Last year, my nearest video rental outlet closed and was replaced by a chemist. I didn’t really care, because I’d never been a member. As accurately as I can calculate, the last time I rented a video (and it actually was a video, not a DVD) was sometime around the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Just how extreme is that?
Picture by Craig Anderson
Between the rapidly dropping price of DVD movies, a wide range of digital channels, video on demand services and Channel BT, it’s not exactly surprising that video stores are struggling for custom. Even if you’re a mad film buff, a DVD by mail service is likely to cover your needs more effectively than any store. Anecdotal evidence suggests that stores which are still open rely heavily on phone recharges and food sales to supplement video rentals.
But I’m wondering just how off the curve I am. When did you last rent a movie? Do you still regularly frequent your local video store? Tell us (and tell us why) in the comments.
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