Shopping for energy and Red 75

I've been reminded this week that my current energy deal is coming to an end.

I'm offered the choice from my own energy provider of a considerable price hike (if I remain with the current tariff) or a slightly smaller increase if I choose an alternative tariff with them.

I can then look around using 'price comparison' web sites to check the deals on offer ( Uswitch is such a site but there others doing a similar job).

The UK home energy market it's not clever
and it's not smart

These websites do most of the  work for you if you decide to change provider - and there's some sort of scheme that ensures that it happens in a timely manner.

So I looked at the competing offers and found that I could 'save' £350 by changing provider (tfor me it's a company new to me -flow)

Now I did quite a bit of work with the CAB talking to people about energy and switching suppliers but I'm still slightly concerned when I make this (seemingly) annual change - I remind myself that   the gas and electricity coming through the pipes and wires is the same  and that I'm unlikely to need to talk to the call centres or get involved with the company if they can manage the billing -(not always the case for me).

So how do people older and in financial disarray manage - well they are the ones penalised by this Alice in Wonderland idea of competition - if all companies had the same (or no) fixed charge  the only comparisons would be on unit charge and how they managed the customer -

At the moment it really does seem that the UK home energy market is not working as a competitive market should and as usual those paying the highest prices are those least able to afford it.

Come and see me

ART MARKET

I'll be out and about by Ealing Town hall later today - come and chat about my project - near the sign below!

Red 75

Plenty of Red here by the Town Hall  and it is surely not the 'worst'

Just by the Town Hall

[see a rough cut of the ongoing project here]

One week for BHS West Ealing and Red 76

Only a bargain if ..

On Monday I went to see the remains of BHS in West Ealing the sight of a big High Street trader selling up is a sad one and this has been a rather protracted  retreat.

[But there's talk of plans for the future for the West Ealing site - more flats of course.]

Shoppers have been looking at bargains for several weeks and it's pretty much bare bones now.


The stuff is going cheap but if it's not anything you want forget it - perhaps not so  oddly following my Pop Up experience  I looked at the fittings - didn't see an immediate use.

A bargain at £15 plus parking

But then the possibility of a stall in Ealing's Night Art Market emerged and I decided to pick up a trestle table for just £15.

One way or another

In Ealing I saw this wall showing the fun of retail - liked the perspective

Red 76

and nearby rather a lot of Red bins

A parade of Bins

[see a rough cut of the ongoing project here]

Window cleaners, Ealing Art Market and Red 77

You can just about see in the
main picture

Yesterday was a day in West London where the sky was a staggering blue - sadly I felt the urge to say to many that it was 'like being in the South of France'  In noticed that the window cleaners were up (not far) on Ealing's tallest building- The Apex (though I like to call it the The Nib).

An amazing blue sky

Also noticed that the chariots were back at the temple after West Ealing Hindu Chariot festival

They're back no point beating yourself up about it.

And having mentioned I'd been missing my West London location shoots - adding further to Argyle Road hold-ups there was one (smallish) shoot being set up.

Argyle road location shoot

Ealing's Thursday Art Market 

BID office -A nice reception awaits

It's odd I've lived in the Ealing area a long time but yesterday was the first time I've actually been in Villiers house above the Ealing Broadway Station  it was I think for a long time home to a part of the BBC (enterprises?) but is now mainly used by the University of West London - popped in to return the 'key' to Pop up Shop as BID/Make it Ealing are camped out there.

Bid/Make it Ealing work hard to make things happen in Ealing and this Thursday is the start of a Thursday Art Market outside the Ealing Town hall  running until the 8th October.

{Here's a bit about how BID works if you're curious]

Red 77

I suppose it's a child's toy thing but perhaps not the best

Some sort of toy I suppose

Empty again and Red 78

All out of the shop now and I'll be interested to see who the next tenant is - it's been a busy couple of weeks (in some respects) and I think I've gained some knowledge.

The time spent watching the world go by was intriguing too - people waiting in cars, near accidents and lost tempers, life playing out in front of an observe, watching.

Where can this all go?

A clear wall ready for the next occupant 

Gordon in his Red car  takes his items 

So farewell to my co-exhibitors and those who visited or at least paused.

Moving out from the Pop Up felt slightly sad - like the end of a 2 week summer holiday, the preparation, the packing, the new friends and the getting to feel at home -but then suddenly it's all over.

Red 78

A vision in red