Utilitarian_Proxy

Do people in London have a favorite/preferred airport?

Posted by gazzacl@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 93 comments

How do you swerve job questions at parties ?

Posted by claudetteandharold@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 535 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Certainly most jobs need multiple routine aspects scheduled and tackled. A fortunate few people can get a support team to mop up behind them, but that's a rare luxury. A few years ago I went self-employed to focus full-time on what was already my longtime hobby. Unfortunately my regular outgoings normally exceed my erratic earnings, but that's the creative arts industry in a nutshell. I had a decent royalties income in 2023 from work I'd done five or six years earlier - and I really needed that blip!

What "cereal" is served in a Full English Breakfast?

Posted by johannisbeeren@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 233 comments

What "cereal" is served in a Full English Breakfast?

Posted by johannisbeeren@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 233 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

My mother's ritual every Saturday evening was to prepare the half-grapefruit portions ready for Sunday morning. She used to remove visible pips, then go round each segment with a sharp knife, so they could be easily spooned out. And also, yes, a liberal dose of caster sugar across the whole open surface.

Random useful qualifications that I could get?

Posted by Equal_Leading_1449@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 19 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

If you expect at some point to progress into supervisory and management, you could explore some proper HR training. Organisations like CIPD have got various modules and accredited courses. It's not a substitute for hands on experience, but it might open a few avenues.

What does the uk do to avoid mass youth unemployment?

Posted by tylerthe-theatre@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 107 comments

How do you find lowest food prices?

Posted by Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 21 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

And also crazy high mark-ups on some items if you time it wrong! I'm pretty sure Co-op have a similar strategy to Spar, and rely on people not doing price comparison, or of lacking the practical option of finding another competitor's store which is open at certain trading hours.

How to find high end memorabilia releases?

Posted by aytayjay@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 3 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

There's a monthly magazine called Record Collector which lists forthcoming releases. You can probably find a copy in WH Smith or Asda. A few different publishers do get involved in regularly compiling expensive limited edition collections relating to popular bands from yesteryear. If you can find the date of the transaction on bank statements, there might potentially also be an email receipt around the same time perhaps (or maybe a few days either side if they've used an intermediary like e.g. PayPal).

Should my friend cancel his PhD plans to the UK because of the NHS wait times for his son’s severe medical condition?

Posted by ssmakov@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 12 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

The UK also has a range of private healthcare providers, so he could maybe explore those too before reaching a decision. There are many UK citizens who choose to pay for BUPA, Spire, or another, rather than rely on the NHS for all their needs.

In British English, how do you indicate "you (plural)?"

Posted by wheninrome5000@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 744 comments

How can I deal with a neighbour who is a peeping Tom?

Posted by Ashley67899@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 64 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

As you have never personally witnessed this behaviour, you should consider the possibility that your parents are lying to you. Maybe they think it's amusing to scare you. If anyone reports it to the police, it should be the people who actually saw it happening - and not somebody who was merely told about it.

How can I deal with a neighbour who is a peeping Tom?

Posted by Ashley67899@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 64 comments

Are kids taught spelling and handwriting in the UK?

Posted by Live-Cartographer274@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 160 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Education in the UK is a devolved topic, which means that schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not required to follow the same curriculum as schools in England. It is for individual schools and their teachers to plan the delivery and structure of lessons, and the curriculum sets out a broader macroscopic of what topics are expected to have been taught by the time children complete a key stage defined by their age. The curriculum for the different key stages in England is [available online](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study). This must be adopted in state funded schools (in England), although many independent schools choose to base their lessons around it too. Headteachers, parents and governors will often work together to identify additional elements they consider important supplementary aspects that fit with the ethos of their specific school.

Do I just turn up at my new job?

Posted by rickyshea@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 151 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

After you arrive at reception and sign in, front desk security will probably know who to call to come and collect you. New starters at many places will undergo some kind of induction training for the first few days. Most people dress smart for their first day, then maybe less smart after a few days of seeing how everyone else dresses. You might not necessarily meet your immediate colleagues right away. Until you have had chance to get familiar with the building layout, internal systems, and hierarchy, try not to make assumptions of what roles other people have.

