Fall.

Mobile CCTV vans have recently been spotted in the car parks of several local supermarkets. The photo above - click on it to see a larger version - was taken in Erith Morrison's car park last week. After carrying out some research into the situation, the results I found were interesting. Most UK supermarket chains, Morrison's included, outsource the management and operation of their car parks to specialist third party companies. Traditionally, supermarket car parks have relied on a mix of signage and limited CCTV coverage to deter bad parking habits. However, issues like inconsiderate parking, blocking disabled bays, and exceeding time limits have persisted. The introduction of mobile CCTV vans has garnered mixed reactions. Some customers welcome the initiative, believing it will improve parking availability and deter selfish behaviour. Others criticise it as an unnecessary intrusion or a money-making scheme through parking fines. Critics also argue that permanent CCTV installations would be a more cost-effective solution and question whether the vans can address issues like late-night car racing in car parks. One positive outcome from the very visible CCTV vans is a marked reduction in catalytic converter thefts by organised criminal gangs, who have targetted parked vehicles outside of supermarkets. The use of mobile CCTV vans in supermarket car parks is a new development, and it remains to be seen how widespread it will become. However, it does highlight the growing frustration with inconsiderate parking and the lengths supermarkets may go to in order to address it. Comments and feedback to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The afternoons in Bexleyheath Broadway have been quieter than usual over the last week; the primary reason for this has been that local schools have been on half term holiday. I took the photo above in Geddes Place, Bexleyheath. An elderly woman was being attended to by paramedics after having a fall which resulted in a head injury. The lady was subsequently taken to hospital.

A report was published last week which suggested that there is up to 800,000 metric tons of copper wiring that could be harvested in the next ten years. Report author, engineering company TXO claims over a dozen telecoms companies are investigating extracting copper wires from old networks to sell on the open market. The need for copper wiring is declining as carriers adopt fibre optics, which have superior carrying capacity – one upcoming fibre technology is expected to increase the data capacity of undersea cables by 12 times While re-purposing old stuff is not unusual, recycling copper can be particularly valuable as the conductive metal is a crucial material for things like solar panels and batteries, which rely on old-school electrical wiring. A 2022 report from industry analysts S&P Global estimated demand for copper would double by 2035 – from 25 million metric tons in 2022 to 50 million – and since the copper mining industry reportedly will not be able to keep up with demand, that means higher prices. Copper is already 50 percent more expensive since the COVID-19 pandemic, and prices will likely continue to increase. Recycling copper will not be easy. Many of the wires telecoms companies have installed over the years are underground and may have degraded. Digging the metal up and getting it into a saleable condition will entail non-trivial expenditure. Recycling may not be able to fill in the gap between supply and demand completely, the report claims, which means each ton that gets recycled is individually worth more – making the prospect of digging it up and processing it more economically viable. At current copper prices, recycling operations can net a 30 percent profit, it is claimed.

Following my recent article about the possible uncertain future of the Brewers Fayre restaurant and bar in Albion Road, Bexleyheath, it would appear that it is increasingly likely that it will indeed close in early July. Customers have been told that they can only book tables at the Bexleyheath branch until the fourth of July. It is possible to book much further ahead than this at other branches, which has led observers to conclude that the Bexleyheath branch is under threat. Whitbread, the company behind popular brands like Premier Inn and Beefeater Grill, has made a strategic decision to shutter over 200 of its restaurants, with a significant portion of those being Brewers Fayre outlets. This move comes as Whitbread prioritises growth in its more profitable hotel sector, Premier Inn. The changing landscape of the restaurant industry is a key driver behind this decision. Evolving consumer preferences and market conditions have put pressure on Brewers Fayre's performance. Whitbread believes that by focusing resources on hotels, they can optimise their operations and deliver better returns for shareholders. At the end of April, Brewers Fayre owners Whitbread announced it is to axe about 1,500 jobs across the UK amid plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants by more than 200 in favour of building more hotel rooms. The group said the job cuts come from its total UK workforce of 37,000 employees. It said the move is part of a plan to “optimise” its food and drink offering, to add more than 3,500 hotel rooms across its estate and increase “operational efficiencies”. Whitbread said it plans to sell 126 of its branded restaurants, with 21 sales already having gone through. It will also convert 112 less profitable eateries into new hotel rooms. Personally I am not surprised about the fate of the Bexleyheath branch; its location in Albion Road is well away from Bexleyheath Broadway, and footfall past the restaurant has not been great - it is too "out of the way" for much passing trade. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Fellow local Blogger Richard of The Thamesmead Grump has made the following announcement:-"On Thursday 6th June, The Abbey Wood Memorial Garden will be holding two short ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The Abbey Wood Memorial Garden is situated in Rosedale Close, Abbey Wood next door to the Weybourne Care Home in Eynsham Drive. There will be a number of participants, including the Mayor of Greenwich plus children from local schools. At 11:00am, we will be raising the D-Day 80 Peace Flag and at 9:00pm we will be lighting the D-Day Beacon. Everyone is welcome to attend both events. To prepare for this event, we are doing as much renovation of the garden as we can but unfortunately there are only a few of us, mostly of advancing years and with various health problems, which make it difficult for us. We desperately need volunteers to help with some final weeding and tidying up and if anyone can help at all it would be really appreciated. For more information about the garden, you can find it here on this site "https://g-foew.art/story/the-abbey-wood-memorial-garden-2022-from-wilderness-the-respectful-heights/" Some of the information is a little out of date as the article is a couple of years old, but most of it is still current. You can also find us on our Facebook page here "https://www.facebook.com/groups/AbbeyWoodMemorialGarden101". If anyone would like to help, they can contact me on our email address "theawmg@gmail.com". There is more information about the international events here - https://www.d-day80beacons.co.uk"

