- Thread starter JoceAndChris
- Start date
JoceAndChris
Member
- Messages
- 6,606
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Sometimes fingers have to be pulled from ears and a little needling truth let in.
If a doctor told me to cut out drinking, or I'd die, I'd listen. ( I might not act on it but I wouldn't resent it)
If Henrietta Spencer Churchill, who grew up at Blenheim Palace, and who is one of the leading interior designers, told me my attempts at little country house were pathetic and I'd better give up I'd listen.
If a gifted architect and published authority on period properties told me I'd ruined my house I'd want to know why and what could be done to put it right again.
Yes, there's always room for more humanity and compassion but there should also be room, in everyone, for more listening, learning, education. Especially when it comes to period properties, which should not be disposable canvases for whimsy and passing fashion.
If a doctor told me to cut out drinking, or I'd die, I'd listen. ( I might not act on it but I wouldn't resent it)
If Henrietta Spencer Churchill, who grew up at Blenheim Palace, and who is one of the leading interior designers, told me my attempts at little country house were pathetic and I'd better give up I'd listen.
If a gifted architect and published authority on period properties told me I'd ruined my house I'd want to know why and what could be done to put it right again.
Yes, there's always room for more humanity and compassion but there should also be room, in everyone, for more listening, learning, education. Especially when it comes to period properties, which should not be disposable canvases for whimsy and passing fashion.
LadyArowana
Member
- Messages
- 3,687
JoceAndChris said:
I had one of those delivered yesterday, it didn't come from Tesco or Asda.
Flyfisher
Member
- Messages
- 10,201
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
Well, it's been rather a long time since her departure that we've had a decent squabble so I don't think we can draw such a firm conclusion just yet. Indeed, the lack of such squabbles since her enforced banishment would seem to suggest it was the right decision.Lime said:
Specialise forums such as PPUK attract people for quite narrow reasons of interest, so there should be little surprise that digressions risk straying into areas where members have widely differing opinions. We've seen that with 'green' issues, we saw it, unsurprisingly, during the general election and I'm sure we'd see it with any discussion about religion (no, please, let's not!). Such differences are what life's all about and I'd say we've been pretty good at agreeing to disagree. Long may it continue.
But I do think Pford75 raises a good point. People generally don't react well to being told what to do and how to live their lives. Those in the business of trying to influence how people live their lives would, I think, be rather more successful if they first tried to understand why people behave in the way they do. So, why is 'big-bad' Tesco the most popular retailer in the country? Why do most people not seem to give a hoot about 'civilisation-destroying' climate change or, if they do, only pay lip-service to doing anything about it? If such things can be understood then I reckon there would be more chance of changing things. It would certainly help to reduce 'issue fatigue' whereby people just turn off and ignore the issue completely.
I also agree with Joce's point that it's far more constructive for opinions to be backed up with reasons. I suspect we're all here to learn about old properties and if I've made, or am about to make, some horrendous mistake, I'd much rather know the reasons why.
Phew! Who'd have thought a bit of advice on gravel could be such a touchy subject. :wink:
philpjuk100
Member
- Messages
- 1,145
- Location
- newark nottinghamshire
Schoolmarm said:
Well I do not! (have you been to see it?) We were all invited to.
Penners
Member
- Messages
- 17,294
- Location
- Suffolk, England
Applause, applause! Long live the thoughtful, balanced, mature point-of-view.Flyfisher said:
There's a world of difference between a robust debate on passionately held views and a stream of foul-mouthed personal abuse.
There's been a touch of the former in this thread - enough to keep the blood circulating. I can't remember when we last saw the latter (well, that's not strictly true - I can remember roughly how long ago and who was responsible for it).
Schoolmarm
Member
- Messages
- 1,894
- Location
- edgworth, lancs
philpjuk100 said:
No I haven't been to see DWB's house , when were we all invited?
I have been to Joce's house but that isn't the house Gareth is referring to.
And furthermore, you have mis-quoted me. I expressed shock at the ruined house post using an EMOTICON and agreed with the second posting which is quoted in part below.
Gareth Hughes said:
biffvernon
Member
- Messages
- 4,607
- Location
- Lincolnshire
robgil said:
That's an easy question if I take my daughter's shop as an example. They can't afford to! Roxy is a graduate and entered a medium sized food and drink company, Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, on management traineeships but moved into hands on cooking, first in the bakery and then teaching in the cookery school. She gave up a very well paid job with great career prospects to run her own business with a partner, another graduate ex-Taylors employee who trained as a chef. Now they own their own business but work stupidly long hours and pay themselves approximately the minimum wage. Cutting prices means reducing the quality of the food they produce because there is no other slack in the system. Cutting quality is what they will not do.
