On 2006-08-10 16:22:28 +0100, Guy King said:

The message
from "Cicero" contains these words:

We complain about B & Q and their various precursors but they helped
considerably in opening up the DIY market. And I doubt if you will find many
plumbers' / builders' merchants etc. today which have a 'trade only' policy.
They know which side their bread is buttered.

True. However, I needed a gas control valve for my boiler a few years
ago and the bloked looked me up and down and said

"Trade?"
"Of course, what makes you think otherwise?"
"The baby under your arm".

Still let me have it, though.

Getting out the platinum card is a dead give away as well.

The secret is to wear tatty jeans that are two sizes too loose in order
to reveal the ubiquitous "fundamental crack" at the rear. Then a roll
of 20s in the pocket, and finally change your name by deed poll to
"Mate" . Everybody in builders and plumbers merchants is called
Mate.