Debenhams' demise: why go when you can shop at home? Clive Smith

All true I suppose but most of these places have only got themselves to blame, plus the local authorities who would rather see rows of empty shops than lower their rates.

It all right to accuse people of being lazy and taking the easy online shopping option rather than venturing outside the front door. I'm the same.

But the thing is, if you go online and buy something for £40, that's what it costs you, £40.

Yet, you pop into town to buy something that costs you the same £40, except it doesn't cost you £40. You have at least £5 petrol on top and another £5 to park the car with the possibility of some parking zealot slapping you with a £75 fine because you've stayed three mins too long.

Then as you walk through town you've got to do a slalom to avoid people stuffing leaflets in your hand, aggressive beggars and spice zombies hassling you for a '˜quid mate'. Then there are the people with clipboards trying to get you to sponsor a snow leopard for £3 a month. Who wants that?

It's easier to stay indoors and order something while wearing a comfy pair of slippers, sipping a mug of tea and dunking a Hobnob.

The problem with stores like Debenhams is that it hasn't moved with the times.

It's still providing the same old stuff and the store is neither one thing nor the other '“  too expensive to compete with the likes of Primark but not with the quality of goods to compete with the Harvey Nichols of this world.  It's exactly the same problem BHS had.

The Debenhams in town is a prime example. Admittedly I haven't been in there for a while, but every time I did, it was exactly the same. For years it seemed. Totally underwhelming.

The overriding memory I have of that place was the overpowering, eye-watering chemical attack you got from the perfume counters.

 

Now they've filled Dr Who with left-wing propaganda

Apparently, there have been rave reviews for the new series of Dr Who. God knows why, it's been tedious. It used to be an institution, now it's just filled with left-wing propaganda. They're not even trying to be subtle about it and this is not how licence payers' money should be used.

I can't remember the last time I watched a BBC show without being preached to.

People watch TV to be entertained, for a bit of escapism, not to have the latest PC bandwagon rammed down their throats. We get enough of that in everyday life, leave it out of our TV shows.

I won't be watching it any more. And I hope the Daleks win.'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹

 

My daughter seems to be able to contact dead pets!

If you want to contact any long-lost pets, drop me line. My daughter thinks she's seen a dead dog looking through her friend's front window. Her friend doesn't have a dog.

But unknown to my daughter, a floppy-eared dog owned by her friend's, mum's sister died recently and the description matches exactly.

It's like having the boy from The Sixth Sense in our house, but with dead pets! I don't know if it's too many scary movies or someone spiked the Wham bars she picked up trick or treating. I know her sister pretending to bark outside the bedroom door hasn't helped. And now she wants an ouija board for Christmas! The expensive trainers she wanted don't seem such a bad option now.'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