the High Streets full of ITK's layabouts..I reckon we should organise to have them all bussed into Westfield to put the cat amongst the pigeons.

forgive him... he's from the Hyacenth Bucket branch of the family.

Doris M wrote:
A Falkland veteran

Research has shown that a high number of UK ex-services personnel are unemployed and many live rough. For risking their lives, they get very little help later, when needed - except free membership of the nearest Royal British Legion club - which funds itself by selling poppies.

Kamal wrote:
a high number of UK ex-services personnel are unemployed and many live rough
Yes, this is true. We in the UK have (!) the best Armed Forces in the world and the finest football - but just reflect on these few questions/points:-

- World Cup winners, once - about 50 years ago

- European Cup, Champions League - rarely won these days. Barcelona often give ManU a lesson

- Less ships in the Navy than Ireland

- Building two nuclear subs - cost c£300b

- First new sub has already has run aground twice

In my view, these - together with unemployment and the other economic factors - reflect our deep problems. But going back to the caption, about ex-servicemen - is it not now accepted that the 'late on parade, on a charge, Eton officer syndrome, order shouting, bullying etc.' just has not worked?

No politician will dare say it hasn't.

These awful and outdated management/training/habits/methods have added to our 'dossers - and in my 19 years as a British Legion member, I have only seen an officer in the club once; he was 79 and seemed to expect a cheer. I was only a sergeant.....

less ships than Ireland ?..extraordinary.

both the USA & UK are notoriously bad for looking after veterans and ex-armed forces personel..a disgrace.

Leonard is right..deep deep problems but mainly connected to the corporatization of government ( a form of fascism).

USA, UK both leading the charge to transfer power from elected representatives to corporations.

The great hacking scandal is a prime example and a sympton,..and an example.