Like many people I were so saddened to hear about this issue – especially in the run up to Christmas – but the nature of this business has always meant that if it did disintegrate, then it would affect Christmas for many families. I remember my Mother buying into such a hamper scheme when we were kiddies and the excitement of receiving and opening the food parcel. She scrimped and scraped all year long and for her the added bonus was receiving the ‘luxury’ food she would not have gone out and bought with her normal basic food shopping. I actually found it difficult to read the background to the story, and have found myself avoiding doing so. I did read that the people who had run the business were taking huge salaries? In any event, I hope that this will serve as a jolt to somebody who can and will address a loophole which might allow dodgy practises to evolve at the expense of the normal person on the street who rarely encounters such an issue, but expects the legal processes to be in place to support them, when they do. I am pleased to hear about the Credit union - sounds a smashing way to go forward.I don’t know about you, but I get really irritated when out shopping and in the middle of this ‘serious business’ (normally when I am deep in thought) I get a tap on the shoulder and a beaming face asking me how I am and/or whether I would like to take the stores credit or account (same thing) card and £1000.00 to spend in the store today? Marks and Spencer appear to be promoting this with carefree abandon at the moment. I stop and say no and that I totally object to being asked – if I want credit, I should have to seek it out – therefore hopefully placing some care into which place I buy it from, and some intelligent thought rather than an impulse buy, into the consideration process. Mostly the response is one of amazement as they normally get a yes or no answer. I think we should all vociferously say the same and maybe the message would get through to the bright spark in sales who thinks this is a ‘good idea’ for the store or company - with little regard of how it might entrap somebody.I think Ann Allridge’s comments on her thread on Chiswick W4 about the advertising of loans, is on my mind spot on. I seem to recall the actor (Gordon Jackson?) who played the butler in Upstairs Downstairs being stopped from advertising something similar because he was genuinely considered by the public to be honest in a public-information-type-of-way and because of this regard, it could mislead the public.
Sarah Felstead ● 6751d