This is mostly a land where Boris Johnson is defaultWhat’s going for it? We are deep in enemy territory here, chaps, I thought, as I eyeballed the single, dusty, tumbleweed-strewn copy of the Guardian in the newsagents. “We normally have five,” said the man on the cash till, “or so.” George Orwell might have grown up little Eric Blair in Shiplake, a few leafy streets down, but this is mostly a land where Boris Johnson is default. And everyone wears Fat Face, when not in regatta blazers. Back in 2011, Britain’s most expensive home was sold here. Yes, even more expensive than anything in Londongrad. And owned by a fugitive Russian banker. You can see how a certain view of the world is confirmed by one’s surroundings. It certainly is lovely here, exceedingly pretty, all wisteria-clad 18th-century tiles and freshly painted as if the Queen is about to pop by. Which she probably is. Poverty appears to have been eradicated, or at least shifted out of sight. Which is not to say you can’t find the odd, vaguely affordable patch in paradise. You could hole up there, a spy, like Orwell. Come on, we could start the revolution!The case against Edge-less. You will be outnumbered, outspent and out-chino-ed. One can have too much wisteria. Continue reading…
Source : theguardian.com
Read more…Let’s move to Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire: it’s enemy territory
