No wonder our town centres are empty!
Recently I went into Rugby to get some new glasses. I haven’t been for quite a while.
I went to the nearest car park to the opticians. It’s not one I use often, because it’s small and has only a few narrow spaces. Luckily I found one and after several back and forward manoeuvrings I got parked. Then armed with a handful of loose change, I went over to the pay and display ticket machine. BUT, when I get to the machine it is covered in a plastic bag and a notice telling me that the good news is “ Rugby Borough Council have an altogether new cheaper scheme “; the bad news is they don’t want my loose change. All I have to do is use an app on my smart phone to pay. Which is all very well if you have a smart phone🤡. Otherwise “ get lost”. My words —— Rugby Borough Council doesn’t have an otherwise.
So I quickly exit the car park, hoping I don’t get a fine for not paying. I make my way to try another car park, further away, that I have used before. BUT, Rugby Borough Council have got their before me with another plastic bag. They obviously either don’t want my money; or they have a deal going with smart phone suppliers.
Still needing to go to the opticians, my last hope is the multi storey car park. I am glad I left very an early for my opticians appointment. I wasn’t anticipating a car park tour of Rugby. The good news is that the multi-storey car park has a different payment system. You pick up a token when you go in and pay with real money, when you leave.
After visiting the opticians I found I didn’t need any new glasses !!!!
So I won’t be going into Rugby Town Centre for at least another year. By which time the car park charging system will have probably changed again. All the shops will have closed and nobody will be visiting. I wonder how that is cheaper?
GrumbleSmiles 
BHOO! to you all, no comments today on car parks payment for parking, or the centre of a town/city for open shops and the variety they once offered the usual/regular and casual visitor.
However JOHN has rattled my cage, good and proper, and I just wonder how much reality he can bring to my dreams and memories, As a younger marine engineer apprentice doing my 5 year term-In the end of year one at college in Middlesbrough, i was sent with a college from Bolton College, to the ‘BRITISH THOMSON HOUSTEN,’ plant factory , and the local sited plants/works of under BTH management, for the summer vacation of 8 weeks to study with their apprentices the arts and technics of hands on engineering practice, and the pinch points of main and auxilary steam turbine manufacture, and repair, followed by time in the main reduction gear box manufacture shop, the electrical motor, and alternator works noting design details, All of this if taken in helped when one was at sea with Plant built and supplied to my shipping company.
That was ‘BTH’ Rugby plant by the side of Rugby railway station, However we were in digs in Hillmorton, in a BTH apprentice boarding house, and the Landlady was a character and in the evenings after dinner worked in the pub across the road in Hillmorton, and took care of us??? But not herself, It was a wonderful experience as I grew up and worked away from home with informative and caring people. Quite a few memories. AS I said nothing to do with a modern town/city centre which can be cold and remote, as I grow older.
I have reread the comments above attached to this ‘post’ and I note the mention, memories of ;fairies’ rugby union/league, and all that ‘balls’ Just passing over this weekends past news/sports programmes as broadcast in the media ‘TV and press’, i note the ladies are prominent playing rugby? What are the comments now??? It is all ‘TITS’ a story of ‘BIRDS’ or am i being disingenuous, and talking all ‘balls’ ??? I just wonder, and just wonder what the slang is that goes on in the ladies changing room????