Extent of the country's decline

[Mr $quandaŁot]

Perhaps it's just my perception and one of the symptons if getting older, but somehow I feel that the UK is not what it was, say, 20 years ago.

On a typical London high street the only businesses that seem to be booming are the bookies. In North Finchley, for example, there are two Paddy Powers, three William Hills plus a Coral and Ladbrokes. All within a quarter of a mile. In some poorer areas, there are much more than just seven bookies. Fixed odd betting terminals are causing serious problems but the UK politicians just don't care. Perhaps because they either own significant number of shares in the bookies or have other vested interests? Ireland wisely banned those machines but that isn't going to happen in this country.

Housing market is broken, at least in London. Many seem to believe that simply building more would be the solution. While it would help you'd need to look at the cause of the problem: artificially low interest rates. Bank of England's policy has been ill-considered. It has created what could be the biggest house price bubble ever. When the previous bubble burst in early 2008, interest rates could be quickly reduced. This time it really is different: the rates are not far from zero so there's nowhere to go. I simply can't imagine rates going to the negative teritory
where banks would be paying you to have a mortgage.

Most graduates now leave university with hefty level of debt.

I think I'm right, the country has gone down the hill big time...

...but I think so have most other countries!

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Perhaps it's just my perception and one of the symptons if getting older, but somehow I feel that the UK is not what it was, say, 20 years ago.

It isn't! 20 years ago we didn't have a Capitalist Moron (CaMoron) in charge! :rant: :rant: :rant:

On a typical London high street the only businesses that seem to be booming are the bookies. In North Finchley, for example, there are two Paddy Powers, three William Hills plus a Coral and Ladbrokes. All within a quarter of a mile. In some poorer areas, there are much more than just seven bookies.

I'm surprised to hear the bookies are booming, I'd have thought with all the online casinos which advertise non-stop on TV they'd be in decline.

Fixed odd betting terminals are causing serious problems but the UK politicians just don't care. Perhaps because they either own significant number of shares in the bookies or have other vested interests? Ireland wisely banned those machines but that isn't going to happen in this country.

Perhaps because you can gamble in bed, in your pyjamas, in the middle of the night, so why worry about betting terminals when you can bet any time?

Housing market is broken, at least in London. Many seem to believe that simply building more would be the solution. While it would help you'd need to look at the cause of the problem: artificially low interest rates. Bank of England's policy has been ill-considered.

In London, wealthy foreign investors have a lot to answer for, and they tend to buy without a mortgage.

It has created what could be the biggest house price bubble ever. When the previous bubble burst in early 2008, interest rates could be quickly reduced. This time it really is different: the rates are not far from zero so there's nowhere to go. I simply can't imagine rates going to the negative teritory where banks would be paying you to have a mortgage.

Up and Up!

Most graduates now leave university with hefty level of debt.

That was thanks to the tuition fees introduced by New Labour who were worse than some Tories. :mad2: :mad2: :mad2: A bit of a discussion here: http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...581#post578581

I think I'm right, the country has gone down the hill big time...

...but I think so have most other countries!

Hard to tell what's going on in other countries just by what you hear in the news (which I tend not to watch anyway). Apparently everyone's struggling and starving in Spain and Greece since 2010 or thereabouts, yet every time you go to those countries everyone's out eating and drinking and you don't see as many boarded up shops as in the UK. At least in those countries you could live in a tiny bedsit or a cramped flatshare and spend all day out in the sunshine, or is that just wishful thinking?

[judgemental24]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Our high streets are now dominated by either bookies, charity shops and coffee houses.

Well charities pay little or no rent and business rates and the coffess houses pay little or no corporation tax whats so ever

Local Authorities have been squeezed that much by Central Government with fundng there only outlet is to raise business rates as a source of revenue. Put on top of that greedy landlords is it any wonder independent shops have vacated our high street.

The largest rise in our high streets have been the pound shops, business is booming and to be fair, the quality of their merchandise is excellent

For this sorry excuse of a Government to say the economy is booming is an insult when the evidence is directly in front of our eyes

[enaid]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Bookies thrive on their gaming machines now as opposed to taking bets on horses, footy etc. The reason also the shops are open Late and on Sundays.


The machines, which offer gamblers the chance to wager Ł100 every 20 seconds on games such as roulette, now account for as much as half of the revenues of betting shops.
This does happen too, have seen it meself.

[Kati]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

In the town where I live (which is pretty small considering) there are 17 licensed betting shops, 7 hairdressers, 2 barbers, 7 tattoo parlours, 10 estate agents, 9 charity shops, 4 pound shops and a Brighthouse!

Then there's 4 big supermarkets (not counting Iceland, M&S, Lidl and Aldi).

In comparison, we have only 1 butchers and 1 greengrocer :sad:

Bl***y disgusting IMO

[judgemental24]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Have you also noticed the explosion in "Nail Bars"

We also had those fish that nibbled your feet as a passing fad as well

[Kati]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Have you also noticed the explosion in "Nail Bars"

we've got 2 of those (and 3 tanning shops) ... I wish it would go back in time a bit

[seduraed]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Well there is only one solution . Organise protest and work on improving the situation . I am religiously and morally opposed to gambling of any sort so would shut down the fixed odds terminals and ban the advertising . What else can we do . Oppose Cameron and rich elite at every juncture , Oppose the transatlantic trade and investment partnership. TTIP. Which will allow American companies to the UK government if they can't make enough profit and will lead to a decline in standards of safety and workers rights .

[Mr $quandaŁot]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Thankfully there are still some towns left with individual shops or very small chains like Betty's Cafe.

Ilkley in West Yorkshire is lovely. Harrogate in North Yorkshire still has a decent number of family owned retailers plust most usual chains.

