Signs of the Times: Fish & Chips, Beaches, Patience and Coffee

When I saw Dan Anton’s post a few months ago with the theme of ‘Signs‘, it prompted me to dig out some photos. Many of these photos would never have seen the light of day on my blog if it were not for Dan’s prompt.

How much do you think a fish-and-chips supper costs?

A white, slightly weathered A-frame pavement sign with blue text advertising a fish and chip shop. At the top, it says "FISH & CHIPS" above a large blue arrow pointing to the left. Below the arrow, the text reads "CHIPPY CHIPS," followed by a special offer: "FISH & CHIPS £4.00 (TUESDAY & THURSDAY ALL DAY)." At the bottom, it lists "HOMEMADE FISH CAKE £1.20." The sign is mounted on a white metal frame, sitting outdoors on a pavement with buildings and a glimpse of the sea under a clear blue sky in the background.

We Brits are well known for our fish-and-chips suppers. It’s one of the most popular takeaway dishes in the United Kingdom.

Sadly, £4.00 for a fish-and-chip supper is something we can only dream about today. At the time of writing, the average cost of a standard takeaway portion of fish and chips in the UK is around £11.17. That’s nearly a two hundred per cent increase!

The price does vary from region to region. In London, you’ll pay up to £20.00 for a fish-and-chip takeaway, while in some parts of the United Kingdom, the cost of a fish-and-chips supper will be £7.90

And we Brits also like to have fish and chips with side dishes, such as curry sauce, gravy, mushy peas, pickled eggs and even bread and butter.

Do you like fish and chips? What would your side dish be?

A sign of the times?

A rectangular, vintage-style metal sign mounted on a white subway-tiled wall. The sign has a white background with a black border, featuring scalloped or ornate inner corners. Raised black capital letters read: "GENTLEMEN ADJUST YOUR DRESS" across three lines.

I smiled a lot when I saw this sign. Given that it was taken in an old British pub and restaurant, it’s a sign that was popular in many men’s rooms in the early 20th century, for very good reasons when gentlemen dressed in black tie for dinner.

If you read the alt-text for the photo, you may have noticed the word ‘Vintage.’

The sign was a polite nudge to make sure everything was snug as a bug in a rug. I mean, there’s nothing quite like the eye-popping scenes I witness these days, especially when some gents decide that shorts should be more like swim trunks! And who wants to see badly sunburned bare-chested men eating spaghetti bolognese or a margarita pizza? Take those hands down, please.

What’s a sign you have seen that is a sign of its time?

Going to the beach this week? What have you left behind?

A wooden sign shaped like a large bare footprint is attached to a weathered wooden fence. The sign has stencilled black lettering that reads: "LEAVE NOTHING BUT YOUR FOOTPRINT ON THE BEACH." In the background, a sandy beach, turquoise ocean waves, and large grey rocks are visible under a clear blue sky.

No, not at home, but on the beach!

I love that this sign gets straight to the point in a nice, humorous way. Can you imagine what all the beaches in the world would be like if everyone who visited did what this sign asks?

Take your rubbish home with you. Yes, that includes you and those regrettable swim trunks from last summer that you swore were fashionable for all the wrong reasons.

What’s the best sign you’ve seen on a beach or in a park?

Are you in a rush? Well, you’ll have to wait!

A close-up shot of a handwritten note enclosed in a simple wooden picture frame, mounted on a glossy, dark green wooden door. The note is written in black marker on white paper and reads: "The old people upstairs take time to get downstairs to answer the doorbell! Please wait-! Thank you." with an underline beneath the text.

Another ‘straight to the point’ sign, but with a slight difference: it’s handwritten.

People seem to be in such a rush these days that, if blogging were a marathon, they’d be sprinting to the finish line while skimming posts as if they’re trying to read a novel before getting to the head of the queue at a drive-thru! It’s as if they’re all in a secret competition for the title of ‘World’s Fastest Reader.’ Be kind and read posts rather than skim them.

What I didn’t know about this sign is who wrote it. Was it the old people upstairs, or was it written on their behalf? In any case, this sign teaches us all to slow down and enjoy what is going on rather than trying to remember what we enjoyed today.

When was the last time you gave yourself a good, hearty talking-to about that crazy habit of dashing around like a caffeine-fuelled squirrel?

Who’s for a coffee?

A long, rectangular black sign titled "COFFEE MENU know your coffee" in white text, flanked by small white leaf stencils. Below the title, a row of eight stylised white coffee cups diagrams the ingredients for different drinks: Americano, Cappuccino, Flat White, Macchiato, Mocha, Espresso, Cortado, and Latte. Each cup graphic shows stacked layers representing components like espresso, hot water, milk, steamed milk, and milk foam. The sign rests on a white wooden ledge against a cream-coloured wall.

Well, you’ve made it this far, so I guess it’s time to reward your bravery with a coffee! What’s your poison? A latte, cappuccino, or maybe a triple espresso to keep the adrenaline pumping?

I’ve created a poll for you to choose what you’d like. Feel free to vote.

Dan blogs at No Facilities and features plenty of challenges, so go and check out his blog for more details. Thanks for the inspiration, Dan!

