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Post by marob on Nov 17, 2024 16:15:18 GMT
The joys of deliveries from Evri. I just got back from a night away to find my Debenhams parcel has been delivered to a bin somewhere not even on my road. I have tried to look for it in vain so now have contacted both companies. Evri have to be the worst courier company. I've had numerous problems with them over the years as well as their previous incarnation Hermes. I don’t think anyone has a good word to say about them. It’s a wonder any company still uses them. |
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Post by alece10 on Nov 17, 2024 16:20:43 GMT
The joys of deliveries from Evri. I just got back from a night away to find my Debenhams parcel has been delivered to a bin somewhere not even on my road. I have tried to look for it in vain so now have contacted both companies. Evri have to be the worst courier company. I've had numerous problems with them over the years as well as their previous incarnation Hermes. I don’t think anyone has a good word to say about them. It’s a wonder any company still uses them. They thought by changing their name from Hermes to Evri everything would change. New name, same s**t company. |
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Post by lynette on Nov 18, 2024 12:42:09 GMT
Not being snidey as indeed they once did the behind bins with me, but have you filled in the form for preferred options if you are not in? This might help as they have to put the packet where you say, so in porch, with a neighbour, there are a few options. I think it helps. But one’s heart does sink when seeing that they are the delivery company chosen by the seller.
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Post by aspieandy on Nov 18, 2024 14:53:37 GMT
They seem to have an unusual business model of offering three delivery attempts, two of which involve driving past at 20mph.
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2,422 posts
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Post by theatreian on Nov 18, 2024 16:09:33 GMT
They seem to have an unusual business model of offering three delivery attempts, two of which involve driving past at 20mph. They didn't even go past!! It is surprisingly difficult to tell them that the parcel was not left in our bins but another bin which I couldn't locate.I even resorted to sending a photo of our bins which does have the road number on to compare it with the photo Evri provided as prooof of the bin on another road where the parcel was left!! |
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Post by nancycunard on Nov 18, 2024 19:22:24 GMT
I've been having difficulties with Evri for months now and finally snapped and emailed the CEO - got a call back within 24 hours and was told any complaint emails that come through to that address automatically get flagged to a special response team. They couldn't do anything for me, mind, but I did get to have a good moan to a very apologetic man!
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Post by longinthetooth on Nov 19, 2024 21:42:19 GMT
Nothing to do with Evri, but some years ago a neighbour was an Avon lady. She was going to be out the day the goods for her customers were due to be delivered, so left instructions for the boxes to be left behind the dustbins. You can guess the rest - it was bin day, and the whole consignment was assumed to be rubbish and taken away!
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Post by david on Nov 23, 2024 18:25:48 GMT
 BurlyBeaR’s cousin Boris getting into the Christmas spirit here at the REX. |
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Post by hannechalk on Nov 23, 2024 22:44:42 GMT
After a long day of travel, arrived on balmy Madeira for a week!
Our room overlooks the sea, we can hear the waves crashing on the rocks.
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2,422 posts
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Post by theatreian on Nov 23, 2024 23:15:42 GMT
After a long day of travel, arrived on balmy Madeira for a week! Have a great time, only been to Madeira on a cruise but the day we spent was lovely. |
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Post by david on Nov 27, 2024 22:22:24 GMT
A trip to the Shakespeare North Playhouse tonight to watch their Christmas show Alice in Wonderland turned out to be an eventful one for me. Being sat in the front row of the stalls made me the target of many jokes and bits of audience participation. Thankfully nothing requiring me to get on stage but all good fun in the end. With the number of shows I have now been involved in, I am seriously looking at getting an agent and charging for this participation. I am also still waiting for my nominations in any theatre awards as well.
Also, a shout out to the junior school kids who I was sat with. Absolute stars, the lot of them. Really well behaved and got involved in the audience participation bits with no hesitation. A real pleasure to be with tonight.
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Post by alece10 on Nov 28, 2024 16:15:25 GMT
After 48 years I have just had my last day at work and have now retired.
I'm not leaving with any sadness as its my time to relax and enjoy myself. I have only worked for 2 companies in my life. 30 years for a holiday company and 18 years in the public sector. The former was the most fantastic time and I got to travel the world and live in some wonderful places.
So now it's time for me to travel around the UK as I know so little about it and now I have a freedom pass I can make the most of the bus service.
My only worry is going to be boredom but plan to keep busy, maybe swap some evening theatre trips for matinées so I don't have too many late nights but I'm definately not intending to cut down in theatre visits.