Yesterday they started selling their first batch of Duffy's chocolate. If you like chocolate do have a read of this: http://www.redstarchocolate.co.uk/ The website is now a little out of date as it says
but it's now also available at Royston's Deli, Louth.
You just can't compromise on the care of our historic buildings and chocolate.
skier-hughes
Member
- Messages
- 3,414
- Location
- Staffs, UK
robgil said:
It's often a myth that small independants are more expensive for like for like products.
Tesco, 2 litre milk £1.59, £1.68, £1.69 or £1.73 organic.
Our post office come local stores 99p, our local costcutter, 99p, our local independant 89p.
Flyfisher
Member
- Messages
- 10,201
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
I would guess there are millions of people in a similar position and are therefore not in a position to afford the highest quality luxury end of the chocolate market. Nothing really wrong with that, finding market niches it's what business is all about, but those in such positions are surely likely to be the ones who appreciate the lower prices of supermarkets for their daily sustenance.biffvernon said:
I'm convinced that the reason for all these sorts of issues is because our world is far too complex for anyone to fully understand, including our governments. So, we all form judgements and opinions on the small subset of things we do know about and, mostly, find it fairly easy to suggest solutions and lifestyles to overcome the problems we see and understand. But, of course, we fail to deal with the problems we don't see or understand, which is why no one, or government, has ever managed to come up with any practical suggestion that will be acceptable to everyone. Let's face it, any government that could do such a thing would never be voted out of office.
It's rather like the old saying: "If you think you can solve the Middle East conflict then you don't understand the problem".
biffvernon
Member
- Messages
- 4,607
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Flyfisher said:
Yes indeed, but let's consider it carefully. A pint of my favourite beer in my local cost £2.60. That's a good benchmark to compare other things by. A 100g bar of Divine chocolate is £1.19 at Oxfam and £1.29 at Tesco. Nice stuff, fairtrade, but not the greatest. Green and Blacks is £1.89 at Tesco - I used to buy it when it was really Green and Blacks but they sold to Cadburys and that is now all part of big bad Kraft, so I've forgotten what it tastes like.
So, the common proper chocolate bars are cheaper than a pint.
Now Royston's Deli are selling the Duffy's for £3.50. Hmmm...I know there are drinking establishments that sell beer for that price but I don't go there. And we are definitely not comparing like with like. You don't just munch your way thoughtlessly through one of these bars. Each square is broken and each fragment savoured individually. This is a cheap experience. Earning at the minimum wage rate you should be eating this chocolate more slowly than you earn the price.
Flyfisher
Member
- Messages
- 10,201
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
Hmm. Chocolate at about 3x the price of decent fairtrade stuff in the local shop? Good luck with that.
I love good chocolate and it's a shame that there isn't somewhere more local to me where I could try it.
I think the point FF was making though is that there are plenty of people who can't afford chocolate, full stop. Whether it is £1 or £3 a bar...this is still a luxury good to some. When positioned against a meal for 2 for £5, it starts to look more expensive. I'm not going to comment on the 'quality' of the meal for 2...just trying to see it from another perspective....if I was struggling to pay the bills, then I can understand why Tesco's offer of an entire meal for pocket change could seem like a good deal vs. a bar of (very nice I'm sure) chocolate for nearly the same amount
That said...not turning my nose up at nice chocolate...do they do mail order?
PS - Not all supermarkets are bad....Waitrose seems to offer high quality, local produce...all in one place.
I think the point FF was making though is that there are plenty of people who can't afford chocolate, full stop. Whether it is £1 or £3 a bar...this is still a luxury good to some. When positioned against a meal for 2 for £5, it starts to look more expensive. I'm not going to comment on the 'quality' of the meal for 2...just trying to see it from another perspective....if I was struggling to pay the bills, then I can understand why Tesco's offer of an entire meal for pocket change could seem like a good deal vs. a bar of (very nice I'm sure) chocolate for nearly the same amount
That said...not turning my nose up at nice chocolate...do they do mail order?
PS - Not all supermarkets are bad....Waitrose seems to offer high quality, local produce...all in one place.
Penners
Member
- Messages
- 17,294
- Location
- Suffolk, England
:lol: :lol: :lol:Moo said: