Goodbye to all that.

[88v8]

Looking for a tin of oil primer, I ventured into Homebase. Normally I steer clear of DIY sheds but I couldn't be bothered to drive another three miles to our localish decorator's merchants for a tin of bog-standard paint.

On entering the paint section, was confronted by a whole shelf of paint purporting to be anti-damp, anti-mould, stabilising, 'bad surface', stain blocking, and every other permutation of dubious proposition. But no primer.

All the tins that I could see of whatever make were combined Primer and Undercoat.
Now, I have little faith in paint that claims to be all things to all men, so I went round again peering myopically at every tin, and eventually on a top shelf found a tin of Dulux Trade that was just ... primer.
Behind it the serried ranks of Dulux Trade Primer/Undercoat.

And so, another stone in the wall of the past is demolished by the lazys, who can't be bothered with two coats and are happy to kid themselves that one will do. 'Alas, poor primer, I knew ye well'.

Fortunately I have little need of primer, and with care this tin will see me out. Also, I still have an unopened tin of lead primer which I am saving for... well, I dunno really, the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse?

The small silver lining was at the till, where the end-of-era tin came up at £4 the quart, the whizzy new combination tins being £22.

Ivor ...harrumph

[CliffordPope]

A quick Google shows lots of oil-based primers available. Or you could try traditional marine chandlers.
Or mix your own - red and white lead powder is still available from Classic Marine and other chandlers.

[plasticpigeon]

I think what might be being lamented is a general degradation of standards due to promotion of poor quality quick fixes, rather than the inability to purchase oil based primer.

[a twig]

Product quality in Homebase has been steadily dropping for years in my opinion.

I now only visit Homebase when in a pinch for Rustoleum and can’t wait for online l, as since the Kingfisher lot (Screwfix, B&Q etc) stopped stocking it, Homebase now seem to be the only bricks and mortar place that sells it

[philpjuk100]

I "pass the time" in Homebase while the wife is in "Next", If I ever find anything of interest it is either too expensive or unpriced so I leave empty-handed.
.