Didnt move with the times, Now if they had off made a nice selection of "Sorry your going under" cards, they may well have remained in business.

Not seen enough dog krap to even register it, less charity shops, far more 3 for 2 or BOGOF type offers on food, transport nice and cheap and definitely more reliable, pubs fantastic, many with cheap and decent food. People more likely to say "öops sorry" if they bump into you instead of glaring, shop assistants happy to leave you in peace if you are "just browsing".

More general litter, more graffiti.

Being far less well paid these days every penny I spent this time was thought about a lot harder. It may not be cheaper to live there, but it sure as heck isn't any worse than here, and the people certainly weren't any grumpier.

Just my personal opinion mind........

I think it depends a lot on the individual and their circumstances. Me and my friends in the UK email each other a lot of lengthy emails and none have even noticed any recession. Well, one noticed there were some empty shops, but given a new shopping centre had just opened next door, that was to be expected.

Wife was there in January, mainly touring the south coast and also didn't report anything different since we left in 2008

The public spending cuts have still not impacted fully yet. Local councils are still part way through the restructures that will continue to reduce the standard of life in subtle but significant ways. To give an example the education dept in my local council has been reduced from 60ish staff down to 16 with more cuts and amalgamations to come. If the recession hasn't impacted yet for some it will do shortly.

Recently had a new garden centre open, a sign of an economic turn around you might think, the thousands of job applications for mostly minimum wage (or very close) jobs tells a very different story.

If you come on holiday to the uk some pubs will look impossibly cheap, bay and large this because a lot of them are on their arses scratching for the custom, while this may feel great in the short term it's not a healthy state of affairs.

If or more likely when the Eurozone defaults begin the eel will likely high fan even harder I'm just praying the house sale has gone through before so I can leave it all behind for a while.

It's easy to look back to how things were and on a short trip you might think things are the same, I couldn't care less about dog crap but I don't know anybody living here that hasn't noticed the change even if they are lucky enough to have faired ok through it all (as I have).

Holy crap I'm moving to wheverever you are!!

On the plus side we don't have dog poo issues where we are, you would be lynched if you didn't scoop. On the downside a pint is £4.50 at our local. Maybe the charity shops is a Surrey and London thing, they are everywhere!

I'm honestly struggling to think of anyone we know that hasn't been affected by the austerity measures / recession. From small things like not buying lunch anymore and going without other treats/luxuries, to not going on holiday, not getting the car serviced, cancelling Sky etc etc. We have friends who were laid off in the city, previously on 6 figure salaries and now working for a fraction of that. Other friends of ours with young kids are left with not enough money for petrol to go and visit grandparents in Manchester. Just had our house painted - the painter was a cabbie (suburbs) - he said he was lucky to pick up 3 fares a week now, hence why he's back painting.

It's not like people are walking to work in floursacks but things are tight tight tight. Thank god mortgages are still so reasonable, you'd be buggered if you were renting.

Yeas, but it is still very personal. My best friend who works in IT in Leicester has just been given 12% of salary bonus and another just put out feelers for a new job also in IT in Manchester and had 3 offers all at better money than he is on. So neither have felt any recession.

I've earned more in the past 3years than ever but I'd have to be blind to not see it and feel it

I can only comment5 on what we are seeing on a daily basis with our own eyes. If it makes you feel better I will tell you there is rubbish everywhere but there just isn't, I cant help that.

I have no idea what Clinton Cards has to do with anything to be honest ? No more than the companies going bust in Australia.. relevance ?

We have only been back a few weeks and we arent seeing what some others are talking about. Nothing has changed for our friends, life goes on as normal. I'm sorry if that doesnt suit your view of things.

The problem is if you dont agree with some that the country has gone to the dogs you are accused of wearing rose tinted glasses even if you HONESTLY are not seeing the issues some talk about. It seems to be a no win situation.

To be fair I wonder why you come on this forum, perhaps you like an argument? I dabble from time to time but I see you as no different from those you criticise, why not try doing what new arrivals to Australia are asked to do and give it a while, after all you are a cashed up Aussie now, it wasn't long ago that cashed up poms were being slagged off for having an unrealistic view of Australia. You really are no different and if you can't see that there is nO helping you. Good luck in any case

It really is no business of anyone other than me why I come on the forum.

But am I allowed to wonder?

Yes

I do have a guilty pleasure of enjoying the way you try to come across as profound some times

Good.