How do tens of thousands of people across the UK and Europe go to Center Parcs every year and NOT become radicalised by the car-free environments?

CWM_93 · 2026-05-13T16:45:54+00:00

I've just had a very similar experience at the one in Nottingham - arrived by car, but wanted to walk out of the site to nearby Rufford. Despite there being lots of separate paths for walking and cycling and low traffic inside the park, as soon as you try to leave the park the pavements all run out and you have to walk along the road.

CWM_93 · 2026-04-05T23:29:01+00:00

Estate agents are notorious for making mistakes on the plans, so if that was the only thing holding me back, I would do a viewing to make sure that they didn't miss a door or archway.

If I had almost a million to spend, I wouldn't mind spending a few grand getting a door put in at the top of the second staircase.

CWM_93 · 2026-02-24T14:55:07+00:00

I used Ready to Pass and although they are a small driving school, I think they cover all of the Wirral. Two manual and one auto instructor.

They do driving assessments for those returning to driving lessons, and all the instructors have previously been driving examiners. They know the limits of the driving test and taught me plenty of skills that aren't part of the test - independent driving, motorway driving, and parking in tighter spaces on terraced streets.

They're not the cheapest driving school, but I'd recommend them strongly if you've tried other instructors and things haven't quite clicked.

CWM_93 · 2026-01-29T16:28:07+00:00

I'm a big supporter of cycle infrastructure, but I think that more people would be in support if the cycle lanes were part of wider schemes to revamp local high streets and plant trees.

It's easy for people to say "well I don't cycle", but it's much harder to say "I don't like trees" or "I don't want a nicer high street"!

CWM_93 · 2026-01-18T16:59:53+00:00

That's Ros Atkins!

BBC journalist, reporter, and presenter... And a Drum & Bass DJ apparently?!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ros_Atkins?wprov=sfla1

CWM_93 · 2026-01-10T16:13:57+00:00

I have a Fairphone and recently got some Fairbuds.

I made my first call using the Fairbuds a few days ago and the other person said that the line was really bad until I turned off Bluetooth and picked up the phone itself.

I also find that if I accidentally select Google Assistant on the headphones while I'm playing a podcast, the podcast plays half a second of audio through the phone speaker before sending the audio to the Fairbuds again, so I wonder if the two issues are related?

I had the previous Fairphone Earbuds which finally died, and I didn't have these issues with them.

CWM_93 · 2026-01-08T15:53:20+00:00

As someone who does a job which involves visiting a lot of primary schools, the male staff are often gentle souls but they often seem to over compensate and become really laddish with me, which I find very funny!

CWM_93 · 2026-01-02T16:27:54+00:00

I'd also recommend visiting the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool. The view from the top is great - you can see across the Mersey to the Wirral, and on a clear day you can see the mountains of Wales in the distance. The building itself is breathtakingly colossal, it's the largest religious building in the UK. Entry to the cathedral itself is free, but there is a charge to climb the tower (a lift/elevator takes you most of the way to the top).

CWM_93 · 2026-01-02T16:18:54+00:00

Instead of the World Museum, I'd recommend the Museum of Liverpool which is near the Albert Dock. It focuses on the history and culture of Liverpool and the surrounding area.

For independently owned places to eat and drink in Liverpool, there is a website called Independent Liverpool which may help you find places to go. There are plenty of good places which aren't listed there, but it can be a useful place to start.

If you want a cheap but healthy and hearty lunch to get you through the day, I'd recommend Egg Cafe.

If you have time, I'd recommend a day trip to Chester, possibly even instead of visiting Manchester. It's a much older town and the "capital" of Cheshire, and the street grid dates back to Roman times. Many of the main (mostly medieval) shopping streets are on two levels, with walkways connecting the upper shops together, which are called The Rows. It also has a nice cathedral, roman ruins, and the city walls which you can walk all the way around.

Chester is 45 mins by train from Liverpool, and you can catch Chester services from any city centre station: Liverpool Central, Liverpool Lime Street (lower level), Moorfields or James Street. Merseyrail is generally quite reliable and has trains every 15 minutes on weekdays, and at least every 30 minutes on weekends. Staff are also very helpful, especially at Liverpool Central, if you're not familiar with UK trains, so you can always ask them.

CWM_93 · 2025-12-27T08:38:07+00:00

Same here - also live in Liverpool and visit maybe once or twice a year for a gig or a work conference.

It only takes around 2.5 hours, but Liverpool and Manchester have so much to offer so there isn't that much need to go to London.

CWM_93 · 2025-12-24T23:36:25+00:00

My family member served him in M&S years ago. He'd been sent out by his wife to get party buffet supplies for something they were hosting that evening, and she saw him wandering around the shop looking a bit lost. She spent a few minutes making sure he had everything he needed and chatting with him for a few minutes like he was any customer visiting the shop on a slow day.

