Ladies Who Chat(and men of course)

[oldbluefox]

City playing, Jan so am following a stream on the pooter. We're down to 10 men so the nails are getting a bit of a nibble!!! I sometimes think I'm getting a bit old for this lark - my nerves can't stand it much longer! However I'll feel a whole lot better if we score a goal!!

[Dancing Queen]

Hi Jan, I guess we just don't get in here as often as we could, ohhh lucky you I'm desperate to book something and get some sunshine, where are you going ??

Happy shopping tomorrow , I have loads of gift vouchers I got for Xmas but the weather has been so bad I haven't managed a trip to Sheffield yet but can't wait to hit the shops.

[Jan Rosser]

Hi Jo I'm off on Azura to the western med - just a short trip - 12 days - probably not going to be hot but it had better be warmer than here - it's just so cold brrr.

Looking forward to hitting the shops tomorrow - need some shoes (well I don't actually "need" any shoes really) and lots of shoe shops in Cardiff - paradise a girl just can't have too many pairs of shoes

I think you have Meadowhall up there in Sheffield don't you - I haven't been there but imagine you've got plenty of good shops all under one roof.

So nice to talk - have a lovely Easter Jo -

[Dancing Queen]

Thanks Jan, you have a nice Easter too.

Yes it is Meadowhall we have in Sheffield or as my husband usually refers to it MeadowhEll, can't imagine why as in 20 odd years I think he's been about twice

You might be surprised in the Med, we were there over Xmas and New Year and we actually had some quite decent weather.

[Silver_Shiney]

Well, this one died a death, didn't it?

[Belle53]

That's a shame, anyone want to chat?

[oldbluefox]

I think everybody's having their afternoon nap Belle.

[qbman1]

That's what happens when you have Horlicks for lunch

[qbman1]

......or a nice bottle of Chablis !

[oldbluefox]

.........jusshhhht the one buddle????

[Silver_Shiney]

That's what happens when you have Horlicks for lunch

there speaks the voice of experience.....

[Frank Manning]

Its an age thing! We bought a new suite for the conservatory, with a recliner, and now after a nice lunch, and with the morning sun having warmed up the conservatory nicely...who need Horlicks?

Anyway where we live the holiday season is in full swing, the beaches are crammed and so are the roads. A nice snooze in the recliner is more therapeutic.

[Jan Rosser]

Such a shame that this topic has not been kept going - now come on you lot surely you've got something to say Let's start with Christmas shopping - have you started yours yet or even finished I think I'll pay a visit to Cardiff next week - inspiration is what I need though

[oldbluefox]

We went to Carlisle a week ago looking for inspiration and that was a waste of a day. This week we went up to Gretna Green to their outlet and guess what, we had a good day and sorted out one or two presents.
Every year it seems to get harder and harder to find suitable presents. We are now into buying something people would (probably) like but would not necessarily buy for themselves.
This week we are going to Glasgow so surely we will find something up there - tartan caps and shortbread? Seriously, Glasgow is a great shopping centre so we are really looking forward to it.

[Dancing Queen]

Such a shame that this topic has not been kept going - now come on you lot surely you've got something to say Let's start with Christmas shopping - have you started yours yet or even finished I think I'll pay a visit to Cardiff next week - inspiration is what I need though

Not only started but finished and most of it is wrapped, all Xmas cards written ..ready to post
I do go away in less than 3 weeks though so I had to get organised early

[HK phooey]

I am buying all my presents this year from local businesses or the island's equivalent of Ebay. Online shopping is destroying the high street.

[Kenmo1]

I am buying all my presents this year from local businesses or the island's equivalent of Ebay. Online shopping is destroying the high street.

Newport High Street is not being helped by having yet another pound shop (or should I say 99p shop) within a couple of metres of each other - 3 'pound shops' so close together is ridiculous.

[HK phooey]

I know! So many businesses are closing down and the bargain shops or charity shops are the only ones taking their place.

[Silver_Shiney]

I think a major part of the problem is that landowners own a great many shops and need the income to service their debts. A business closes down, the landowner loses that income. So he puts the rent up across the board... more businesses can't afford it, so move out, so the rent goes up again... it's a vicious circle. The Galleries in central Bristol is a good example - it used to be thriving, but it's now a ghost town.

[oldbluefox]

I think the big problem with many High Street shops is they don't hold the stock. Much as I have tried to shop locally all too often they don't have what I am looking for, or they don't have the size I want or the colour etc etc. And when you ask they either do not know whether any more stock is coming in or when it is coming or whether there will be anything in your size. Many of the shop assistants in the large stores have no say in what stock is being delivered; apparently that is all sorted from head office 'by them with degrees'.
Ultimately you are forced to use the internet to get what you want unless you are lucky and find it in the shops.

[Quizzical Bob]

Local Councils don't help. Getting rid of all the parking restrictions would be a start.

[oldbluefox]

It would be an interesting experiment to see what happened if they did away with all parking restrictions. We usually manage to get an hour's parking which is handy for nipping in and getting a few errands done. However it leaves no time for the coffee shops or simply browsing unless we walk into town.
Get rid of the yellow lines and make car parks reasonably priced and revenue could be increased by greater footfall. However I doubt any councils will get rid of what is essentially a cash cow which they are happy to milk to subsidise their outgoings.

[Quizzical Bob]

It would be an interesting experiment to see what happened if they did away with all parking restrictions. We usually manage to get an hour's parking which is handy for nipping in and getting a few errands done. However it leaves no time for the coffee shops or simply browsing unless we walk into town.
Get rid of the yellow lines and make car parks reasonably priced and revenue could be increased by greater footfall. However I doubt any councils will get rid of what is essentially a cash cow which they are happy to milk to subsidise their outgoings.

Swindon have a more enlightened policy, apparently.

[oldbluefox]

Up here if everybody behaves and doesn't fall foul of the parking laws they reduce on-street parking times and put up parking charges otherwise they are out of pocket with their wardens. Am I picking up the wrong end of the stick here? They are now looking to instal parking machines in some of the small market towns which are already struggling for survival. Short-sighted or what?
I wish Swindon every success.

[Jan Rosser]

Blimey you men can talk can't you perhaps this thread should be headed Men who Chat (and ladies of course) - we can't get a word in edgeways