Is the Vale Of Glamorgan Council Being Snobby? Let's Talk About Barry Island and Penarth Esplanade Car Parking Charges

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So in the midst of nobody knowing what to do and as it looks as if the disunited kingdom is hurtling into a long dark Brexit of the soul I'm going to be talking about car parking charges am I? I certainly know how to keep  my finger on the pulse of a very sick group of nations.

But hey let's crack on because it's in a way a metaphor for Brexit.

I've spoken about the proposals by the Vale of Glamorgan council to impose car parking charges in the area before. Focusing specifically on it's effects on Barry Town. Arguing that it would be the first step turning it into the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town. Well this week the council are going to discuss the proposals.

Now nothing changes in what I said about it's effects on Barry Town. So let's focus instead on Barry Island and Penarth Esplanade. For those who've never been in either place Barry Island is the classic place of your imagination full of golden beaches (depending on the weather) and a funfair and all things seaside. Penarth Esplanade on the other hand is far more upmarket. With upmarket shops and restaurants nearby dominated by the pier (also containing amenities) which I always hesitate to go on for fear of looking down and my glasses falling off my face.

There is a beach. But compared to Barry Island it's really a strip of craggy nothing.

And I think you could work out which of the two is more popular.

So the issue of car parking charges is being discussed this week. And for the traders of Barry Island the focus is on the effect on their winter trade. With people who like the idea of walking along beaches on a cold January night looking at the bracing sea with the sort of mournful bittersweet way seen in movies. Either by themselves, a loved one or a dog (not me I'd have to stress - hypothermia on the beach is not the way I'd like to die and as regular readers will know never with a domesticated wolf by my side).

The argument of the traders is that it will put people off visiting the Island. And they have a point given that there is a reduction in out of season charges for Penarth Esplanade but not for Barry Island.

People who'd prefer to go to Penarth Esplanade would probably be able to afford the car parking charges all season long at the same level anyway. But as I've said Barry Island is more popular as it offers more. Yet it would appear to be this popularity that has made it a cash cow in the eyes of the council. Let ordinary people suffer whilst the privileged take advantage? Who knows? But that is certainly the perception.

I've said before that car parking charges will damage many parts of the borough. Not unlike Brexit what it appears to do as well though is to give some protection to those who can afford it.

Until the next time.

Does Barry In South Wales Need A Rebrand? Perhaps Slightly.......Very Slightly.

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

There is apparently a National Lottery "Great Place" scheme which gives money areas to rebrand and publicise itself to the world out there. Barry in South Wales has apparently received such money.

It posed an interesting question in my head. Does Barry actually need a rebrand? And I think the answer is slightly. Very slightly.

Regular readers may remember that one of my first posts on Barry Town was chatting about a comment made by Cardiff Labour Councillor Russell Goodway who said that Barry Town lacked a purpose (he incidentally lives in the area!). It gives a perception that Barry Town is just....well...there. I suspect Cardiff Labour Council just thinks Barry is there for day trips and a commuting town for people who can't afford the cost of living in the capital.

But I like Barry. No one will ever compare it with Paris or Milan or even Bari (sorry couldn't resist) but it strikes me as having a happy-go-lucky charm and obviously more livelier than it's urban pair of slippers equivalent in nearby Penarth.

Having lived near the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town I can tell you that Barry's problems are small in comparison.

There is I suspect the need to emphasise that there is a difference between what Barry Town and Barry Island have to offer. If you don't know the area (and before I moved to Wales I did this) there is a good chance you'd confuse the two. The Island (not really an island) is the seaside part with all you would expect from such a place.

The town seems drab in comparison. But if you look under the surface it has the ability to surprise. Barry High Street (which I've written about previously) was an absolute revelation to me. I haven't seen this line-up of mainly independent and quirky shops for decades. Really it should become a heritage site it's that unique.

(A quick digression. When my daughter was about two there was a programme on Ceebies called Doodle Do hosted by Welsh comedian Chris Corcoran. In this particular episode I watched with her  he told a story of a guy called Barry who got shipwrecked. One of the first things he did according to Mr Corcoran was to name the place Barry Island.

Well I laughed. My daughter however turned to me with a confused look on her face. As if to say why is Dad laughing at a programme for me?)

So perhaps there is a need to emphasise the differences and qualities the Island and the Town has. As well as keeping the free car parking in the area (Unlike Bridgend Town for example. One of areas I'd argue which has damaged it so severely).

Nowhere is perfect and Barry does have issues. But in terms of branding and promoting itself other than a bit of sprucing up and a lick of paint here and there (both physically and metaphorically) my view is that Barry should be proud at what it is.

Barrybados with hidden gems.

Until the next time

On Penarth Town Catching A Bridgend Cold And Barry Town's Quiet Pleasure

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Penarth is the closest town to where we live. Hopefully we will be moving house in the area in a month. I won't say much more about the moving process until it happens but as the last attempt showed nothing is certain until we actually move in.

I haven't really chatted about the place which has been remiss of me. So let me put it this way the town (as opposed to the nearby pier) is the urban equivalent of a pair of slippers. Comfortable, relaxing, slightly old fashioned but then again so am I.

But had to visit the town this morning and found something very disturbing which was this:

Christmas Decorations

Could have shown more along the main street but I'll spare you.

I probably was the only person who looked at this and thought of Bridgend Town. Specifically the Bridgend town Indoor Market with the Christmas lights that stayed there all last year. You might think that I'm obsessed by unseasonal Xmas lights and possibly I am. But as I've tried to explain regarding Bridgend image is king and lights still hanging on after the season of goodwill has long since gone as we're on Brexit long dark midnight of the soul Eve is not a good look.

Next stop Barry Town.

View From Barry Town Car Park

There didn't appear to be much change in the town since my last look. There seems to be two exceptions. Opposite the Windsor Hotel (still closed by the way) is this.

Another empty elegant looking building

It seems to have been a drop in centre for people suffering from mental health issues, It now has been moved to a nearby hospital.

And close by The Royal Bank Of Scotland branch is now no more.

Death Of A Branch

This was Holton street. I had thought it was High Street Barry until about six months ago. Now I know better but this was my destination today.

It's a bit of a walk from Holton Street to the High Street but not difficult.

High Street Barry is actually misnamed unless it was the steep turn to finally reach it because in between the classic terraced houses there isn't any large department stores. Instead it's a group of small shops and with the exception of the grocery store all of them were independent.