This week marks the 25th anniversary of Napster, the music-sharing service that sent shock waves through the industry. Launched in the USA in 1999 by Sean Fanning from his college dormitory room, Napster's peer-to-peer technology allowed users to share MP3 audio files with ease. This unprecedented access to music, for free, quickly attracted millions. The impact was undeniable. Teenagers with dial-up connections were building massive digital libraries, while the music industry watched in horror. Record executives predicted Napster would destroy their business model, fearing fans wouldn't pay for music they could get for free. Fanning saw how a user-friendly platform could take the curiosity of song-swapping and escalate it via MP3s, shared over new broadband internet connections on college campuses. Users posted their digital music libraries online for anyone to see and download for themselves through a decentralised network. This clash led to a wave of lawsuits, culminating in Napster's shutdown in 2001. Napster's legacy extends far beyond its short lifespan. It sparked a fierce debate about copyright in the digital age. While some saw it as piracy, others argued it democratised access to music. Napster's influence on today's music scene is undeniable. The ease of sharing music it introduced paved the way for modern streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. These platforms offer vast libraries for a subscription fee, a compromise between fan demand and artist compensation. The debate over Napster's role continues. Did it free music or endanger the industry? The answer is likely both. It challenged the status quo, forcing the music industry to adapt. While piracy remains a concern, streaming services have become a multi-billion dollar industry, proving music can thrive in a digital age.

Now for some public service information. I took the photo above on Wednesday evening during a visit to Morrison's supermarket in Erith. As I approached the store, I was accosted by the woman in the photo - she very aggressively demanded money. Initially I ignored her and continued on my way, at which point she started screaming and swearing at me. It was readily apparent that she was on drugs of some kind. I took the photo you see above to circulate to local residents as a warning. When I arrived home - and well away from her, I logged a call with the Police 101 non emergency service. I did not expect that they would send a patrol car, as it was not really appropriate, but my call details were added to the local police offence database for future reference. I also notified my neighbours and my volunteer colleagues at Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Subsequent to this incident, I have discovered from a couple of sources that the same aggressive and abusive beggar has previously been spotted in Crayford and Bexleyheath. Begging is a complex issue in London, and aggressive tactics can make it particularly unsettling for residents and visitors. While the Vagrancy Act of 1824 technically outlaws begging, it is due for replacement with new legislation. This leaves authorities in a grey area when dealing with aggressive behaviour. Aggressive begging can manifest in several ways: following people persistently, blocking their path, using intimidating language or gestures - as in my case, or making physical contact. This can create a sense of fear and vulnerability, especially for children and the elderly. It can also disrupt the flow of foot traffic in busy areas. Aggressive begging is often a symptom of deeper issues like homelessness, drug addiction, or mental health problems. However, this does not excuse the intimidating behaviour. There's a concern that aggressive tactics may be used by organised crime rings, exploiting vulnerable people. The current legal situation makes it difficult for Police to address aggressive begging effectively.  A fine of up to £1,000 is unlikely to deter repeat offenders, and jail time is not usually involved. The upcoming Criminal Justice Bill aims to replace the Vagrancy Act of 1824 with a focus on "nuisance begging." This would empower authorities to issue fines or warnings for behaviours that cause harassment or distress. However, striking a balance is crucial. Legislation should not criminalise genuine homelessness, but it should provide tools to tackle aggressive tactics.

The highly influential iMac range of computers from Apple had its twenty sixth birthday last week. The original - and some way the most revolutionary - version of the computer was launched in May 1998. You can see a photo of the "mark one" version above - click on the photo for a larger view. The original iMac was a product full of firsts. It was Apple’s first computer to be built for the internet era (that is where the i comes from.) It was the first to drop all legacy I/O such as serial and parallel ports in favour of the more modern USB standard. It was the first to show that computers could be cool. To design the iMac, Apple pushed its latent industrial design team, a group that had been under served by previous company leaders. While the iMac wasn’t the first Apple product to use translucent plastic, it was decidedly more “Un-PC,” without a spot of beige to be found. At the time, all other desktop computers were inevitably beige in colour - whilst other manufacturers were aware that other colours were available, the beige option was the cheapest to produce, as being beige at the outset tended to hide the case discolouration over time due to the Bromine compounds introduced into the ABS plastic to act as a fire retardant. Incidentally old computer restorers have created a chemical cleaning product called Retrobright to restore discoloured computer cases, which I wrote about back in 2014, that you can read here. I digress; The iMac did not come with a bland beige case; quite the opposite. Then-Vice President of Industrial Design, Briton Sir Jony Ive asked “What computer would The Jetsons have had?” when designing the original iMac. Retro-futurism played a quietly important role in the computer’s appeal to customers, which was reminiscent of both the aesthetic used in the animated cartoon series and even vintage computer terminals. The iMac’s vibrant hues also embodied the spirit of 1960s Olivetti typewriters, which were notable for their use of colour in a market dominated by dull, corporate designs.

The end video this week is a short aerial drone view of Danson Stables, in Danson Park. Comments and feedback to me as usual at hugh.neal@gmail.com.