Complete?

After well over six months work, the redevelopment of Pier Road in Erith is almost complete, as you can see from the photos above - click on either to see a larger view. The stone used in the replacement paving matches that used in the Pier Gardens. The redevelopment of a key part of Erith town centre is welcome; however I do have several reservations. Firstly the new seating looks good now it is new, but the benches will be subject to abuse from local vandals - I suspect that they will now look as good this time next year; secondly the creation of flower beds within the central shopping centre is a bold and I feel courageous move. How long the plants will survive is open to speculation. You may recall that back in 2017 Bexley Council refurbished Erith Riverside Gardens. A contractor was hired to uproot and remove hundreds of plants and bushes and replace them with new ones. For a while the Riverside Gardens looked amazing - then we had a hot summer; the contractor did not water the plants, and despite pleas from local residents - including the Friends Of Riverside Gardens Erith (FORGE) who volunteered to water the plants - the contractor did not water the gardens and around eighty percent of the new plants died as a result. I have concerns that in addition to vandalism and theft, official neglect may end up killing the Pier Road plants. I hope that I am wrong. As can also be noted in the upper of the two photos above, the scaffolding surrounding Parkspring Court - the building that houses the Energie Fitness gym and the new Erith Library, as well as several dozen local residents, is still in place well over two years since it was originally installed. The scaffolding has now been in place for longer than it took for Parkspring Court to be built in the first place. Comments to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Self-service tills, also known as self-checkouts, have become increasingly common in British supermarkets in recent years. However, some supermarkets are now moving away from self-service tills and back to tills staffed by cashiers. This is due to a number of factors, including customer feedback, concerns about job losses, and a desire to provide a more personalised customer experience. I am vehemently opposed to the exclusive deployment of self service tills for a number of reasons; firstly it has been demonstrated that the average time to complete a supermarket self service transaction is up to three times as long as one carried out by a staffed till – and that is without allowing for system errors. Secondly, why would you have a dog and bark yourself? Quite often the checkout person adds to the whole retail experience, and can problem solve on the go. Elderly people, or customers with small children can also find self service stressful. On top of this, the supermarkets only introduce self service as they think it will reduce their staffing overheads. This has proved to be a false economy, as although the number of checkout staff is reduced, the number of supervisors and security operatives has to increase – who tend to be paid a higher rate than the checkout staff. Locally Morrison's in Erith had been proposing to replace all but four staffed tills with automated self service tills, though this seems now to have been thankfully cancelled. One of the main reasons why some supermarkets are moving away from self-service tills is customer feedback. Many customers have complained that self-service tills are slow, unreliable, and impersonal. They also say that they prefer to have their shopping scanned by a cashier, as this gives them the opportunity to ask questions and get help with their shopping.Self-service counters cost about £9,000 each, including installation, and manufacturer NCR estimates that they pay for themselves in about 15 months. A third more tills can be squeezed into a store and checkout staff can be deployed elsewhere. But the devices — and their frequent complaint of “unexpected item in bagging area” — are disliked by many shoppers, who argue that retailers are asking customers to do their work for them and that it reduces interaction with staff. NCR argues that the counters cut prices. “Staff can be redeployed to the shop floor, so it can actually improve service,” A claim that has since found to be incorrect in  a very many cases. NCR believes that it is benefiting from modern social change, especially the growing convenience market. People are making more shopping trips, for fewer items — hence the spread of convenience outlets to meet demand — a phenomenon attributed by analysts to the breakdown in the nuclear family and traditional working patterns, along with societal changes brought by Covid lock down restrictions. NCR believes, moreover, that shoppers’ desire for healthy and fresh food and a growing desire to have cravings satisfied immediately have also driven the convenience boom. In my opinion, part of the whole shopping experience is the service and interaction with the staff - and as has been previously proved, the auto tills are not very secure. Another reason why some supermarkets are moving away from self-service tills is concerns about job losses. As self-service tills become more common, there is a risk that fewer cashiers will be needed. This has led to concerns from trade unions and workers' rights groups. Finally, some supermarkets are moving away from self-service tills in order to provide a more