Booking

There has been some press recently regarding diners who have booked to eat at some venue or other and then failed to turn up. This is unconscionably bad manners and damages the establishment where they were booked. The Gorse Fox has a solution to this (assuming breaking their legs with a baseball bat is likely to be frowned upon). A deposit should be taken on a credit card, their name, and their phone number should be recorded. If they are a no-show, they should be immediately put on a "not welcome list" that is shared across all the establishments in a 10-mile radius. Additionally, the full value of a table d'hote should be charged the against the credit card.

Right, that's that sorted.

The Gorse Fox was irritated to see that a petition has been raised to oppose the development of new homes to the west of our development. This is something that the Gorse Fox feels strongly about, so he commented:

Our population is growing and our demand for homes is growing. Our population has grown by 17 million since the 1950s, (9 million since 2000). Families are not like “nuclear families” of the 1950s where they stayed as a unit until each child left to get married and often accommodated elderly parents. Young adults want to leave and get their own homes. Families break up and one family unit may become two or more - each requiring a home. People are driven to live where they can afford and where they can get to their place of employment. Young couples need homes in which they can settle down. 

We have a conundrum. Everyone wants a home. Nobody wants it developed near them.The government has made it clear that there is a quota of houses that must be built in each area. Councils have little or no latitude to change that. 

I think that if I am living in a nice area, or nice development, and oppose further much needed development then I am being hypocritical and anti-social. What I would lobby for, however, is to ensure that adequate infrastructure is put in place to ensure that any new development improves rather than blights our area.

He expects his views will be contentious!

Much of the afternoon has spent looking through web listings. We thought it might be nice to have a week away somewhere with Urban-Cub and Ellie (and possibly Cousteau-Cub and the Coventry Hobbit). Selecting a suitable location with suitable accommodation has proved difficult. Indeed, at this point, though there is a "possibility list" there is nothing you could construe as a shortlist, let alone a decision. No bookings so far.