But the key thing is the mixture. For between the hairdressers and the butchers there were also this type of modern gift store.

Arty stuff

Or you could see a Deli, other gift stores or.....

...even a toy shop

Many years since I've seen a small toyshop.

Wandering around the street after I did what I went there for was an unexpected pleasure. I decided to go into a shop to buy something. It turned out to be a gift shop called Annie and Lolo,

I got this

The eponymous "Annie"was in the shop and we chatted. Yes chatted. She was originally from the South Wales Valleys and after a roundabout tour round Britain found the High Street in Barry...as you do.

Oh and why did I buy a recipe journal? Well when I'm called upon to cook for a long while later in the year I'll need meals that are simple and quick. Hence the need of something to write down.

It has been a long time since I have seen a town with a relatively large and mixed group of independent shops in one place. Barry Town's quiet pleasure should be spread far and wide

Until the next time.

Welsh Labour : For The Few Not The Many? Let's Talk About Hospital Car Parking Charges

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Welsh Labour have for many years been the party of the establishment in Wales. An elite that has damaged the people living here for decades. Sometimes though the mask slips and people discover that deep down they're as bad as the Conservatives. Even worse really considering they give out the illusion of caring.

Huw Thomas, Labour leader of Cardiff Council and Lee Waters, Labour Assembly Member have both stated on Twitter that the Welsh Labour government's policy of free car parking in hospitals is "flawed".

Now this is an interesting policy because it's one of the few Welsh government policies that can be called "socialist" in that it benefits everyone no matter who you are. And these gentlemen (the word is used advisedly) consider it flawed. prompted it appears by the fact that Mr Waters could not get a space at Cardiff Heath hospital (aka University Hospital for Wales). Do you know why you couldn't get a space Mr Waters? Because it's popular.

Fees for car parking in hospitals is (depending on the circumstances) a tax on grief, concern, friendship and emotions for loved ones in there. Essentially it's blackmail on your emotional state.

As long term readers to this blog will remember I spent the first few months of this year in Essex exile looking after my unwell mother. For around three weeks she was in hospital in Harlow and I spent roughly £8 a day being there constantly during visiting hours. Now I could have spent just £10 for a seven day pass. But my focus was on her and not the cost. Also at the time it was unclear whether she would pull through or needed to be transferred to a different hospital anyway. So you see you cannot be financially savvy when you're not clear what's going to happen and you cannot think straight. It comes back to what I've said earlier. A car parking charge is a tax on your emotions.

Mr Waters view is that the staff in the hospital should use "sustainable transport" and that they and the  public should use "turn up and go" bus services which Mr Thomas apparently agrees with. Also that there should be "intelligent charging" (that is I'm sure straight out of the marketing consultant's handbook). Now leaving aside the "let the plebs use public transport" tone of the remarks it actually displays a great deal of ignorance (to be parochial for a moment) about Heath hospital.

It's not a hospital in the centre of town oh no it's at the edge. The key thing here is that Heath hospital is part of the Cardiff and Vale health board. Which means if you live in for example Barry Town or Cowbridge  the journey (especially late at night) under public transport will not be a simple one assuming it's possible at all.

So Mr Thomas and Mr Waters should be Socialists and embrace a policy that supports everyone. Not just the few.

Until the next time.

The Alun Cairns Barry Town Test Has Finally Arrived

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As they say on TV shows:

Previously On This blog....

The Vale of Glamorgan council in 2015 proposed introducing car parking charges in the area. This was successfully resisted. The particular focus was on Barry Town. It was felt that car park charges would damage businesses in the area as people would either not come at all or would just go in, quickly do their business and get out again. Thus there would not be benefit from any passing trade.

As I mentioned previously for a town the size of Barry car parking charges do not work. Whilst there are other reasons for it's decline car parking charges is one factor in the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town.

And as I previously explained on the blog one of the people who was against these charges was actually blog villain and Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns who was a Vale Assembly Member at the time and whose parliamentary constituency is in the borough.

The web page is here:

http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/10291008.Vale_of_Glamorgan_car_parking_
charges__tax_on_the_high_street____AM/

And let me be clear here (pause for dramatic effect) Alun Cairns was right.

I agree with Alun Cairns.

Now read on...

Vale of Glamorgan Council are trying again. They go the firm Capita to report on the issue and they basically proposed that the first hour was free but tiered charges from then on. This is going out to consultation now until next month.

Businesses in the town have demonstrated against it already. For the reasons to objecting to the charges in 2015 have not changed now.

And so Alun Cairns what is your position now on car parking in Barry Town now?

After all nothing has changed between 2015 and 2018.....except in Labour were the in power in 2015 and now Vale Of Glamorgan council is run by a Conservative led coalition.

The test Alun Cairns has finally arrived....and your answer is?

Until the next time.

Britain 2018: Where You Can Seriously Ask The Question Whether You Should Stock Up On Food And Whether The Jack Monroe Doctrine Is To Be Followed

Hello there.. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well it's Britain 2018. Come March 2019 it leaves the EU and slowly, in drip by drip form the Dark Brexit scenario comes into play as it's predictors have explained.

Now as I've said before I don't belive a Dark Hard Brexit will come. If only because the consequences for the governing Conservative party would be disasterous (doesn't mean life will be better than when were in the EU mind. That I don't believe.).Still when reports come in of a shortage of fuel, factory closures and Amazon suggesting that in a worst case scenario there could be civil unrest then you need to sit up and take notice.

But of all the consequences of a hard Brexit that has made the news recently it's the idea of food shortages that has really made the headlines. The idea that shop shelves will be bare come April next year. Indeed the UK government are building up a stockpile of food in preparedness for a hard Brexit.

This action by the government begs the question. If they can stockpile food. Then why can't I?

I've even worked on the plan. From this month I'd buy five items a week to hoard. For the moment it would be just canned items but as March moves closer other things will be included. That way if Dark Hard Brexit does come then at least for a few weeks myself and the family would be covered.

Also if there is a Dark Hard Brexit then I'd give one fifth of the hoarded stockpile to a foodbank. Because the consequences to the poorest in our society will be disastrous. And if we're talking about civil unrest that's where it will start. Because a hungry people will be an angry people.