And there might even be a little rescue dog in the not too distant future to keep me company.
Best thing though - not having to set the alarm for 6am!
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Post by SilverFox on Nov 28, 2024 16:28:46 GMT
After 48 years I have just had my last day at work and have now retired. I'm not leaving with any sadness as its my time to relax and enjoy myself. I have only worked for 2 companies in my life. 30 years for a holiday company and 18 years in the public sector. The former was the most fantastic time and I got to travel the world and live in some wonderful places. So now it's time for me to travel around the UK as I know so little about it and now I have a freedom pass I can make the most of the bus service. My only worry is going to be boredom but plan to keep busy, maybe swap some evening theatre trips for matinées so I don't have too many late nights but I'm definately not intending to cut down in theatre visits. And there might even be a little rescue dog in the not too distant future to keep me company. Best thing though - not having to set the alarm for 6am! Congratulations - have fun, and enjoy it - I will be willing to bet boredom will not figure at all, you will quickly wonder how you managed to find the time to work! |
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Post by theatreian on Nov 28, 2024 17:39:31 GMT
After 48 years I have just had my last day at work and have now retired. I'm not leaving with any sadness as its my time to relax and enjoy myself. I have only worked for 2 companies in my life. 30 years for a holiday company and 18 years in the public sector. The former was the most fantastic time and I got to travel the world and live in some wonderful places. So now it's time for me to travel around the UK as I know so little about it and now I have a freedom pass I can make the most of the bus service. My only worry is going to be boredom but plan to keep busy, maybe swap some evening theatre trips for matinées so I don't have too many late nights but I'm definately not intending to cut down in theatre visits. And there might even be a little rescue dog in the not too distant future to keep me company. Best thing though - not having to set the alarm for 6am! I retired almost 5 years ago at 54 and haven't been bored at all. There's always something to do.I volunteer in my local theatre too.Congratulations! |
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Post by hannechalk on Nov 29, 2024 22:24:58 GMT
Our last day on Madeira, and we decided to go on a trip on a catamaran for the afternoon. We like being out on the water, and we decided that EUR 70 for the both of us was good value for money - it was advertised as a whale and dolphins watching excursion, but obviously they cannot guarantee you will see any.
Well, did we get value for money! First we saw a pod of 10 or so pilot whales, then a bit later a similar sized pod of bottlenose dolphins. As soon as they were spotted, the captain turned off the engines to quietly coast towards them, and some of them swam alongside the catamaran.
I decided to stay in the moment and just enjoy it, my partner got a couple of pictures.
One off the bucket list!
EDIT: The catamaran moved away from both pods after 10 minutes - apparently that is law.
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 30, 2024 17:32:09 GMT
Well, I don't think I've seen the city centre as busy since the equivalent day last year. Quite often it feels like just me, some Chinese students and the regular shoplifters, but everyone is out today. Places that are normally busy, like Leeds and Manchester, must be right busy!
It was so busy, in fact, I had to take refuge in the market. After several weeks at £1.50, fondant fancies have now dropped to just £1.20 for 16. Six own-brand cherry bakewells cost £1.19 these days!
Then I felt obliged to follow the man from the butchers around Asda. I'm reassured to report that he made no purchases from the meat aisle. The young woman on the till, Natalie, was jealously eyeing my fancies. Completely understandable. She is only human, after all!
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Post by hannechalk on Dec 6, 2024 18:31:52 GMT
Because of a rare red weather warning for the southwest, National Express cancelled my coach to Leeds, putting my 100th Blood Brothers-show in jeopardy.
FlixBus still seems to be going, so booked with them and asked NX for a refund.
If that cancels too, I'll be staying at home.
There are coaches arriving 6/7pm, but if they are delayed in any way it would be too much stress for half a show.
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Post by hannechalk on Dec 6, 2024 19:31:20 GMT
My partner and I just had an official government distress alarm coming through on our phones about the red weather warning - we nearly sh*t ourselves, it was that loud!
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 6, 2024 21:20:20 GMT
My partner and I just had an official government distress alarm coming through on our phones about the red weather warning - we nearly sh*t ourselves, it was that loud! When I read about that alarm my first thought was to wonder how many theatre performances this evening were disturbed by it! I suppose if it happened around 7.30pm it might have been just before many shows started. |
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Post by marob on Dec 6, 2024 23:39:37 GMT
I wonder where the millions of people the emergency alert was sent to actually are? Looking at the warnings map I should be under an Amber warning tomorrow but haven’t had anything. And it’s not an outdated mobile because I only upgraded to the latest iPhone about a fortnight ago,
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Post by hannechalk on Dec 7, 2024 9:15:46 GMT
No 100th Blood Brothers show for me today.