personalised customer experience. Cashiers can greet customers by name, help them with their shopping, and answer any questions they have. This can create a more positive and welcoming shopping experience for customers. One of the first British supermarkets to move away from self-service tills was Booths. Last week, Northern supermarket chain Booths announced the removal of self-service tills from all but two of its stores. The company said that the decision was made in response to customer feedback, which showed that customers preferred to have their shopping scanned by a cashier. Other British supermarkets that are moving away from self-service tills include Waitrose and Morrisons. Waitrose has announced that it will be removing self-service tills from some of its stores, while Morrisons has said that it will be reducing the number of self-service tills in its stores. Fairly recently, a report was published by the School of Criminology of the University of Leicester on self service checkout tills. The report found that installing self-service checkouts increases lost revenue by 122 percent. Some of it is accidental – people forget to scan items, or get confused by instructions; other times shoppers get so frustrated with self-service kiosks that they feel justified in not paying. But the report  states that mostly people shoplift because the technology makes it so easy. Mobile phone scanning technology is just as vulnerable – the study found that at the end of a typical shopping trip, up to ten percent of items had not been scanned, leading to “shrinkage” (loss through wastage or theft) of about 3.9 percent of turnover. Unfortunately the technology makes it very difficult to prove that customers are deliberately stealing. One retailer admitted they almost never prosecute people. For that reason supermarkets are now introducing tagging systems so un-scanned items trigger alarms. Supermarkets such as Morrison’s in Erith have now expanded the number of self – service checkouts so that now half of all tills are of this type, although the latest reports indicate that they may now be back - tracking on this. Finding open, traditionally staffed checkouts are becoming a challenge to find. I have always wondered why you have to pay the same price for an item when it is purchased via a self – service till when compared to a traditional one – after all, you are doing work on behalf of the supermarket, and surely this should be reflected in a cheaper cost? If I wanted to operate a till, I would get a job at Morrison's. The move away from self-service tills in British supermarkets is a significant trend. It is likely that more supermarkets will follow suit in the coming years, as they seek to provide a better customer experience and address the concerns of workers - and because shoppers who dislike self service checkouts are voting with their feet, and the retailers have to act to prevent the loss of revenue. 

Older local residents with good memories may recall that in the mid nineties, a Royal Navy warship was moored for several years in the River Thames adjacent to Erith Riverside Gardens. The ship was HMS Soberton, a Ton Class minesweeper which was home to the Woolwich Sea Cadets whilst moored in the River Thames off Erith between 1992 and 1997. Prior to this, HMS Soberton was on active duty between 1958 and 1992. She was the sixth of 28 Ton class minesweepers built for the Royal Navy. The Ton class minesweepers were designed to be small and maneuverable, making them ideal for mine sweeping in shallow waters and coastal areas. They were also relatively inexpensive to build and operate. HMS Soberton was 53.2 metres long and had a beam of 8.2 metres. She displaced 450 tons and had a crew of 36 officers and men. She was armed with one 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun and two 20mm Oerlikon cannons. HMS Soberton spent most of her career on fishery protection patrols and exercises in UK waters. She also took part in a number of NATO exercises. In 1963, she participated in Operation CLEAR ROAD, a mine clearance operation off Esjberg, Denmark. In 1978, HMS Soberton underwent a long refit at Chatham Dockyard. She was recommissioned in 1979 and continued her fishery protection duties until 1992. Although the ship was designated as a minesweeper, it spent nearly its entire career as a fishery protection vessel. HMS Soberton appeared in the TV series Warship, Series 3, Episode 8 entitled "A Quiet Run Ashore" as the fictional HMS Ferrington. You can see the episode on YouTube by clicking here. The upper photo shows HMS Soberton under weigh off the coast of Holland, and the lower photo shows the ship in the Pool of London during her last visit prior to being paid off. HMS Soberton was at the time the longest serving active ship in the Royal Navy, having been in commission for 35 years. The lower photo shows the first and last captains of the ship; to the left is Admiral Sir Jock Slater KCB LVO, and to the right is Lieutenant Commander Justin Wood RN. After the ship was taken off the active navy list, she served as the home to Woolwich Sea Cadets until 1997. In 1998 she was taken to the Bakkerzonen ship breakers in Bruges, where she was then scrapped. HMS Soberton is no longer in service, but her memory is kept alive by The Ton Class Association, a group of former Ton class crew members and enthusiasts. The Association maintains a website and publishes a regular newsletter. 