(And if the Brexit is soft by the way I'd give all the stockpile to the foodbank)

Now I haven't done this yet. But the fact that I can seriously consider it to the point of planning without being considered a madman tells you all you need to know about Britain today under the Conservatives.

Which leads us to talk about cookery writer Jack Monroe. Whose struggles looking after a young son lead her make imaginative recipes with basic ingredients on the most smallest of budgets. Her first cookery book was called A Girl Called Jack, which I bought and like most of the cookery books I have was promptly put to one side as I succumbed to the seductive charms of ready meals and the microwave.

But the thing is this. Initially Ms Monroe's books appealed to those on low incomes. If however there is a Dark Hard Brexit then she will find a whole new audience in people who might be just about managing but are struggling to find ingredients even if the prices were reasonable.

So there is a good chance that post Brexit Ms Monroe will find herself the go to cookery writer of the moment (after all in a Dark Hard Brexit world few of us could go Nigella). Which then led me to think that perhaps the best thing to do would be to practice.

What I'm going to do is to go through all her recipes and see whether I can get the ingredients in either Penarth or Barry Town (I live between both) and what happens when I cook them. If you expect an ingredient list or a blow by blow account of the recipe then you'll be disappointed as that's her copyrighted work. But what I want to see is in a Dark Hard Brexit world whether the family can adapt to this most different kind of cookbook. Because in that scenario it has to until goodness knows when.

In a Dark Hard Brexit Ms Monroe has the potential of being, not just the most important cookery writer but the most important writer of the moment.

That's why the Jack Monroe doctrine is important.

Until the next time.

Will Alun Cairns And Andrew RT Davies Hold Onto Their 2015 Principles And Possibly Fight Against The Vale Of Glamorgan Council? Let's Discuss...

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have before in this blog discussed the proposed introduction of car parking charges in the Vale Of Glamorgan area specifically Barry Town. I've argued that whilst there were other factors to be taken into consideration car parking charges was one factor in the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town. As a consequence people went to the free out of town shopping facilities with the consequent damage to the town centre business.

Now however there is a proposal for a "parking strategy" that will be put to the Vale of Glamorgan council shortly prepared for them (at their request) by the firm Capita.

I won't go into detail of the proposals across the borough, that would only bore you, (and it would bore me) besides I'm hoping soon to chat about the town of Cowbridge. For now let's focus on Barry Town and nearby Penarth.

The recommendations from Capita are basically as follows. Charge for what was free but do it on a tiered basis. So the first two hours would be free, three hours £1,four hours £2,five hours £5/£4 (depending whether it's a Long or Short stay car park - something they propose to create) and all day £4 and £5 (depending again on Long or Short Stay).

So you ask what's wrong with that? Two hours free relatively cheap rates otherwise who could argue?

Well two thumbs pointed at this guy

Firstly and let's be clear here, those prices will go up. You know it and I know it. Once the principle of free parking is breached then there will nothing to stop the council raising it in the future.

Secondly even as they stand the fees will not encourage regular visits to either town centre. People will just go in, do what they have to do and leave as quickly as possible. It will not be instant, but businesses will start to suffer and some might go to the wall because of the loss of regular custom.

The Bridgend Town rot starts to set in.

Interestingly a similar proposal regarding car parking charges was made in 2015 and had some vocal detractors then. Let's start with blog villain, political glove puppet and wannabee Englishman and tall person Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns who said in his website “Council tax payers in Barry will find it hard to understand how charging up to £5 to park close to our high streets is going to help regenerate Barry"

And although it appeared from the page he wasn't against car park charging in principle (of course he wouldn't be he's Alun Cairns) he also said  "However they must do the right thing to support the people that live and work locally and work to encourage trade that builds a community rather than introduce unimaginative and ill-thought out charges.”

Here's the page. https://www.aluncairns.com/news/car-parking-charges-barry-cowbridge

He wasn't the only Conservative figure who was against this in 2015. Former Conservative leader in Wales and the Welsh answer to the question "Who ate all the pies?" Andrew RT Davies said the proposals were a

“tax on the high street” 

and

" If you charge prohibitively you drive shoppers to out of town shopping centres and it is the businesses on the high street that suffer as a consequence" 

That page is here. http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/10291008.Vale_of_Glamorgan_car_parking_charges__tax_on_the_high_street____AM/

So, to be clear, basically speaking I find myself agreeing with Andrew RT Davies and Alun Cairns!!!

I feel sick.

The thing is though in 2015 the Vale Of Glamorgan council was Labour run. Now it's a Conservative led Council with independent support. Vale voters and Vale businesses are entitled to know whether these high profile Conservative figures will stick to their principles or will they flip flop (in Mr Davies' case roll) their way out of them.

And if you have any doubts on what car parking charges can do Bridgend Town is about forty minutes drive away.

Until the next time

Is Cardiff City Council Slightly Responsible For The Closure Of The House Of Fraser / Howells Branch In The City? Possibly

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

It may be an odd way to start this post. But bare with me. It's always been my belief that most men do not buy clothes on impulse but on perceived need or, as in my case being nagged at by wife, teenage daughter and mother. What occurred to me on hearing the news of the widespread store closure programme being proposed by the House Of Fraser group is that in terms of both genders you can make that logic on visiting a city centre.

House Of Fraser currently have two stores in all of Wales. Both are scheduled for closure. The point about the Cardiff store (which from now on I'll call by it's name, Howell's)was that it is a massive Department store and one of the key retail landmarks of the city centre for 153 years. However if the store cutting proposals come to pass it will be 154 and out.

The thing though is this. House Of Fraser are still keeping a number of it's stores. So you ask why Cardiff was unable to be amongst them? Well of course their troubles have been well documented in the past twenty four hours. The internet, failure to modernise, out of town shopping, the decline in the "department store" concept generally (To think in a couple of years the Sit Com Are You Being Served might be used as a historical record) it's all been rammed down our throats.

But to focus specifically on the Howells store it struck me that if you don't actually work there how many people from South Wales visit Cardiff on a whim? The last time I visited it was going to Cardiff Castle during Easter because my daughter hadn't been before. The last time wife/daughter went was to see Disney On Ice (no idea why..both of them are old enough to know better). The time we visited before that was Christmas shopping, once during that period, looking for ideas and it was generally a wasted trip.

