Man Attacked By Rogue Beach Hut
The title of this post is my take on this story.
It’s definitely something that could end up on Have I Got News for You.
How Not To Deal With Deceased Customers
Virgin Media is called over the coals in this article on the BBC web site, where they messed up over the account of someone who’d died.
When C died, I didn’t have anything similar although dealing with some organisations was more difficult than others. I actually had a letter published in The Times about it.
I was widowed last year, and it is only now that I’m starting to get my life together. The response of the various government and local authority departments in handling all the paperwork involved has been very patchy.
Registrars: excellent, very sympathetic and efficient; Work and Pensions: bereavement allowance came through with a few hiccups, but not too difficult; Premium Bonds: system worked but could have been better; council tax: this was reduced automatically on signing a form by St Edmundsbury — totally painless; DVLA: its online systems worked well; winter fuel payment: found difficult to claim and missed it for last year.
The private sector wasn’t that much better, with some companies having people whose sole job appeared to be to deal with bereavement faring much better than those that didn’t. Some wanted death certificates, some accepted faxed copies and others took my word.
We need a lot more joined-up thinking in this important area, as, with nearly a million deaths in the UK every year, it would surely help the bereavement process for those left behind if every company, organisation, government department and authority were automatically notified. After all, if St Edmundsbury can do it here in supposedly sleepy Suffolk, then surely everyone else can.
The best private company was undoubtedly Carphone Warehouse, who had a dedicated person dealing with the accounts of customers who’d died. They even sent me a refund, which I spent on a good bottle of wine.
The Co-Op Gives Up On The Lloyds Branches
Buying bank branches, is a bit like going down Covent Garden Market at the close of business and buying all the fruit and vegetables that has not been sold.
So in some ways the news this morning as reported on the BBC, that the Co-Op Bank isn’t buying the branches Lloyds must divest itself of, is no surprise to me.
Let’s face it branch banking is dead and those that still need a branch, use one that is convenient to them and won’t like being transferred. So perhaps, many have already put their business elsewhere and the Co-op would be buying a few worthless empty shells.
The Co-op’s Chief Executive has said this.
After detailed and thorough consideration of all aspects of the Verde transaction, we have decided, at this time, that it is not in the best interests of our members to proceed with the transaction.
Against the backdrop of the current economic environment, the worsened outlook for economic growth and the increasing regulatory requirements on the financial services sector in general, the Verde transaction would not currently deliver a suitable return for our members within a reasonable timeframe and with an acceptable level of risk.
So although he’s saying it’s not for the Co-op and giving reasoned views, it would be interesting to see the figures underneath it all.
I also wonder with all the publicity that this proposed deal has generated, if it has sent a message to many bank customers, that the Co-op Bank is a serious alternative and people have moved their accounts accordingly.
So has the deal got the Co-op what it wanted, without any risk whatsoever?
Let’s hope the fallout from this deal, gives us a few new iconic bars and restaurants in those redundant prime locations!
The Sun Is Out In De Beauvoir Square
I took this picture yesterday morning, as I walked through the are to my doctor’s for a B12 injection.
The Sun Is Out In De Beauvoir Square
Last year, at this time of the year, there would be a lot more colour and leaves around. It really has been a bad winter.
Although, it was good to see the gardeners setting up the garden for Spring.
I don’t think many would associate this quiet and pleasant square with the inner London borough of Hackney. But then Hackney is one of the inner boroughs with most green spaces.
More From The Institute Of Economics and Peace
the web site of the The Institute Of Economics and Peace is fascinating.
Shown here, is a comparison of the various US States. As most would expect, Maine and Vermont are at the top, but to me, there are some surprising states in the bottom ten.
And here is a global terrorism index.
Both reports have very good interactive maps.
I think research like this is invaluable, when it comes to sorting out the world.
Britain Is Becoming Less Violent
According to this report on the BBC about a report from the Institute for Economics and Peace, Britain is becoming a less violent place.
On the other hand, you do get different perceptions from talking to people. Several times, when I say to someone, as I did last Saturday, that I live in Hackney, there is a general view that it is an area with crime and rioting all the time, and a generally low standard of living.
Since, I’ve moved to this area, I’ve not seen anything the least bit violent, an aggressive dog or anything to worry about. There was the tragic incident round the corner, where a young girl was run over by a hit-and-run driver, but she got off a bus and ran behind it to cross the road without looking, despite the fact, there is a light-controlled crossing a few metres away. I don’t think we can put that down to the area, as this sort of incident happens everywhere.
I think there has been one case of housebreaking in the area, where someone went out and left a window open. There was certainly more petty thieving when I lived in rural Suffolk, than this area of Hackney.
The only crime, that appears to be common, is the con artists, who come up with all sorts of non-violent scams. I think, the fake gold ring trick, has been tried on me, about four times in the last year, but only once in the local area. Another time was actually outside Selfridges.
But then, there have always been scammers and let’s face it the Internet is full of them!
The Anonymous Widower 