For example, Maplins charge quite a bit more for geekabilia than I can get it online from either the UK or direct from China.
But sometimes I don't mind paying a bit more for the convenience of having it "now". However, what busts my chops is not the shops but the councils and their parking facilities/costs to go and collect the said item. To me one of the main killers of the high streets is the greed of the local councils in overcharging for parking (or allowing the parking companies to do so) and not providing sufficient parking anyway. It just makes going into town a miserable experience at times.
A few years ago, there was an area that had been used for casual motorbike parking since before I was born, then the council gave the parking provision over to Eurocarparks or whatever. They immediatly stopped bike parking there, and gave me a £60 ticket because I chained my motorbike to an empty rank of cycle bays. So I sort of get just brassed off with town centres now as they just make it unpleasant, and as far a visitor in a new town God knows how they cope finding parking at times.
want to keep the warranty up, and I need a curtasy bike, which is why I'm still going to the main dealer. + they are 10mins away from my work.