The point comes back though to the fact that we don't go the city centre on impulse. Car parking charges/getting a space is one reason. But the other, as I've explained before, is that the centre of the capital city of Wales (including St Mary Street) is becoming tired looking with closed down shops, homeless people wandering in more numbers than I've seen them before and despite whatever gloss the St David's Shopping Centres might seek to show a general look of quiet despair.

The closure of such a large store like Howells will make that situation worse. Especially if there is nobody able to replace it. As I've said before especially with regard to Bridgend Town few things blights a town more than an empty shop which will still show you memories of what it once was in happier times.

And it is here the council could have acted to attract more people to the city centre. Cut the carparking fees. Spruce up the area. Make people want to come to, let's not forget it, the capital city of Wales. More people would bring the centre more money and that would have included Howells. But no this didn't happen. And whilst I've no idea as to whether being more proactive in revitalising the City Centre would have saved Howells. It wouldn't have done any harm

Cardiff City Centre is not yet the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town. But the decline of a community doesn't start dramatically. Only when a big shock emerges do people step back, see the bigger picture and realise the problem in front of them. You would like to think that for Cardiff Council this might be that shock that moves them into action.

Cardiff Council I've written before have been trying to lord it over their Vale Of Glmorgan counterpart. In particular the statement by Labour Councillor Russell Goodway that Barry Town was a town without a purpose. If the problems continue councillor Goodway might be receiving calls from Barry Town councillors asking whether aside from the tourist season and sports fixtures in the Principality Stadium the centre of Cardiff has a purpose.

Those would be conversations I'd like to listen to.

Until the next time.

Wanderings In Barry Town And Whitchurch (Cardiff)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

For reasons I won't bore you with yesterday I found myself with time to wander around two different places in South Wales yesterday. I've already dealt with Barry Town a bit in this blog so won't dwell on it that much but Whitchurch (a suburb of Cardiff) is new.

So let's start then with Barry Town.

I call this "View From Barry Town Car Park"

Now I like Barry Town, and it doesn't have the death spiral feel of Bridgend Town, but (referring to the high street) it must be careful not to fall in the same trap it's near neighbour did. It's not easy to work out the extent, partly because a number of outlets are being renovated and some (closed when I was there) were sort of takeaways/restaurants open in the evening, but it's not immune to shops closures.

I still feel though that what happens to this place (which I mentioned in my last post) is a bell weather to what will happen to the town as a whole if no one is careful.

Still Closed

As I mentioned in the previous post this is the Filco convenience store which has been closed since December last year. All retail closures are obviously bad news for the town, but like Bridgend Town with it's McDonald's or Phones4U there is something particularly depressing when the shell of the previous owners is still there after a particular length of time.

You may remember that I had a go at Cardiff Councillor Russell Goodway for suggesting that Barry Town did not have a purpose. In it I mentioned that by his logic (which I didn't agree with) you could make the same argument for most parts of Cardiff.

Whitchurch is a case in point. By Councillor Goodway's argument it's just a purposeless suburb that should just be called "something on the outside of the important bits of the capital" and forgotten about. But places evolve into a character of it's own. And Whitchurch is no exception. Circumstances meant I had an hour to wander round the place so here we go.

The main high street in Whitchurch is a delightful throwback to the Seventies with amongst the established names there are also the quirky shops. Unfortunately some shops so embrace the seventies they actually closed at 1pm on a Wednesday afternoon. Including annoyingly the Welsh Language shop.

A settled place I think

And of course amidst the coffee shops, bars, delis, gift shops there are a few charity shops. This from The Cancer Society Shop is worth a mention.

Is it just me or does Tracey seem a bit demonic?

It does have an impressive looking church, even for an atheist like me.

St Mary's

No need to wear a watch here

What bothered me about this church was that there were some parts of the cemetery outside where the grass had been cut and some which were not. Have no idea as to why but surely this should done equally just to respect the dead?

Example One

Example Two

As I've said the church was impressive looking. This spoilt it.

Walked past the local High School when I saw this sign.

Thing Is...

What's wrong with this sign? Well it's the following year. So no pressure on the class of 2018 then.

Sometimes you know you turn a street not specifically looking for anything and you are caught by surprise. St Mary's Church didn't give me that feeling. This did.

As Unexpected As It Was Impressive

I have no idea whether it was a planned thing or not. But that was unquestionably the best bit of graffiti art I have ever witnessed personally.

Whitchurch then. Settled. Relaxed. At ease with itself.

Perhaps that should it's motto.

Until the next time.

Let's Chat About The Centre Of Cardiff (Without Pictures...I'm Blaming My Wife)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

You may remember a few posts back that I mentioned in passing that having been to centre of Cardiff during Easter I'd hope to return in a few weeks to chat about it with pictures as my phone was dead at the time.

Well that day was yesterday. Wife/daughter, both of whom are old enough to know better wanted to see Disney On Ice which was being held in the Motorpoint arena in the centre of the city. I, just old and wanting nothing to do with Disney other than apparently audition for the role of Grumpy was not going.

They had wanted to go by train to Cardiff Central and then I was to pick them up when the performance finished. That was the plan. However the best laid plans of mice and women were foiled when they were slow to get ready and so wife decided to drive there to save time. This meant that I couldn't do what I'd intended doing which was to provide a snapshot portrait with pictures of the capital city centre.

So what I'm going to say now is a brief portrait of what I saw. It is based on a trip we did in the Easter break on a Sunday to see Cardiff Castle. So in no way am I saying this is scientific. Just an impression.

Let's then begin by one fact. I did not go to the centre of Cardiff because I didn't need to. If you live outside of Cardiff you don't visit the centre  (obviously excluding working there) unless there's a reason to. Thing is the reasons are reducing.

When we were there a few weeks back we went to the Toys R Us in Queens Street that was going to close a few days after out of curiosity. But the bigger shock came when we left the store. For opposite the Burtons store had also closed down.

Now Burtons obviously has it's problems (as I've mentioned before the Barry Town branch has also closed). But it would appear that the concept of a "flagship store" in a city seems to have lost it's allure. Currently the only Burtons store in Cardiff I'm aware of is just in an out of town place occupying the first floor of a Tesco's supermarket.

We were walking along St Mary's Street as well. Looking around as we were had time to spare and we noticed a few things as well as shops closing down. There was a feeling that the centre of Cardiff had gone a bit shabby. Not the Chip Shop alley One Night Stand Shabby. No. Shabby in the sense of being tired, drained.