The featured image in this blog post is taken from Pixabay. AI checked spelling and grammar mistakes.

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82 responses to “Signs of the Times: Fish & Chips, Beaches, Patience and Coffee”

  1. Urspo avatar

    yes yes yes to fish and chips.

    Would that I had some! Proper fish no rubbish types.

    We used to have a fish and chips place complete with a small store to get digestive biscuits etc. but they closed.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Through lack of business? Fish and chips can vary from shop to shop. I find the best ones are served at the seaside, but that may be just because it’s by the seaside.

  2. annabellefranklinauthor avatar

    The foot sign is great! My pet peeve is people who carelessly discard those disposable barbecues or bury them in the sand. If you tread on sand that’s absorbed heat from one of those, it’ll take the skin off! I’ve also found them thrown into the ferns, where they could easily start a fire if they’re not put out properly. A danger to people and animals.

    Fish and chips is my favourite meal and a real treat, as I never cook it at home.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Disposable barbecues should, in my opinion, be banned or only sold at places where they can be used at the time of buying. However, I have seen proper bins for them in certain places, such as the seafront in Swansea Bay. It’s such a shame that a few spoil it for those that dispose of these items properly.

      Do you have any side dish with your fish and chips, Annabelle?

      1. annabellefranklinauthor avatar

        Absolutely not! They always offer peas, but that would just spoil the whole thing for me, so I always say no.

  3. Jennie avatar

    Dan is one of my favorite bloggers. I like your signs!

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      What is it that you like about them? Do you have any favourites?

      1. Jennie avatar

        They all made me smile, but if I had to pick favorites they’d be the footprint on the beach and the reminder that older people are slower.

        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

          Thanks, Jennie. It’s great to delve into what it is that makes us ‘like’ things.

          1. Jennie avatar

            It is! Best to you, Hugh.

  4. V.M.Sang avatar

    I love these signs. The one about the old people is so lovely.

    Coffee drinking is complicated nowadays. I wrote a poem about it. I ws going to post it here, but you’ll be glad to know I can’t remwhich book it’s in. 😂

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      There really is too much choice, isn’t there? And some establishments offer different kinds of milk, too. It’s usually a flat white for me, although I do like a mocha too.

      1. V.M.Sang avatar

        Yes, I agree. But I enjoy the occasional cappuccino.

  5. Paul Ariss avatar
    Paul Ariss

    As an avid tea drinker why is it we say ‘let’s meet for a coffee?’ Is it to sound more sophisticated and continental? Hey, do you fancy meeting up for a cup of tea? Who is going to say yes to that? Unless you’re 95 and you’ll need to bring some biscuits. But I do it too, I drink tea after a meal at home every time but when I go for a meal it’s usually a latte afterwards. Sorry…I realise now this was not the point of your post…great signs!

    Oh, and I paid £21 for a bang average fish ‘n chips in a pub last week.

    And one final thing, what were the odds that on the same day you and I would both publish blogs with Fish ‘n Chips in the title??

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      I’ve been in discussions with others about drinking caffeine, Paul. I’m not a coffee drinker – one cup a day is enough for me, and always before 11 am. I drink more tea, but only two cups a day. I never drink tea or coffee after midday. I’m a great sleeper, so maybe it’s the lack of caffeine after midday?

      And tea with biscuits? Yes, please, or even with a slice of Victoria sandwich or Christmas cake. Whenever anyone visits, I always ask ‘Coffee or a pot of tea?’ Coffee seems more popular. I do have a coffee machine, nothing special, but it’s easy to use and makes great coffee when you use the right capsule.

      £21 for fish and chips is much higher than I thought, especially after reading that in London you can pay up to £20. But as you were in a pub, maybe that’s why it was more than a takeaway? I’ve seen fish and chips up to £35 in some restaurants, and that’s without any extras.

      When I saw your post go live on Monday morning, I smiled, knowing that mine was on a similar subject. Doesn’t happen very often, Paul. Great minds and all that.

  6. Michael avatar

    I enjoyed looking at your collection of signs. I wish people would heed the sign about the beach and leave just their footprints. It is amazing how people have no guilt about just throwing trash on the ground.

    I am a coffee drinker, but I do limit myself to no more than one cup (sometimes two) a day. And it is a latte for me. I make my own at home because coffee shops are just too expensive!

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Thanks, Michael. Glad you enjoyed them.

      I recently saw a video of a football game where all the South Korean fans picked up all the litter in their area before leaving the stadium. It was amazing to watch. If only all members of other nations followed that example.

      I only drink one cup of coffee a day, as I am not keen on it and prefer tea, but I limit myself to two cups. I never drink tea or coffee after midday.

      1. Michael avatar

        The Japanese are the same way. When I was in Japan back in 2023, I was amazed at how clean things were with little to no trash around. I also learned that the schools have no custodians. The students clean the school. I think that’s a great way to instill care and pride in one’s surroundings. When I taught and had lunch duty, there would frequently be food fights. I don’t think that there would be many of those kind of things in Japan, since the students are the ones cleaning it up!

