We notice as we get out and about that things ain’t normal, we all have I reckon. Certain markets (for shopping) are semi deserted, stall holders not bothering were they used to be regulars. A knock-on effect is easier parking for those destinations.
We had relations up from the South East this week, easily booked an hotel whereas before they struggled to get a reservation at short notice. A pub meal we booked on the other hand we couldn’t get in one pub, fully booked (debatable) another we got in but when we arrived they said no Sunday roasts (it was Sunday) and no chicken. So that was half the menu scrubbed.
I just don’t think they are stocking up on much now, the fear factor is still out there.
Around my postal codes, what I can only try and describe to paint an image is the ad-hoc social footfall up and down the road is pretty much history.
These are people & teens in general who perhaps two years back would have toddled down to our main Tesco & Aldi for top up shopping, or maybe to the McD adjacent. McD is interesting insofar the seating inside is usually low capacity if any seats taken, and there are no longer huge Qs for the Drive Through.
As for the Supermarket car parks, I’d say doing 50% capacity, and this reflects into the town Retail Park. Never struggle for a space. Back to Tesco. 11 checkouts formerly 100% manned, down to 4 or 5.
Lines clearly being culled, although this has been going on since and during Cov-id.
I’d wager about 20/30% of ranges are gone. The fresh fish & butchery counter is permanently closed.
Against this trend, Aldi adjacent has been shut for an expansion & makeover build for months. Just reopened and was heaving the other day with Specials galore…which I missed.
Back into town?
Cafe Nero has shut and so have many others.
Costas ( we have 4!) run at half chat.
High St?
What’s gone:
Marks
BHS
Argos
Top Map
Top Shop
Most corner coffee & cakers
Wilkies
Most private holiday outlets
Halfrauds ( years back…now in retail park.
Debenhams
Plus a host of others.
The Retail Park outlets are usually deserted in past comparisons.
Basically, I’ve not been to my town centre since February…no reason.
It’s all got a strong whiff of the 70’s Winters of Discontent again.
Transport is goosed. I used to use my free bus pass, but now I wont go near public transport. Mobile petri dishes as are planes, trains and taxis. If I get a lung infection I’m in really serious trouble.
Now it possible the Cine complex will close.
The reasons are simple.
Money…few have got comfort purchase / fun shopping funds anymore, and I expect the looming fuel bills have sharpened a few minds.
Mortages are cranking up, credit cards are post Covid maxed, for some vehicle fuel is essentially unaffordable. Watch this space with home and vehicle repo’s.
We have gone from £78.00 to £168 per month already and there is much worse to come. It ain’t even kicked off. Wait till Jan/Feb.
I firmly believe the UK is sleep walking into catastrophe.
Anyone who has not salted some dosh away every month for a few years are in for a rude lesson in survival basics.
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Some of our acquaintances are adding a regular extra tin of random something to their usual grocery shopping, as fall-back stock for when a shortage happens. And they are mostly younger than us.
Is our more relaxed attitude (or head in the sand) because we remember surviving the “winter of discontent” with all its power cuts and the threats of fuel rationing? I only threw out my 1970s fuel ration coupons a year or two ago, along with the old tea chest they were hiding in.
We’re noticing some of our regular shopping items are only intermittently in stock, but don’t have space to stack a stash of (rusting?) tins we might never use. Garage is for the NC, and tools.
What worries me most is my pension fund being raided, as that thief Brown did a few years ago, and the inflation outstripping it.
In 1996 my dear old Dad left more than three million Zimbucks in Zimbabwe, ie about £250,000, but as a UK resident when I went out there for his funeral, I could not touch my share, not even give away any to my old school. In a few years it was not worth a single penny. Will it happen here? It’s unlikely, but still possible with those qualified to the high standards of the Peter Principle at the helm.
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Some pubs closed but a good few which have had a revamp or refresh. Yes funds for that, also many more cafés opened up and seem to be doing well where we visit. We know of a few who started up during lockdown doing takeaway/delivery, now doing well with their sit-in businesses.
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There are one or two green shoot businesses here too Mick.
Couple of hairdressers and a very good fresh cook ethnic Afghan/Kashmiri curry/cuisine business.
Their quality is far too temptationally good. They do Pensioners Discounts on a Monday & Thursday.
Just show Bus Pass at door but they know us now. Lamb Bhuna to die for…mixed pakoras the size of lemons.
I can get a 2 course for two persons with nan & sides for under £20.00.
Oh…it’s Thursday…tara lads.
