Localism

Jimmy mentioned the other day that soon we will be able to buy Premium Bonds in supermarkets.

I don't know if this is true, and CBATG, but if true, it strikes me as being profoundly wrong, even though I don't suppose Premium Bonds make up much in the way of Post Office business by volume.

Who does it help when every bit of retail business is concentrated in the hands of four or five suppliers in an informal cartel? Who is convenienced when you have to travel to buy basic commodities?

What happens to social cohesion when we don't meet our neighbours at the local shops?

I think it's too late now to reverse the trend, but it seems that we are wilfully destroying our neighbourhoods and making our lives more difficult due to our reliance on supermarkets to sell us everything.

Next time you go to the supermarket to buy your lottery ticket, or newspaper, or whatever, just ask yourself - if I couldn't drive here eg after an operation, could I buy these things elsewhere? And why don't I do that now.