Thetownend.com

so, there i was in town at lunch and i walked past chavstore supreme woolworths and thought i'd pop in to find a plastic cricket bat, so we could continue our game of office cricket without using a keyboard as a bat. much to my dismay, i couldn't find one. however i did decide to indulge in some pick n mix and picked up a can of red bull as well.

then i went to pay. i placed my goods on the counter and exchanged the relevent cash. naturally, needing to put these items in a bag so that it didn't look like i was a shoplifter when i went into boots i went to take a bag.

"you'll have to pay for one of those"

i balked. at first i thought she was joking. 3p for a bag - and she would have had to do a whole new transaction. she didn't offer me one in the first place.

so what else could i do? i denounced her fascist ways, cursed woolworths and swore never to shop there again before bidding good day to her.

it's britain gone crazy!

sonic 1 - 0 fascism

There is of course a Sonic Youth song called "Youth Against Fascism".

Opportunity missed there my friend.

Bitch should have offered you a bag!

The charging for bags will become more and more common. Isn't it already the norm in Ireland or one of those other backward countries?

It's not something which really bothers me. If I'm doing the shopping I tend to take a reusable one anyway. They tend to take the mighty strain of numerous wine bottles a bit better.

Similar to one i had today, bought a couple of days dinners in small co-op on epsom downs, it was piling up and i asked for a bag as couldn't see any to hand, and the guy pulled two from behind the counter. Said they had to be out of site and not given out until requested. His words were "i know mate bloody mental" I concur.

I thought of marketing a giant scrotal sac (reusable of course - after a a few minutes) they'd soon get pissed off if we kept whipping those out every time we shopped at Woolies

I think they charge so as to encourage people to re-use old carrier bags. It's a way of pointing the finger of blame at people for our environmental woes while industry pukes over the planet. It'll be a sad day if they phase out cheap carrier bags. The site of a carrier bag stuck in a tree and flapping in the autumn wind is one that makes me proud to be British.

Arf arf ,almost as much as the crappy nappy tied in a knot in one, found under many pub garden tables, UK hub of culture!

it's political correctness gone mad i tell you. next they'll be charging you for driving around cities...

What happens to all  those 3 pence "pieces" as it were.  Do Woolies donate every 3p paid to an environmental charidee, or do the thruppences make their way into the Woolworths coffers?

Just wondering like.

Back in the day, forward thinking Kwiksave used to charge a couple of pence per bag, depending on the strength. It's a mystery how they ever went down the plughole.

I think a donation system would be a lot fairer for people like me who have absolutely no problem with shitting on future generation’s welfare.  Those plastic bags in bulk are less than a penny’s worth so Woolworths, M&S (5p) and co are making a nice little earner on what was a complimentary service.

There’s plenty of people who get twinges of guilt when they use bags and realise they’ve forgotten their straw Roy Cropper special to carry their crap in that would pay over the odds in donations to keep the likes of me in plastic bags.

While I’m at it on a sub memorandum why do people collect plastic shopping bags?  When my housemate moved to Canada she left around 300 various plastic bags in a draw that went straight in the bin.  The girlfriend is the same as is Mother dearest.  Bumf must me a woman thing.  Perhaps these shops could buy back the bags to re-use.

sometimes I save carriers from "nice"shops

So when you go to Primark you can pretend you've spent more than 50p on clothing?

I keep plastic bags for putting my rubbish in. Having said that I do have canvas bags I take with me my when I do my shopping. Our weekly shop fits in the large canvas bags rather than 10 or 15 shitty plastic ones. Easier to carry and no splitting.

I'm all for bags being charged for. Too often you seen people using 20 bags where 5 would do cos they don't want meat (which is packaged) in the same bag as something else or some other anal reason which is just a waste and the cost will make these types think twice.

In sonic's case, did he actually need a bag? Some pick n mix and a can of redbull. Put the red bull and receipt in the bag that the pick n mix is in, problem solved. Last time I went in Boots I'm pretty sure they didn't have a pick n mix section.

No - not to use - Im not ashamed I shop in Primark - I just kind of "keep" them  :-[- other girls will know what I mean - like Jane Norman bags always come in useful as they are those kind of stronger bags with string handles

I dont use carriers at the supermarket any more though - I have Tesco green bags and hessian sacks to put my grocerys in

That's another female trait.

When I was in New York I was told by a few women to get those  Big Brown Bag and Little Brown Bags from Maceys or some other store, which they then then carried their normal shopping in.  I think it was some sort of fashionable thing at the time, which is right up there with wearing your PJ's out and about.

Super Ted is strictly for the bedroom.

We use them for picking up dog poo. Yum.

I'm lucky that I live in the countryside and don't need to do that. Although I was walking my dog in the middle of nowhere a couple of weeks a go and a woman had a go at at me because I didn't collect the crap.

Needless to say I exchanged a few words... I can understand it in parks and the like, but in a farmers field, 5 miles away from any housing? Do fuck off love.........

My missus has got a whole kitchen drawer stuffed full of the things.

I don't know why, we have re-usable bags for when we go shopping.

it was a tub of pick n mix, not a bag. the red bull wouldn't fit.

We pile up the carrier bags until we have a bag or 2 full and then take them to Asda and put them in their carrier bag recyle bins.

I see the point about the landfill crap of bags going in etc, but surely there must be a way of creating these bags as recycleable and then stick the extra cost on good's in supermarkets that no one will notice has gone up by 5p or something silly.  the likes of Ikea provide brown paper bags which are strong enough so why can't clothes shop's do that for example or even supermarkets

as there was a woman there to have a go at you, people go there.she was right,you should clean up after your dog.

