This all reminds me of shopping before the large scale opening of supermarkets. Yes some cities, in their suburbs, and many towns still have smaller, often family owned, shops. Your local butcher, grocer, greengrocer and other suppliers knew you and you knew them. They could try an Arkwright on you but rarely got away with it. Some were very jocular and were a laugh a minute - but that is how they kept their trade. Others had their own traits but 'misery guts' types might soon find their business diminished. Locally owned buses might stop outside elderly of infirm peoples home and whilst times were, for a large part of the population hard, the neighbourliness - not easily found now in many places - did ease hardships.
The world has changed - in the main people have changed it by their support or demands for more - but we have to live in the present, like it or not. I and, I am sure, most on BHF avoid the rat race and still find pleasure in the simpler aspects of life; even if using modern technologies to achieve it.
