Foreign Perspectives

Sometimes it seems that it’s purely the UK that’s in the doldrums economically at the moment whilst France appears to be sailing merrily along.

However, locally we have seen that both of the local cafés are now closed. Whilst one does close for the winter normally it’s now closed down altogether and its premises have been taken over by the local youth club. The pizza outlet is still open but sporadically whilst the hotel seems to have closed up for the winter at least if not for longer. Perhaps the best indication is the local bakers who have severely cut back on their production and have commented that it’s “bad everywhere”.

Perhaps most tellingly, the toy shop was virtually empty at the peak of the Christmas shopping season.

So, whilst at the top level all seems relatively OK, the bottom level tells quite a different story.