I don't like living in England....

[Jdsk]

A description of how it will affect Christmas. And of the increased food waste that it is causing.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... y-supplies

Good reason to go veggie this coming Xmas! Although fruit and vegetables will also, quite likely, be impacted - partly because of a shortage of pickers.

Interview with the President of the NFU:
https://ukandeu.ac.uk/brexit-witness-ar ... e-batters/

includes:

UKICE: We’ve heard about asparagus rotting in the fields, strawberries unpicked, daffodils unpicked. Are those scare stories, or is there a significant issue with labour shortages?

MB: No, it’s a massively significant issue. Again, it was the engagement with Number 10 that got the global seasonal scheme of 30,000 over the line. We’ve now got the two licences in place for that. But our strawberries, our raspberries, our asparagus, our blueberries, are reliant on the dexterity of the human hand. We need people to harvest our fruit, vegetables, and flowers. There have been challenges.

The daffodil-growers in Cornwall will have faced enormous losses. We’ve got to make sure that we build what I would call bridges to more mechanisation, more automation. If we don’t do that, we will see things rotting in the fields, simply because we haven’t got the capability to pick them.

There are a lot of things that need to be done. We need to work collaboratively to incentivise a UK workforce. That isn’t going to happen overnight, because we’ve actively pushed people away from doing those jobs. It doesn’t mean to say that it won’t come back, but it’s going to take a lot of working together.

Fundamentally, we need to be producing much more of our fruit and veg here. Covid-19 has probably really shone a light on our diets, that a lot of them are not good diets, and we all need to have more fruit and veg in them. We’ve got the climate here to be growing it. I think, again, we need to be looking at producing more here. We’re still going to need a workforce.

There isn’t a silver bullet, but ignoring the situation and saying it isn’t important is not a way forwards. We’ve got to be able to look at, actually, how we enable these growers to have access to the workforce that they need.

"HGV licence fast-track won’t stop UK food shortages, industry warns":
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... stry-warns

Jonathan

[Oldjohnw]

Wednesday we will see the Justice Secretary cutting access to courts for Judicial review.

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2021/ju ... SApp_Other

After Monday’s threat to make reporting whistleblowing punishable like spying for a foreign government.

[Tangled Metal]

We went there for a short holiday after the ceasefire was agreed. Mainly did Belfast and Co Antrim, it was very nice but as said, there were a plethora of ugly bungalows. The woman running a B&B we stayed at remarked on how busy they were following the ceasefire. I've still not got as far as the Republic.

I used to go to the republic, when the kids were young. for short holidays but since it took up the euro the price of accommodation and eating out has got a bit mad.

Last time I was in county kildare in 2012 but camping only and noticed the main roads were a lot better but veer off them and it was rough enough.

A good few years back the Republic got a lot of EU support for road building. My dad's last couple of jobs were there for two new builds. Including a new bridge linking north and south I believe. They had issues with local fairy shrine/ well thingy. A place locals double cossed themselves if they went past. Superstition was strong.

[Ben@Forest]

A good few years back the Republic got a lot of EU support for road building. My dad's last couple of jobs were there for two new builds. Including a new bridge linking north and south I believe.

Yes, while working in Germany I met a German who'd been on holiday to the Republic, one of his comments was 'are there any roads that weren't built by the EU?'.

[Jdsk]

"Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2021: health in coastal communities"
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ommunities

Jonathan

[PDQ Mobile]

Screenshot 2021-07-21 at 08.38.36.png


"Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2021: health in coastal communities"
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ommunities

Jonathan

It doesn't appear to be just coastal to me.

[PDQ Mobile]

A good few years back the Republic got a lot of EU support for road building. My dad's last couple of jobs were there for two new builds. Including a new bridge linking north and south I believe.

Yes, while working in Germany I met a German who'd been on holiday to the Republic, one of his comments was 'are there any roads that weren't built by the EU?'.

You disapprove of road building altogether or just the EU supporting it?
Ireland had a very poor road infrastructure in the 70s.

I can only cite local experience but one notable scheme was a new road and rail bridge over the Afon Dwyryd to replace a rotting narrow wooden toll structure that had no provision for pedestrians (or cyclists).

