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I am very saddened to see small businesses closing down.
Small shops and Pubs all going.
I think I read somewhere that pubs were closing down at the rate of fifty a week.
The labour party’s smoking Ban being the final nail in the coffin.
I went over to Farnham Common the other day to buy my Fax rolls (nothing local now) and on returning through Burnham, I noticed something, I had never in my life, expected to see.
A pub turned into a….Tesco!
When I look back to when I was working in Taplow, we used to go over to the “Red Squirrel” when there was a leaving ‘do’. It was just that little bit larger than the small pubs in the woods.
And there it was…a Tesco Express.
I also used to go over to Farnham to a model engineering shop. Tools, not new but mainly second hand, brass, steel, drills, nuts,.. You name it, Burt probably sold it.
It was more than a shop actually. It was a meeting place for all like minded blokes to meet up and sort out each others mechanical problems. These experts helped me out on numerous occasions. Then on Saturday mornings there was coffee and biscuits. Burt only drank Coke so there was never any milk in the shop, but never a problem, next door was a little shop that sold milk. All so convenient and friendly.
Yes, you’ve guessed….all gone.
I no longer see all those chaps any more. Only a few occasionally.
Here in Bourne End the Toy Shop closed (been there for thirty years): then the Wool Shop (Patricia’s); Then another. Then another.
Now all we have are Chinese and Indian restaurant’s. The Toy shop is now a ‘place to get your finger nails painted’!
The Bank is now a Vets and the shop that used to sell pine furniture is to open as a "Coffee Lounge".
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The biggest blow to me though, after the loss of Burt’s shop was the loss of Bourne End Antique Centre.
This was another place for meeting up with like minded people, who loved raking around junk shops.
We were all friends. There were thirty traders with stalls and you could spend hours chatting……and yes they would always offer you a cup of tea.
There was a different person serving every day, so a visit brought new news, new stock and many times new friends.
All gone.
Now when I go shopping I hardly get to say more than the words “Thank you”.
Just imagine what life will be like when everyone shops online.
Oh, yes I forgot…..the Antique Centre is being converted to a ‘Coffee Lounge’.
Just what Bourne End needs…..two coffee lounges.
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Sadly it seems the sign of the times UB, I know/knew the model engineering shop in Farnham, and we have a pub that is now a Tesco
ReplyDeleteExpress just up the road.
In the Victorian arcade in Aldershot there was a toyshop that I used as a child, gone along with all the other jewels-a proper cobbler, wool shop, bric a brac shop and other small businessess.
They were all closed when then the council decided that the Victorian arcade would be replaced with a pseudo Victorian arcade which is now virtually empty apart from a "bar" coffee shop, nail place, naughty underwear shop and an estate agents.
Needless to say I don't go down the town much anymore unless I have to.
Hey Angus, I'm amazed that you knew of Burt's shop. Mind you it had been there twenty years. Half the contents of my workshop came from there.
ReplyDeleteAnother Tesco pub? It was a new one on me. I wonder if there is something going on behind the scenes? Closing down pubs and replacing them with coffee 'bars' and Tescos? I bet they get fast-tracked planning permission.
Thanks for dropping in and relating the sad news from Aldershot. I must admit I haven't been over that way for many a year now.
My local 'towns' would be Maidenhead and Wycombe and like you say they are now sort of 'out of bounds'. I drive out to Thame, Wallingford, Henley and the nearest Marlow.
At least these still have a bit of character.
Cheers.... Bernard
In one of your comments, recently, you mentioned the Hoover building on the Western Avenue. I hate to tell you, Unc, but that impressive Art deco building too, is now.....a Tesco's!!
ReplyDeleteThis is the cycle: a huge chain store comes in (in our area that's Walmart) and undersells all the Mom 'n Pop specialty shops. They go out of business and are replaced by a series of video stores and fingernail decorators generally run by immigrants. Eventually those go out of business and only the huge store is left. Then that is gobbled up in a corporate takeover and closed. This happens in less affluent neighborhoods first, but eventually everyone gets to experience it.
ReplyDeleteI think the next step is that the huge empty store is turned into an indoor shopping area with lots of small Mom 'n Pop shops.
My local town slowly turned into second hand shops, pound shops and card shops. It used to have a lovely array of shops. I would often just wander through on my way home from work rather than go straight home.
ReplyDeleteHi Kath:
ReplyDeleteI haven't been that way for many a year. Not a drive I would relish. I used the train, when I was working (on expenses) and you see all those buildings (at the back) from the train. At least they haven't knocked it down.
Morning Jan:
By the way, I just love that picture of the cake you made. So original.
We have Walmart here, although it's called ASDA. They undersell everybody. "Pile it high and sell it cheap" is their motto. Useful when you are hard up, but no good if you want something out of the ordinary.
I like the name "Mom 'n Pop" shop.
Does this come from the fact they are usually run by an elderly couple?
If you require something unusual over here, you now have to send off for it - mail order or online.
Hi Cherie:
All very sad. How much more change do we have to endure? Politicians are still proposing "Time for a change"...in which direction?
I liked things as they were.
I hate seeing things like that happening....buuuut I do welcome thwe smoking ban. The smoking ban hasn't caused shops to close, though, cos you couldn't smoke in them even before the ban, unless you think back to aaaaaages ago when people smoked absolutely everywhere.
ReplyDeleteLots of people bemoan the loss of small shops that they love to see as they whizz by on their way to the supermarket.
No, thankfully they didnt demolish it. They had to retain the facade and put the customer parking underground. We were all very relieved about that. My Nan worked there for mny years when it was still Hoovers.
ReplyDeleteIt's happening here too. The suburbs are changing and all the little shops are gone leaving only the supermarket whothen raises prices. Happily butchers are still clinging to their though they are often "gormet" expensive ones.
ReplyDeleteIn the end we have to shoulder our share of the blame for taking the easy "one stop" shopping option.
Cheers
Helen
Hi Foody:
ReplyDeleteI know the ban hasn't affected shops.. around here it seems to be the high business rates, insurance and other running costs. People just can't afford to stay open and running at a loss.
If we all had more money I'm sure we would choose to shop locally.
(Money? - idea for a post)
Kath:
They ought to put more car parks underground.
As long as things don't collapse! (Gerrards X)
Hi Helen:
Hope you enjoyed your hols. I shall be over later to have a read. There is a push everywhere to get us all to drive less, and hence people do all there shopping in one go rather than driving round to different places.
It is a shame, as all the variety has now gone. We too have speciality butchers if you afford to shop there. They seem to stay in business supplying local restaurants and hotels.