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For as far back as I can remember, WHSmith was the definition of an overpriced mean-minded fleecer of anyone in need of a biro, a pad of paper or anything remotely to do with overpriced books or magazines to read on a journey. I looked in and the pre-clearance cheap stickers are everywhere - I bought a £9 2025 day-per-view diary this week for £2 just to really annoy the manager at the till, and taped over the logo and the 2025. Upside down it will work as a jotting book in my pocket, but the proper price should have been 80p from the start. I bought a ten-pack of nicer pocket books for £8 last year and they suit me fine.

The replacement management will be Thank God Jones. I hope they can sort their pricing out before they go the same way. Perhaps they can widen the aisles while they're at it.

Smug (as WHSmith are universally referenced) have vowed to keep their Railway Station locations - they started on the down platform at Reading back around the Crimean War, selling stewed tea and dried sandwiches. I'd have preferred if they'd sold their station units to Weatherspoons instead, there's a need for more bars on platforms.

I'd say bars need banning in stations, I'm sick of noisy and drunk passengers.

Betty Boop wrote: Wed Apr 02, 2025 9:48 am I'd say bars need banning in stations, I'm sick of noisy and drunk passengers.

Bars on platforms used to exist, I used them sometimes as convenient meeting places with a rapid return to where I'd set out from. Especially on the London Underground, oddly. But I certainly never saw any unruly drunks at those pubs, they were far too vigilantly policed. There were a couple on platforms on the mainline as well but again, no drunks at all.

I hate that even a simple pen costs a fortune in there. Your diary hack is brilliant, haha. Hopefully Thank God Jones will sort the prices and make it less of a rip‑off.

Zenin000 wrote: Fri Apr 18, 2025 2:22 pm I hate that even a simple pen costs a fortune in there. Your diary hack is brilliant, haha. Hopefully Thank God Jones will sort the prices and make it less of a rip‑off.

sbrebrown had a good recommendation last week on YouTube "On Titanium Pens":

Asvine J16 Brushed Titanium Fountain Pen Jowo Extra Fine Nib Piston Filling, Ink Window, Wrench & Box £55.99
Asvine 5 Pack Fountain Pen Ink Syringe Filler, Spring Converter with Removable Blunt Needle Tip £3.89

I doubt he mentioned Amazon or prices but I'm thinking about it (I know someone who prefers Titanium). Brown called it "an homage to Montblanc 146", which is a ludicrously priced to the point of unwanted pen. This Asvine is well under 4% of the Montblanc price and at least as functional.

I settled long ago for JINHAO x750 Lava Red or slightly less shiny unpolished silvery, currently £7 delivered on eBay. They write pleasantly. And having just looked, they're £7 on Amazon as well. WHSmith stood no chance, the dogs.