After the long protracted efforts to gain some funding help for a new crossing, when the project got the go ahead with EU support a cycle/ped separate kerbed pavement was a stipulation.
As was removal of the toll.

I understood at the time, that any new EU road infrastructure HAS to take these user groups into consideration in the consultation phase

That contrasts with some other UK funded stuff here. The Porthmadog bypass was built without any cycleway, (though slightly longer (and lovelier) alternatives do exist).

[Tangled Metal]

I've got no problem within republic of Ireland having its roads built by EU money back in the day. It funded the last few years of my dad's long and successful career in highways building. Plus it was a better option working away there than down southern England or overseas or heaven forbid an office job!!!!

He had a life mixing it up with huge off road dumper trucks, excavators and various other road building equipment as site engineer and higher ranked site jobs. But not in construction side but in consultant side making sure the road builders did a good job.

Plus I had a little fun on days he took me in. Riding around in a long wheelbase land rover, he was senior so got the better one to drive. With 6 wheel drive off road, articulated trucks running less than a foot distance from your side mirror. Running up a steep slope across the face of the cutting in a rainstorm with the mud flowing over the bonnet at times. Big boys toys! But I certainly learnt just how good true offloaded are when driven by someone who's had advanced off road driving training.

Checked out his last site from surrounding roads on my only Irish visit. Amazing new bridge over the river near the border. Sniper alley in the past and not safe for him everywhere when he was there. Still its amazing how things have improved up there.

[PDQ Mobile]

^^
Quote was directed at ben@forest.

[Oldjohnw]

Corrupt behaviour seems never to end:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... SApp_Other

And yes, it is corrupt for elected politicians to try to use official means to influence a criminal trial.

[Jdsk]

"World Heritage Committee deletes Liverpool - Maritime Mercantile City from UNESCO’s World Heritage List"
https://en.unesco.org/news/world-herita ... itage-list

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... age-status

Jonathan

[pwa]

"World Heritage Committee deletes Liverpool - Maritime Mercantile City from UNESCO’s World Heritage List"
https://en.unesco.org/news/world-herita ... itage-list

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... age-status

Jonathan

I have spoken to a few people who have been there on short breaks in recent years, and without wishing to be rude, they described it as a dump and not worth visiting. Before that it was on my list of interesting places to visit. I won't be going, with or without "World Heritage" status.

[Ben@Forest]

I have spoken to a few people who have been there on short breaks in recent years, and without wishing to be rude, they described it as a dump and not worth visiting. Before that it was on my list of interesting places to visit. I won't be going, with or without "World Heritage" status.

I've only been to Liverpool once for one night (conference there the following day). What I saw of it seemed nice enough but the hotel service mimicked the worst Liverpool stereotypes. The ditsy receptionist couldn't find my booking and it took a long time to get the room and the next morning the chef arrived to cook breakfasts late (and after I did). What was odd was both found the problems faintly amusing although for someone working and who's firm had paid probably £70.00 for the room (some 8 or 9 years ago) it wasn't amusing at all.

To provide some balance my parents stayed at the Liverpool Adelphi Hotel a few months after it had been the subject of a reality TV series - and loved it.

[Mick F]

Hey!
You lot!
My wife is a Scouser.
She's planning on visiting her sisters in the next few weeks who live there still.

[merseymouth]

Hi all, So many people wouldn't recognize a true diamond unless it was polished up for bling!
Who can name a single city in the 21st Century that is the perfect image that some expect?
The main reason that is being cited for withdrawal of the status is that the Everton FC stadium will detract is billhooks!
Bramley Moore Dock isn't adjacent to the immediate waterfront, it is a good walk away.
I could lay out a very interesting heritage trail of firsts around Liverpool, none of which require the urging of the UN.
Unlike a certain pop group, Half Man, Half Biscuit, the critics are definitely "Half Baked"!
As for the Adelphi? Roy Rogers may have stayed there, but Trigger had the benefit of the Lord Mayor's stable, which is right by "Williamson's Tunnels", well worth a visit. IGICB MM