London, on the other hand, is in permanent decline.

Once such a nice High Street in Hampstead is now full of chains but at least it has Gail's bakery. What makes people willing to pay around Ł650k fir a tiny one bed flat there is beyond me. I'd rather live in Harrogate!

[nemesis45]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Perhaps it's just my perception and one of the symptons if getting older, but somehow I feel that the UK is not what it was, say, 20 years ago.

On a typical London high street the only businesses that seem to be booming are the bookies. In North Finchley, for example, there are two Paddy Powers, three William Hills plus a Coral and Ladbrokes. All within a quarter of a mile. In some poorer areas, there are much more than just seven bookies. Fixed odd betting terminals are causing serious problems but the UK politicians just don't care. Perhaps because they either own significant number of shares in the bookies or have other vested interests? Ireland wisely banned those machines but that isn't going to happen in this country.

Housing market is broken, at least in London. Many seem to believe that simply building more would be the solution. While it would help you'd need to look at the cause of the problem: artificially low interest rates. Bank of England's policy has been ill-considered. It has created what could be the biggest house price bubble ever. When the previous bubble burst in early 2008, interest rates could be quickly reduced. This time it really is different: the rates are not far from zero so there's nowhere to go. I simply can't imagine rates going to the negative teritory
where banks would be paying you to have a mortgage.

Most graduates now leave university with hefty level of debt.

I think I'm right, the country has gone down the hill big time...

...but I think so have most other countries!

I was brought up in Finchley and North Finchley from Henly's Corner
to Tally Ho there were a huge number of small businesses privately owned
pharmacies, grocers, and greengrocers newsagents/tobacconists./ sweet shops 1 man doctors practices
in the front room of their houses.
Regents Park Road where I lived had two chemist shops, a PO, Barber, greengrocer and a deli and
a I man band car dealership. The Express Dairy had a " model dairy farm just across the road from
my home a small herd of Herford cattle and the horses for the milkman's carts.

The Georgian 3 story town houses have mostly been demolished my childhood home and the orchard are now
a block of incredibly expensive flats the farm when I last saw it was a rather derelict " inner city community farm".

My old school is now an HMCTS " hearing centre" and the whole area seems rather tawdry now.

These adverse changes can never be reversed.

nem

[Mr $quandaŁot]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

I think there are two reasons for high streets decline: internet and business rates. The former probably doesn't have quite such a big impact as many would believe. Yes, people book holidays online so not so much demand for high street travel agents. I would never buy shoes online, for example as I really want to try them on first.

Local councils' business rates are killing small, independent businesses. I was shocked to hear that some businesses are charged half of their rent. Where is all this money going? Of course, rubbish collection and housing benefit (though I'm not sure if it's DWP who actually pays that?).

IMO, council tax should be part of income tax like in some countries. It works better and would be much fairer. The present system favours big guys like Tesco, Srarbucks and othe large corporates.

[des8]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Local Authorities have been squeezed that much by Central Government with fundng there only outlet is to raise business rates as a source of revenue.

Whilst not disagreeing with the main thrust of this thread, Business rates are actually set by central government, collected by local authorities who pay it to central gov. for equitable redistribution.

[meellis]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

You know we can only supply small answers for big questions and nothing is simple. Even though I understand peoples views I couldn't agree with them, the only thing that makes them or me right is the number of people in agreement ie mass rule but there is always a minority. One thing I do know is gambling, drinking/drugs, prostitution and other things that people find immoral or distasteful have been around as long as human life so banning anything just because one set of people don't agree with it is not the answer. I am not saying I agree with these things just that I accept they happen and that for every person who is bothered by them you will find another who isn't fussed. I feel we really need to understand why people are gambling a lot more before blaming the bookies, is it down to ease, addiction to a win or desperation to pay bills? If there isn't the desire there won't be the outlets simple economic fact.
I think we will all rue the day when we realise our desire to always be bigger and better has just ruined life. Most of the small businesses we miss were based around people who just wanted to make a good living and had no interest in conquering the world and becoming multi-national. This is true of the supply chain as much as the retailer, a lot of these small retailers would be selling stock that might be more specific to the area or certain likes. Now the supply chain is big business so there is a lack of smaller bespoke items and the suppliers are more interested in big deals of thousands than small deals of tens so it rules smaller retailers out of being competitive. If we had loads of smaller retailers now they would all be selling the same goods anyway.
The internet will have a lot to answer for at some point I am afraid. I'm a heating engineer and my customers can buy the materials I use as cheap as me directly now so I can only make a living from my time which seems very expensive to them. They don't understand that the supplier of goods is responsible for the warranty so they either supply the goods themselves and pay the cost if they are faulty or pay extra for me to supply because I have to warranty, I know which way the argument falls nowadays. But also with more people doing things online there is less need for there to be a community which is based around local amenities hence why the amenities are dying.
I know a lot of people won't agree with me but some will and that is the whole point, how do we decide what is right and who believes they have the ultimate verdict that everyone should agree with?

[nemesis45]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

Whilst not disagreeing with the main thrust of this thread, Business rates are actually set by central government, collected by local authorities who pay it to central gov. for equitable redistribution.

Business rates in prime town centre locations are incredibly high affordable only by the bookies and large national or multinational retailer but even they are moving their stores to new out of town locations on the back of very favourable deals on rents and leases and so the town centres continue to die or get populated by charity shops and estate agents.

nem

[wales01man]

Re: Extent of the country's decline

I think the blames does not solely lie with Politicians all of the Country is partially to blame life has changed for us all we have just sat back and accepted to many changes although we have never been given the government of either party to stop the rot too many politicians include have allowed change for their own ends