ECCOnoob

For exactly the same reason why news reporters commenting on a Employment Tribunal case must stand outside ACAS despite bugger all happening there at 10pm, Weather forecasters who stand outside in freezing weather with a blurred camera lens to emphasise the fact that its snowing or some consumer journalists who tell you about some company's complaints who insist on standing outside some shop doorway rather than the head office where something might actually be happening. Its the world of television. Its what programmes are for. Like it or not. Its us viewers who expect to see things in context and need this level of emphasis to illustrate a topic being discussed. YES, they could talk about a subject Just as effectively in a grey studio set in the middle of London, but us viewers may not find it so appealing to view and saleability of such programmes may not be as high.

^^^ totally agree. As usual its the press who have splashed their story all over their pages and massively hyped it up. A drop of alcohol will kill you. A pint will cause cancer. Just like the whole MMR thing which was totally manufactured by the newspapers and turned a humble sole opinion in a medical report into god given facts - this long winded, boring report has been chopped and mangled to fit into a newspaper's sensationalist narrative. Like others have said, we all know that any amount of alcohol is bad for us, anything we consume will involve some things which are bad for us, even too much fruit and veg is bad for us. As for the 14 unit limit, that sounds about right doesn't it? Its not just me surely? Most people I know don't drink every night of the week. We've got to work, we drive cars, we come home and have families to look after. People may have a couple of drinks after work a couple of nights and/or a bigger session on a Friday or Saturday night but I suspect levelled out that is reaching the 14-18 unit levels anyway. Are there really that may people who are regularly going well above those levels? If that's the case then maybe they do need to be told to put a stop to it. Not really nanny state there. More just common sense.

Good to see the police are doing what they are supposed to. Good to see that they are being at least fair in some points. Lesson learnt for you I guess. Always check any insurance documentations thoroughly.

In the world of retail and hospitality first impressions count. I have been in and whilst the food is alright its very very style over substance. At the end of the day its just burger and chips. All these places have a limited life span and there are bigger and better established chains doing the same thing. Problem I find with this place, its is that its interior is far too diner like to make you feel like lingering after a meal or even just popping in for a drink. Its attempts at being a bar that people might actually want to sit in for drinking are way off the mark. As for its food, that's limited because there are only so many times that people fancy burger and chips. With little else on the menu, people vote with their feet. It needs to establish what it wants to be more clearly. Does it want to be a "bar" that people will go for drinks in OR is it firmly set on steeling some customers away from Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Five Guys. At the minute it seems to be a bit of a hybrid. Sometimes its best to do just one thing and do it well.

I would like to see your evidence that they "target old dears". Their advertising is certainly not aimed at the gentle old folk and I don't see 118 ads plastered all over the latest issue of Saga Magazine or broadcast all over Classic FM. Interestingly the biggest and most prominent 118 campaign was sponsoring movies on ITV and ITV2. Not really aiming for the elderly market there. If you want to see "targeted" advertising take a look at the offering on ITV3 daytime. Wiltshire Farm Foods, Viking Cruises and HSL high seat chairs. Face facts. Its just another premium rate service like any other. Just like the whole ringtone services, music seekers, ask me anything and dating services. Heavy advertisements + morons who wont check prices before dialing = profits. There is no hidden agenda here. There is nothing deceitful or immoral. There is no scam. Its a business. The public need to take more interest and actually LOOK at things before just aimlessly using something.

What did the driver say when you complained to him about the state of the vehicle and his driving? What have the company said after you have reported the driver and their service?

Is it definitely DASS?? or is it DAS. There is a large insurer called DAS that does many things from motor legal protection through to home protection. http://www.das.co.uk/legal-protection/for-families It might have been something that was set up through an "added extra" bank account or some legal protection insurance supplied through another policy such as a car/home/travel insurance

Well then they are idiots. Call charges are clearly stated on their advertising and if you are offered direct connection you are told by the operator how much the call connection and subsequent minute charges are before the operator puts you through. If those people still CHOOSE to use the service then that's their decision alone. I certainly would not call a premium rate service without knowing how much it costs.

