Things That Gladden The Heart

SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Now whatever you might think on first hearing about this - I was open-minded - but aw shucks - I do believe I suffered a little unexpected 'eye dampness'...of course that's me being of a certain 'Chitty-Chitty Chim-chim-cheree' age; with a MiL of 94 in receding health, and with both my parents and my sister having gone off flying with the angels...yes I might well 'suffer' such a little moment 🥲

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Wow, best thing I've seen on here for a long while! Thanks for sharing. 👍
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Now whatever you might think on first hearing about this - I was open-minded - but aw shucks - I do believe I suffered a little unexpected 'eye dampness'...of course that's me being of a certain 'Chitty-Chitty Chim-chim-cheree' age; with a MiL of 94 in receding health, and with both my parents and my sister having gone off flying with the angels...yes I might well 'suffer' such a little moment 🥲

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WOW, just WOW, thanks for sharing.
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Brightwells is structurally finished and it looks very nice indeed (I suspect some, if not many, will disagree - well tough - it's built). But it's still pretty empty - though I understand that all the apartments are sold. A cinema in it opened much earlier this year and really nice looking Italian last week. A large indoor children's play zone (Pirate ship themed) with cafe opened some weeks ago and looks to be popular. Nando's is due to open soon. And of course there's an estate agent. Unfortunately the Coppa Club has pulled out of the most prominent building - the redeveloped Brightwells House if you know it.
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We did wander round it a couple of months ago - I agree that it does look nice. Have had a few friends/neighbours comment on how good the cinema is (I haven't been yet, as still have my Cineworld Unlimited card).
I like the Nandos coming in news (y)
Hopefully they will get something decent in the Brightwells House, as it is the centerpiece
 
Patster1969 said:
We did wander round it a couple of months ago - I agree that it does look nice. Have had a few friends/neighbours comment on how good the cinema is (I haven't been yet, as still have my Cineworld Unlimited card).
I like the Nandos coming in news (y)
Hopefully they will get something decent in the Brightwells House, as it is the centerpiece
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Sadly you are on a slippery slope now. Your pleasant High Street is going to transition into every depressing High Street in Britain, expect Pound Shops, Coffee Shops, Vape Shops, Charity Shops and Chicken takeaways to gradually replace all the independents . 😞
 
Tashyboy said:
For someone that had to go through that when I was also four I can totally understand. Bless her cotton socks.
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So proud of her tash. She does so well. If it was her twin would have been different story. Lol 🤣 I mean she threw a paddy this morning because my wife got her a pink Xmas jumper with a cat on. "You said it was pink cat!!"
 
Fade and Die said:
Sadly you are on a slippery slope now. Your pleasant High Street is going to transition into every depressing High Street in Britain, expect Pound Shops, Coffee Shops, Vape Shops, Charity Shops and Chicken takeaways to gradually replace all the independents . 😞
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I'm not so sure. Make the High Street a pleasant place as Farnham's Brightwells and Farnham town centre mostly is (traffic a bit of a bind) and I think there is a future. Because...

I think that the UK public's (the world's public) obsession with having to buy something NOW and the impatience that demands to have it delivered TOMORROW is driving an unsustainable growth in home delivery. The stress and demands put on couriers and drivers is meaning that so much these days is misdelivered or not delivered at all - they just can't get through all they have to do. And that causes stress and anxiety in the purchaser waiting for their purchases to be delivered, and when they are not having to sort it all out - with all the that entails.

I'm not sure the online purchase and home delivery model can scale much further from where it currently is - and I think that maybe, just maybe, folks will come to realise and appreciate that there is more to life than buying stuff and getting it delivered to your door - and the stresses and anxieties that can arise. Actually living life a little less hectically, meeting people and other social interaction is rather pleasant, fun and stimulating - and you get that if you actually go to shops and stores.
 
