Tom
That Tesco gross margin includes cost-of-sales expenses. For an apples-to-apples comparison you need to find the cost of merchandise sold/inventory in the notes. It is about 25% which is lower than M&S as it includes low gross margin motor fuel. The in-store gross margin is just under 29%.

This is comparing gross margins with operating margins. All the operating costs come between the two. The Marks & Spencer Foods gross margin is more than 30%; operating margin just over 5%

Not a full-on binge but Bill Forsyth’s films - Gregory’s Girl and Local Hero - will, I’m pretty sure improve your mood. Even reading Pauline Kael’s review of the second film would ensure you were in a different world to the last week.

I think 100 ft high trees are generally inappropriate in urban areas.Maybe you could talk to them about planting a mixed native hedge along the boundary.

I understand some disappointment about this but suspect the trees were on the south or west of your neighbour’s garden which was in shade for much of the day. Our neighbour had a huge chestnut tree to the southwest of our garden which kept us in shade until late afternoon.

Roy Jenkins on Sir Charles Dilke