Its a legitimate business and they can quite rightly be advertising on television. If people CHOOSE to use their services and CHOOSE to pay for the convenience of being put through directly AFTER they have been made aware of the charges then that's their choice. They may well be "rip off" but they don't make their money any other way. The days of Directory Enquiries being an essential and thus well used service are long gone. Nearly every mobile has the internet these days. People are paying for the convenience and such convenience comes with premiums.

What do people want to see on Christmas TV? People moan about repeats and the same films year after year but from what I see its us viewers that expect to see such films on. People all over facebook and twitter hark on about good old Home Alone, The Snowman, Mary Poppins, The Muppets, Sound of Music, Bond Films and Die Hard which are almost the expected staples to be on during Christmas time. In the age of faux facebook campaigns and the twitterari. Christmas tv without, for example, home alone would no doubt lead to some kind of online outrage. Lets also add on that people now are watching tv in more different ways than ever before. We have Freeview, Sky +, Tivo, Amazon, Netflix and dozens of less legal ways of watching content. Personally, I have sky plus and I don't think I have watched even one thing live broadcast during this holiday period. I have gone through the tv guide every couple of days, set the things I wanted to record and sat when I like watching what I like. When you have 999 channels to watch, plus the internet I don't know how the main broadcasters begin to try and think up new content to keep us tuning in. Further, I have noted more this year, that Sky is becoming much more active in producing its OWN original dramas, comedy and entertainment which must be putting further pressure on ITV / BBC to produce. There is still lots of good stuff on during the season but now its just spread out over much wider formats and far away from the traditional three main channels.

All those honoured doctors, nurses, community workers are "just doing their jobs for which they are paid for" so surely the same rule should apply. If you are gonna have something - it should be equal across the board, right? Just once can we leave wealth and salary out of this. They are being given recognition for their long service or achievement in a particular field. Its no different to when a company gives recognition to an employee for their service or outstanding work on a particular circumstance. Its academic whether that person is shop floor or senior executive. The recognition is still just as valid.

Damnit, why couldn't Baby Jebus have been born during a warmer month! God sake. Its ONE extra bank holiday this year. The only reason for such holiday was that Boxing Day took place on a Weekend. If Christmas day had been on a Monday everyone would have been nicely back at work by Wednesday. Same for New Years day, which would have meant everyone back to work as normal on Tuesday. Its just the way its happened to fall this year. People have been lucky that the weekends have been so close to the event days and associated holiday. As others have said, I think you are pretty much on your own. The majority of those fortunate to get it have enjoyed their time off, even took advantage of the minimal impact to their annual leave allowance and extended it right through the 2 week period. Don't panic, normal service will resume in a couple of years.

Every single year the media stir this plop up with a massive stick. As usual a handful of famous names get splashed all over the papers and the twitterati and keyboard warriors have an endless debate about who should/shouldn't be on the list followed by lots of whines about why "real" people never get a mention. The honours list is 124 pages long. There are people on there who are Civil Servants, Teachers, Doctors, Volunteer Workers, Carers, Nurses, Company Executives and retirees. The media, as usual, pick out the big names because they attract sales. Mrs Doris Bloggs of Slough would not have such an appeal. If people bothered to read it, they would see exactly why these people are felt deserving of an honour. ALL 124 pages of them. Not just the headlines.

Am I alone in thinking that irrespective of the contractual bindings - its just plain rude. Its one thing to perhaps have a few drinks in the room before/after the event from your own supply but to try and secretly or openly want to drink your own supply in their bar/restaurant/suite is a totally different matter. You are supposed to be using their facilities. They are there to serve you food and drink. You would not go into a restaurant and sit there with a lunchbox filled with sandwiches. I don't see why people think its ok to "sneak in" booze to a hotel function. Personally, if you don't want to spend money stay at home and enjoy NYE there.

