Walking through the centre of the throbbing metropolis of Bedford, Bedfordshire, late this afternoon, I spotted two young ladies engaging with passers-by with a view to switching them to alternative energy suppliers. And so it was that I had this exchange with one of them:

She: Hello, sir. Can you tell me who you get your electricity and gas from?

Me: Interesting question. I get my electricity from a power station – not sure which one, to be fair – and I assume my gas comes from the North Sea. Who do you get your electricity and gas from?

After a second or two of bemused puzzlement, the young lady decided to cut her losses, and apologised for wasting my time.