Fantasy High Street From Yesteryear!

We used to have a haberdashers in our town. It had those money containers that the shop assistant put the sale money in and they sent it across the ceiling on a wire to the accounts office. Like a little cable car. I used to love watching it.

I would want the shop back for that and for the huge choice of fabrics, buttons etc that they sold.

Kardomah cafés and Chelsea Girl.

Can I add banks and building societies?
As for shops, an independent book shop, Woolworths, wet fish shop, butcher, grocer and greengrocer.

Biba

C & A

We had 2 independent department stores plus a lovely stationary shop which over 3 floors sold everything from pens to pictures and a fabulous art and craft department which I frequently went into as a teenager and student.More recently we lost an independent cookware shop which had a very nice cafe attached.And our M&S and House of Fraser.Now it's all vape and beauty shops - how many people need eyebrows tattooing and gel nails ?!I don't recognise our town centre anymore.

BHS for me please. I still have jumpers in good condition from 20 years ago. Also loved their deli counter in Watford when they had one.

Independent clothes shops, but also BHS. I agree with Blossoming about the Kardomah cafes.

BHS and Littlewoods for me. Also C and A.

Jaeger for me! I loved their clothes but could never afford them.

Blossoming I came on to say those very shops! Mum misheard Kardomah and called it Cat and Doughnuts

Woolworths

Peter Robinson
Richards

I used to love the BHS January sale and would stock up on the left-over food gifts - a chance to try something luxurious, like flavoured oils and alcoholic jams and marmalades for a lesser price than the Supermarket equivalent.
Whilst I’d also vote for more High Street Banks and Building Societies for some of us, it’s clear than after we’ve gone, the next generations are more than happy with things online.

Jaeger are in M&S now I think?

They are but the quality isn’t nearly as good as the stuff I lusted over but couldn’t afford then except in the sale. They were really well cut classics which lasted.

It is an alien world to me where elaborate long nails, tattooed eyebrows and other facial embellishments are an important if not essential part of daily life😵‍💫

Do appreciate a good Vape shop, though most seem to be staffed by nerdy but well meaning young men who try to blind me with science (women don’t do this I find).

And straight forward hairdressers who specialise in just hair cutting and styling are difficult to come by too sometimes!

Really,really do miss an old style cafe that sold delicious “ordinary” freshly made sandwiches- hot or cold, toasted tea- cakes etc accompanied by steaming hot cuppas of properly mashed tea. So cosy half way through shopping trips of old especially when cold and drizzly out.😥

John Menzies

Ottakers

Hardy's

Freeman Hardy and Willis

a recent loss Patisserie Valerie

Jamie's Italian

Definitely Chelsea Girl. I was a Saturday girl in a well known East Midlands bakery shop. I finished at 3 and headed straight into Chelsea Girl spending my wages!

Grandmadinosaur

Definitely Chelsea Girl. I was a Saturday girl in a well known East Midlands bakery shop. I finished at 3 and headed straight into Chelsea Girl spending my wages!

Birds? My nanna always went to Birds in Derby and we went with her when we were staying, I still remember the potted meat and tomato sausages with fondness. I think it might still be going though, so I can’t ask for it to come back.

I agree on the Kardomah, I had my first ever proper coffee in there, and I’ve never looked back. There are still a few Kardomah’s around, there’s one in Swansea.

Country casuals, Vyella, Austin Read and Jaegar.Upmarket independent shoe shops where you stated your size and they brought a selection.Independent confectionary shops like French patisseries.

My town centre had an arcade. Lots of interesting shops, all under cover and plenty of room to wander.

Dorothy Perkins. Not sure if they've all closed but our local one has.

Chelsea Girl, Etam, River Island.

The department stores - not many of those left now.

I would like to pop into Ravel to buy a lovely pair of shoes and then round to MacFisheries to say hello to my first boyfriend who is working there on his Saturday job.

Casdon

Grandmadinosaur

Definitely Chelsea Girl. I was a Saturday girl in a well known East Midlands bakery shop. I finished at 3 and headed straight into Chelsea Girl spending my wages!

Birds? My nanna always went to Birds in Derby and we went with her when we were staying, I still remember the potted meat and tomato sausages with fondness. I think it might still be going though, so I can’t ask for it to come back.

I agree on the Kardomah, I had my first ever proper coffee in there, and I’ve never looked back. There are still a few Kardomah’s around, there’s one in Swansea.

Yes it was indeed Birds. I don’t live close by any longer but you can buy certain items online and if any relative is visiting they ask if I want any bits getting from there!