It is now an archive for my newspaper and magazine pieces. My blog can now be read at: www.spectator.co.uk/stephenpollard
Politics, economics and culture from the master. Unmissable.
Melanie Phillips home page
Melanie Phillips' peerless blog. Read, and learn.
Daniel Finkelstein's Times Comment Central
A daily must-read.
Tim Worstall
Lots of interesting nibbles - and a ruthless swatter of economic gibberish.
Harry's Place
Must-read left of centre blog from writers who understand the threat to the West.
Clive Davis
Always interesting selection of culture and politics, from an Anglo-American bent.
Samizdata
Libertarian blog, packed every day.
Norm's blog
The thoroughly sensible thoughts of renowned left-wing academic Norman Geras, Professor of Government at Manchester. And cricket, too.
Public Interest
Peter Briffa's inimitable take on The Yazzmonster and other assorted demons.
Reform
The public sector reform group; their website is an invaluable source of data and ideas.
Centre for the New Europe
The leading European public policy think tank.
Developed by:
| February | 28 |
| 2007 |
Blimey. I've just been to the new Baker and Spice round the corner from my flat.
As some of you may recall, I do not object to paying what some people see as silly money for superb food.
But I do object to paying silly money for average food. The food at Baker and Spice is good. The bread is delicious, the quiche well made, the salads fresh and interesting. But the prices! Have a guess. How much do you think a glass of orange juice cost?
£3? Come off it.
£4? As if!
£5? Surely not.
£6? No way.
£6.50.
I doubt they charge that even at Le Gavroche.
A plate of beef? £14 and it was, literally, a plate with a few pieces of beef on it. All vegetables were extra, at £4.95 each.
I wasn't paying. And I won't be going back. But good luck to them if they can find people prepared to fork out £6.50 for a glass of orange juice. There's one born every minute, as they say.
MessageSpace
I guess they must find customers willing to pay that, as businesses that don't set their prices at the market-clearing rate don't tend to last long. But over $10 for orange juice is pretty startling.
One born every minute is quite a good estimate though it assumes that roughly 60% of the population are not idiots. A little generous I think.