Following my recent article on the artist Colin Gill, I feel that it would be appropriate to follow this up with an article on his sister, Marjory Gill who was a ground breaking campaigner in her own right. Marjory Allen (nee Gill), Baroness Allen of Hurtwood (1897-1976), was a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to improving the lives of children, particularly through her pioneering work in promoting the importance of play. Her unwavering belief in the transformative power of play led her to become a leading figure in the creation of adventure playgrounds, spaces where children could explore, experiment, and develop their creativity freely. Born Marjory Gill in Bexleyheath in 1897, she grew up in a loving and supportive family that encouraged her creative pursuits. From an early age, she displayed a deep empathy for children and a strong sense of social justice. These qualities would later shape her lifelong commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of children. After completing her education, Marjory Gill embarked on a successful career as a landscape architect. Her designs were characterised by their emphasis on creating spaces that were both aesthetically pleasing and functional, particularly for children. She became a fellow of the Institute of Landscape Architects in 1930, a testament to her expertise and influence in the field. In the aftermath of World War II, Marjory Gill's attention turned to the plight of children living in war-torn cities. She witnessed firsthand the impact of displacement and trauma on their emotional and physical well-being. It was at this time that she worked with UNICEF to aid children orphaned by war.  She recognised the crucial role of play in providing children with opportunities for self-expression, resilience, and social interaction. Marjory Gill became a passionate advocate for the creation of adventure playgrounds, spaces where children could freely explore, experiment, and take risks. She believed that these playgrounds, with their open-ended environments and natural materials, would foster creativity, independence, and a sense of self-worth in children. In 1959, Marjory Gill founded the Adventure Playground Association (APA), an organisation dedicated to promoting the development of adventure playgrounds throughout the United Kingdom. The APA played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the importance of play and providing guidance for the design and implementation of adventure playgrounds. Marjory Gill's tireless efforts led to the establishment of numerous adventure playgrounds across the country. These spaces quickly gained popularity among children and families, providing much-needed opportunities for unstructured and imaginative play. Lady Allen of Hurtwood's legacy extends far beyond the physical structures of adventure playgrounds. Her unwavering belief in the power of play has transformed the way children's play spaces are designed and utilised. Her work has inspired countless individuals and organizations to recognise the importance of play and advocate for children's right to safe, stimulating, and accessible play environments. Comments to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Something that might quite surprise you is that the price of old Betamax video recorders is currently going through the roof; a couple of years ago you could not give one away if you tried. Suddenly they are turning up on eBay and the bidding competition is fierce. Prices of £250 and upwards have been noted. What is the reason for this? Well, it does not seem to be down to any love for the outdated video format (which whilst it failed in the domestic home market, it was the cornerstone of many TV news and outside broadcast units for many years). It would appear that people are coming across family videos recorded on Betamax cassettes and wish to digitise them. Most professional video transfer services can handle VHS and the common broadcast formats, but very few are capable of doing anything with a Betamax format cassette. People with old recordings of weddings and family events realise that if they wish to be able to see them again, they will need to locate a device capable of playing the tape format - hence the sudden upsurge of interest. The ironic thing is, it is pretty likely that the tapes will be unwatchable even when a suitable player is used. Both Betamax and VHS cassettes deteriorate over time, even when stored in ideal conditions. A forty year old video tape will have de-magnetised and printed through so much that it will almost certainly show on screen as a mess of flickering static with a few under saturated, ghostly images of what remains of the original recording now.  I recently have read quite a lot about the format wars between VHS and Betamax back in the early 1980's. From all that I have read, it became apparent that Sony, the creators of the Beta format were pretty much to blame for the demise of what initially was a far technically superior video format than the relatively pedestrian VHS system. The main determining factor between Betamax and VHS was the cost of the recorders and length of recording time. Betamax is, in theory, a superior recording format over VHS due to a higher screen resolution (250 lines vs. 240 lines), slightly superior sound, and a more stable image; Betamax recorders were also of higher quality construction. But these differences were negligible to consumers, and thus did not justify either the extra cost of a Betamax VCR (which was often significantly more expensive than a VHS equivalent) or Betamax's shorter recording time. JVC, which designed the VHS technology, licensed it to any manufacturer that was interested. The manufacturers then competed against each other for sales, resulting in lower prices to the consumer. Sony was the only manufacturer of Betamax initially and so was not pressured to reduce prices. Only in the early 1980s did Sony decide to licence Betamax technology to other manufacturers, such as Toshiba and Sanyo. What Sony did not take into account was what consumers wanted. While Betamax was believed to be the superior format in the minds of the public and press (due to excellent marketing by Sony), consumers wanted an affordable video recorder (a VHS machine was often around a hundred pounds less than an equivalent Betamax one back in the day); Sony believed that having better quality recordings was the key to success, and that consumers would be willing to pay a higher retail price for this, whereas it soon became clear that consumer desire was focused more intently on longer recording time, lower retail price, and compatibility with other machines for cassette sharing (as VHS was becoming the format in the majority of homes). The real Betamax killer was that for the first few years, the maximum length of recording was limited to one hour on Beta, whereas VHS could stretch to four hours with reduced image quality, critically long enough to record an entire American football game - the lucrative mass American market both systems were looking to crack. Sony had the attitude of "We know best" as to what the market wanted, and ignored requests for features that quickly became standard with their competitors. Consequently Betamax is now considered alongside the 8 - Track cartridge as a Dodo technology. You can read about the history of the video format war by clicking here. If you are of the opinion that Betamax is far too mainstream, well known and commonplace, do yourself a favour by visiting the Philips V2000 web site here. You can also read more about other format wars by clicking here.