Patster1969 said:
We did wander round it a couple of months ago - I agree that it does look nice. Have had a few friends/neighbours comment on how good the cinema is (I haven't been yet, as still have my Cineworld Unlimited card).
I like the Nandos coming in news (y)
Hopefully they will get something decent in the Brightwells House, as it is the centerpiece
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Nando's now open - beside the Italian. Both are beside the cinema - and if my daughter is to be believed (she is) the cinema is very nice - she and her BF went to see Wicked couple of weeks ago and they came away v positive. And a fancy pilates and wellbeing studio has opened in the upstairs on one side of the new square. It's coming along - pity they've not been able to organize and Christmas decorations for the square itself/
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Now whatever you might think on first hearing about this - I was open-minded - but aw shucks - I do believe I suffered a little unexpected 'eye dampness'...of course that's me being of a certain 'Chitty-Chitty Chim-chim-cheree' age; with a MiL of 94 in receding health, and with both my parents and my sister having gone off flying with the angels...yes I might well 'suffer' such a little moment 🥲

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Wow! DVD is in great nick.
Unfortunately though, because you made me listen to Chris Martin's singing, I now have to go outside and headbutt a brick wall until I lose consciousness.
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
I'm not so sure. Make the High Street a pleasant place as Farnham's Brightwells and Farnham town centre mostly is (traffic a bit of a bind) and I think there is a future. Because...

I think that the UK public's (the world's public) obsession with having to buy something NOW and the impatience that demands to have it delivered TOMORROW is driving an unsustainable growth in home delivery. The stress and demands put on couriers and drivers is meaning that so much these days is misdelivered or not delivered at all - they just can't get through all they have to do. And that causes stress and anxiety in the purchaser waiting for their purchases to be delivered, and when they are not having to sort it all out - with all the that entails.

I'm not sure the online purchase and home delivery model can scale much further from where it currently is - and I think that maybe, just maybe, folks will come to realise and appreciate that there is more to life than buying stuff and getting it delivered to your door - and the stresses and anxieties that can arise. Actually living life a little less hectically, meeting people and other social interaction is rather pleasant, fun and stimulating - and you get that if you actually go to shops and stores.
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I agree with the idea of your first paragraph and hope that Farnham bucks the trend, it’s a classic bustling high street with character and energy, although the traffic and parking is a tad more than a bind!
Romford used to be the same, full of independent stores and a thriving market but it’s gone now, I can see my High St, Hornchurch and another place I frequent, Brentwood going the same way.

Your second and third paragraphs are just wishful thinking…The issue of stressed delivery drivers is a non problem to retailers, drivers are ten a penny, and even if they need to double the amount they have it will still work out cheaper than expensive shops with ridiculous rents and business rates. And the younger generations want everything to be delivered to their front door, and that’s not going to change…from a cup of coffee and a croissant to a new car. They don’t get the thrill of going to the shops, it’s just a chore and an avoidable cause of anxiety.

The only people that are interested in High Streets are older people.
 
Fade and Die said:
I agree with the idea of your first paragraph and hope that Farnham bucks the trend, it’s a classic bustling high street with character and energy, although the traffic and parking is a tad more than a bind!
Romford used to be the same, full of independent stores and a thriving market but it’s gone now, I can see my High St, Hornchurch and another place I frequent, Brentwood going the same way.

Your second and third paragraphs are just wishful thinking…The issue of stressed delivery drivers is a non problem to retailers, drivers are ten a penny, and even if they need to double the amount they have it will still work out cheaper than expensive shops with ridiculous rents and business rates. And the younger generations want everything to be delivered to their front door, and that’s not going to change…from a cup of coffee and a croissant to a new car. They don’t get the thrill of going to the shops, it’s just a chore and an avoidable cause of anxiety.

The only people that are interested in High Streets are older people.
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The issue I talk of is not that of the stress on the drivers, but the stress and anxiety of the customers that results from the pressure on the drivers. And as the number of vans increases and the volume of deliveries goes on going up I see unacceptable chaos a possibility in time.
 
Sid Rixon IV said:
Lovely, humble winner on Masterchef and two equally lovely runners up.
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I turned over for the news at 9.59 and a bit - quickly flicked back over but assume the chef on screen was the winner. Grrrr. I'll still watch it today though and, assuming my assumptions are correct, I'll be happy with the result!
 
Chiara was my least favourite - she needs to learn to say thank-you at a compliment and not just nod her head as if to say "yeah you're right, I'm great" - got on my nerves.
 
Fade and Die said:
The only people that are interested in High Streets are older people.
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Im "an old people" and the bus stop into town is outside my house.
Amazon just delivered ny parcel and the driver had three more under his arm. So that's nextdoor, nextdoor and nextdoor. Its a card game for my grandkids. Im not wandering around town for that.
Im going in later for a meal. Ill go into Waterstones for gifts and, as always, I'll be surrounded by people browsing books whilst googling the price on Amazon.
 
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