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Thanks for the compliment Cargobox. I do always try to say what I really think, rather than what I think would be good for me to be heard saying. Sometimes I wonder if that's a disadvantage to me so it's nice to hear responses like yours.

Clare - I hope I haven't come across as negative to your point of view either here or on your blog. I think, judging by what you say above, that we're in almost total agreement, especially on the matter of Willy and his flame haired Oompah Loompah.

I was just a little concerned that in your initial comment there seemed to be the belief that the huge sums we pay in rates to central government (even though it's paid via local councils) went entirely towards local services. It doesn't, as I'm sure you're aware. Not even half of it does which frankly is deplorable.

I certainly agree that if this is the kind of response we're going to see from government over the plight of retailers, both in city centres and even in the mega malls, we may all need to look for a new profession in the coming years.

The pressures faced by all of us are growing daily. Yet Mr Shapps and our glorious leader who's wife, as a retailer herself we were led to believe would give focus on the industry, seem to feel they have time enough to play games and dream up competitions with TV personalities, rather than get down to the serious job of being statesmen or stateswomen.

We all know that the situation is much more urgent than that. High Street retail as one of the UK's major income earners for the exchequer is slipping away. It may be too late soon for anyone to change that once the tipping point is reached, least of all a government with the kind of clouded vision and lack of engagement that we seem to have now.

If the recent demise of numerous high street names and the huge job losses they have triggered are not enough for them to realise that the time for silly stunts like this is well past, I too think we may as well not count on any of them for support.