Which musician do you think would be able to do justice to a Bond theme?

Posted by CornerInsect@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 242 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

It's going to a reboot, so IMO it should establish a new template. I'd like them to use one of our top non-pop singers - like e.g. Ian Bostridge, Michael Ball, Ian Shaw or Eddi Reader.

What’s an out of date view you hold?

Posted by Doomergeneration@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 2804 comments

I know British Transport Police opened an investigation into the man who slapped the teen boy, but was it ever made public if anything came of it?

Posted by throwrababysitters@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 533 comments

When was it declared that burgers now had to come with brioche buns?

Posted by Pier-Head@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 459 comments

Going to see The Prodigy on Thursday. What can I expect?

Posted by EddieHouseman@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 86 comments

What is this flat typ of plant or tree. im gonna babble on here becsuse reddit is saying i need to put work into my post?

Posted by decentpotatoez@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 10 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

It looks like it's in an organised landscape with formally structured planting schemes, so my guess is that there are probably an office and a team of employed gardeners who you could ask.

How many of you are not having a holiday abroad this year?

Posted by Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 776 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

My last holiday abroad was pre-Millennium. There's plenty of interesting places in the UK I still haven't had chance to see, and sitting around in airports never appealed to me.

What’s your favourite cheese?

Posted by Own-Lawfulness-38@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 394 comments

Do you think Cannabis and Mushrooms should be legalised, and why?

Posted by WastelandOfConfusion@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 10 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

No, the existing law is fine. Being around people who are high or wasted is extremely tedious, but at least they mostly do it in private. However, if banned substances became legal, it would become far worse for everybody else just trying to go about their daily business.

How to get it?

Posted by Diiimple@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 14 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

If it's an estate agent asking, then it's because they want confirmation from a lender that it isn't pointless arranging viewings, when there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that a sale will go through. Approach some mortgage providers and see how much extra they'll let you borrow on top of your existing agreement.

What's the best Easter egg to buy? Now that Cadbury is no more.

Posted by mysp2m2cc0unt@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 46 comments

Why is the job market so difficult for young people?

Posted by Hot-Specific4356@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 302 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

I worked in recruitment. The broad consensus was that young people tended to be more argumentative and unable to follow procedures. Obviously that isn't always the case, but it seems to be a common theme. By comparison, older people also struggle to find jobs, and are typically seen as inflexible and lethargic.

Is it possible to get a good (or at least, decent) paying job without a university degree?

Posted by DescriptionFuture851@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 43 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Plenty of basic manual jobs have opportunities to progress, although it obviously varies from one company to the next. The crucial part is having some skills they value and want to invest in. Some firms don't like spending money on training people for additional responsibilities, but others will. A buddy of mine got his supervisory role when they spotted him helping the new trainees, then he got sent on a training course for a few days and got good reports on his attitude. Without the paper qualifications you have to graft harder to get noticed, but it's not impossible.

Is there any way to watch LBC live?

Posted by Financial_Rip_8921@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 9 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Although broadcasting is a regulated industry, the structures do get updated every so often. Streaming was in its infancy last time I was personally involved in any licence renewal application. The fees at that time were stepped in bands which reflected the potential audience, linked to how powerful the transmitter was going to be to send a clear strong broadcasting signal. I'm not an engineer, but I gather there is some issue with visual broadcasts taking up a far wider range of frequencies (than audio only), which is why the regulators need to limit how many operators can participate. There used to be occasional problems with competing stations sometimes overlapping on adjacent frequencies, which the regulars attempt to avoid. To what extent the switchover from analogue to digital may have increased capacity, I don't know.

Is there any way to watch LBC live?

Posted by Financial_Rip_8921@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 9 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Under current arrangements, no. Broadcasters have to pay significant fees to be awarded a licence for very specific activities. Unless they are willing to pay appropriate amounts to supply live uninterrupted visuals, and the regulator approves, they will only be able to give limited clips like you already have seen. They are licenced to broadcast audio, and would jeopardise that if they took a cavalier approach.

