Glueman, I really don't think your 'either/or" options match reality (well not the reality where I live). For instance, our local independent butcher was voted friendliest butcher in Yorkshire. Our local Tesco, on the other hand, has the grumpiest produce manager imaginable who, when they ran out of potatoes on Christmas Eve and several customers staged a sit-down protest, was extremely rude, especially when it was pointed out that we live in one of the most prolific potato-growing areas in the country and a phone call to a local grower would have brought a lorry load immediately: "We don't operate like that – all our buying is centralized. There won't be any potatoes now until after Christmas. What do you expect me to do about it?"

We used to be a nation of shopkeepers - now we couldn't care less about what we buy or where we buy it from.


"Likewise americanisation, a dubious benefit but preferable on the whole to a shiny booted third reich with its volk songs and monumental art."

I agree with you, but why should we accept either option? Apart from a tiny bunch of BNP nutters, I see little sign of a third reich.