        I never take in caffeine after 12 noon myself. Caffeine does a number on me, which is great in the morning when I want that “jolt”, but not so great when it doesn’t let me sleep at night.

        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

          It just goes to show how different things could be if we all took the same attitude the Japanese do. Michael. Would it be amazing to experience? We can only hope that one day all humans will be kind to the place we all call home. I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime, but new, upcoming generations will hopefully be kinder to each other. I hate the thought of everything on this planet being lost forever.

          1. Michael avatar

            I hate that thought too. We live on a road that gets a lot of car traffic. You wouldn’t believe the amount of trash that gets thrown out of cars onto our yard. It angers me and depresses me at the same time. I am hoping that future generations will realize that we all need to take care of our planet.

  7. Debbie D. avatar

    Interesting mix of signage! It’s incredible how much prices have increased, and that would be a real bargain for fish and chips now. My side dish of choice would be coleslaw.

    Looking around at all the sloppy attire these days (like slippers and pyjama bottoms for example), I think restuarants should still have dress codes. Actually, one of my favourite places does specify “business casual” on its app.

    Love the footprint sign, and hopefully, it is effective for reducing beach litter.

    Patience seems to be in short supply these days, and I hope the sign does remind people to slow down. Your take on what goes on in the blogging world is spot on. You’d think it was a bloody competition!

    Thanks for the coffee. I’ll have a cappucino, please. :)

    Dan’s photo challenges are fun, and I’ve been doing them for a while now. This week’s prompt is “orange”.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Coleslaw seems to be a popular side dish, Debbie. It’s not something I have seen here in the UK with fish and chips. But it certainly sounds like a great combination.

      I’ve even witnessed people in nightwear in supermarkets. Honestly, it makes me wonder if that is all the clothes they own. My grandmother always said, if you are going out, dress like you are going on a first date. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

      I just do not know why some bloggers feel they have to get through as many posts as possible every day; otherwise, they will upset someone. Or they fear they will lose followers if they do not visit. All myths, of course.

      I don’t participate in many blogging challenges anymore, but this one spoke to me, even though I had no room for it until now.

      1. Debbie D. avatar

        Nightwear in supermarkets is common here too. Pretty sad that people can’t take the time to look presentable before going out in public. Mind you, I’m from Germany, where you were expected to dress up for even the simplest errand. Your grandmother was a wise woman!

        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

          That whole generation was all so wise, Debbie. They took so much pride in everything, including their surroundings.

  8. Tails Around the Ranch avatar

    Even though it’s been bloody hot, a good latte always is welcome. And who can turn down a tasty fish & chips? Nope, not me.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      My sister-in-law swears that drinking hot drinks during a heatwave helps to cool down the body. I prefer to get a cold tin and place it between my wrists for a minute before drinking the contents – usually a Pepsi Max (with a hint of lime).

      1. V.M.Sang avatar

        Lots of people say that, but it’s not true. They claim it makes you sweat, and sweating cools you. But the reason you sweat is because it’s made you hotter!

        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

          That makes perfect sense. I’ve never believed what she said about hot drinks during hot weather. It’s always cold drinks for me, apart from that first cup of tea when I wake up.

          1. V.M.Sang avatar

            I agree, but my start is coffee.

  9. Liesbet @ Roaming About avatar

    That’s a great selection of (old) signs, Hugh. And this post is the perfect home for them. I wish the price of fish and chips was that low. With a meal like that, I’d take a side salad or coleslaw as a side, please.

    No coffee for me. I have actually NEVER ordered a drink in a coffee shop or stopped for a cup of tea anywhere. We make and drink our tea at home and I always felt like coffee shops were expensive and didn’t offer anything special enough to splurge on. I’m sure pretty much nobody would agree with me on this, based on the popularity of coffee shops. I just think it’s a great way to save money by not drinking coffee out or eating lunch out and making/bringing/eating stuff from home for lunch.

    “Take nothing but photographs. Leave nothing but footprints” is/was a popular sign I read in the US national parks. If only nobody would litter anymore…

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      I hardly visit coffee shops, preferring to make my own at home, Liesbet, although I prefer tea to coffee. When we eat out, it’s actually to eat out rather than bring something home, but we do have the occasional takeaway, probably about 3 times a year. It’s always fish and chips for me, but my partner prefers a curry. Coffee shops always seem packed, but I think some customers take advantage of the free wi-fi while there, too. They are great places to people-watch and to pick up interesting conversations.

      Imagine a law where you had to pick up at least one piece of rubbish a day and place it in the correct bin. Mother Earth would be very thankful for that law.

  10. Eugi avatar

    Now, I’m hungry for fish and chips, which I haven’t had in forever. To eat out, the prices are outrageous! Those are some great signs, especially the foot print at the beach sign. I love all types of coffee, and mocha is my favorite, especially in cooler weather. During the hot summers, I like iced coffee.

    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar

      Mocha is also my favourite, which I tend to change to hot chocolate when the weather is much cooler than what it is right now, Eugi. I’m not keen on iced tea or coffee. Likewise, I don’t like Gazpacho.

      1. Eugi avatar

        Oh, I don’t like Gazpacho either. Chilled soup does not appeal to me. I like my soup piping hot.

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