Things that have been ruined by other people doing them to

[sunfloweryy]

Was thinking this today when driving to work and taking one of my little shortcuts to beat the traffic. Only bloody everyone knows the shortcuts now so it doesn’t work! Damn them!

Anyone else care to share things that were great until other people got involved?

Festivals. As a teenager, I used to be able to get tickets for Glastonbury, Reading etc at a little ticket booth in London. I'd often buy tickets a couple of weeks before. Now every fucker has decided festivals are cool and they're full of awful filler bands. There was a girl at school who used to take the piss out of me for going to festivals because I was a 'hippy', lo and behold she does Glasto with her mum friends now.

I agree with the poster who said the 90s internet. Totally different vibe back then and you'd chat to really interesting people. Now it's just endless boring debates and politics.

real ale. real ale pubs used to be proper niche and populated by grumpy old scrotes such as myself who could have a good argument about led zep albums. The beer smelt slightly of the bin, was perfect, and was made by monks using a recipe dating back to Chaucer.

Now it's all "craft" ale despite being made in industrial breweries, the pubs are full of 15-year old braying tossers and the beer all tastes of lemon Fairy mixed with shandy. Meh.

Matched Betting. I have been doing it for years and years. Now suddenly everyone is on the bandwagon and there aren't as many promotions anymore.

This, 100!

^ 100%, that was meant to say!

The local rat runs. Up until a few years ago I loved to drive everywhere just using them. They were usually longer than the direct route so not used by many to save fuel but much quieter so less anxiety for me and you could enjoy some great scenery as well. Now the main roads in the summer are turning into car parks and the back roads are getting as busy as the main roads used to be.

My dog walk.

I had a nice little out of the way walk where I could take Zoiddog. She's a rescue, and because of her history she's not good with other dogs. That was somewhere I could see a long way in both directions, and she could have a nice run off lead and play with her ball.

Now every man and his dog (literally) have discovered it, and the poor little sod is off the lead/on the lead/off the lead/on the lead.

That was MY walk!

Swimming. I am always reminded of Sartre "l'enfer, c'est les autres" whenever I go.

Surely most people who buy gf stuff are not only buying for themselves? I will buy the yellow stickered gf stuff for myself and then the non-gf yellow stickers for the rest of the family. I'd have thought most people would be in a similar situation? (Assuming that they're not just eating gf for 'lifestyle' reasons.) GF bread is so overpriced I'll buy a pile and stash it in the freezer if it's reduced.

bartender then stuffs stupid things like juniper berries in it that get stuck in the straw....grrrr

YES!!!

Gin - (precious, precious gin) - is NOT a sauce to dip your fruit salad in!

I'll second running and parkrun! When I went to my local parkrun years ago there were about 80 of us, now there's on average 800. Its brilliant that so many people are getting fitter but I can hardly move at ours now.

Surely most people who buy gf stuff are not only buying for themselves?

I would have thought that no-one buys GF food from choice. I've tasted bits here and there.

It's bloody awful!

Travel! Years ago if you visited Venice or Paris etc you could just stroll into St Mark's or Notre Dame, then the queues started and now every bugger books online in advance

I would have thought that no-one buys GF food from choice. I've tasted bits here and there.

It's bloody awful!

To some people a bargain is a bargain, it matters not what it is. I've been in M&S at yellow sticker time (inevitably for something that isn't reduced) and been agog at the collection of random stuff one person can put on the conveyor belt.

A family member used to do this with every enthusiasm I had as a child. Being on the spectrum, they got into the subject deeply and outdid my knowledge on the series of books, films, holiday area etc. Very annoying.

Everyone going on holiday every other month. I really can't be bothered to go now as it's as predictable as going to Tesco for milk.

I agree with ALL of these.
Holidays are especially noticeable. Barcelona 15 years ago It was bustling and you could walk into the Sagrada Familiar and buy a ticket . Now it’s heaving pretty much all year round and if you haven’t booked in advance forget it.
Isle of Wight is crazy busy too. Even worse people are moaning about how weird and cheesy it is. Duh. That’s the whole point.

I am glad people drink Prosecco now, Much prefer Cava and there’s usually some of that left on the shelves now ( although hardly on pronfikn anymore unlike Prosecco).

Dog walks. Ruined by Facebook telling everyone where to go. Any sunny day, my nice quiet walks are spoilt by swathes of families having quality time pretending they are the first to build dens, climb trees or jump in puddles.

Football. I used to love it but living with my husband and sons is like being exposed to aversion therapy. I feel really sad but it is just not possible to love it the way I did when your whole life has to revolve around it.

London gay pride. Huge fun in the 80s, but now massive and corporate and soulless.

I discovered a high street shop where I could get trousers that fit my rotund figure really well. Mentioned it to my Mum and sister and now when we're together you can guarantee they are dressed head to toe from 'my' shop. They've also both stolen my favourite perfume. My mil steals all my house decor ideas. Drives me nuts!

Another vote for gin, shortcuts and festivals.

Hunter and Barbour, particularly wellies. Used to be pricey but a worthwhile investment for heavy use. Now they've become festival wear and a popular brand for people that want to look the country set part they're expensive disposable quality fashion.

A route we used to regularly ride, only really known to locals. The internet has ruined it. It went from being clear enough to gallop safely, to being impossible on a nice weekend to walk down without frequently stopping to wait for people to call their dc to heel.

Plenty of villages, turned from communities to pretentious naice second home in the country ghost towns.

@happinessischocolate I live in the New Forest so I know exactly what you mean! Come the summer you don't dare leave the house. No where is safe from people!

I can’t believe I’m the first person to say Mumsnet!

@tinnitusagain are you anywhere near Cambridge , if so I know just the place for you.

Going for a walk in the park on Christmas Day. Used to be the only people, now there's tons of people in Santa outfits and dogs dressed as turkeys. I miss the peace.

My favourite town in Mallorca. You could park there among the lemon groves, have wonderful tapas and browse the art galleries. Then bloody Richard Branson built a hotel there and Michael Douglas bought a house and now it's full of coach trips every day and ruined with touristy shops.

I just get so peed off with people flocking to unusual and beautiful places and then turning them into the same old touristy tat that they could have visited in countless places along the coast.

@squashyhat we had a small festival, surfers on the beach, guitars, bbqs very laid back good campsite for tents. It got bigger and bigger then Radio 1 got involved. We were swamped they demanded you buy tickets for extortionate prices, glamping pods, food and tat stalls. One rainy summer weekend the whole thing fell apart. We had stopped going long before that. They tried again the following year, stormy weather. Went bankrupt then I think.