Streetlife

Regarding phone unLOCKing, this article may prove helpful:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/unlock-mobile-phone

However, phone unBLOCKing is illegal.

I'd never in a million years go to East Ham or Barking town centre to do any type of shopping whether it was for food or clothes. I'd rather drive out to Lakeside or Romford. This country is getting like the US now. Huge shopping complexes and mega stores.

Mr.D.
That's fine if you have a car - not everyone does

Pat, 

Beggers cant be choosers... If you have such a worry about the people who unblock your phone for as little as £5, then why dont you just instead go and buy a new phone on the network you require? 

Its the same as buying a nice piece of clothing for very cheap, who knows, chances are the stitching may come apart.. But I certainly wouldnt be moaning about it as I know Im buying something for cheap.. Otherwise I would go and pay alot more from a reputed company or store. 

Bottom line is, if you dont like what they offer or have any concerns about their services, dont use them.

I don't see that clothing that falls apart is cheap. It might have a low ticket price, but if it only lasts 5 minutes it's expensive as measured by £ per wearing.

The reason that so many shops closed down was that they simply were not making enough money to justify keeping them open. People want all these nice shops on the High Street but unless they shop there regularly then they close down.

Yes Deborah R. The very fact that people don't use the shops must mean that they don't need / want them.

because of the price of petrol I often go to Lakeside by bus,but to be fair  I do get free travel.You can tell  when an area is going down hill when they start spreading their wares all over the pavement, a few years ago councils would never have let then do that, it makes the place look "third world" but now its the norm.

Dee S was that you on LBC this morning?

3rd World they all moved here to get a better life and dragged us into it.

Derry no I could not get on, I rang Petrie and usually she talks to me but not today I think my topic that my hubby got attacked in hospital might have been a no no but I did send an e mail.
Sorry Derry I am talking about today and you mean three days ago so the answer is no, if I do, they call me Dee from Dagenham and I only do it if its a subject I am passionate about.

...I have been living in East H am for ten years now...all of the shops that you would usually see in a high street have now gone...I knew it probably it wasnt the ideal area to live, but what it had was M&S and even C&A/Mothercare...all the usual suspects it felt familar.     My heart pulled when they closed M&S several years ago and it has been downhill ever since.  I have spoken to a number of older (british) residents who have informed me what the high street was iike years gone by, but with the unique clothes shops and independent retail businesses...sad that's all gone and dread to think how it may go in a couple of years time the way the population is going here.....

Dee S Oh right the reason why I asked this person said to the LBC presenter that she goes on Streetlife which is a forum,this one,and she went by the name of Dee.how strange.

I grew up in East London and don't laugh East Ham High Street was considered one of the posh shopping places to go to. We used to go Green Street market in Upton Park but my Mum said we would go to East Ham if we ever needed any posh clothes for a wedding or some such occasion as the shops there were better quality.
How times have changed. Unfortunately all the foreign shops there now have been allowed to sell with very low standards and not much quality control going on with the appearance of the shop buildings so they are now starting to resemble a foreign mishmash market. Also crime rate tends to make the big name shops leave the area.