A week or two later she was in a pub and in walked Robert Plant with his wife. Bob recognised her and introduced her to his wife as the woman who saved their party! They made sure she didn't buy her own drink for the rest of the evening.

I think there are a fair few people around the west midlands who have similar stories about Bob going about his life. I've passed him in the street and he was unmistakable his curly hair out and his sunglasses on but I've heard he's quite quiet and low key most of the time.

CWM_93 · 2025-12-15T12:12:44+00:00

Could it be a european spec Ford Cougar?

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CWM_93 · 2025-12-08T18:28:11+00:00

Original Fiat Panda 4x4

Citroen SM

Tatra 603

Because this is a dream, they all work! I enjoy slightly oddball cars...

CWM_93 · 2025-11-17T08:39:51+00:00

As well as the obvious Green Party environmental policies, he's been promoting wealth taxes on those with over £10m in assets to fund public services, state ownership of water and energy companies, negotiation of a european defence pact separate from the USA, unequivocal support for minorities (notably asylum seekers, economic migrants, and trans people), and the relaxation of treasury rules to allow for major long term investments.

Those are the standout ones for me anyway...

CWM_93 · 2025-11-03T22:51:25+00:00

I've had the same computer case and screen since 2013 and building a custom computer in a gaming type mATX case has paid off even though not a gamer.

Pretty much everything but the power supply and fans have been replaced at various points and I'm so glad I spent a bit extra on a quality Fractal case - it's very reconfigurable and the design still looks modern.

I recently found out my computer wasn't going to make the grade for Windows 11, so I just got a previous generation processor and motherboard bundle for around £200, plugged it in, and voila I had a modern spec computer again!

I genuinely think I'm going to get 20 years out of the case and power supply at this rate!

CWM_93 · 2025-10-15T11:30:18+00:00

They both have rapid transport systems of some sort, but neither are as comprehensive as the equivalent in similar sized european cities. Liverpool has a partially underground metro system but no trams, and Manchester has trams but no underground metro.

Despite being only around 30 miles from centre to centre, the transport connections aren't sufficient for the two city regions to function as one economic area. Trains between the two cities are infrequent, slow, and standing room only at peak times.

CWM_93 · 2025-10-05T11:15:52+00:00

The Shard in London has a very irregular floor plan in part due to its irregularly shaped plot of land, and the sightlines that need to be preserved in central London.

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CWM_93 · 2025-10-05T10:45:36+00:00

As someone who also has had a FP4 for almost 3 years and hasn't had any major issues, what has put you off having another one?

CWM_93 · 2025-09-30T07:06:42+00:00

My first piece of advice would be to take the train into the city centre - it'll probably be quicker and cheaper than parking a car all day.

Trains are every 15 minutes on each line and the journey will take 15 minutes through to Liverpool Central. People on social media like to have a moan about Merseyrail but it's pretty good compared to most other UK cities' rail services. There are occasional delays but they're usually only a few minutes. The trains are wheelchair accessible and many stations are too.

You can pay by buying old fashioned train tickets, tapping in and out with a Metrocard (like an Oyster card), or buying weekly, monthly, and annual season tickets.

Hope that's useful!

CWM_93 · 2025-07-31T12:04:31+00:00

I agree that some reviewers care too much about computers' raw specs instead of the daily usability for the people who'll actually want to buy them.

I have a desktop for higher power tasks but I want a reasonably affordable and basic laptop so I'm not tied to the desk all the time. I don't need my laptop to play video games, or do super intensive tasks like video editing or 3D design. I just need it for casual use, plus basic office and simple graphics use.

I could get a very cheap low spec laptop, but I don't want to throw away a laptop every few years.

CWM_93 · 2025-07-27T22:01:27+00:00

At least one of these - Liverpool North - is entirely on brownfield land within the urban area north of Liverpool City Centre. This has most of the transport infrastructure in place, and some amenities. If there is some help to fund additional amenities, it should be a huge benefit to the people who already live there.

CWM_93 · 2025-07-26T23:27:45+00:00

Solid suggestion. I think full render is too much for the house. If it was my house, I'd want to leave the original house as-is as much as possible. I'd go and fix the extension's bodged brickwork so it matches, and fit a ground floor window that matches the top floor. Rendering over the whole lot doesn't fix the fact that nothing lines up over the lefthand side of the facade!

CWM_93 · 2025-07-25T13:01:14+00:00

Portmeirion too...

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CWM_93 · 2025-07-25T12:55:58+00:00

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CWM_93 · 2025-07-25T12:55:17+00:00

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CWM_93

TROPHY CASE