Know Your Enemy

"First our language, then our harmless local customs. When will this cultural genocide end?"

A Welsh associate of mine on the news that the branch of Tesco in St Mellons has banned customers in nightwear from the store. The decision was taken, according to a spokesman, "to avoid causing offence or embarrassment to others" - but the decision itself seems to have provoked ire.

Venturing out to the shops in pyjamas or dressing gowns is a curiously Cardiff phenomenon. Working in a branch of Co-op on Friday nights, I got used to girls coming in in their PJs for booze and fags, evidently midway through getting ready to hit the town. But it wasn't uncommon to see people out and about in their slippers at all times of day and all days of the week, even in the rain.

Of course the story has brought out the best in commenters to the BBC's Have Your Say site. From one EdgeOfReason hailing from (mais naturellement) St Albans: "The sign in Tesco asking people to get dressed before doing their shopping is as depressing as the ones you see in the Post Office stating that staff won't tolerate abusive behaviour. In a civilised society these things shouldn't need to be said." Yes, people shopping in their jim-jams - yet another symbol of Broken Britain.