I think we have all misunderstood the Government's levelling-up policy. Whilst we all thought the plan was to bring the North up to the same economic level as the South, what the Government meant was they were going to put a slag heap next to Marble Arch.

What I mean, and perhaps I didn't express it clearly enough, is that if the club could build an at least equivalent facility closer to Ewood Park and make some money, then I would be in favour. But, as I said, I can't see how this could be done.

The last couple of pages of this thread have been an object lesson in how some random speculation can run away with itself on the internet. I didn't know Mushy personally before he joined the Forum last October along with two others but I was aware of his name. As ES says he has been a Rovers supporter for a long time. His appointment, like every one that has been made whilst I have been Secretary, had nothing to do with the club. He has contributed a number of times to discussions since joining and made his comment about considering a move into Blackburn with Darwen should the training ground move I think at the March meeting and re-iterated it in May. One of the reasons for his suggestion was that a training centre within Blackburn would be much better for community use than Brockhall. For what its worth I would be in favour of such a move if it made financial sense and if a suitable site could be found. Right now I can't see how either of those conditions will be met.

For reasons too tedious to explain I collected a click and collect order from Sainsbury’s in Amblecote yesterday and I’ve just been into Tesco in Stourbridge. At Sainsbury’s the order had a lot of substitutions. I asked the guy who gave me the order about shortages and he said there was some panic biting going on because of all the publicity. just now in Tesco there were a lot of empty spaces on the shelves and out of 5 aisles of frozen food 2 were completely empty and the others had lots of empty spaces. clearly to me mainly COVID related but exacerbated by Brexit.

I disagree Den. I think it's good to see pitches that are a good balance between bat and ball, rather than some of the pitches you see these days which are flat tracks combined with short boundaries. It then becomes just a matter of how many sixes each side can get away. Rizwan and Roy seemed to manage to get runs last night OK. Lancashire do seem to have depth in their squad right now. Despite 8 players off at The Hundred (9 if you count Finn Allen) they could still field a team with 8 regular starters for the friendly warm-up 50 over game with Cumberland yesterday

Well many voters can't do that with FPTP. Let's say I supported the Greens or Reform UK. In my constituency where I have lived and voted for 36 years there have never been candidates for those parties (or their predecessors). There has always been a Lib Dem but that candidate has never stood a chance of winning. Therefore my vote for a choice of party who most closely represents my views can never win. Of course this also applies to many Conservative and Labour voters in many, maybe even most constituencies in England - for many seats a vote for one or the other is a wasted vote. indeed until the last election it will have been the case for you in your own constituency of Hyndburn Chaddy. The Greens are currently recording about 5-6% in current opinion polls. That's based on voting intentions under the current system though. If there was a more proportional voting system their share would I guess be closer to 10%. How in god's name can it be an open and free election where around 10% of the electorate are represented by 1 of 650 MPs? The same applies to most parties most of the time, just not quite as extreme.

Damn frustrating to have been at games there on Friday and Saturday with a small crowd and full social distancing (whilst England were playing to full grounds) and tonight Old Trafford is full.

It took place last night and the minutes are with the club so should be out in a few days. We delayed the meeting by a week in the hope that we could meet in the flesh rather than Zoom. But then Steve Waggott got pinged and had to self isolate so we ended up back on Zoom last night so he could attend.

I understand that the shop is planned to be open in time for the Leeds game.Whether that's next Wednesday or before I don't know.

Given the hotel expansion plans the club have announced and the fact that they're not issuing a bond for members to help it this time suggests that they expect that demand will continue to be strong and that they have access to the money to do the work. Whether they are right os of course another matter.

I understand that Rovers plan to play in their new home kit at Bradford and the new away kit at the Leeds game.

My problem is that he isn'r meeting anyone, other than people holding microphones and cameras. It's also interesting that you have a new found interest in electric cars - you were very dismissive and sceptical when we were discussing them a few months ago.

If I had any confidence that what he was doing was going round talking to people and to businesses and trying to understand the problems they have and how the Government could help I would agree. But we all know that's nothing like what he does - these are all just photo opportunities to get him in the local and national media. Mind you i doubt whether sitting behind a desk is any better in this case - he has the attention span of a gnat.

There’s a silver lining in this latest comedy u-turn. You just know that tomorrow we would have been treated to pictures of Johnson pouring pints and dancing in nightclubs on “Freedom Day”. At least we will be spared that spectacle, although no doubt some other stooges will be sent in their place.

It is indeed incredible that the Government’s only response to solve the problem of a shortage of HGV drivers is to break long established safety legislation.