I was sat on a train waiting to go to Bristol when I received news my FlixBus was cancelled too.
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Post by ChristineH on Dec 7, 2024 18:46:42 GMT
I was up unseasonably early at 6.15am this morning when it was still relatively calm but within minutes of my first cup of tea, the wind was howling and the rain was pelting down so I was all set to hibernate for the day. That was until I got an email offer for a free No7 mascara worth - well, selling for - £14.95. So taking advantage of a lull in the storm, I headed out and was successful in my quest. I love a freebie, so this warmed the cockles of my skinflint heart. I also bought myself some good noisette chocolate and a 2025 diary and have added all the shows I’ve booked for next year so far which was very satisfying.
I’m about to hunker down with tea and aforementioned chocolate in the hope that Crá - an Irish language series with English subtitles, filmed on location in Donegal, my home county - is worth a binge watch on the BBC iPlayer.
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Post by FrontrowverPaul on Dec 8, 2024 14:06:22 GMT
Managed to get to all shows I'd booked, plus one more, on Friday and Saturday despite the weather issues. Fortunately mostly by car with my better half, Linda.
Friday's first show was West Side Story at the Strode Theatre in Street Somerset, which is also the home of the Clarks Shopping Village. Uneventful journey there and bought a pair of Clarks shoes reduced from £70 to £20 pre show. Excellent production by Wells Cathedral School. Raining when we left Street at 5pm and got steadily heavier as we drove towards Cardiff. Plan was for me to be dropped at the Wales Millennium Centre to see Hamilton. It was a captioned performance which I wanted to experience to pick up every word spoken and sung. Not booked in advance as that was too risky with the potential delays on the M5 and M4 on Friday but we had a clear run and were there at 7pm.The WMC often reduces remaining single seats on the day and I got an excellent £95 seat for £45 at 7.15.. Linda decided not to see Hamilton again so drove to our "holiday" home in Caerphilly. Show ended 10.20, train back to Cardiff Queen Street on time but 30 minute delay on the train to Caerphilly. Strong winds and driving rain by 11.30, pretty wild overnight.
Saturday we had to get to The Mill at Sonning (near Reading) no later than 1.15 pm for White Christmas musical preceded by buffet lunch. Checked the journey online at 8.30, no motorway delays and 2 hours 20 minutes estimated journey time so left at 10.00 aiming to get there around 12.30. Roads very quiet, as expected given the warning against non-essential travel. Checked again on the AA site at 10.15 and it was now giving a 3 hour 20 minute journey due to M4 closed at junction 24. We were diverted from there on the A449 and A40 to Gloucester then A417 back to the M4 at Swindon, adding about 30 miles and an hour to the journey. Expected arrival time now 1.25pm.
The concern then was about our meal. The Mill at Sonning's website says last serving is 1.15pm. Fortunately no delays on the extended route and at 1.10pm we were 15 minutes away. My phone then rang and it was The Mill calling to check that we were still coming. The very nice lady assured me that there was plenty of food left and our late arrival was no problem, we actually drove into the car park at the same time as another car and couple. It's a lovely theatre and the buffet main meals were steak & ale pie, salmon fillet and stuffed turkey thighs all with fresh veg and potatoes. Impossible choice so we took some of each. Service and food quality excellent, didn't have to rush the meal and had time and room for the apple & pear crumble with custard and coffee to finish. I'm disappointed that after 40 years of buffet style dining they re switching to a la carte next year. Salmon,steak and turkey go together so well! White Christmas is a lovely feelgood joyous colourful all-singing, all-dancing old fashioned cheesy Hollywood musical perfect to see in December from the middle of the front row (booked back in July 2023) and we loved every minute of it.
Final show was an amateur Half A Sixpence at Walton-on -Thames. Adding that booking to the day a few weeks ago only increased the journey home by 15 miles and I still got centre front row seats. It's a favourite show for us both and the whole cast were excellent. Finished 10.15 and we were home by 11.30.
As a bonus called into a Morrisons in Weybridge around 6pm yesterday and hit the yellow labels with a vengeance including a chicken for today's roast dinner and another for the freezer, all 75% reduced. £40 of fresh food for about a tenner.
I LOVE my stagey life !!
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