bobbsy

Peleparso, I also find that concept depressing.

It's not getting better, it's getting worse so far! Trying to get through there on saturday afternoon was horrendous.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3358616/Climate-deal-signals-end-gas-cookers-ll-phased-meet-new-targets-experts-claim.html Really? The end of gas cooking and heating? The closure of gas fired power stations given they currently supply circa 40% of the UK's power needs? Has the world gone nuts?

i before e except after c

Completely agree with Jeremy - if you don't have a generous public sector pension there is little scope to build a retirement pot as investment growth is poor and tax relief in this area is consistently trimmed. This has forced investment in other areas which provide capital growth ie BTL as a source of retirement funds - all this helps reduce the burden on the state, yet these avenues are consistently targeted as tax revenue streams.

I don't think the 3% surcharge will diminish house prices. Yes it's an extra cash charge to find when purchasing an investment, but factored in to overall rental yield it doesn't have a dramatic effect. If you were a pensioner releasing funds for a BTL rather than an annuity, you are cash rich anyway, so I don't believe this would change your investment decision versus the poor alternatives available. If you are stepping up the housing ladder, rather than borrowing 70%, I think a buyer would borrow 75% thus needing a smaller deposit to allow for the extra stamp duty. Foreign investors won't care. It is still an exceedingly safe country in which to invest. FTB's are still the losers with this policy. Just my view.

I didn't notice a 25% plunge in 2008?

It could be a bulging/ruptured disc - I have had these and am not a fan of either chiro nor physio, as they manipulate something that shouldn't be manipulated. I would try and get it checked out (MRI) if it's not disappearing quickly. Equivalent of "spraining" your back - rest, time and gentle movement is the key, then core strengthening when pain has gone.

Agree with the above - when I have needed to see a doc and have actually managed to get an appointment (perhaps once per year), the doctors have been great. Last time I tried the wait was about 1 month, which I find completely unacceptable.

Was terrible circa 8am.

Echoing above, was absolutely solid almost back to Camberwell this morning when I passed through. The have opened the intersection to two way traffic, with temporary traffic lights that seems to be on very long intervals. At this stage, I really can't see how traffic will flow through the new design.

Excellent news, just what we need.

I like it

Sorry to hijack, but I have a similar issue. Can anyone suggest names of the local firms?

I don't think learning English should be enforced. I simply think that government departments etc should only print forms and provide services in English, and not provide free translation services. If people want to access government departments they will therefore need a working knowledge of English.

It's a great location if you live up that end of Lordship Lane.

Also, the rational in the past, was lower than private sector salary, with very good work/life balance and retirement benefits. But this has morphed into very good salary, very good work/life balance, and extremely good retirement benefits that now generally far exceed those of the private sector. With an estimated 20% of council tax going towards finding final salary pensions (and that's expected to increase dramatically as the pension funding liabilities become larger and larger), I'm not happy to be funding this level of remuneration.

Take a photo?

Getting pretty treacherous in the wet when cycling in a lot of the bicycle lanes in the borough - heavy leaf-covering means its necessary to move further out into the "normal" road. Would be good if these could be cleared.

Ratty, the point you make is valid, but do you see many public services run by the best minds? I don't.

I can't find the article I was reading the other day, but if I remember correctly it stated that on average, across the country, roughly 20% of council tax goes towards funding local council pensions. It's not just the headline salaries that are large, its also the defined benefit schemes in the background.

Buy a cheap scooter. Quick, easy, next to nothing in insurance tax and petrol. You get wet and cold every now and then.

James, How about small (say one car length) defined motorcycle parking bays with one long anchor? That should park easily 3 or 4 motorcycles.

TheArtfulDogger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > jacks09 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Deliveroo target restaurants that don't offer > > delivery services. For the restaurants its > just > > incremental revenue....deliveroo will eat into > > their margin but most restaurants charge at > least > > 3 or 4 x cost so there is plenty to play with. > > I take it you work in the restaurant industry > jacks09 to be able to verify the cost margin you > quoted... From talking to my friends in the > industry it's no where near that, especially > taking into account premise, staff, and other > overheads... Margins are very low in the industry > so 12% is quite a lot to pay just for receiving an > order. > > Jeremy, great advice 😀 Rought rule of thumb for a restaurant price was 1/3 cost of ingredients, 1/3 staff costs and overheads, 1/3 profit. So taking 12% reduces profit from 33% to 21% - that's a sizeable reduction. Not sure if that ratio still holds these days.

Also very bloody annoying is that they now charge for "Express setdown" of passengers - if memory serves me its ?2 for up to 10 mins, then ?2 per minute after that. If you want a free drop off, it's mid-stay parking and catch the shuttle. Not passenger friendly at all.