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on the plus side though petrol is now down a fair bit from its peak, so when I fill up the NB2.5 with E5 tomorrow before heading to the Silverstone Classic in the wee small hours of Saturday morning I’m hoping its going to be well under the £2.00+ a litre it was last time I put some in it… 
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I had planned to start reducing the amount of days I work and had agreement with my employer to pursue this however the world going nuts made me put that on pause.
The pension took a dive though the 5 year average is still fine and it’s regained most of the lost ground though like many here I remember the 70’s and inflation 
Employment in NE Scotland continues to be fairly buoyant, particularly as energy developments that were becoming unpalatable for many and less likely to happen have suddenly become necessary for energy security, less said on the wider implications and associated politics the better.
A lot of housing and cars here like many places are financed on the never never and will not be immune to the wider economic issues. There are a lot of people who don’t have enough savings to weather more than a mild storm.
Going back to the original post then a lot of people are continuing to work from home or in a hybrid mode so I’d say residential areas and dormitory towns are busier.
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I agree, residential roads are a lot busier. People who work from home can ‘pop out’ anytime for various errands (haircut, dry cleaning, walk dogs etc), and that’s all traffic from home. Then you have all the deliveries which has really taken off since the start of the pandemic. A young bloke I work with will sometimes do a 4 hour shift delivering Amazon parcels in the evening if he has nothing else to do. There must be thousands of people doing the same at all times of day.
Regarding the noise, a lot is due to the coarse surface we have on our roads. I remember stopping in a lay-by in France and being surprised at how quiet the passing traffic was. I appreciate they are probably a bit more slippery in the rain, but smoother road surfaces in lower speed residential areas would greatly improve noise pollution.
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Quieter EVs have some advantages. But I also believe their is a disadvantage to being much quieter if you have dogs, cats and even young children. I suspect there will be more casualties as a result.
Agreed. Some of the newer surfaces used on motorways are extremely quiet. You can go from one type of surface where the tyre roar drowns out every over noise like engine noise and speech to a different surface where all you can hear is the murmur of your engine. I would think such surfaces may also reduce tyre wear and rubber particulate pollution.
My daughter’s Kia e-Nero emits a ghostly whirring/chiming sound at low speed to warn pedestrians. My neighbour over the road’s Tesla does the same. I believe it’s mandatory now in the USA and Canada. It’s actually louder parking up than an equivalent modern ICE car which seems to defeat the object somewhat. It also bleeps like an HGV when it’s reversing.
Nice car though - with amazing acceleration!
Just look at the pound versus most other currencies (except the euro, which is also in trouble) - we are in serious unmanaged decline as a country now. Ascribe that to whatever you like, but it’s happening. Living standards are going to fall and there will be social unrest this autumn/winter. And there are no visionary politicians out there who look like they can come in and sort it out. We’ve spent £67bn on Covid (which according to the John Hopkins metastudy was a total waste of money anyway), and subsidising energy to a £2000 cap would cost a further £100bn. Tax the rich to pay for this and economic growth will collapse and they’ll leave or dodge round it anyway. Borrow the money and the already battered currency will plummet further like an emerging market (which we now are basically), thereby increasing the price of all the stuff we import - which is most of the stuff we buy. There are no pretty scenarios at this point. Except driving your MX5 on a bright winter’s day to forget about it all…
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Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be in the U.K.
Your comment on postponing winding down is very interesting. I suspect many close to, or actually in, retirement are reassessing given the inflation situation. This may not be an entirely bad thing - experienced workers have much to offer (we are criminally ageist in the UK) and we have a labour shortage of course. If more experienced workers re-enter the labour market then that might ease some of the upward pressure on wages and therefore inflation, though I concede that much of our inflation is energy-driven right now…
Yeah I know.
Check my new avatar.
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Don’t a lot of Zimbabweans park their money in the stockmarket or in cars even in the very short term as a store of value? Read that somewhere…
Alas, I’m well out of that.
I left there in 1965, in the evening, twenty minutes after Harold Wilson got on his RAF plane. I saw HW at his press conference about ten feet away, and clear as clear heard him saying “Mr Smith and I have reached complete agreement on all points.” I slept well in the big comfy seat on the VC10.
Lunchtime in the UK the following day I hear HW on the radio “I retract everything that was said in Rhodesia.” (or words to that effect.) HW was directly responsible for the loss of life that followed. General comments about HW are entirely unprintable, and validated by his subsequent proof of the Peter Principle with the UK economy.
No point in any further comment here.
I know I will get slated, but keep off the politics. This isn’t the forum for that. General banter ok and I know its a fine line.
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Actually if you read carefully no one is expressing a political view, but bemoaning the general state of things!! But I hear you, keep it civil…