Topic: Why the curry house is declining

[George]

No way could you ever be considered as racist, George.

I agree, of course. I assume people from Sweden and the UK are from the same race, as in white Europeans - Caucasians.

But people like you will always try to play the racist card, which underlines my whole point.

[Ghoulie]

The inevitable hysterical 'racist' card has to be played by seemingly ignorant people who need to get an education IMO so they even begin to understand what is being said.  The correct term often relevant should be REALIST.  If I was 'racist' for instance, would I bother torturing myself by living / working in such an environment as the Middle East for 8 years ?  Highly unlikely.  I was on the receiving end of racism against whites ( & against English in particular by Palestinians) - but it is to be expected in certain arabic countries.

[vindapoo]

just to add to this old post.

Curry house's in my locale are just too expensive compared to other eateries. It used to be an 'indian' was the cheapest option, certainly cheaper than a chinese for example. I'm sure they have bills same as the rest of us but,

[Peripatetic Phil]

I'm good mates with an owner and been to his place in sparkhill brum. I must say I was totally shocked first time I went, no english writing on any of the shops, no whites to be seen. A real ghetto, this was 15 years ago. I remember thinking at the time this isn't a healthy setup at all.

When I was 25--27 (i.e., circa 45 years ago) I had a girlfriend in Smethwick and I cooked curries (admittedly awful curries) even then.  And I chose to shop in areas such as Sparkhill because the shops were almost entirely Indian.  Buying was very much a question of "point and gesture", we had so few words in common, but the shopkeepers were all helpful and I remember to this day the joy on the face of one shopkeeper when (trying to buy orange lentils) I finally remembered the word "dal".  All of a sudden the shop floor was covered in dal containers, dal of almost every colour under the sun, and just that one little gesture of trying to speak his language made all the difference in the world ...

I don't hold with the whole 'we have to import chefs' reasoning either, they can train up local staff just like normal businesses have to do. Hell if we all can knock up a half decent curry as a hobby they can surely train up a chef in a few months.

I remain unconvinced.

** Phil.