If you were abroad and a local from said country asked you who is the most well known serial killer in the UK...Who comes to mind first?

Posted by FinalBv@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 79 comments

Did you grow up with a filing cabinet? Do you now have your own?

Posted by No_Impression7564@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 27 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Not a filing cabinet. My father had a rather nice walnut-veneer bureau, which had three drawers and a fold-down top which served as a writing desk when opened. He had it before I was born, and it survived multiple house moves. I have a solid oak desk, with hanging files in one of the drawers. But I also have several lever-arch binders and ring binders in a couple of other locations.

Why aren't we building more terraced houses?

Posted by Big-Double1720@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 633 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Can confirm. One side of me is either an HMO or maybe AirB&B, with casual workers who arrive back from their Deliveroo shifts at 1.00 a.m. and then clank around for another hour. The other side are a newly married couple with mental health issues, constantly arguing, and when they've both gone out their dog begins howling.

Is the survey real?

Posted by SubstantialBurger@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 80 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

It's a fairly neat way of testing different engagement strategies. If they use a variety of tactics with large enough sample sizes, they'll be able to compare outcomes.

What should the national animal of the UK be - but it has to be a native species?

Posted by Illustrious-Divide95@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1077 comments

How much organised crime actually goes on?

Posted by Fart-nite@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 74 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Clearly there's enough that successive governments want to tackle it. Internet scams have become more prolific than should have been allowed to happen, and phishing has caught out plenty of people. The low level criminals don't typically have the resources to set up those kind of activities without a support network and organisational encouragement. Drug dealers need to have reliable supply chains. Corporate financial irregularities are too complex for the ordinary layperson to sit on a jury and grasp the nuances.

How do you feel about loud cars/motorbikes?

Posted by maryj4687@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 50 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

I'd rather hear an occasional bike than some other vehicles. I live near a busy road junction and there are loud buses every 15 minutes, all day, which obviously need a bit of oomph to pick up momentum. Despite it being a large urban town, I generally only hear motorbikes maybe a couple of times a week - which tends to be smaller engine types which consequently will have a higher pitched sound, especially when they are changing gear. I only hear bigger cylindered motorbikes two or three times a year. My home is also underneath the final approach flightpath of a major regional airport. For ten months of the year I get to experience the sound of around a dozen commercial jets arriving between midnight and 3.00 a.m., passing by at an altitude around fifteen hundred feet. Fortunately I only get the occasional ice-cream van! (Did I mention the squawking seagulls?)

Is there anything I need to know about starting my own business?

Posted by Johnhfcx@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 54 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

You need to ensure your business can be sustainable through changes in circumstances beyond your control, such as fluctuations in customer engagement. IMO a part of your due diligence before registering with Companies House should be to have a proper chat with a qualified accountant. If you are, in effect, currently already operating as a sole trader, with just a single product, you may learn that the annual preparation and submission of audited accounts is going to cost you more than you realistically want to be shelling out each year. If you don't have separate business premises, you should check with your local authority and/or landlord about any restrictions on operating a business from a residential address (if that was your plan).

What would you recommend for a career change?

Posted by JDorian0817@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 7 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

With organisational skills that sounds like a good fit for business admin. Maybe take a look at the MBA qualifications from places like Warwick, then see if you could find a FTSE-500 company that runs graduate entry programmes and is willing to support further study on a part-time basis. It would give you chance to get your feet under the table, absorb a few new skills in a different environment, before fully immersing.

Who here drinks heavily on nights out clubbing?

Posted by ollymillmill@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 216 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

What you are talking about was really only ever an overhyped city lifestyle, since most towns aren't big enough to have a club worth visiting. Living out in the sticks and there's no buses or taxis to get home again. It was well documented that the hospitality industry suffered greatly through lockdown, and many businesses disappeared permanently. On top of that, the currently fashionable music is no longer constantly pounding house beats, but more pop-oriented, so clubs aren't attractive - bands like Faithless, Underworld, Orbital, Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, etc. all peaked twenty years ago and have been in steady decline since. Many young people of clubbing age don't want to listen to their parents' music.

