The Editor’s Letter
On shop windows and hoardings in town and city centres across the United Kingdom signs proclaimed in bold, bright letters: “Store Closing!”, “Everything Must Go!” and the apocalyptic “Last Days!” Inside the stores, managers and sales assistants wearing brave faces that they had somehow been able to find as the shelves and hangers that held their livelihoods were emptied around them, mingled with bargain-hunting shoppers. Within a few hours of the doors opening, everything from shirts, skirts and shoes to birthday cards, phone covers and dinner plates had been snapped up. Even fixtures and fittings such as clothing rails, chairs from the restaurants and light bulbs were on sale at knock-down prices. At the end of the day, people were pictured walking away from several of the shops with mannequins under their arms: figures that had once graced window displays and attracted admiring glances on the shop floor now like bare, blank-faced, uprooted statues with no information about where they came from or who they were commemorating.
From Belfast to Glasgow, from Swansea to London, from Bolton, Newcastle upon Tyne and York to Bristol, Leicester and Norwich the scenes were the same during the summer as the last BHS stores closed, erasing another familiar and muchloved name from our high streets, bringing to an end 88 years of shopping history (the first shop opened in Brixton, South London, in 1928) and leaving 11,000 employees without jobs. There is also the ongoing scandal of the so-called pensions “black hole”, but I’m not going to go into that here.
Just as the sights of closing-down sales were repeated in towns and cities across the land, so too were the comments of long-time customers. One elderly lady said she had shopped at BHS ever since she had been given her first wage packet more than 50 years ago. “I feel like we’re losing a vital shop for our age group,” she said. “All the shops that are for my age and with reasonable prices are going and you’re left with places that are lovely for my grandchildren, but I would never shop there.” Many others remarked on how they would miss it when it was gone, with a lady in Bournemouth saying “I honestly don’t know where I’m going to shop now.”
It was very sad for the staff as well, and hearing the comments from BHS branches everywhere it was clear how close they all were to one another. The reaction from an assistant at the store in Walsall, Staffordshire, was typical: “We know everything about each other and are always there in good times and bad. This last week has been really emotional, seeing all of the stock go and the empty spaces just get bigger; it is the end of an era. We are losing a little community, a little family.”
In some English towns the BHS store has been a solid and reliable presence for as long as many people can remember. I came across a poignant article in The Bolton News reporting on the closure there: “It has been a focal point in Victoria Square for five decades and generations of families have either shopped or worked there. It will mark the end of an era in Bolton and leave a huge gap both in terms of the building the company will vacate and the store sign that has hung above the building since 1966. The store was opened in the year England won the World Cup. It opened to public acclaim offering much more than most other stores could. There were many different departments including food and toys, millinery and children’s clothing. It would be a one-stop-shop for Bolton shoppers where they could buy everything they needed in one place.”
The writer of the article pointed out that in those days the shop was known by its full name, British Home Stores, when companies were proud to fly the flag and “British” was synonymous with high quality and good service. Can we expect the same patriotic spirit now that our country has voted to leave the European Union? I hope so.
The disappearance of BHS, which in its heyday comprised 164 stores nationwide, is the latest in a litany of names that have vanished from England’s shopping list: Comet, Owen Owen, Littlewoods, Woolworths, C&A, Radio Rentals, Dewhurst, Fine Fare, Dolcis, Army & Navy Stores, Bejam, Rumbelows, Timothy Whites, Presto, Freeman, Hardy and Willis…you can probably think of others. Changes to our way of life, the economy, people’s shopping habits and developments in technology have transformed our town centres during the last few years. I’d like to take you on a shopping trip down my local high street, which I expect is similar to most others in England in 2016. When we have completed our excursion, perhaps you can let me know how it compares with yours. Please send any comments to: England’s High Streets, This England, The Lypiatts, Lansdown Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 2JA.
We’ll explore it in three sections, beginning at the end where the street meets a busy main road leading out of the town. In most cases the items the establishments sell and the services they provide will be self-evident. In the order that we pass them, they are: The Polish Point; Shamrock (Irish bar); Chikenzo’s Piri Piri; Curry Express; Big Fish; World of Guitars; Jaguar Imports; Annette’s Diner; Pizza Go Go; Pizza Hut; Sezon Delicatessen; Tanning Studio; Discount Tools; Aigreen Printing; Dream Seams; Havana’s Burgers and Shakes; JJ’S T Shirt Printing Services; Wash and Vac; Mann’s Drinks Stop; Stush Hairdressers; Barber “Perfect Style” Shop; Ae.ials and Cables (Unless it’s a website address, I think a letter has dropped off the sign there); The Food Junction; Bramwells (“Upper cut de luxe”) — a barber’s shop, not a boxing gym; Hardings Electronics; Money Express; Happy Garden Chinese Restaurant and Takeaway; Zrodelko Delikatesy: East European Food and Drinks; GTV Video Repairs; JustRepairs (mobile phones); PC Fix; Pamir Tailoring; Soap N Suds
(launderette); Sunrise Cafe; Oriental Food Store; Domino’s Pizza; Premier Express (newsagents and convenience store); Frog and Fiddle (public house); Wakame Noodle Bar; Deepam Southern Indian Takeaway; Taoyuan Mini China Town; Cheltenham Kebab and Pizza House. There was also a bingo hall and quite a number of empty buildings along the way.
