What is the reason that 3 brands I know would do really well in Australia won't set up here.

a) Amazon. Why not? They'd blow the opposition away. I just bought my folks a Kindle in the UK. I'd love one here if it could access Australian newspapaers and books.

b) Marks and Spencers. They've got stores in europe, ones in Hong Kong and asia, but not Australia

c) Greggs have stores in Belgium for god sake. Hmmm, what country loves pies and sausage rolls. Let me think....

What is it with these companies. What's wrong with them coming to Australia when they'll quite happily invest in every basket case european and asian country?

JTL

It costs so much to bring anything to Australia it probably isn't worth their while for the relatively small population.

Speaking of things being brought to Australia, we again enjoyed the fabulous UK fish and chip shop out your way last night. I wish someone would breed scampi in Australia... And learn how to cook battered cod the way your local does.

Greggs pasties ummm, I'm such a bogan

Wasn't Greggs just a northern thing?

Nope. Think again.

For example, there's a Greggs in a shopping centre in the middle of Chelmsford. Can't get much more southern than that.

I just remember them being a big thing in Leeds but don't remember them so much in London. That's not to say that they could have spread like dog-shit since I left

PS: When I lived in London anything north of Wapping* was considered North so that would cover Chelmsford

* Yes, I did mean Wapping and not Watford nor Watford Gap - it was a sarf London joke.

Noooooo! Alive and kicking down South! I think they took over the Clarks Bakery shops.

I used to love their cream and apple turnovers - yum!

The problem with some of the UK shops abroad is they can be quite a lot more expensive - I used to compare M&S in Singapore and even at a good exchange rate it was quite a bit more.

Still would be very happy if M&S and Next came to these shores.

Greggs just opened here in Exeter. Cheapest nicest sandwiches in town.

I know this one - there is a restriction in publishing in Australia that only a few companies are allowed to print books here ( on account of the evil spirits that you need inside the infernal engines )

Seriously - there is a monopoly that only 2 or 3 companies can print. It was challenged last year and failed.... someone was trying to import cheaper books and the govt quashed it in favour of this monopoly. The company even offered to restrict their imports to n-1 generation of books so not the latest & greatest but that was rejected as well.

I believe the argument was to do with protecting australian jobs, and some nonsense about australian culture of publishing and how not having books printed here would stifle the authors. (hmm).

Borders had an offer (it may be permanent) that they will beat any price on amazon including shipping to aus.

I think a greggs pastie would be a bit off after 6 weeks on the open sea and I believe marks & spencer cited the opposing season of the clothes in southern hemisphere being too costly to maintain as inventory.

Thinking about it, I used to frequent Pret a Manger. Maybe I blanked out Greggs

There's a Pret in Leeds now. What is the world coming to?

(Ainsley's kicks Greggs arse anyday.)

Maybe I confused Ainsley's with Greggs?

They were all over; I frequented the one on The Headrow, opposite Lewis's...when it was Lewis's. (I worked above there at William Hill HQ)

I used to use upper crust if I was going down market.

Is the correct answer . . . it's also one of the main ingredients of their famed 'Steak Bake' . . .