Stalling for time
DO YOU remember the old oyster stall at Southport Market?
Did you shop at the chicken stall, go there to buy tripe, or enjoy discovering the secondhand comic stall?
People have been reminiscing about their favourite memories of visiting the market, in King Street, in years gone by, after Sefton Council revealed ambitious plans to transform it into a new food, drink and event venue.
The local authority wants to turn it into a key new attraction for the town with a range of food stalls and a flexible events space.
Tony Blackhurst, owner of Blackhurst’s butchers which has been in the market for 40 years, said: “Having seen the market change over a number of years I am really excited to see the latest plans and look forward to Blackhurst’s butchers playing a key role in the market’s transformation.”
People in The Southport Of Yesterday Facebook group have been enjoying looking back at how the market used to be – as well as sharing their views on the plans to transform it.
Pam Ormiston said: “My mum used to work on a stall that sold things like tea towels and aprons if I remember correctly.
“She would take me into work with her when it was school holidays and the kind people on the second-hand book and comic stall used to let me take comics to read and return for free.
“The stall mum worked on was opposite the tripe stall run by a lady I used to call Auntie Bella. I remember wondering how anybody could eat that stuff.”
Wynne Bradley said: I used to buy second-hand comics from there (Batman/Superman types).
“There was also a dolls clothes stall if I remember rightly and the steak pies from the cafe were the best.”
Edward Hardy said: “I used to love the secondhand book stall and comics.”
Glyn Jones said: “My mate John Law’s mother had a second-hand books and comic stall. Also a lot of the stall holders used my parents’ pub in the ’40s, ’50s & ’60s, happy days playing down the cellars and getting caught by the market inspector!”
Colin Pritchard said: “My friend’s father ran a butcher’s stall there. And we used to sell/swap comics at another stall.”
Other readers recalled stalls where customers could buy goods including oysters, fresh chicken and game.
Judith Rose said: “I remember the oyster bar where one could eat the fresh oysters. I also remember Mr Andrews at the fresh chicken stall.”
Ted Taylor said: “Les Ball had the shoe stall In the middle isle. He used to be a booth boxer in the old days.”
Beverley Friedlos said: “My grandpa and dad had Andrew’s Game and Poultry stall at the front, just as you walked into the market.”
Vaughan Lewis said: “There used to be a really good cheese stall. I bought some Tasty Lancashire to take home from my holiday. It stank the car out but it was worth it when we ate it!”
Carol Anne Evans said: “It was so busy on Saturdays, I remember Hopes butchers and the sweets in the middle aisle.”
Diane Cameron said: “My mum had a drapers stall there in the ’40s.”
Beryl Doherty said: “It was the only local place where you could buy yarn and sewing stuff. It is now down sized.”
Mark Taylor said: “I used to pop into the market to see Dad in the butcher’s.
“The lady in the opposite chicken shop used to give me the chickens’ feet to play with... great fun, better than an X-Box!”
Ian Hill said: “I have often wondered how kids would react now if presented with hens’ feet. You would probably be arrested.”
Morag Anderson said: “I remember getting chickens’ feet on a Saturday and playing with them on a Monday in school – it’s a wonder I was not ill playing with raw chicken haha – no rules and regs in them days.”
Denise Ginty (née Parker) said: “I worked for
Doreen Hunter on the Button Bar.”
Kath Webster said: “I had a Saturday job when I was 12, in 1976, working on Miss Carby’s pottery stall... happy memories.”
Bruce Feeney said: “I worked on the pottery stall too! Maybe late ’78 or early ’79 alternate Saturdays with Doreen Marshall, until Jan ’81. Loved it!”
John Ball said: “I had a Saturday job with Sutton’s fruit and veg. It was next to Tom Hodges. Two sisters worked at the same time. I think they were Ruth and Jane Dinnage.”
Yvonne Helen D’Silva said: “My mum worked on Sutton’s as well, this would be late ’70s / early’ 80s.”
Lorraine Nolan said: “My mum, Alice Pearce, used to work on Mrs Blundell’s stall selling garden stuff. I always remember her weighing out potatoes on a heavy metal scale.”
The market cafe was also very popular.
Carol Thomas said: “I liked the cafe. Cheap and cheerful, great for the kids’ meals. Cards and handbags and different stalls. I used to look at curtains or material.”
Baba Bibi said: “Egg and chips in the old cafe. We thought we were millionaires... I can taste them now.”
Mark Angelucci said: “They were fab. Served by the little, sweet old lady (although she probably wasn’t that old) with red hair.”
Will the proposals to transform the market be a success?
Many people are looking forward changes.
Mike Burt said: “This is the only thing it can be used for now, old style markets are out of date and the Southport one isn’t big enough for people to solely visit the town to shop there.
“It’s worked well in Liverpool but that’s a city with a university, it’s whether Southport has enough footfall to make it a success, it would probably need a late licence.”
Mark Pickup said: “Retractable roof, several bars and entertainment venue, would smash it!”
Deb Atkinson said: “Sounds good but we need more parking, and cheap parking, at the same time.”
Others were not so sure. Brian Mitchell suggested reopening the vacant former BHS store as the new Southport market, while Dave Booth said: “They should have turned the old Woolworths store into a walkthrough market with coffee bars.”
Jason Marshall said: “Southport Market was way better in the ’70s and ’80s, jam packed with independent traders selling what people wanted at competitive prices. Since the refurb it has become an overgrown restaurant with far too many places expecting people to eat to the