If you are the owner, or you know the owner of the rather battered and worse for wear mobile phone in the photo above, then you need to get in contact with Bexleyheath Police Station. I found the phone on Wednesday evening and handed it into the police station on Thursday morning. You will need to say where you lost it and also describe the rather unusual add - on phone case in order to prove ownership. If you have any questions or issues, then please email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The London Evening Standard published a report last Thursday on the issue of people using illegal e-bikes and e-scooters who have been blamed for an increase in injuries to bus passengers. Bus bosses said drivers were having to slam on the brakes to avoid people riding the battery-powered devices recklessly — with elderly passengers the most at risk of being hurt as a result. TfL has failed to hit an interim target of reducing by 70 per cent the number of deaths and serious injuries on, or caused by, its fleet of 9,000 buses. The long-term target of there being no deaths involving a London bus by 2030 also looks out of reach. Compared with the 2005-09 “baseline” figure, there has been a 54 per cent reduction in the number of people being killed or seriously injured by a London bus. A worrying trend has surfaced – the illegal modification of e-scooters to bypass speed restrictions and exceed the UK's 15.5 mph limit. This reckless behaviour poses a significant threat to road safety and endangers both e-scooter riders and other road users. The ease of modifying e-scooters, often through simple software tweaks or online tutorials, has made this practice alarmingly common. E-scooters that were initially designed for safe and leisurely commuting are being transformed into high-speed vehicles, capable of reaching speeds comparable to motorcycles. This increase in speed significantly amplifies the risk of serious injuries and fatalities in the event of an accident. Modified e-scooters have  been recorded at speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour. The consequences of illegal e-scooter modifications are not merely theoretical; they have already manifested in real-world tragedies. A recent study revealed a sharp rise in e-scooter-related injuries, with many attributed to the use of modified vehicles. These incidents often involve collisions with pedestrians or other vehicles, resulting in severe head trauma, broken bones, and other debilitating injuries. The negative impact of illegal e-scooter modifications extends beyond the immediate risk of accidents. The perception of e-scooters as inherently dangerous and irresponsible is growing, potentially hindering their wider adoption as a sustainable transportation option. This stigma could undermine the efforts to promote e-scooters as a viable alternative to cars, thereby hindering progress towards reducing urban emissions. Cities such as Paris have banned e-scooters as a result of safety issues.  Tackling this issue requires a multi-pronged approach involving law enforcement, manufacturers, and e-scooter users themselves. Stricter penalties for illegally modifying e-scooters are essential to deter this dangerous practice. Manufacturers should also take proactive measures to make speed restrictions more difficult to bypass and incorporate design features that prioritise safety. I have seen anecdotal evidence that some manufacturers of e-scooters deliberately make them easy to illegally modify to increase their speed, as this is a marketing ploy. 

The end video this week is a short tour of the twin statues of Alcock and Brown, the first people to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. The statues are located in central Crayford, where the Vickers factory was situated. Alcock and Brown used a modified Vickers Vimy bomber built in Crayford to make their historic journey. Comments to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.