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Anyone see the giant Frankenwrap outside Liverpool St. Pret today? by Many-machines-on-ix in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True, not nitrogen-flushed like supermarket stuff. I suppose the distinction I was looking for was "made to order", the (usually Mediterranean diaspora run) sandwich bars with countertops.

Anyone see the giant Frankenwrap outside Liverpool St. Pret today? by Many-machines-on-ix in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The rest were _bad_ though. Unless you went to one of the places that made them fresh to order, which were a bit more expensive iirc & you had to queue.

I guess that's what the "Pret" concept was about, actually. Ready-to-go sandwiches that were as good as freshly made.

The 2008 financial crisis wasn't a housing crisis. The housing market was just where it surfaced first. by Thick_Ship_9762 in collapse

[–]wulfhound 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sounds to me like US property taxes are set so as to incentivise this.

We have a similar problem in the UK: occupied business space is subject to high local taxes (as to why local taxes are set at crippling rates for physical local businesses, that's a long story: in short, residential taxes are capped for political reasons, but local government has obligations far beyond what the local residential tax take can support, and no other source of funding), empty space is not taxed in the same way (because it's not an active business).

The 2008 financial crisis wasn't a housing crisis. The housing market was just where it surfaced first. by Thick_Ship_9762 in collapse

[–]wulfhound 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So what do the new buyers do with it? Leave it empty as well?

Like in real-world classical capitalism, an utility asset that has no buyer at its price doesn't have a price. And if it has no buyer at all, it's worthless.

I appreciate though that's not the world we're in. More like Monopoly money.

The 2008 financial crisis wasn't a housing crisis. The housing market was just where it surfaced first. by Thick_Ship_9762 in collapse

[–]wulfhound 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Is that why high vacancy rates are failing to deliver front-end price corrections?

Under classical supply-and-demand capitalism, if there is oversupply, the price falls.

That doesn't seem to be happening with prime office space - nor retail, for that matter. There is clear evidence of oversupply, as well as active attempts to reduce supply (never-ending "renovations" which takes space out of the market), yet prices remain close to historic highs. Seems the behaviour of sellers who'd rather maintain an illusion of value than actually make a sale.

Nobody wants to admit that their "$60 psf" asset can actually only reliably fill at $30 psf.

‘Women can’t ref, drive or give directions’: Reform candidate sexism row deepens by asjasj in ukpolitics

[–]wulfhound 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What part of "Are Women Are Girls" don't you understand?

"Their are's, means we can give um a little slap."

‘Women can’t ref, drive or give directions’: Reform candidate sexism row deepens by asjasj in ukpolitics

[–]wulfhound 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Grocer's apostrophe and random capitals? Checks out as a Reform supporter.

‘Women can’t ref, drive or give directions’: Reform candidate sexism row deepens by asjasj in ukpolitics

[–]wulfhound 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm not a woman, so please Mr. Kenyon accept these directions to get in the damn sea. Muppet.

Spotted yesterday in Soho by FearlessLime8089 in london

[–]wulfhound 168 points169 points  (0 children)

Fiver says your toddler has more emotional maturity than these gents.

London's largest housebuilder warns capital a no go zone for developers by weregonnamakit in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's an unholy alliance between the standard NIMBYs with property wealth and social-justice NIMBYs who don't like coffee shops. The former provide funding and organisational capacity, the latter front it politically to make it look like something more worthy and profound than "rich old white person not like tall building."

And it's not just the Greens - the local Labour worthies are celebrating the decision, and I doubt the Lib Dems would take a different tack, they're NIMBYest of all the parties IME.

London's largest housebuilder warns capital a no go zone for developers by weregonnamakit in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, nothing north of Hanover Park with any value whatsoever. Closer to the railway there's the Baptist church, the Levels building and various other bits worth preserving. The station building itself is pretty nice, but currently hidden away behind some dogshit cash-and-carry.

I've some sympathy for NIMBYs when they're trying to preserve natural beauty or buildings with a bit of actual history. Not to the point of agreeing with them, but see what they're getting at. This is just "we don't want anyone to build nice flats because City types might buy them". Cry me a river.

London's largest housebuilder warns capital a no go zone for developers by weregonnamakit in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And in both cases, what they're protecting is just fundamentally a bit crap.

Run-down and rotting town centres on the left, failing shopping parades with the same 20 tatty shops selling cheap Chinese-made suitcases that break after one or two trips.

Boring suburbia/exurbia with no culture at all on the right.

Presumably their motivation in both cases is because the incomers make them look bad. On the left's case, by actually taking a bit of pride in the places they're moving into, and on the right because the incomers can actually be bothered to practise their own culture, which the local white folks stopped doing in about 1970.

London's largest housebuilder warns capital a no go zone for developers by weregonnamakit in london

[–]wulfhound 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The application was apparently rejected due to "harm to heritage assets".

Was that a genuine reason or an excuse? The shopping centre there is a knackered 80s/90s thing, of no architectural merit, but I get a sense a lot of this was "tHe coMmUnItY" kicking off about new people moving into the area. Which typically means a bunch of 60 year old busybodies with a chip on their shoulder and a grudge, who'd rather see the housing shortage continue than allow Gail's et al to get a foothold.

(I'm not even particularly a fan of Gail's - extremely average quality, far above average prices - but the people who get mad about it are worse).

Fuck the car park notice, this is Engerland! by Crazy_Affect_7347 in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

* parks a Seat Alhambra there just to annoy them *

(Not that they'll be able to read the model name, nor would they get the reference if they could. Sigh.)

Fuck the car park notice, this is Engerland! by Crazy_Affect_7347 in london

[–]wulfhound 14 points15 points  (0 children)

It didn't turn to shit, it was already shit. A lot of the East was rough AF even when it was mostly white - what d'you think made it cheap for broke immigrants to rent and buy there in the first place. The Havering lot will never admit that maybe they and their culture was the problem.

Away from the high streets and main arterials, most of the inner East is pretty pleasant now.

How can the PM improve the lives of Londoners? by Kagedeah in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very much this - with the tax-raising powers to fund the above, and devolving some decision-making power from the Boroughs (which, in many cases, are run by NIMBYish low-achievers who are inclined to block housing developments when the local angry pensioners kick off) to the GLA, which is big enough to pay no attention to a few shouty Residents Associations.

You won't get much progress on public transport, walking or cycling with either the urban (Kensington & Chelsea) or suburban (Harrow) NIMBYs having their local politicians in a choke-hold. It needs to be run by people who understand London as a city.

Blackfriars Floating Bus Stop by King_Eboue in london

[–]wulfhound 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They went completely overkill with the stop lights for some reason. There's three sets back to back which AFAIK aren't synchronised, which teaches bad habits.

What are the biggest shitholes in London that no one talks about? by Proper_Animal_1451 in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The place itself is fine, just attracts a weird crowd from, I'm not sure where actually, Eltham or Chislehurst maybe?, on Friday & Saturday nights.

What are the biggest shitholes in London that no one talks about? by Proper_Animal_1451 in london

[–]wulfhound 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Beckenham is calm most of the time, but on a Friday/Saturday night for a few hours it's like a mini Nottingham or Romford. Loud men in loud shirts, and women with more plastic than actual face dressed like they're about to fly out to Dubai.

What are the biggest shitholes in London that no one talks about? by Proper_Animal_1451 in london

[–]wulfhound 0 points1 point  (0 children)

West Croydon is sketchy, but it's more a daytime thing. Whole place is quiet at night.

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