The Polish plumber

In a small market town in the south west of England, an unusual shop has opened. Called the Polish Cottage, it sells bread and other produce from Poland and appears aimed not at the indigenous population (grateful though they may be of an alternative to the likes of Tesco), but at migrant workers employed in local industries and farming.

It seems to be part shop, part focal point for Polish people to meet and help each other. One of the clues is the abundance of notices posted in the window, some in Polish, advertising house sharing, English language classes and services. It must be so comforting to buy Polish food in a strange country, and also to hear a friendly voice in a familiar tongue.

Firm evidence of the UK’s changing demography, even in the sleepy south-west. We are used to cities being richly multi-cultural; but this is now a growing feature of many rural areas.

One of the adverts particularly stood out. It simply said: “Polish Plumber”, and then the contact number. Positive trading, no doubt, on what has now become shorthand for good and hard workmanship, reliability and - perhaps most significant for parsimonious Brits - cheapness.