Nov 4, 2020Audience shots #28: It was a dark and stormy year…The clocks went back, the lockdowns got strict and the wet weather arrived — how have we reacted? — October 2020, you were a real treat. As if your soaring R rate and new lockdown measures weren’t enough, you decided to send us into November with a week of rain followed by a storm so severe it got its own name. Greenwich Misery Time Here in the UK…3 min read3 min read
Oct 28, 2020Audience shots #28: The impact of Covid-19 on our drinking habitsWhat has 2020 done to your alcohol consumption? — It felt like a lot of us were talking about booze on social media in early lockdown. ‘Quarantini’ is one of the delightful neologisms that 2020 is gifting to the English language (along with ‘maskne’ and everyone’s favourite, ‘social distancing’) and amusement hungry tweeters had a LOT of opinions when…4 min read4 min read
Oct 21, 2020Audience Shot #27: The C-word loses its taboo — how we’ve decided it’s OK to discuss Christmas early this yearWith the nights drawing in and local lockdowns abounding Brits are looking ahead to the festive season — Discussing Christmas during October just isn’t something you do in polite company — unless the world has been turned on its head by a virus, lockdowns, second waves, tiers, Covid alert levels, social bubbles and trying to work out if you’re allowed to visit your mum. Then, apparently, all bets…4 min read4 min read
Oct 14, 2020Audience shots #26: Home is where the spending isBeing stuck at home has given us a new interest in cleaning, tidying and homewares — Earlier in lockdown we looked at the trend for DIY, with retailers like Wickes and B&Q seeing demand booming. But what about the smaller tweaks we’re making to improve life at home. Cleaning more, decluttering spaces, adding new cushions? In a survey released this month, Yale — maker of…5 min read5 min read
Oct 5, 2020Audience shots #25: Let them make cakeGreat British Bake Off is a tonic for the nation and an inspiration for home cooks This year, it has to be said, has been short on things to look forward to. So the return of The Great British Bake Off to British television screens in late September has been…5 min read5 min read
Sep 30, 2020Audience shot #24: Autumn shopping habits shift as lockdown 2 loomsNot knowing what we’ll need to wear is the new black Late September, as any clothes lover will tell you, is the best time of the year. The first chilly days signify the start of winter coat hunting season. It’s time to plan a pleasant hour or two casting an…4 min read4 min read
Sep 22, 2020Audience shot #23: Looking after our mental healthPaying attention to more than just our physical health during Covid-19 A lot of us wondered how to stay happy during lockdown as we contemplated isolation, unemployment and a deadly virus. Hygiene and looking after our bodies, it goes without saying, have been talked about a LOT during the pandemic…6 min read6 min read
Sep 11, 2020Audience Shot #22: Enterprise and self-employment on the riseFurlough and economic uncertainty have more Brits than ever on the hunt for new ways of making a living From office drones realising how much happier they are without a daily commute to shopkeepers forced into becoming e-commerce experts: 2020 has brought about dramatic changes to nearly everyone’s working life…5 min read5 min read
Sep 7, 2020Audience shot #21: Dog ownership goes through the woofMan’s best friend became the sought-after pandemic survival essential How much is that doggie in the window? Eight-nine per cent more than it was in March if the dog in question is a dachshund puppy, according to the Dogs Trust. Yes, with offices and schools closed for the foreseeable, Britons…4 min read4 min read
Sep 1, 2020Audience shot #20: Move over Spain, we’re going camping…Pandemic or not, Brits have refused to give up the great summer holiday The bank holiday’s gone, summer’s unofficially over and when schools finally open again this month a whole lot of kids are going to be answering the question ‘what did you do on your holidays?’ not with reports…3 min read3 min read