And there was also the homeless. The centre of Cardiff always had homeless people there. You get that, cities do provide them whether intended or not with shelter and the chance of more money from the coins of kind strangers. What I hadn't seen before (and remember that this was during the day) was the fact that there were definitely more of them. Some chatting away together. Some alone. And one man who just seemed to spontaneously chat to anybody nearby. I have to say I made sure we avoided that man. Not because he was homeless, but that I wasn't sure whether he was drunk.

So why am I going on about this then? Well as I've discussed before Cardiff Labour Council appears to have taken a snobby attitude with regard to neighbouring boroughs. If this snapshot is in anyway typical for the City Centre now then perhaps they should deal with the problems within the city than acting superior to those around them.

Until the next time.

Why Barry Town Must Always Look At Bridgend Town

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Now Barry Town is not Bridgend Town. Not even close. But there is a constant danger that if it is not vigilant enough it might become the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town thanks to the arrogant incompetence of the Welsh Labour council.

A town does not normally decline through one factor alone. A group of factors combine and, and you don't realise this until you take a step back, suddenly realise that it's in trouble.

I spoke last year of the proposal to add car parking fees to the town centre and what a disaster that would be citing Bridgend Town's experience. I'm assuming that has (for now at least) been put on the shelf. But yesterday on Twitter another example came up. That of what you do to closed down retail outlets.

Again, Barry Town  has closed down shops in it's centre like all towns. But nowhere near the vast swathes that blight it's Bridgend neighbour. The most prominent is this.

The Windsor Hotel

I think I've mentioned this before in this blog. Personally given how exceptional this building is in relation to the rest of the town centre I don't think it can be judged like the rest. It's been closed down for at least a year.

An off the top of my head thought about this building is this. If ever a place seemed suitable for social housing and, say a gym at the ground level, this is it.

The Burtons in Barry Town has also closed. But I don't think that's to do with the place, given that I know that the one in Cardiff Queens Street has recently closed as well.

This though did come as a surprise. Which I saw today.

Not So Direct For Barry Town Soon

But the shop closure I want to specifically chat about is this.

Filco

This store, opened in 2015 was closed in December last year. I was personally only aware of the closure yesterday though to my defence a lot of the intervening time was spent looking after my mother in Essex. If you look at it only the For Sale sign gives you any hint of trouble. When I approached the front there was a message announcing the closure and laughably suggesting that you should you wish to shop in Filco go to neighbouring stores which included places about an hour away such as Maesteg!

A Plaid Cymru councillor Millie Collins has asked the Housing Association for news on the current position of this property. She is right to do so. Why I'm focused on this shop? Because if left empty then it reminds of Bridgend Town Centre with it's closed down Phones4U shop still a retail shell (barring the sign). And who will ever forget the McDonald's? Closed down and left to rot for seventeen years before being demolished in 2017.

Unattended shops, leave a sense of decay which in the long term damages a town. It's important that, even if it involves giving temporary leases, these buildings are used. It is why Barry Town must always constantly look at the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town to avoid it happening there.

Until the next time.

A Caravan Killing Near Barry Town

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Just outside Barry Town there is an industrial estate. And when I say an industrial estate I don't mean a small group of warehouse type buildings (though there are those too) but large structures including a small power station and other factories where industrial people do industrial things.

Along one of the roads around this area there is a lay-by in front of one of these places. And, for a month now, becoming almost a tourist attraction, there has been this....

Well and truly dead

Now in the beginning when it was left there it was actually more upright than it is now. But like some hunted animal it could not stand the pain of being ravaged in such a manner and collapsed.

Who could have done it? Well the woman who was passing by when I looked around this said that it was "campers". The usual suspects. But I don't think so. Because despite the ransacking that took place according to this woman the caravan killers took the number plate, the windows and the chassis. Things that could have led them to the owners. Which makes me believe that despite the look of all this being carried out by mindless yobs, the perpetrators knew what they were doing.

Also this action (presumably at night) was done at a spot where the killers could feel they wouldn't get caught....despite more than one sign saying that there were CCTV cameras around.

I think this caravan was killed by professionals. People who knew what they were doing and probably have done this sort of thing before.

A caravan contract killing

Anyway things went to a stage where in windy weather (rare in Wales I know) parts of the contract killed caravan could fly off to the nearby road. So I contacted the Vale of Glamorgan council, asking (given the length of time) when is it going to be removed. Their response was that they could not do anything because the dead beast was on private land but the company that owned it was arranging it's removal.

I thanked them. But then I thought again. Surely given that it was on layby contract flytippers could put anything on this spot. Things potentially even more hazardous than the caravan but they could not do anything because it was on private land? Even though it was by a public road? So I relayed this thought to council. Which is why (or so my fragile male ego would like to think) whilst the carcass is still there the place has been blocked off by a steel caged fence.

And I feel for the caravan. I suspect once it led a happy life, and now it's just been beaten, murdered and dumped like so much trash.

Until the next time.

The Continuing Rambling On An Early Sunday Morning British Summertime Post. Including Plaid Cymru,An Old Blog Villian And A New One

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

It is as I'm starting to tap this 6:17 on a Sunday morning. Not too bad you might think. Until I realise that today is the first day of British Summertime (seeing Spring would be nice) and so the clocks have moved forward by one hour. So essentially my brain is on 5:17.

It seems that now I've settled back to living in Wales the insomnia has returned....yippee.

Wife wants to spend today going round IKEA getting a chair for our daughter. IKEA on a Sunday....I'd rather not.

You know given that the first few months of this year were spent looking after my mother in Essex I've lost the sense of sense of time. Only now am I beginning to sense that it's nearly April.

Plaid Cymru have had a Spring conference and the headlines is that it's "lurched to the left" to attract more voters. Of course words have their power "lurch" describes a sudden and violent movement whilst driving when you suddenly realise you've gone the wrong way.

Personally I feel that as long as the perception is that the party is not trying to out Corbyn Corbyn there is nothing wrong with this. Any policies though have to be catered for Wales and the people living there. There is nothing objectionable about "Socialism With A Welsh Face".

Old blog villain Bridgend Labour council have raised their heads from the Porthcawl sand and have suddenly apparently realised that there are empty houses and shops in the borough. Particularly in Bridgend Town and are setting up "a taskforce" to find out why and deal with it.

