An article in the papers today caught my eye:
Virgin West Coast train firm stops selling Daily Mail
Virgin Trains has announced that it has stopped selling the Daily Mail newspaper on its West Coast trains.
A spokesperson for Virgin said it regularly reviewed products sold on its trains, adding that “after listening to feedback from our people” it decided to stop stocking copies of the paper.
A Daily Mail spokesman called the decision “disgraceful”.
Last year, stationery chain Paperchase apologised for a promotional giveaway in the Mail following criticism. The Virgin spokesperson added that when it stocked the paper, which it stopped carrying in November, it only sold one copy for every four trains.
The spokesperson told the BBC that the paper had never been stocked on its East Coast trains under the management of Virgin/Stagecoach.
And Drew McMillan, head of colleague communication and engagement at Virgin, told staff in an internal memo: “Thousands of people choose to read the Daily Mail every day. But they will no longer be reading it courtesy of VT. There’s been considerable concern raised by colleagues about the Mail’s editorial position on issues such as immigration, LGBT rights and unemployment.”
“We’ve decided that this paper is not compatible with the VT brand and our beliefs. We will continue to offer The Times to customers, but we won’t be stocking the Daily Mail for sale or as a giveaway. This won’t suit all of our customers or all of our people – it’s certain to draw some criticism. But we’ve listened to many colleagues over the last few months, and we feel that this is the right move to take.”
There’s more where that came from!
Now (sorry Mail readers), I have a lot of sympathy for Virgin. A glance at the front page of the Daily Mail (otherwise known as “The Hate Mail” or “The Daily Fail”) can depress one on the brightest of mornings. However, I did wonder about equivalents in the model railway world. Who might not sell what? How about….
Rail Unions ban Graham Farish from staff shops
A union spokesman said that the lack of a guard in all models showed support for management and a total disregard to the safety of the operators….
Samsonite withdraws sponsorship of TINGS
It is rumoured that the well-known luggage manufacturer Samsonite will withdraw sponsorship from the N-Gauge Show. A spokesman for the company stated that the inappropriate use of their products, especially rucksacks, to assault other model railway enthusiasts had caused them to rethink their policy. However, a TINGS organiser was hoping for new sponsorship from Lynx or Brut, and free samples would be offered to any member of the public carrying a rucksack…..
(For those not in the know, unwashed rucksack carriers are rumoured to frequent TINGS and Warley, using BO and bags to fight off other enthusiasts and get the best bargains.)
Any (slightly libellous) examples welcome as a comment!
