Those Moscow OAP cats still got it
Reading about how high finance works has made me come over a little communist recently. Then I read these seemingly innocuous quotes of the day and got even more worked up. So apologies in advance if this post is a little ranty, I'm just trying to figure stuff out. Actually, feel free to skip it.
I get worked up quite a lot about London in general, about how for one of the world's glamour cities it is just becoming a homogenous mess where you still can't get a quiet drink after 1am, and a whole lot of other things beside (like this and this). Charlie and I were talking the other day about the brilliant independent and interesting businesses that do exist in London - new and old - and how we feel, a duty almost, to shop there to protect them from closure, so much pleasure do we take in their existance. Charlie was saying it would be nice to create some sort of pledge website, and I agree.
Which got me thinking about how the franchise/chain is one the biggest factors in the homogenous high street. It is the homogenous high street. If I never see another Pret, I'll be a happy girl. I love Leon, but it's slowly becoming too available. I liked the fact I could only get in Carnaby. Now there is another store within a 5 minute walk of that one. Imagine if Tayyabs or Ganapati became chain restaurants, as ubquitous as Pizza Express? Part of the charm is that you have to travel for them. Exclusivity doesn't have to be a luxury proposition.
Expansion/capitalism is the enemy of indivudality but I do understand the quest for more profits. I'm not advocating communism at all because that's not how I roll. But I do want to have an economic system that promotes independent businesses more, because they are what makes London vibrant and interesting and different. And one where it's beneficial to be successful but not ubiquitous.
Thinking and dreaming...
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