Are they though? This is what I can never really understand. Are the markets really used by people with low incomes who need the lowest prices. I just cannot believe that in the days of Poundland, B&M, Heron/Iceland and even Asda people are really using the markets as the place for bargains. From my view, market prices (although low) simply cannot get anywhere near the loss leaders and multi-buys from the big stores. Canned goods for 15p-50p. Branded toiletries and stock cupboard goods for less than a £1. I never see anything like that in the Market. As for clothing and household goods I just don't see how traders can genuinely compete when you have primark selling t-shirts for £3 and Asda selling toasters/kettles for £5. Im sure there are meat and fresh foods which offer competitive but is there enough footfall for that. I am firmly of the camp that if the Market is going to survive, particularly in line with the new developments on the moor, they need to move away from such customers and offer DIFFERENT / SPECIALIST goods to the supermarkets and general stores.

ok, lets go through some of this shall we. Firstly, not all public services are 24 hour. In fact many of them are not even full time during the week. Its about what is ESSENTIAL. They don't run bus/tram service on Christmas day, New Year's day or Easter Sunday. They don't run bus/tram services 24 hours. So what does that tell us - people seem to cope perfectly well during these non operational times. Why should a small reduction in the number of hours on Christmas Eve be different. Its only 4 hours after all. Of course there will be skeleton staff in various services including utilities, police and hospitals but you fail to reason why exactly do you seem to think that buses are somehow ESSENTIAL and as such transport staff are excluded from an opportunity to finish early like a big majority of the rest of the working population. If we are gonna argue the toss. Why are bus drivers essential but not council workers. Why are retail staff allowed to close up early but not tram conductors. Those people who work in hospitality make money from the fact that mass population is able to be "out" and using such facilities. By going into such a trade there is an automatic expectation to work unsociable hours particularly throughout holidays. Very different from someone working in transport. There are no buses after midnight on any normal weekend. All those people "out" would be finding other methods to get home. Why is Christmas Eve different. Fact is, the traditional rush hour of people needing buses after 6.00 is much reduced on Christmas Eve. Why? because most people have gone home hours before. Or those people are out socialising. Bus companies are not stupid. If there was a sufficient demand and profit to keep services running they would do it. Fact is, there isn't. A small inconvenience for some is worth allowing drivers/staff some time off in line with others on just two days a year. Im sure people can deal with it. Just like they have done for years before. If you are one of the unfortunate ones who do work in some genuinely ESSENTIAL service that much run, then I take my hat off to you. However, if you are going to be jealous about other's being off. Change your job. Buses are no longer a public service. Not been since the 90s. They are a profit driven machine controlled by conglomerates. With the exception of the limp hand of the SYPTE nudging them to run some coherent public service routes most routes are purely for profit. There is no moral duty here.

Maybe bus drivers and depot workers want to be able to enjoy their Christmas too. Notice how most businesses and offices close up early on Christmas Eve. Some are closed up as early as midday. Notice how most shops and supermarkets also close much earlier than normal on Christmas Eve. Why shouldn't bus drivers be able to have a chance of an earlier finish too? I dont know how long its been since you worked for them but for me its nothing new. Its been happening for years. Early finishing on Christmas and New Years eve's. Those staff have a life too. All these people banging on about disrupting people's "social" life - well what about the social life of bus/tram workers.

I agree. Which I why I put these words at the start of my post: "...GENUINE HOMELESS is what I care about. Organisations like the Salvation Army is what I care about..." Does not change my opinion. There are lots and lots of fake homeless out there. Fake beggars who pray of gullible public during the holiday seasons, gangs of beggars targeting tourists and like I said before, thousands of so called "homeless" people out there who choose to be on the streets begging despite being provided with their taxpayer funded hostel/ b&b accommodation. Some are even provided with a home to live in, but still prefer to congregate with other fake homeless loitering and begging around the city centre. Those who are given help but choose not to take it.. I don't care about. Not everything is black and white and after my experiences working with "homeless" people I don't take things at face value.

Can I ask what has made you stop going?

Well no brainer would certainly be applicable. As in, you really have not thought it through. The world has dramatically changed. The speed at which goods and supplies must reach their destination has massively increased. The locations of many of the businesses requiring such goods has moved miles away from many of the traditional canal and riverside locations. The maximum speed of a canal boat is 4mph. Add in locks and other delays and it would take an age to move goods from one location to another. A truck is limited to 56mph on a motorway with normal speed limits on other roads. A shipment from London to Sheffield (a distance of just 183 miles) would take nearly 2 days by canal boat whereas a truck could cover this in around 4.5 hours. London to Glasgow would take over 4 days. That's three days more than it would take a truck. Canals have served their time for the commercial sense. They are now things for leisure and holidays. The railways started the death sentence and the nails were hammered down even more when the road network expanded and motorways were built. Whilst barges may hold more capacity, the speed and which they could move goods and the fact that goods would need to still be transported from canal base to warehouse would make it impractical for the modern consumerist world.