Regular readers of this blog would not be surprised that such a situation in Bridgend exist. Particularly with regard to the town. Perhaps the Labour council don't realise the problem because they have helped cause it with the rates, the pedestrianism, the car parking charges and I could really go on.

It seems that part of their social housing solution is for people to live over shops. That's fair enough but in Bridgend Town there is a good chance that those shops will be empty. You know Bridgend Town could be the first place in Britain where the town centre might have more accommodation than it does shops. Now there's a thought. Welsh Labour....supporting the community.

From time to time the National Assembly of Wales forgets that it's a Labour run administration and tries to act Conservative. Last week it's proposed a merger of local authorities throughout the country. Presumably to get "efficiency savings". How very Tory.

Now personally I'm against it. Particularly because it would be very administratively difficult to control the large swathes of area involved (for example Bridgend/Rhondda Cynon Taff). With regard to the proposal to merge Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan council though there would be a particular problem because of new blog villain Cardiff Labour council.

As I chatted about earlier this week. The attitude towards the Vale of Glamorgan by Cardiff Labour Council has been very Captial City. What is clear is that Cardiff Labour looks down on it's neighbour (Barry Town being "A town without purpose" according to one councillor which was not the only example) and this will only create antagonism. Let me make a prediction. Any Cardiff/Vale merger is not going to work because if this.

As I'm writing this the Australian Formula One Grand Prix is on. Have lost interest in this sport for a long while now. Probably the remaining bit will die next year when it goes pay TV. Trust me that I wasn't interested enough to pay money in TV subscriptions on it. I suspect that next year that there will be many people like me who hold the same view. Formula One will become like cricket. Slowly withering away.

Anyway that's enough rambling for today.

Until the next time.

Barry Town: It's Purpose Is That It's There

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Had to go to Barry Town this morning for a few pieces of shopping which I couldn't get in Penarth. Nothing major you understand. Went in. Did my business went out. Job done.

But I was caught out in a newsagent when I saw a headline in the local newspaper. Where Barry Town was described as "a town without purpose".

Now I didn't need to read on to know that the remark would have only been said by councillor from Cardiff City Council. It has (and I know this as a Londoner) a kind of arrogant capital city mentality that some (note the word some folks) people in any capital city possess.

The Labour councillor Russell Goodway (who amazingly lives in Barry and was born in the Vale of Glamorgan) was discussing the pan South Wales "Cardiff City Deal" which is designed to create jobs and investment throughout the region. He was asked about investment in smaller towns to which he said that Barry Town was " a town without purpose" because the "purpose it was created no longer exists".

I have said before and will repeat that I like Barry Town. Rather like Harlow it's a place that whilst I wouldn't compare to Paris or Milan is far better than it's reputation. It seems a friendly town with an adequate array of shops. It's not escaped austerity, but it seems to have made a better fist of adapting to it than Bridgend Town

By Mr Goodway's skewered logic. You can argue that if you exclude it's centre and the Bay (as that's where the National Assembly is) Cardiff is a city without a purpose. Of course it's a rubbish argument. All town and cities evolve when circumstances occur. Even if (as I'd argue with the case of Bridgend) these circumstances were (Welsh Labour Council) self inflicted.

The Cardiff Council Labour Leader (not Goodway) spoke of towns outside the capital needing "a reason to exist" beyond being a commuter town. Even that comment smacks of crumbs from an arrogant Welsh Labour man's table.

Barry Town has investment in housing, infrastructure, roads and new factories. Being outside of the capital city but being close to it will do the place no harm at all. And of course if local businesses need to do business overseas they could always use Cardiff Airport....which is in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Of course Barry Town's original purpose no longer exists. No one ships coal from the docks in Wales anymore. But to denigrate as merely a "dormitory town" and nothing more shows the contempt of Cardiff Welsh Labour and needs to be countered.

Until the next time.

So Vale Of Glamorgan Council Are Considering Car Parking Charges For Barry Town....Are They Mad?...Look At Bridgend

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

If we are talking about towns and not cities then the differences between people visiting the town and going somewhere else can depend on just one decision, or a group of decisions which by themselves seem relatively minor but eventually can help lead the town into decline.

I've learnt that the Vale Of Glamorgan Council are considering introducing car parking charges throughout the borough. The biggest place that will be affected is Barry Town. As the title of this post shows, my first reaction on hearing this was to question the sanity of the councillors who were in favour of such an action.

But then I realised that I was in a unique position. Though now living in the Vale I've spent seventeen years of my life living in the Bridgend area. Perhaps what the council needs to stop it making this Brexit/Trump decision of insanity is a history lesson about Bridgend Town. And since this my blog I'll be the one to do it.

It's 1998. Bridgend Town seems thriving enough. Sure there's the big stores which are just a short walk away from the town but that really was it's only competition and it appeared to have endured that. But then Macarthur Glen Outlet stores opens outside the town. It offered many things. Crucially shops that are unavailable in the town and free parking.

But despite the clear advantages and indeed fairness to the many small retail businesses that helped the town thrive through the years,Bridgend Labour Council, displaying the arrogant incompetence that seemed to characterised it's recent time there refused to abolish car parking charges. Whilst there are other reasons for the decline in the town (and if you're interested Vale Of Glamorgan council search Bridgend Town on this blog and you'll see what it has become) it was that decision that I'd argue started the decline.

Many many years later. People could come into the town and park in the ASDA supermarket free for three hours.

But it was too late.....the damage was done.

What I'm going to show you, Vale Of Glamorgan Council, are pictures for the last time a few weeks back I went to Bridgend Town (I've posted and blogged about them before but I want you to see them) and ask yourself is this the future you see for Barry Town?

Bare in mind this is just a small portion of what I've written about the town again I say for a fuller picture look at all what I've written previously. So these are just examples.

There is in Nolton Street a small arcade which had small quirky shops. I remember a café, a knitting place and a toy and costume shop where I got a mouse costume for my daughter for the junior school Christmas panto.

Now apart from the two shops that go onto the street, every single shop in that arcade has closed down.



The Bridgend Indoor Market seems to be struggling with a vast amount of stalls empty.



And there are vast swathes of empty shops in the town centre. In the most extreme example there was a McDonald's which was closed for seventeen years and just left to rot. Only in the last few weeks has it been demolished.



And recently Argos has closed down. To be fair there is a larger out of town store about ten/fifteen minutes walk away but still. That's another major retailer that's left.



