Darrin,

A fellow designer in my office was a student teacher in Edinburgh, she lived in Leith Walk. She claims that she bought a hair dryer and a lamp from Marks & Spencer and they didnt have plugs on the end of the wires. You had to buy that seperate at a different store. Is this true?

Do stores in Scotland really sell appliances without plugs? If so why?

She was a student teacher there in the mid 80's so things might be different now.

Please help answer this debate o'mighty Scotsman!

That makes no sense. I saw plenty of appliances with plugs. Katie lived there for a bit, she would know too.

I have bought or seen purchased appliances with plugs in england, wales, n. ireland and the r.o.i.; it seems unlikely that Scotland would vary much in the realm of retail electronics. I am curious about this story.

The whole of "western" europe is on the same standardized receptacle shape, no? So the only reason there'd be no affixed plug end would be if it were a variable voltage device (120/240) and were being sold somewhere where people were possibly (likely) taking it back here with them, no? And the things I've run across like that (amps, computers) have the standard 3-prong female that fits our cords and theirs, not a cord that just stops... that invites disaster.

See this is so weird....
Another co-worker said she was in England and saw this as well.

I really don't think they are pulling my leg. It's not April 1st is it?

Could this have changed in the last ten years?

I thought Darrin would know being a native. ...

I think your coworkers are freaks.

Hey,

Actually this is quite funny because I'd forgotten all about this. Yeah, it's true, if this happened in the mid 80's. You used to always have to buy a plug seperately for your electrical appliances.

My mum was something of an expert electrician due to having to put plugs on everything. I'm not quite sure when this stopped but it's been a while because I'd forgotten about it.

Ok...the question is posed -- why?

Well, I'll hazzard a guess, although I really have no idea.

The UK and Ireland have three pin plugs while I think most of Europe has two pin plugs so perhaps it has something to do with importing or exporting from Europe. Or perhaps it was some bizarre law from 'the old days'.

Maybe hardware stores and plug manufacturers had a powerful lobby group in the corridors of power.

Or maybe it was because with all the strikes and electricity black outs they just figured having a plug on your appliance was a complete waste of time!

I can't believe it...

[aside]This isnt the most exciting musical topic by the way... for that I am sorry.[/aside]

Wow. How could a store take that kind of responsibility? Can you imagine walking into Target® today, buying a lamp with no plug, and then putting a plug on backwards, or not tight, etc. Our sue happy country would have a field day !

No wonder Irish/Scots/Brits are tough.. Think of the electrocutions!

Plus their electricity is feistier, is it not? Here my sister could stick twist-ties into the socket as a child for amusement; over there that might be a riskier game.

Guys, Darrin doesn't know everything about everything in the history of Scotland.

Don't be so sure.