This book has had terrific reviews…”‘Real England’ is a watershed study, a crucially important book; the most significant account of today’s England I have read” says The Independent for instance, and George Monbiot says “This is an urgent, important book, which helps to shape our view of who we are and who we want to be…” I just don’t know. It is certainly thought-provoking. It is very entertaining too. But it smacks just a little too much of a left-wing rant on the ills of society and, great though they might be, nobody likes to be lectured to -especially when the facts are over-ridden from time to time in the interests of keeping up a head of steam on the central gripe that we are becoming, or have become, a vain consumer monoculture.
The message is clear….it is much better to preserve small businesses however downtrodden and blighted and badly-run than to tidy up and give more power to ‘the Biggies’ – landlords, pubcos, developers, retail chains, whatever. Well, whilst having a lot of sympathy for an argument for localisation, I just do not buy into mothballing a scruffy boatyard by a scruffy canal in Oxford just so that it is not turned into nice middle-class houses. I happen to like the tidying up of the canal elsewhere in central Oxford with its nice bourgeoise housing.
Take our own industry, the book trade which Paul does not cover….this year there has been a significant net loss of independent bookshops. And everyone bemoans the takeover by Amazon, Waterstones, and the supermarkets. But really if a bookshop is well-run, offers its customers the service they require, provides a good stock, atmosphere and knowledge, and is in the right place – it will do well. Why should poorly-run shops run by amateurs who see it as a bit of a hobby survive? Who do they benefit?
No, a rather more tempered view and a little more research would have resulted in a much better book.
Recommended!