Now as I've said the above is a small picture of the state of Bridgend Town. And there are other factors in play here as well. But the imposition of a car park levy will make less people go to Barry Town, and instead go to the out of town stores in Barry or Cardiff Bay (where the car parking is free). The small independent shops will suffer first but major retailers will leave as well. Such is the ripple effect that charging will have.

My knowledge of Barry Town is recent Vale Of Glamorgan Council. And I know that it's not Venice. But I also know it's a happy vibrant place with a good mixture of independent shops and established retail outlets. Don't endanger it. The precedent of Bridgend Town is there for you.

Until the next time.

The Barry Island Wheel Of Fortune?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

When I was in Essex early this week two Welsh news stories caught my eye. (It's odd now to see Welsh stories relatively far away). One was of course the death of Carl Sargeant which I discussed on my previous post. The other though, got via Twitter concerned the Barry Island funfair.

Now a couple of quick asides before I go on about the funfair. Firstly with regard to Carl Sargeant my wife was in Bridgend yesterday and told me that she drove past the house of the first minister Carwyn Jones and saw a police car stationed there. As I recall there has never been such an obvious police presence, and you can only presume that's as a consequence of what happened.

The second is that I remember when my daughter was about two watching a programme with her on Ceebeebies  called Doodle Do presented by the Welsh Comedian Chris Corcoran. He was telling a story to a couple of puppet figures about a man called Barry who was shipwrecked to a Desert Island. Once he got himself sorted out, one of the first things he did was to name the place "Barry Island".

Well I laughed. But I remember my daughter turning round giving me a look of puzzlement as she didn't understand why Dad was suddenly laughing in a programme meant for her.

And one final quick aside. Of all the pantomimes I saw with my daughter when she was younger. the two with Chris Corcoran in Porthcawl were by far the best (and I include in that much more expensive and star studded affairs in Cardiff and Swansea).

But back to the funfair. Now for those who don't know the area it's important to separate Barry Town with Barry Island. Barry Island is the place with the beach, the arcades and the funfair. It's the place where many people in South Wales go for the day. It is for the most part happy and welcoming.

It is Barrybados.

However it has been in relative decline since it's heyday and clearly needs investment to attract more people. The fairground is a good metaphor for the island as a whole.

Now according to the BBC Wales website the owner of the fairground has said that the new Ferris Wheel has been ordered to be dismantled by the Vale of Glamorgan council because it doesn't comply with planning regulations as it's too high. The council said in response that it hadn't asked him not to remove the wheel but to follow the regulations and seek planning permission. The Wales Online website suggested that a multi-million investment may be at risk.

Now whoever is correct here (and I've no idea) what is clear is that the relationship between the owner of the fairground and the council is not great. But for the future of Barry Island it needs to be sorted out. The fairground is an iconic landmark of the Island and this sort of animosity is not doing it any good.

In early October we took a day trip there on a Sunday (when the weather was surprisingly good). I tweeted some pictures at the time but didn't blog about it afterwards as I was feeling unwell. By the time I was better a few days later the moment had gone. This however means that the moment has come back. So let me give you a picture first of the fairground from the outside.



Now appearances can be deceptive. The building on the right was a pub/restaurant that we went too a few years ago to a wedding party.....closed down.

If looks were any guide the Ferris Wheel seemed far and away the newest thing there. Certainly the most impressive. We were told as we went in as we were stunned by what was around the wheel (which I'll talk about in a moment) that it cost two million pounds and was the first stage in a scheme to revitalise the fairground.

But otherwise, baring in mind that this was October so the summer season being over, the fairground seemed tired looking. As if struggling to be happy, trying to be happy, but finding it a burden.







To my untrained eye. Any objection to the Ferris wheel on the grounds of height seems odd. Leaving aside issues of Health and Safety there seems no reason why there should be planning permission at all. After all we're talking about putting a fairground attraction where a fairground already exists.

So the council (who must surely realise that a revitalised Barry Island will mean increased revenue for them) and the owner need to sort out their differences quickly. For whilst the Island is more than a fairground it's success following the owner's investment will help in an overall revival.

Of course Barry Island will always have the Beach.



Until the next time.

In Which We Take The Knap

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So it's half term. I'm not working Wednesday. The wife's off as well and we face the perennial parent question.

"What are we going to do today?"

This was the last day until Sunday we'd be together as a family. And for me Sunday will be partly spent preparing for the trip I'll be making to Essex on Monday (I'll explain about that at the time) so really today's the day for "family time".

Wife: "Why don't we go to Porthcawl?"

Me: "Are you kidding?!" After all we've lived in that area for seventeen years and she wants to go back for a wander? Unless there's a specific reason I've no intention of visiting Porthcawl, much as I must stress I like the place.

So then says the wife how about Cold Knap where you could just gaze at the sea in pleasant weather conditions? It's just outside Barry Town/Island. Apparently she went there as a child a number of times. I've never heard of the place but didn't mind giving it a go, especially as there was no better idea in my head.

Wife, daughter and myself went to have a pub lunch first nearby. It was edible with  very nice chips but the main meal seemed to be a case of honey I shrunk the full English breakfast. Once our meals were consumed we made the short trip to The Knap car park to begin the wander. And yes, the Cold has apparently gone from the wife's remembrances . Here it was just the Knap.

Before being a case of The sea, the sea. It seemed a wander through The Knap gardens seemed appropriate. Starting with the sort of tree you see in horror movies signifying a fiendish accident is going to happen.




And the thing you begin to notice are the Swans. First you notice there's just the one



From which you're then distracted by the ducks.



And then you realise there's loads of them.



These Swans were impressive looking.



You suddenly realise that you haven't seen as many Swans since they were beaten by West Ham on Match of The Day.



And they seemed to move in near formation as well.



And did I mention they were rather big?



And of course invading.



Then time for a Classic Swan pose which I couldn't resist taking a picture of.



And here they are planning world domination whilst eating grass.



But eventually you walked up some steps and saw The Knap.

First time a picture of wife and daughter have ever been in this blog

And it's a place with great views.



And let's continue on this theme.



Indeed it was a place so surprisingly calm a seagull could contemplate the world as the sun starts to set.

Told you

And you know what? I can see why people like this place. As long as the weather's reasonable it really is somewhere you can just pause and reflect. I'd recommend it. We all liked it.

