Over my dead body! The only problem with this approach is that I have to vote Tory!
Our local MP is a “Blair’s Babe” though.
The local is very good for atmosphere (five dogs, eccentric landlord, open fire)… not so much for beer - actually as a CAMRA member I miss proper beer.
It wouldn’t suprise me if we have had a tourist ending up dead on teh moors. We’re in the middle of rambling country and in winter the hills can be deadly (but only to an idiot dressed in shorts, they’re hardly the Andes!)
Town centre shops generally close at 5:30 or 6:00. Retail park stores (strip malls) are generally open until 8:00. Large supermarkets are often open 24 hours, or until 10:00. So, most things you can shop for after work. Oh, and local convenience stores are usually open until 10:00pm or 11:00pm.
Where are you located and is my credit good for a case of Guinness and a few bottles of Jack Daniels 'til I get my dole money 
The village has, at a guess, a population of around 1500. Plenty of holiday homes in that though. The business is a family one, and on balance I do prefer village life.
A working day from 6am to 5:30 is long enough, thanks! I’m not aware of any particular intent behind it, and we’d certainly stay open longer if there was the demand for it - in fact when there are certain events on at the village we do.
We’re not like that these days, but I can point you to a couple of places that are…
We don’t have anyone on the dole out here, although they are now building a couple of a council houses, so we’ll see what happens!
Well where are you, I’ll see about a council exchange
I won’t give the exact location in a public forum, but somewhere in Western Scotland.
Scotland?
I’ll stay here
SBSO, do you have a nearby ‘main town’ ? Or are you proper rural ?
Nearest main town is around 15 miles away, so I do have one for most values of near.
However… if I drive the other way, then it’s 30 miles of single track road before reaching even a village.
Best of both worlds, really.
Really? I wouldn’t be so down on the council housing though, often it’s the only chance local youngsters have to get an affordable place in their home town.
Can you give us a complete list of all the shops/retailers/businesses in your small village? This is the sort of thing that always interests me.
Do you serve food, like the steak pie you mentioned, or only sell it on a take-away basis?
Is (are) there one (or more) pub(s) in the village that have standard “charming” names like The Beetle and Wedge or the “Something” Arms?
Like it’s that much of a difference. 
Is there train service to and from your village, or do you need to drive to reach the nearest city?
Hell of a difference my friend.
It rains in England, it absolutely hisses down in Bonnie Scotland…oh wait a minute
Yeah, Scotland’s better looking.