That looked more promising, especially as they had some Navel oranges in stock. I’m rather partial to those. However, the cabbage was a big disappointment. They were priced at 75p each, but it seemed they had cut them all in half and I suspected “each” actually meant per half. “What a swindle!” I thought as I put it back and then returned the oranges to their shelf. I couldn’t wait to get out. There was an Aldi nearby, so I headed there. They did have what I wanted, well, sort of. Their potatoes were the size of marbles and their cabbages were also very small, but I’d had enough by now, so I cut my losses and bought them.

Crossing the road to go home, I saw my preferred route to the right was blocked off and a diversion for pedestrians was signed to the left. That would work as well but is, I believe, slightly further.

About 200 yards on I saw the pavement was blocked off again, and this time a sign diverted pedestrians to the right into a small cul-de-sac business estate. Oh well, there must be a route through as we were signed that way.

There was no route through. Pedestrians had been diverted into a dead end, as if that could solve anything. I was now trapped between two diversion signs with no indication of how I could get home from there.

Needless to say, I did find a way round in the end, but the signs were no help. I had to cross the busy road and find my own way past on the other side — not difficult, but it shouldn’t have been necessary. I was entitled to a working signed diversion when the pavements were closed, not signs to nowhere.

It all reflects the state of modern Britain very well — a country where nothing works any more, a country where provision is made in theory but not in practice. It’s why we need a government which puts the people’s needs ahead of those of career politicians.