Ca Va?

It’s my first day back from holiday and, I’ll be honest, I wish I were still on holiday… It’s not that I dislike my job, but more that the pace of life seemed a lot more acceptable abroad. The holiday consisted of getting a car ferry to Spain, staying for a fortnight in Andalucia then driving back through Spain and France (OK and Andorra, Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium just for the hell of it too).

One thing that struck me was just how pleasant small-town France and Spain are when compared to Blighty. French towns just seem so… well… French! And blow me down, but their Spanish counterparts seem to be… erm… Spanish. They exude a charming authentic character and exude an easier way of life. Why isn’t it like that here? Part of the blame must lie, I feel, in marketing types.

Somewhere in France - 2 days ago... Run-down but nice!

In a French small town, there is very little evidence of big business. The boulangerie is run by Monsieur Dupont and the tabac by his friend Madame Lebrun – there isn’t the equivalent of a Greggs or Supercigs in sight. Of course, there are big chain stores, but these tend to be excluded to larger towns – especially in dedicated commercial areas. As a result, when you’re having a pleasant game of petanque in the town centre, you are spared the marketing message. It is only when you want the bright lights and snazzy graphics that you get them.

Maybe it’s just another example of me turning (prematurely I would claim) into a grumpy old man. However, does every shop need to shout out “HELLO, THIS IS WHSMITH HERE – WE SELL MAGAZINES!!”?

Of course, some towns are better than others – my hometown of Ashby-de-la-Zouch seems about 50:50 chains to independent. However, some are downright terrible. The 2005 New Economics Forum survey of “clone towns” identified Exeter as the worst in the UK. Within the town centre there was only one independent store (a newsagent).

Shops, pubs, bus companies – even the local GP – they are all coming under the control of large companies. Yes they can offer discounted prices and yes they do allow us to not have to think for ourselves, but wouldn’t it be great to walk down a new High Street and not recognise any of the companies?

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