Council tax

[GrannyMac]

i think we may have a lot more lamenting to do about the mismanagement of the economy.

It looked good in Margaret Thatcher's time because she found an alternative to borrowing, which was asset stripping. This carried on right into the Blair years, but now not only have governments failed to stop all sorts of industry going abroad, they've imported masses of extra people and they now have nothing to sell. The books don't balance. It's a bloody mess in my opinion.

A good explanation Ashy.  

I worked for East Midlands Gas Board, from the late 70s, before it became BG, and for some time after privatisation.  I don't think we realised how lucky we were being in a nationalised industry.   The only way I'd have got a better paid clerical job was at the National Coal Board offices, but that was a non starter because I didn't have any relatives working there!  However, there were opportunities for promotion, and I had some great colleagues.  Our customer service standards were constantly rated on a par with M&S. 

What people probably didn't realise was the much loved showrooms, selling cookers and gas fires, were subsidised by the sale of gas. Considering that they then had a monopoly on selling appliances, did the sales staff really need bonuses?   I remember the company being split up, the several restructures, and redundancies.  Too much was sold off, and the country has never recovered.

[klondike]

on a par with M&S. 

A neighbour years back was an M&S floor supervisor. She told me that when any underwear was returned she had to surreptitiously peep inside for any "evidence of wear   ". I expect they won't change it these days.