Women tightening belts during the recession?

London: Believe it or not, British blondes are literally tightening their belts during the recession.In fact, belts have become the most in-demand fashion accessory, with more than 16 million women buying at least one belt last year -- which is equivalent to nearly 41 per cent of the population in Britain, according to figures.

More popular than its nearest rival, the handbag, bought by 36 per cent, sales of women`s belts grew by 8.7 per cent in 2008 to 25 million pounds, leading British newspaper the `Sunday Express` reported. The latest figures, from market analyst Mintel, refer to online sales, so do not include the millions of women who also snapped up belts in stores. According to experts, celebrities such as Cheryl Cole and Kate Moss have helped to boost purchases, as well as a growing desire to create an hour glass silhouette even during the global recession. Senior fashion analyst Katrin Magnussen said fashion accessories "are an ideal treat even to consumers being more careful about their spending". Bureau Report Lahore`s bustling `Food Street` falls victim to intolerance M Zulqernain (with pix) Lahore: The bustling `Food Street` in this eastern Pakistani city – a popular destination for tourists from around the world, including India – is no more, having fallen victim to a culture of political intolerance. The Food Street, located at Gowalmandi, had contributed to promoting a soft image of Pakistan across the world for the past decade or so. Rows of eateries located along both sides of the street offered up a smorgasbord of traditional dishes that Lahore is known for and were thronged by thousands of people every day. Around 10,000 people who earned their livelihood at Food Street lost their last hopes of saving their shops when the government of Punjab province pulled down its decorative gates last week. The PML-N, which rules Punjab, said Food Street, which was closed to cars, had become a hindrance to the smooth flow of traffic. But residents of Gowalmandi, which was once home to the ancestors of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, claim they have been victimized for having a different political point of view. Majlis-e-Zinda Dilaan Lahore, a body that looks after the affairs of Food Street, has lodged a protest with the Pakistan People`s Party-led federal government and requested it to intervene. The body’s chairman, Khwaja Shakeel Ahmed, told PTI itwas unfortunate that the project, which was earning fame for Pakistan, had fallen prey to rivalry between two political groups. "The rulers of Punjab do not want the continuation of a project that is being overseen by people related to the PML-Q. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif does not like that. Food Street is not a main arterial road and had become a spot for family outings over the years," Ahmed said. Tourists and other Food Street regulars have lamented its closure. Jagdesh Singh, an Indian who often visits Pakistan to perform religious rituals, said: "There is a saying which goes: If you haven’t been to Lahore, you are yet to be born. But it seems to me that a tour of Lahore is incomplete without visiting Food Street." Dutch journalist Suzana Kostar, who is based in Islamabad, said: "Whenever I visited Lahore for official assignments, I would go to the Food Street and I had developed a taste for `harissa`. Its demolition is quite surprising." The Food Street offered countless food items – haleem, biryani, chappal or seekh kebab, mutton and chicken dishes, Lahori fried fish, gol guppa, fruit chat, dahi bhalla, Payrianwali lassi, das kulcha, `saag aur makai di roti`, pakoras and much more. Foodies say it would take a person a whole week to taste all these dishes because no single outlet offers such diversity. Bureau Report