Forum Topic

How or why did this change come about ?

I remember the good old days when on Sundays the Shops kept closed and on Wednesday the Shops kept open until lunchtime only. What brought about this change that everybody now seems in a hurry? Do you reaally think this world is a better place for it now? Or just like me do you sometimes wish to be back in those good old days.

Oswald Whittle ● 2465d5 Comments

Who remembers "Lay By" from around the 50s/60s, assuming it was available in the UK?No-one bought anything on Credit back then, the store would place the item in the back room for you, you made regular payments, and when you'd actually paid for it, you could have it!Eminently sensible idea if it was reintroduced, and Credit withdrawn/restricted for some?  :-)

Rosco White ● 2458d

Credit I think has changed life a lot.  Everybody wants everything instantly and many more can now get this with credit.  When we saved up for things we thought more about what we were buying and had often changed our minds before we finally bought them.  We didn't fill our lives with so much cheap stuff and I think we have chosen more carefully we value more and look after more carefully.

Philippa Bond ● 2459d

The world became smaller as we and traded goods became able to travel faster and further.  When I was small I first travelled to Africa by boat, then later by prop plane with many stops and changes, then jet, and now non-stop jet flights. I never did get to fly on Concorde though.  I used to see the test flights when I lived in Bristol.  Hopefully we will soon be using electric trains powered by solar energy.  It is being worked on.  You can now communicate with pictures from the top of a mountain or a coral island thousands of miles away.  Computers used to be the size of a room and can now fit in your pocket.  Jobs continue to change, disappear or be automated.  Newspapers are disappearing as less reading is done and more TV is watched - we didn't have one when we were little and when we did it was small and the pictures in black and white and the programmes didn't run all day and night).  Shopping and meals can be ordered from your armchair and delivered to you ready to eat or ready to cook. Nothing ever seems to be fast enough.  As a consequence we are driven to be impatient and intolerant - and unfortunately as you so often see on the roads now - reckless.We are supposed to have the longest working hours in Europe and now that we are all supposed to work there are several campaigns for a four day week to achieve a better work:life balance  This might allow us to visit the high street more when the shops are open!

Philippa Bond ● 2462d

Businesses hungry for profits will seek to maximise the use of their assets. Simples!

Graham Weeks ● 2463d

When the shops closed in Ealing at Wed lunchtime if you needed them you could go to Chiswick because there the early closing day was Thurs. Its terrible for the shop workers these hours. We lived ok in those far off days. It was quite nice to walk through West Ealing then on a Sunday.

Nicholas Beard ● 2463d