The flagship Sogo & Seibu Co. store in central Tokyo shut on Thursday as employees went on strike,

A former Apprentice star has caused a stir on social media after calling solo diners "pathetic" who need to make friends. Earlier this week, Good Morning Britain delved into the divisive topic of solo dining which saw Ryan Mark Parsons go head-to-head with Kiss FM presenter Alex Mansuroglu, who believes it is "freeing". An opinionated Parsons did not hold back, sharing: "I think people that do it are pathetic. I think Alex is one of those losers that goes to restaurants alone, and it's weird. He continued: "I go to restaurants and see solo diners and I'm just uncomfortable. I question the motives, I think it's really really bizarre." Meanwhile, Mansuroglu explained: "I lead a very busy life, I have two kids at home. "If I can have a 30-minute Nando's to myself before I get home and then pick up a little takeaway for my kids and fiance, that's great, it's freeing. "People sometimes think I might have been stood up, I might get a free dessert in this, I might get 10 per cent off the bill, I think it's amazing and great," he added. A snippet of the chat has since been shared on TikTok, which saw thousands of users chime in with their opinions. Many of which hit back at Parson's take, with one writing: "So he needs constant companionship… no that’s odd". @goodmorningbritain Fans of 'solo dining' claim it promotes healthier 'mindful' eating as they focus on their food, rather than being distracted by chatter. Online searches for 'solo dining' soared by 357% in 12 months and the report by hospitality experts is urging pubs and eateries to cater for loners by playing background music to 'fill the void of no conversation.' What do you think? #GMB#goodmorningbritain#debate Another joked: "Wait until he finds out people travel alone". A third wrote: "He clearly isn't comfortable with himself if he can't do things like that alone, what difference is eating alone at a restaurant or at home". Others were quick to jump to the defence of solo diners, with one calling it "impressive." They commented: "I think the opposite, I think people doing things alone are impressive. They’re content in their own company and have the confidence to do it". Meanwhile, another quoted novelist Charles Bukowski, who famously said: "Beware those who seek constant crowds, for they are nothing alone." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Max Verstappen has admitted it is beyond his childhood dreams to draw level with Ayrton Senna’s victory tally ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen heads into Sunday’s race at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve just one victory shy of the great Brazilian’s haul of 41 after winning five of the opening seven rounds in his dominant Red Bull machine. Verstappen was not even born when Senna was killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, but a victory here would take the 25-year-old into joint fifth in the pantheon of F1 winners. “When I was a little kid, I would never have imagined being on that list,” said the two-time world champion. “But you cannot compare it. People have different careers and some drivers get into a race-winning car sooner than others and nowadays we have more races than back in the day. “I never look at the numbers, but it is an amazing achievement, that’s for sure.” A sixth victory of a one-sided campaign would leave only Hamilton (103 wins), Michael Schumacher (91), Sebastian Vettel (53) and Alain Prost (51) ahead of Verstappen. Hamilton reached 41 wins to draw level with his boyhood hero Senna at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2015 before going on to surpass Schumacher’s haul five years later and stand on his own as the driver to have won the most races in the history of the sport. However, the seven-time world champion, who has not won a race since his contentious championship defeat to Verstappen at the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, admitted that his rival could “absolutely” eclipse his record. But when asked if Hamilton’s record is on the horizon, Verstappen said: “It is very hard to beat. “You need to be in the right car for a long time and we don’t know if we have that. I am just going with the flow and enjoying the moment.” Verstappen has already established a 53-point lead over team-mate Sergio Perez on his seemingly unstoppable march towards a hat-trick of world titles. Lewis Hamilton - 103 Michael Schumacher - 91 Sebastian Vettel - 53 Alain Prost - 51 Ayrton Senna - 41 Max Verstappen - 40 The world champions are undefeated in the opening seven fixtures, winning 17 of the past 18 races, and could become the first team to win every round in a single season. A victory here on Sunday would also be the team’s 100th in F1. “For the sport, I understand people get bored if one team is dominating,” added Verstappen. “But we have seen it at Mercedes, we have seen it at Ferrari, and we have seen it at Red Bull in the past. “For me, it provides me with even more motivation because I know I have a car that can win. “If you look at how we are performing, yes we can win every race, but it is not realistic. As long as I win the championship, that’s the most important thing.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lewis Hamilton plays down talk of imminent new Mercedes deal On this day in 2007: Lewis Hamilton claims first Formula One victory Susie Wolff urges F1 teams to back initiatives to help develop female drivers

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