Don’t you mean Norge Darren?

I'm trying to hold out another few days mate... Not sure I will succeed.

Absolutely nothing of significance or substance for Dorset, Hants, Wilts, Somerset.

We get ignored by the Tories because it's safe territory and ignored by Labour because they're deemed one-term territory. No progress again in this part of the south.

Whippets

The South West is inconsequential and largely ignored by this Government, as it doesn’t fit their urban focus. The Tories have neglected it for decades, seeing it as safe territory. As for the Libs, I rarely meet pro-development ones - you are a rare breed Ollie.

In short…

Woohoo 🙌

Yep Jonathan Reynolds seems like decent chap, but the government definitely needs someone who has at least run their own business.

And best we ignore the Brewdog pißwasser peddler - nasty beer.

Capacity is key. It’s definitely not fun on the occasions I’ve had to stand as far as Winchester on the way back to Bournemouth.

It would help to reinstate the Bournemouth-Salisbury line which would enable access to the West of England & Wessex lines and bring rail to a string of towns on the way.

To be fair the cancellation of HS2 going up the spine of England was a national scandal and not northern specific infrastructure.

The north doesn’t have the monopoly on shocking infrastructure, much as it likes to think so.

There are fewer people in the South West than the ‘homogeneous north’ but Bristol aside, (which is nowhere near much of the region) the SW is really really bad for public transportation, highways and rail.

Think I might crack open a Weihenstephaner while watching #TheTraitors final this eve.

I'm sad that the UK doesn't have a greater appreciation for Bavarian wheat bears & Belgian Trappist ales.

I'm sure some of these IPAs taste OK, I just won't pick them up on principle as they're overpriced, have artwork that looks like an art student on 'shrooms designed them and have stupid names.

I agree - many factors have led to this, and after 8yr, with new data Jeff Bray is entitled change his view. However, it’s frustrating to see Cllr Hanna wade into Echo comments claiming an academic backs his view that Castlepoint/Online are the main culprits, and to shut down the public - tone deaf.

Oh man... sorry to hear that.

What a day to feel better though - Blue Monday/Trump's inauguration.

See also: But Jeff Bray, senior lecturer in marketing and retail management at Bournemouth University, does not subscribe to the idea that the high street is dying thanks to online shopping and out-of-town shopping centres.

“I don’t subscribe to it at all. It’s not borne out in the data,” he said.