View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Tuesday 15 December

Fairly bright day, interspersed with light showers. These don't show up on the weather radar, but do get you wet when outside. It's rather windier in Australia, where tropical cyclone Laurence is skimming the northwestern coast of the continent with winds of 85 to 120 knots (100 to 135 mph).

Cheques are to be phased out in the UK by 2018. Apparently, the number of cheques written by Britons has fallen by half over the past 7 years. Concerns have been expressed by the elderly and support groups, saying that many are uncomfortable using plastic and/or the Internet; also, more than a billion cheques are still being written each day.

Here in the Western Isles, concerns have been expressed for fuel prices. Scottish Fuels have reestablished their monopoly in fuel supplies, after taking over a rival, Brogan Fuels, who recently set up a fuel supply network here. Petrol prices in Stornoway are currently about £1.20 per litre ($10 per gallon), higher than on the mainland, and higher than in other areas of northern Scotland, served by the same tankerboat that brings us our petrol &c.

I have to wait for BA to confirm (or not) that my flights on December 22nd are cancelled, before I can do anything about it. With 1 million other people, both inside and outside the UK, about to be inconvenienced, it is going to be a wretched experience travelling this Xmas.

3 comments:

  1. I can understand how people would worry about cheques being stopped. For instance we have just had a lot of work done, we paid by cheque. We do not have credit cards and you cannot pay that amount on a debit card. Going to the bank personally and taking out a big load of cash would be full of danger and attract thieves. Also with a cheque, you have the chance to stop it if you need to afterwards whereas with a card, the money is gone. If that amount of cheques are still being written I do not see the problem.

    I hope your flight arrangements get sorted out.

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  2. I haven't heard anything about checks being done away with here in the US. I certainly hope not. Times are changing but there are times like Jeannette said that they make do better than anything else. I do hope you can get your travel plans firmed up soon. The time is getting short.

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  3. So many of us use cheques for many things I thinkit is awful that the banks are riding rough shod over us all. Many charities will suffer greatly, how many times do people just dash of a cheque sometimes on impulse for a charity...you can't just pay by card not everyone has a computer. Until they do and are assured their money will be safe...things should not be change..but will they listne to us !! like fun they will we are just the ones who pay their wages. I was in the bank the other day and the assistant said "you know you can pay in in the machine, save you waiting" I said no thank you I want to keep you in a job...she had never though that when machines take over she would not be needed !!
    Love sybil xx fingers still crossed for the airline to be sorted out !

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