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Hannah Fearn

@hannahfearn.bsky.social

14K followers 4.9K following 4.5K posts

Journalist and podcaster. Politics, social affairs and a little bit of Britpop. Once Independent, now independent. Find me in The i Paper, The New European, Obs, The Lead, Yahoo and on Oh God, What Now? & The Bunker pods https://muckrack.com/hannah-fearn

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 9d

The housing market is going into reverse, dominated by downsizers. What does the end of the property ladder say about our changing attitude to our homes - and towards acquisition culture in general?

My latest essay for @thenewworldmag.bsky.social is out now

www.thenewworld.co.uk/hannah-fearn...

The rise of the early downsizers

It was once a financial move for old age, but now, faced with stagnant wages and stubborn mortgage rates, younger homeowners are selling up and shrinking

www.thenewworld.co.uk

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 4h

Yeah, well said. I used to live in a flat in Manchester next door to a pub I also worked at. Everyone else in the block who moved in after me used to put notes through the door trying to get me to join a campaign to shut it down. No, guys - you're trying to remove my income!

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 4h

I agree, it's not really a push factor - but it's not a pull either, and all the coverage seems to suggest they think it's a big pull

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 4h

I had a nightmare trying to get one last year. But you've just reminded me I really need to get on with it. Can you do flu and covid at the same time?

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 4h

I've only just found out about this and now you've ruined my night. Boo.

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 4h

Ha! Very good.

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

Back to comms!

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

Yeah, that's fine. I'm not saying don't do the policy. I just don't think it will achieve anything they hope to achieve.

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

That's of young people, aged 18-25

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

It's a big proportion of young people and rising really rapidly. According to Portman (who obviously have huge skin in the game and don't like this, so they're not going to exaggerate) said "non-drinkers" made up 25 per cent in 2020, 30 per cent in 2021, by 2024 it was 39 per cent.

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

Young people stopped drinking alcohol and started comparing their self care strategies. It feels alien to me too, but their cardiovascular systems thank them.

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

I'm not against the policy and of course you're right - in fact most policy doesn't have an election cycle in mind, and rightly so. But I do think this is an announcement that will leave some younger people feeling Labour's ideas are not aligned with their daily lives.

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

The VHS bit is from The Thick of It; it's an attempt to rectify the minister's ignorance of the Little Britain catchphrase and other such cultural touchpoints.

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

I'm not anti the policy particularly, I just don't think it will do any of the things they seem to think it will do (that is: boost growth, as half the pubs aren't even open Mon-Wed now anyway, and be extremely popular)

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

A whole bunch of them have stopped opening at all on Mondays and Tuesdays. Have they just... not realised that?

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

Ah, well you'll have to wait until next week to hear what I think about that one in an @ohgodwhatnow.bsky.social special, just recorded this evening

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 5h

I don't feel particularly strongly about pubs opening or not opening - it's just that the idea this will lead to any meaningful immediate growth is off kilter with the prevailing culture.

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 6h

Who is their Chief Vibes Reader? Don't they have anyone producing the equivalent of the "only gay in the village" VHS for ministers anymore? (That's a scene from The Thick of It, in case you're too young to remember and think this sentence sounds a bit concerning and unlike me)

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 6h

For that reason it a) won't work and b) won't boost support and c) looks like yet more chasing the interests of an already disinterested demographic.

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 6h

Why are the vibes so off with this government. The whole culture at the moment is about moderation and harm reduction, especially among the young and middle aged voters that Labour needs to cling on to if it's going to retain a coalition of support.

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Pubs to stay open until early hours in push for UK growth

Exclusive: Plans for England and Wales would help the ailing hospitality sector but have attracted criticism from health experts

www.theguardian.com

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 6h

I really fancy an Eccles cake now. When I did a couple of months on the Salford Advertiser I was based in the office just down from Eccles tram stop and there was an absolutely amazing cake shop just as you got off. Brilliant hangover breakfast (I was young enough for that then)

Reposted by Hannah Fearn

General Boles @generalboles.bsky.social · 9h

Andy Burnham standing at arrivals handing out Eccles cake and 'vote Burnham' badges to the refugees

Daniel Knowles @dlknowles.bsky.social · 9h

Sat in a cafe and there's a whole group of Americans discussing how they all want to move to Europe. One guy who says he is super keen to move to Manchester or Glasgow, which is cool

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 8h

So annoying! I'm sure they're not breaking any actual laws but the smugness of parking your Wimbledon transport on a row of Norbury terraces is infuriating.

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 8h

Aside from the main issue, please enjoy my nice shot of the heavy moon

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 9h

As if listening to the tedious yapping on of the VAT debate wasn’t enough, St Paul’s School is now dumping its pupil transport on my relatively low key, not very wide zone 4 Norbury-border suburban road overnight.

Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 9h

I would @ them but obviously they’re not marketing themselves to Bluesky parents.

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 9h

Sorry but use those insane fees to pay for a bloody car park thank you very much.

Jesus.

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