This pretty little thatched house - the Dutch House at Rayleigh - has been featured on the news this last week as apparently it is the smallest and oldest council house in the UK, and is now up for rent again. Seeing it featured on the telly made think about popping over to Rayleigh as I hadn't been there since last autumn.
As I wanted to take a photo of the Dutch House I went by train and had my annual cardio-vascular work-out by walking up Crown Hill to the town centre. Sadly for the Dutch House, it is situated right on Crown Hill which is an extremely busy main road. Although the house looks so pretty in the photo, right behind me was a thundering line of traffic - cars, buses and lorries - heading both up and down the hlll.
Anyway, with my photo satisfactorily taken, I headed up to the High Street keenly anticipateing a wander around the only decent charity shop in Rayleigh - the Salvation Army. My face must have been a study as I got closer and realised the shop had closed down. A few choice swear words followed but I went over to the other side of the road and checked out some of the other - very expensive - charity shops. What a total waste of time, I swear I could have bought clothes new in the sales cheaper than some of the prices those charity shops were charging. If they don't start readjusting their prices I wonder if we'll start seeing charity shops going out of business during the economic downturn. (I don't think that's what happened with the Salvation Army - I suspect the lease was up on the shop they were using - as their prices were always very competitive.) Sadly, I can't see me going over to Rayleigh again any time soon as now the Sally Army have gone there is nothing left worth going there for.
I know what you mean about charity shops charging so much. My favourite Salvation Army shop closed down, just after the volunteers had given it a lick of paint. Bearing in mind it is a 10 minute walk from where William Booth was born, but they couldn't be bothered with the lease! I also hate the condescending attitude of the assistants if you ask a price - "it's for charity" as if I am the meanest person in the world. The fact that I run a charity project supporting disabled children doesn't get mentioned, although the moral high ground is enjoyed quietly sometimes - it's their issue not mine.
Posted by: Claire | 07/17/2008 at 10:54 AM