The Recession Bites

[poliphilo]

My mother gave us Marks and Spencer's vouchers for Christmas- it's a tradition- and yesterday afternoon we set out to spend them. We thought of buying our week's shopping there, but the prices were sooo expensive we changed our minds and limited ourselves to a few treats- then drove to Sainsbury's to lay in the basics.

Ailz is on the phone discussing it with her mother. "£21 for a leg of lamb!" she says.

And this morning we hear M & S are shutting 25 of their "Just Food" stores and cutting 1,250 staff following the worst Christmas performance ever. After yesterday I'm not surprised.

At least they're only retrenching. Yesterday was the final day of trading for the British Woolworths. Cue sad footage of high street stores being stripped of their fittings and Woolies employees in their cheery, red tabards standing around on the snowy pavement, putting a brave face on it.

And what about Waterford-Wedgewood? Wedgewood can't go bust. It's one of the pillars of eternity. Where would we be without our jasperware?

But in the present economic climate, nothing should be taken for granted.

Which brings us to yesterday's LJ panic. That too- I fully believe- was also only a retrenchment. What we- and by we I mean us Westerners- forget is just how big LJ is in Russia. According to Wikipedia, Zhe-zhe, LJ's Russian name, is also the generic word for blog.   For Russians, LJ isn't just one platform among many,  it is the blogosphere- and therefore a highly valuable, cultural property. Even if the current owners wanted to get rid of it, I think there would be others eager to pick it up. 

So I'm not waving my arms around or moving elsewhere. I'm being optimistic or stoical or zen. And if the bulldozers come, they come. 

Comments

[brttvns.livejournal.com]

The Woolworths in my hometown closed on the 2nd. It was adjacent my local boozer. On the 3rd we were watching a crew ripping out what was left of the fittings, fortunately the were being supervised by the store's erstwhile manager. I say 'forunately' because even though it was public knowledge that the store had closed one dear old lady came and knocked on the door to return an item of clothing (to great amusement to all in the bar). To give the manager his due he did manage to exchange the item (I suppose they still had some stock upstairs, as the shop floor was gutted!).

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Well done, that manager!