Mule Britannia!

Riotous longreads, each one telling the in-depth story of a forgotten British failure.

The hottest Substack posts of Mule Britannia!

And their main takeaways

Amstrad E-mailer (2000)

43 HN points • 02 Mar 23
🕹 Technology History Hardware Marketing Innovation Failure
  1. The Amstrad E-mailer was an attempt by Alan Sugar to innovate in the technology market but failed due to three main flaws.
  2. Alan Sugar started Amstrad by focusing on affordable and innovative electronics products.
  3. Despite initial success with innovations like the Amstrad CPC 464, Amstrad faced challenges, including a major setback with the faulty PC2000 models.

Viva Forever! (2013)

19 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🎶 Music Pop Group dynamics
  1. The rise and fall of The Spice Girls, their quick global stardom, and eventual downfall after only 3 years.
  2. The story of how the Spice Girls were formed, including auditions, member selection, and their journey to fame.
  3. The creation and failure of the musical 'Viva Forever!' based on the Spice Girls, leading to financial losses and a short run.

Bruce Forsyth's Big Night (1978)

39 implied HN points • 10 Sep 22
  1. Bruce Forsyth was the first victim of Britain's Winter of Discontent in 1978.
  2. Bruce Forsyth's entertainment career included TV presenting, West End, Hollywood, and game shows like The Generation Game.
  3. Despite some failures, Bruce Forsyth's willingness to take risks led to a long and enduring career in British entertainment.

The Referendum Party (1997)

19 implied HN points • 04 Jul 22
  1. James Goldsmith, a modern financier, created and led The Referendum Party in 1997 with the sole aim of holding a referendum on UK's EU membership.
  2. The Referendum Party spent significantly on its election campaign, but despite high spending and innovative marketing tactics, it failed to win a single seat or significant influence in the 1997 General Election.
  3. The legacy of The Referendum Party lives on through the blueprint it provided for future anti-European parties, ultimately paving the way for the rise of UKIP and Nigel Farage.

Welcome to Mule Britannia!

0 implied HN points • 11 Apr 22
  1. Mule Britannia is a bi-monthly newsletter discussing past cultural failures from the UK.
  2. The content covers a range of topics like products, brands, TV shows, and political parties.
  3. The goal is to entertain those with a curious nature by telling interesting stories with detailed context.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

ZOO8 Festival (2008)

0 implied HN points • 05 Jan 23
  1. The mid to late 2000s was a peak for UK festivals, with many new festivals emerging and established ones growing in popularity.
  2. ZOO8 Festival in 2008 was a unique music festival held in a zoo in Kent, with a diverse lineup and an interesting concept.
  3. Despite initial hype, ZOO8 faced numerous challenges including long entry lines, payment issues with artists, and overall mismanagement, leading to its eventual failure and organizers not being involved in music festivals again.

Galaxy TV & British Satellite Broadcasting (1990)

0 implied HN points • 07 May 22
  1. Galaxy TV, a hero channel of British Satellite Broadcasting in 1990, went from bold innovation to failure in just eight months.
  2. BSB faced missteps and competition from SKY, leading to a merger with SKY to form BSKYB.
  3. The demise of Galaxy TV highlighted the importance of adapting to technology changes, as BSB's distribution method hindered its success.

Hooper's Hooch (1995)

0 implied HN points • 05 Nov 22
  1. In 1995, Hooper's Hooch revolutionized the UK alcohol industry with a new 'alcopop'
  2. The introduction of 'Ready to Drink' products like Two Dogs and Hooper's Hooch sparked the 'Ready to Drink' revolution in the early 1990s
  3. The rise and fall of Hooper's Hooch, from a market leader to a discontinued brand, showcases the impact of changing regulations and consumer preferences on a product's success