Stupid Mace shop in BOA charge you for carriers now

Im so annoyed - I just went there to use the post office - school kids are only allowed in one a time and they have to queue outside - stupid women tried to make me queue!!!! do I REALLY look 15!!!

I wish you did ;-) I love young girls.

alas I am old!

But if you looked young and were actually old it wouldn't be illegal, but still would be fun!

Ive since found out it is sports day at St Lawrences so all the kids are in PE kit and the top Im wearing today happens to be the exact same colour as there PE tops!!

Fact - in my last year at school we played and beat St. Laurence in a football fixture at their place and they properly kicked off - we couldn't believe it.

I've nothing more to add other than the school is up the annoyingly steep hill away from the town centre. Boo.

did you ever play John Bentley?

  I nearly always re use bags...in some shops they get quite sniffy because I'll pull out some tacky bag sometimes they're months old, and they want you to advertise their shop.

  Also hertab as someone who walks a lot in the countryside...walking into dog shit there is teh same as walking into dogshit in the town. 

Only once or twice - My little brother goes to JB now.

pick n mix and red bull? You sure you're getting enough sugar babe?

wow small world - I wish I still went to school

Or that my Dad lives in Calne :D On the dreaded Braemor Road!

come round here in your PE kit , i will make you do a mile run, half way through stop for a fag, i can catch you, put you in detention and make you suck me off. god i miss mr preston.

So do I  :D

I did work experience at St Laurence school last semester. It's nothing compared to George Ward ;)

Did Mr Preston suck you off as well Mex? :-X

As the dog crapped under a hedgerow, where people wouldn't even get to, miles from anywhere I hardly think it was a threat to health and hygiene. Perhaps we should go round picking up cow pats, badger shit and fox turds as well?

I live in the countryside arriba, my dog doesn't crap on pavements, or playgrounds, or football pitches. She was with a group on a ramble. No one else said anything, as it was patently obvious it wasn't a problem.

Anyway, countryside=shit. It's called nature mate.

do you belong to a ramblers group Herthab?

No mate. I don't walk in the middle of nowhere for fun, I do it so my dog can take a crap without me having to pick it up.

They should do brown paper bags for us to carry our groceries in, like they do in America.

Considering that they last forever if buried, those plastic bags aren't very good for actually, you know, carrying stuff. Very poor tensile strength.

the handles aren't too great on paper bags. The reason they work in america is that everyone drives absolutely everywhere.

i never found a paper bag in the states. only plastic :(

I have a couple of tote bags and lots of hessian bags i use for the groccery shopping.Has to be done if for no other reason than you get extra nectar/tesco clubcard points :D

Think the fact it makes me happy means i'm turning into my nan :-[

as your dog makes a conscious effort to shit in the hedge, i take it back.:)

but your point about cow pats and wild animals shit is a daft one.
cows are on the farmers property meaning anyone entering should be aware of cow pats,the same as if people go in somebodys garden where a dog shits.and you cannot control wild animals.dogs have owners who should ensure their pets crap doesn't have an effect on any member of the public, on public land imo.
 maybe people on the ramble didn't agree with letting your dog shit without cleaning up, but bit their tongue?

Not that I would like a face full of either, but cow manure is not as unhealthy as dog shit, owing to the different diets of said animals

 Yeh....you can burn dried cow shit on fires...dog shit is just that dog shit.

I have a collection of Jane Norman bags i like the colours and they hold loads! :D
I save every asda bag under my sink, but am yet to remember to take any whilst doing a food shop... I dont know why cos when at my nans in Ireland i always carry a couple of small plastic bags in my handbag.

At HMV, I am required to ask whether people want a bag instead of simply giving them one. It amazes me the amount of people who want a bag even though they have 4, 5 or 6 of them in their hands already (a DVD or CD could quite easily fit in to).

My ex would be rude to people who tried to give her a bag. she would take bags with her without fail and put all stuff in those or in the big weird hessian things.

I caught her out once though when she bought a dress from a posh shop and blatently wanted everyone to know it. Just as we were leaving I pointed out that it could fit in her TopShop bag and she sulkily took the bag back to counter.

Im not sure I could put something from a posh shop in a hessian bag

I've had costumers refuse to take plain white plastic bags because they didn't want to look like they'd "bought something from a bloody market stall" ... I work in Durham and many are quite 'Lardydar' - but it still amazes me how funny some can get over the most trivial of things.

I only offer people bags if I think they need them. The worst though is kids, they all seem to want one for a packet of munchies and a kinder egg.

mmmmmmm kinder egg

But if you carry them in your hand they melt... no one wants gammy chocolate

Lets face it, how long is that chocolate going to last, really? It won't have time to melt

Wow a lot of people care about carrier bags.

Like someone else said earlier, the only thing that grinds my gears is if it turns out to be the inevitable profit making exercise.

I think it ranks with the great hotel towel con.

"in order to save the environment we won't give you clean towels every day, unless you, O destroyer of your children's future, really insist on it"

(incidentally we'll save a shed load of laundry cost, but that's not important right now)

But if the hotel has a heated towel rail do you need a new one every day? Just put it on there to dry off (unless you've used it to wank into or wiped your arse on it or something).

I’ll feel a little more satisfied knowing that I’m undoing all of you bag scrimpers hard work the next time I take 10 plastic’ earth destroyers’ to carry a dozen items.

If god had intended us not to use free plastic bags he would have given us all human flesh pouches in our soft underbellies to carry around our consumer crap.


That towel nonsense in hotels is also a bloody sham.   As a result I make a point of throwing each one (clean or not) on the floor for a replacement each day.

The whole fun of staying in hotels is using every towel in the place

Every time I stay in hotels they give me fresh towels each day, even if I leave them on the rail