How often do you now use these features of English which are disappearing?

Posted by OpenCantaloupe4790@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 128 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

In the last few days I wrote something where I actually used the word **behoves**! It was instinctive and I did do a double-take as it happened, but I checked and it was suitable so I allowed it to stay.

Would you use a fridge with some mould in it (after cleaning it thoroughly ofc) or would you discard and buy a new one?

Posted by bookbookgo@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 14 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Personally, I'd buy a new one. But my parents used to own touring caravans, which sat idle throughout the winters. Every spring they'd routinely disinfect the little LPG fridges, with a proprietary branded bottle of Milton, diluted according to what it said on the label.

Which company's call centre has the worst hold music?

Posted by PM_ME_BEEF_CURTAINS@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 26 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

British Gas is pretty awful. They incorrectly billed me and after 25 minutes I was connected to an operator, who then put me on hold again twice while they checked with their supervisor. They still didn't fix their error, so I had to go through the whole rigmarole again when the next bill arrived, and again the time after that.

What’s the security like on the Harwich ferry to Amsterdam?

Posted by GodAtum@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 8 comments

How does the idea of working until 67 or 68 sit with you?

Posted by Few_Raise77@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1983 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

I've been self-employed since being made redundant at 50. It's far less money coming in than I was used to having, but I do have total control over my hours and workload. I'm doing something I enjoy, in the creative arts sector, and I have no rush to stop.

What is your average monthly groceries spend?

Posted by Focusboy50@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 45 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Overall I spend between £200 - £300 a month just for myself. Most months I'll get two online shops delivered, but occasionally a third, and I'll also pop into stores too, to get other items. I rotate my online orders between Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Ocado, and there isn't a vast difference in their prices (not for the things I get). Local stores I visit include Aldi, Lidl, Asda and Home Bargains. My biggest savings are when I cut out biscuits and confectionery. Desserts and fizzy drinks are also quite expensive and something I feel easy to eliminate when I'm looking to reduce the outlay.

What are the best places between Cornwall and London?

Posted by EmuFit1895@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 13 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

There are severe weather warnings in place for today and tomorrow, forecasting snow and ice. The UK isn't great at clearing rural roads, so I'd recommend you stay on main routes to complete your journey safely. A lot of tourist places will be closed for the season. I suppose if you're already at Exeter you could hug the south coast for a little longer and pop along to see the Jurassic coastline near Weymouth, then push inland afterwards. But be wary of rockfalls that tend to occur without warning.

Present for new parents: would you prefer Deliveroo vouchers or COOK vouchers?

Posted by Fast_Run7969@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 32 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Something that people will genuinely appreciate, either because it's nice to have aesthetically, or because it's incredibly useful functionally in their specific circumstances. Vouchers can feel like a lack of imagination, or a presumption that people live a certain kind of lifestyle. But obviously I don't know whether you are genuinely wanting to spend £60 on an actual real-life family you know, or if you are simply asking hypothetically as some kind of marketing research. If they are real people and you already know they are big users of Deliveroo, maybe that was a good idea for that family. For me and my family it would be a terrible idea - we'd prefer clothing.

Present for new parents: would you prefer Deliveroo vouchers or COOK vouchers?

Posted by Fast_Run7969@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 32 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

Seriously, neither of those would appeal. People often don't use vouchers if they're for places they don't already shop, so it could just be like throwing away your money.

Where is “skape ness”?

Posted by gofredo50@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 96 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

I can't speak for now, but when I grew up in Sussex all the posh people used to be in Hove, not Brighton. The really affluent retirees tended to head towards Newhaven or Chichester. If you want a calmer beach, try Pevensey Bay.

Why is our collective idea of a “good salary” seemingly 20 years out of date?

Posted by N-F-F-C@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 101 comments

Utilitarian_Proxy@reddit

So-called "good" salaries have always been industry-dependent, with virtually no opportunities for people to easily move sideways from one sector to another and find equivalence. Only yesterday I spotted a management role advertised at £26K, which involved an extensive range of duties which would have justified double that salary if it was in a different sector of the workforce.