Its Christmas time AB. They always increase at Christmas time. Best time to do it with the most profitable footfall. GENUINE HOMELESS is what I care about. Organisations like the Salvation Army is what I care about. The "thousands" of faux beggars on the streets praying on the season of good will I certainly do not. The thousands of gang led immigrant beggars praying on the unaware tourists I certainly do not. The thousands of street homeless who actually have taxpayer funded accommodation but choose not to live in it, I do not. Figures can and are very easily manipulated to give a good headline. Break them down, have some exposure to these "homeless people", do many years dealing with housing law and homeless services like I did, and you will see that very little of these "homeless" are actually homeless at all.

NIBMY ALERT! I assume what you mean to say is "we do not want this ANYWHERE" Its not acceptable to have this sort of crime in ANYONE'S area. Not just the protected bubble of Grenoside. Its is NOT "obviously being ruined" by those disgraceful outsiders. We currently know nothing about the suspect. Shocking as it may be it could be someone who is resident IN the village. It may have been a targeted attack with a motive. We should all be able to live in an area greeted by friendly people without such scum. Now can we just wait until the Police have done their investigations and we have some FACTS on this matter. Less than one page in and we already have a victim who was announced as dead when they weren't, accusations about the type of pub owners with suggestions they should go, comments about how crime is done by outsiders and comments about it shouldn't happen in our village but seemingly is assumed to happen everywhere else. Seems to me that your "lovely place to live" is too much filled with curtain twichers and inaccurate gossipy old biddies. God sake people - some poor soul has been attacked. Enough already.

If you ever have to deal with the shambles that is a meeting via video link (particularly one that involves more than 2-3 people) you would realise why this "networked" revolution is not all its cracked up to be. People travel for many many other reasons than just to attend a meeting. There are still lots of things that can't and shouldn't be done remotely. BTW, you might want to look up how general taxation works. You don't just demand a refund for something you personally don't use. I don't have kids nor do I ever use libraries nor play sports. But I don't demand a refund against child tax credits, public libraries or sports facilities. Face facts. Our railways are an embarrassment. Stuck in the 60s/70s with slow trains and crumbling infrastructure. Just getting HS2/HS3 will still only drag us 15-20 years behind some other country's rail systems. We cannot just dismiss every single major project with this moronic NIMBYism and then kick off about the country being behind others in the western world. Sometimes you just have to take the punt and invest. Just imagine if some of the great inventors and pioneers of the modern world tried to do something like that now with this modern day faux protesting and general pessimism. Imagine for example someone tried building the likes of a London Underground today. A rich foreigner suggests that we dig up masses of streets, tunnel underneath historic London buildings and create a train in a drain. They wouldn't even get to the end of their pitch before the papers mauled them and the NIMBYs screamed them out of town.

A judge who has heard both sides of the case, seen the evidence, considered the law and sentencing protocol thinks it is So......

Yes people have gone to it for years but those people are slowly dying off. Im interested to hear what is specifically "crap" about the new market. Now lets be clear here. I want a reason to do with the actual Market itself. Not the choice, not the quality, not the atmosphere, not the goods on offer, not the types of traders. THE actual marketplace. If the answer fits into any of the above there is only one person to blame. THE TRADERS. Face facts. The whole world has changed. Taste and shopping habits have changed. We are a city not a small market town. For many of our populous they have very very different income brackets, jobs and consumer demands to those of Barnsley or Chesterfield. Despite what the rose tinted brigade think, the market has never been the dominant player in Sheffield city's retail for over 20 years now. Castle Market is not coming back. That whole area of the city is becoming less and less about retail. It was never gonna stay there. The Moor is going to be where the shops are. People need to use it or lose it as far as I am concerned. I am just personally getting so sick of same moaning, whinging and reminiscing about those so called "good old days". Its OVER. We either have a market hall that people want to use or we don't. Quite frankly, I wouldn't care less if we don't have one. If people aren't that interested and people don't stop making pathetic excuses about why they wont visit - fine. Sell the real estate space to traders who actually want to put the effort in and will use it for something good. Sell the retail space to a trader who customers will actually make the effort to visit.