Trampa501 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 It may be just a London thing, but everywhere you go there are massage/health/beauty outlets, usually with a Chinese or Thai decor. Doesn't matter whether it's a rich or a scummy zone, they seem to have popped up everywhere. How do you know which one you want, if you want a legit massage (or the reverse!) I'm assuming the girls (maybe there are blokes working there too) are not necessarily legal - or has Thailand recently joined the EU? Anyone been for ahem, a "massage" lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 NO, never ventured into one. I used to live in Boscombe, and Pokesdown used to have a few of them. I live in Southampton now, and I know there's a couple in Shirely. I doubt most of them are just used by men to give your shoulders a rub after a hard day at the office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trampa501 Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 NO, never ventured into one. I used to live in Boscombe, and Pokesdown used to have a few of them. I live in Southampton now, and I know there's a couple in Shirely. I doubt most of them are just used by men to give your shoulders a rub after a hard day at the office. A relative suffers from back pain. On a recent visit she went for a massage, and straightaway found one that gave a legit massage (out of approx 5 shops in the neighbourhood). So there must be a way of discerning this? Unless they are multi-use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikthe20 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I've noticed this, although I'm not sure there's anything particularly sordid about it. Seems to me that anyone selling non-perishable goods on the high street just can't compete with the Internet. So the only shops that make sense are service-based (nail bars, massage, health, beauty, barbers, takeaways) or have some form of subsidy (charities, banks!!, EAs!!!). My local high street seems to be filling up with these as the independent vendors of goods get pushed out (last haberdasher went a month or two back - such a shame - and I did indeed used to shop there, but very few people did). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trampa501 Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 I've noticed this, although I'm not sure there's anything particularly sordid about it. Seems to me that anyone selling non-perishable goods on the high street just can't compete with the Internet. So the only shops that make sense are service-based (nail bars, massage, health, beauty, barbers, takeaways) or have some form of subsidy (charities, banks!!, EAs!!!). My local high street seems to be filling up with these as the independent vendors of goods get pushed out (last haberdasher went a month or two back - such a shame - and I did indeed used to shop there, but very few people did). Good analysis. You're probably right. A local haberdashery on our street is doing well, although that maybe because the owner is also doing various sewing/repair jobs. As you say selling a service rather than just goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I live in what is considered a thriving affluent small town. There are at least 50 empty shops in the town centre. I rather like the idea of some of them being converted into residences, which is what some of them used to be a couple of centuries ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Are you thinking about the poor old widower who called upon a leading member of the seamstress's guild when he needed his socks darning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Down here in Gurt Clodney we still have a butchers shop, and a haberdashers. The rest are estate agents and charity shops. I now have to drive to Fanny Gusset to find a branch of my bank. Although the electric wheelchair shop here, might come in handy in a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 One just opened in my local market town. Appears to be Chinese. guess its next level up from a takeaway on the skills ladder. £50 offer for a "full body massage" Not tempted, but found the phenomenon interesting. Appears to be quite widespread then. Being a service industry they are effectively cash or near cash businesses so may be more to it than just a massage, but who knows. Letting businesses for instance being a popular way to recycle (dodgy) cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I live in what is considered a thriving affluent small town. There are at least 50 empty shops in the town centre. I rather like the idea of some of them being converted into residences, which is what some of them used to be a couple of centuries ago. You need to have an exhibitionist streak to live in a shop window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I don't want a Chinese gentleman to rub my shoulders. I want Mongolian women to walk over me wearing football boots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 You need to have an exhibitionist streak to live in a shop window. Santa does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I don't want a Chinese gentleman to rub my shoulders. I want Mongolian women to walk over me wearing football boots! Are you the gentleman who Kirsty MacCall once wrote about? Then I met an Englishman “Oh” he said “Won't you walk up and down my spine, It makes me feel strangely alive.” I said “In these shoes? I doubt you'd survive.” I said “Honey, let's do it. Let's stay right here.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northerner Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 DIY best ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I think it's in Confessions of a call girl where she says they all have to actually be able to give a half decent massage in case someone actually wants one (Or it's trading standards or whoever doesn't approve) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Are you the gentleman who Kirsty MacCall once wrote about? I doubt it although I used to know her from Croydon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 A lot of the ones around here (mind, I haven't visited such places, just its a small town and you see the same people day in day out) seem to work in care homes as well. I figure its just women trying to make as much money as they can to send back to philipines/thailand. They dont seem to spend much time on leisure. Just work work work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trampa501 Posted November 13, 2015 Author Share Posted November 13, 2015 A lot of the ones around here (mind, I haven't visited such places, just its a small town and you see the same people day in day out) seem to work in care homes as well. I figure its just women trying to make as much money as they can to send back to philipines/thailand. They dont seem to spend much time on leisure. Just work work work.Ah so maybe they are in the country legally? Just that the focus on immigration appears to be either EU migrants or refugees, yet there appears to be a third group that few talk about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 At the end of the day.... Nobody needs a gym, a health food shop or someone that charges a high price for what they call health or a healthier way of life......everything we can do for ourselves......no charge.....health is within us all, plenty of free knowledge and literature about....completly free of charge......want to go for a long walk, eat a healthier way of life.....I will walkand eat with you and show you the way......no charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 At the end of the day.... Nobody needs a gym, a health food shop or someone that charges a high price for what they call health or a healthier way of life......everything we can do for ourselves......no charge.....health is within us all, plenty of free knowledge and literature about....completly free of charge......want to go for a long walk, eat a healthier way of life.....I will walkand eat with you and show you the way......no charge. Ha ha. I am always amused at all these exercise bicycles in the charity shops. Some fad of the 90s blocking up peoples' garages and spare rooms. The "Word of Pin", is actually if you walked or cycled to the shops, you wouldn't need this thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Down here in Gurt Clodney we still have a butchers shop, and a haberdashers. The rest are estate agents and charity shops. I now have to drive to Fanny Gusset to find a branch of my bank. Although the electric wheelchair shop here, might come in handy in a few years. And excellent service he gives! I often buy tights from him, and ask him to fill them with offal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 And excellent service he gives! I often buy tights from him, and ask him to fill them with offal. That's the one! There's a special machine for it! Actually it's a smashing butcher shop, and I should buy from them more often! They no more expensive than the supermarket, and I feel guilty I don't shop there more often. That's Gurt Clodney Premium butchers BTW, and I am no more connected with their business, than the "Bassoon Council", or Fanny Gusset Priory dildo club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Ha ha. I am always amused at all these exercise bicycles in the charity shops. Some fad of the 90s blocking up peoples' garages and spare rooms. The "Word of Pin", is actually if you walked or cycled to the shops, you wouldn't need this thing! Quite......get up at sunrise every day......good shoes, warm clothes, good breakfast.....then walk a good couple of miles......borrow a dog if you haven't already got one.....then thank God you are still alive......and kicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Quite......get up at sunrise every day......good shoes, warm clothes, good breakfast.....then walk a good couple of miles......borrow a dog if you haven't already got one.....then thank God you are still alive......and kicking. It's winter and I get up much earlier now! I'm still alive! I thought it a bit dodgy a few nights back when I had a rotten cold! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Ah so maybe they are in the country legally? Just that the focus on immigration appears to be either EU migrants or refugees, yet there appears to be a third group that few talk about. I'd assume so, care homes tend to be a bit more highly regulated where staff are concerned than kebab and curry houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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