A rare thing then a day out which had the approval of us all.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac's Random Wanderings Online Continues: The GMT Post

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well my body clock says I've woken up at three o'clock in the morning. Bad enough you might think. Except the clocks went back whilst I was sleeping, which means it's actually two twenty nine as I'm writing this. Another group then who should campaign that "British Summer Time" (pause here to reflect how laughable those words sounds) are insomniacs.

So the internet wanderings begin

What do I do first? I update my nectar card to put my rental address in. What does it say? It closed the card over a month ago!!! What madness is this? Seemed to have added points from the petrol station on a regular basis without it suddenly saying "Sorry old chap I'm dead".

You might remember that I attacked not so Great Western Railway over their attitude to bilingual signs on their trains. Well I had a comment from Mr or Ms Anonymous asking why was I so concerned now and what about CrossCountry trains and National Express coaches.

My answer to Mr/Ms Anonymous was that as I mentioned in the post I've not taken a Great Western train for a long time, and felt compelled to put fingers to keyboard now by their attitude to such requests. Suggesting let's not forget that a service from London to Swansea is not a dedicated South Wales line.

I've never been on a CrossCountry train, but the point re National Express was a fair one. So I've tweeted National Express asking for their recorded announcements (when the coach is in Wales) to be bilingual. As they say on the TV watch this space.

The station I'm listening to is RTE Lyric FM. For the record taken as a whole my favourite classical radio station as it's the most relaxed and less snobby one that I know.

Here's a random three thirty two in the morning thought. Will golf lose whatever popularity it has because no one wants to be associated with something Donald Trump likes to do?

Four seventeen am:Outside there is the extremely loud noise of a helicopter. Normally at this time it means that the police are after someone. More people in Sully/Barry Town will be woken up now.

Five Twenty Seven am:Apparently a Tory MP, Mark Garnier has admitted making his secretary buy sex toys and that he will have to take it all "on the chin". Kinky sex toys then.

Five Thirty Three am: Time for breakfast. Run out of croissants so cereal will have to do.

Six Seventeen am: My eyes are feeling droopy. Time to give sleep another go.

Until the next time.

In Which Biloxi Mississippi Public Schools Makes Me Start To Read An Extra Book plus added Barry Town

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As I've said before in this blog there are moments as a reader where a book pushes itself into the must read list whilst all the others have to wait a little longer for my attention. This time though it was caused by the actions of the Biloxi School District of Mississippi.

For this district has dropped Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird from it's reading list because some people were "uncomfortable" with the language. This I suspect is the use of the N word.

I suspect that context is everything. I suspect that given the context of the novel the use of the N word is acceptable or else surely it would have been withdrawn years ago. I suspect that it's withdrawl by the Biloxians (who sound like a Doctoer Who villain) for this reason is a travesty of what Harper Lee was writing about.

However I haven't read the novel. Purely because there are so many books but so little time. But the Biloxian action literally (and literary) got me off my backside to go the main borough library in Barry Town and get it.

Which I did.

Thirty Million People Can't Be Wrong

Once the book was borrowed I walked along the main high street of the town knowing that a barbers was nearby. When I saw it I entered. A young man led me to a seat and, after I gave him my normal vague instructions (trim, sideburns and hair on the back of my neck cut) started on my silver mane.

Now there came a moment when the barber stopped, looked at the book I'd put on the shelf and said:

"That's a great book". He'd read it at school

So after all these years he could recall it not just being "good" or "readable" but "great". Also the fact that he'd read it at school should perhaps make the Biloxians wonder how it is that no one is querying the right of Welsh children to read this book but it's somehow deemed too tough for American children to grasp any degree of nuance or context into it's language. Here's a hint. Kids aren't stupid when it comes to this sort of thing.

By the way for the record the guy did a good haircut. I know this because wife/daughter liked it. And if you can pass their stern gaze then you've got to be good.

One quick aside. When I mentioned that we'd moved from Bridgend a look best described as pity entered the barber's face. Bridgend Town is now having a reputation as a place of decay in South Wales. Reputations, especially bad ones, take a long time to change.

This Was The Barbers. Bagnalls

I have to admit that Barry Town has grown on me in the past few months. Of course no one is going to look at it and immediately confuse the place with Venice. And also no town is perfect. But it seems to be a friendly sort of place where people will stop you in the street to chat (which actually happened to me, when someone I knew as a boy called me. He's now taller and married with children).

I was told by the barber that Barry Town was like Bridgend Town until investment was put in. Perhaps Bridgend Labour Council might seek tips on how to turn urban decay around. Somehow though I doubt it.

Barry Town Today

Until the next time

The Return Of The Library......Not Quite Yet

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I had discovered last week that there were no issues to joining a library near where we now live, even though we were renting. Much as I'm grateful to the Kindle for keeping me sane during the past few months, I'd missed the quiet pleasure of turning a page as opposed to swiping it. I wanted proper books back.

So where I live the nearest library is in the village of Sully, just outside both Penarth and Barry Town. And let's just say the first about it that it's a little on the small side.

And when I say small......

Not only does it make Porthcawl library seem like Wembley Stadium by comparison but when you go inside not all the space is filled with books either. Still, it's a library, and that's the important point. So (trying to state this with a straight face) size doesn't matter.

The other thing that needs to be mentioned here are it's opening hours. Only open on three days, Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday and all that book action commences at eleven o'clock. I'm too new to the area to know why that is, but picking those three days seem odd to me.

Still I had come prepared. My tenacy agreement to show that I lived in an address in the area and my driving licence to show that I am who I say I am. The kindly librarians gave me a form to write and I answered the questions. There it was done, easey peasy  those soon to be expensive because of Brexit lemons squeezey. Grab a couple of books, wish the ladies well and off I go to read by the classic method.

But.....

"I'm afraid we can't let you borrow books yet" said the blonde librarian with what sounded like an East European accent. "We're installing a new computer system and it's not quite ready. You'll need to wait for your card".

And when will my card be ready? Thursday came the response.

The trouble with that is from Thursday until Sunday I'm working the early shift. What that means is that by the time I'm driving home from Bridgend I'd be too tired to stop off and pick up a card and choose these books. I'll have to wait seven days time.

So, let's be clear here. New technology has meant I can't enjoy old technology because it's not ready.

Typical.

Until the next time.