Long lost shops

[JPB]

Small Wonder in Hoe street

Is that the low-budget remake of "Miracle on 34th Street?"

Sorry.

I didn't know that Wimpy were still around, they seem to have deserted the North and Scotland some years ago. Still, no great loss really.

[Luxobarge]

Leytonstone, where I still work, had Freedmans and Holiday music, both now gone although holiday are still working a mail order service out of Basildon, (

Ooooh - Holiday Music, I used to go there as often as I could, I bought my Strat from there, and I think also my Peavey valve amp, and I live nowhere near East London! Great shop, I know exactly what you mean.

[TerryG]

Leytonstone, where I still work

I live in Leyton! where abouts do you work?

[mr rusty]

Small world! I work in the delightful Robart House in Lemna road, just up from the tube station in Leytonstone's really stupidly laid out back-to-front one way system.....which I have to crawl around every day....grrrrrrrrrrrr

[TerryG]

Is that the job ctr? I walk down lemna every so often to get to matalan (I am a cheapskate so i park in tesco rather than paying for the proper car park).
I live on Frances Road right by the cop shop so about 10 minutes away from you.

[mr rusty]

Thats the place You live on Francis Road and you still have wing mirrors??? Drop me a line next time you're off to matalan and I'll buy you a beer in the Walnut Tree!!

Back on topic- shops we luckily still have....a couple you'll know, Wakefields at Bakers Arms (I'm amazed they're still in existence but glad they are) and Clarkins are still going strong

[tractorman]

I must admit, Wigton is still "old fashioned" - many independant shops, with a Coop supermarket being the only big supermarket.

Unfortunately though, that's soon to change: Lidl (I think) are building a new store and Tesco's are busy buttering the locals up as they are intending to build a big store there soon. Mind you, one of the council's suggestions that would use "Tesco money" was torn apart by the locals, so I hope it won't be an easy ride for Tesco!

Carlisle (our "big city") tried to keep a lot of independant shops, but the big names are all there now, with Sainsbury looming on the horizon, they will soon have the complete set! I well remember going to Liptons, I think it was the first supermarket in town, it soon changed to Fine Fare and moved to a bigger building. Tesco's arrived in the late 60's and now have two shops in the town, and are now wanting to build a third!

Mind you, it's us that's letting these companies take over, so I can't really blame them!

[spiderbloke]

Tractorman, Is the Blackamoor Arms still there?

[Aar0sc]

Hexham's still got a lot of independant shops - although a lot less than it did when I last lived there (10 years ago)

[tractorman]

spiderbloke - yes, it's still there, though I haven't been through the doors as I don't live in Wigton and don't like hospital food (I believe it's much the same as the other pubs etc)! Remember that Wigton was the first place in the country to have a curfew about six years ago! It depends who you talk to: some say how quiet the town is and always has been, others disagree! I reckon a bit more time spent talking to the kids would have produced a better result - having worked in the local school, I have some good friends in that age group!

Aar0sc - IIRC Robbs were having financial problems last year, hope they are coming around. I have friends at Consett who often go there (a model railway shop in particular) and rate the town highly for the "traditional feel" the place has.