If we want to pause for refreshment, there is certainly no shortage of options available there. Before we continue our journey, a short diversion up a side street leads us to… a tattoo studio. Apparently, as revealed in a recent survey, at the same time that conventional high street shops are disappearing the number of tattooists (as well as convenience stores, coffee shops, takeaways, charity shops and mobile-phone shops) is increasing at an astonishing rate. I am old enough to remember when tattoos were restricted to the muscular arms of seamen (although young men might sometimes acquire them during drunken stag nights!). As for women, I seem to recall a “Tattooed Lady” being one of the curiosities you could pay to go and see on the seafront at Blackpool.
Continuing our walk (I hope there’s a shoe shop at the end of this!) we encounter: Kaspa’s Desserts; Malinka Polish Delicatessen; Furniture Recycling Project; Papparito’s Mexican Cantina; Scaramouch (body piercing, crystals, jewellery, women’s clothing, incense sticks etc.); Up and Running; Scoffers; Joyce Brooks Lingerie; Patisserie Valerie; Sue Ryder; The Brewery Fryer; Import Furniture Depot; Family Shopper;
Grays Laundry Service; Ladbrokes; Scissor Unisex Salon; Consol Tanning Studio; Casino Slots; Cheltenham Star Nails (not a hardware shop — manicures etc.); The Polish Shop; Sewing Box; Bar and Wok; Everything’s £9.90 (hairdresser); Betfred; Mcdonalds; Wilkos; Poundland; Shoezone; Schooltogs; Acorns (charity shop); Snappy Snaps; Barber’s Shop; Fone World; Thomson (travel); Greggs Bakery; Bright House; Pandora (jewellery); Trespass; Specsavers; Co-op Travel; Caffe Nero; Hinds (jewellery); Cobbler’s Corner; Primark.
Over the years a lot of towns and cities have had large “flagship” department stores, many of which, again, have sadly disappeared. I know that for more than 200 years Joplings in Sunderland (which closed in 2010) was a favourite destination for shoppers, while in Manchester it was Kendals that was the focal point. For more than 150 years (18562010) a great institution and local landmark in Liverpool was Lewis’s department store on the corner of Renshaw Street and Ranelagh Street, and I am sure that many people will have happy memories of going down to its famous Christmas Grotto. I remember visiting this giant of Portland stone in the days when the lifts had attendants and those cage-like iron barriers that had to be pulled across. Did you have a favourite department store? Perhaps you once worked in one. If you did, you will recognise many of the experiences described by the author of the “Forget-me-nots” article on page 54.
Unfortunately we will not encounter anything like these grand establishments during our final trek along the high street. Indeed, identical versions of many of the shops we pass will be found in most towns in England…
HSBC (bank); Boots; W.H. Smith; Game; Mountain Warehouse; Vision Express; Santander (bank); Clarks; Marks and Spencer; Monsoon Accessorize (clothing); Lush (cosmetics); H. Samuel; Clintons; Oasis (fashion); EE; Office (shoes — obviously!); 3 Store (mobile phones etc.); French Connection; Top Shop; Vodafone; O 2; Thomas Cook; H& M (fashion); River Island; Next; Carphone Warehouse; Savers; Yorkshire Building Society; Lloyds (bank); Barclays (bank); Fresh Crust; Paddy Power; Poundworld; Ladbrokes; New Look; Bon Appetit; The Works; Superdrug; Sports Direct; United News; Argos; Millets; Blue Cross; Subway; Iceland; Bet Fred; Phones Matter; Galateria Amelia (traditional Italian ice cream ); Chinese Medic Centre; T. H. Jewellers; Bentleys Bar and Kitchen; YMCA; Sainsburys Local.
In presenting this picture of an English high street in 2016 I have kept away from Cheltenham’s two main shopping centres, but I hope it provides an interesting and thought-provoking snapshot. Nowadays, most town centres look the same to me, but I would be delighted to hear about any that have managed to retain a bit of character and individuality.
As more and more massive superstores surface like whales on large, out-of-town trading estates, and the trend continues for people to gaze at computer screens and make their purchases by keying in numbers and passwords rather than looking in shop windows and handing over notes and coins, I wonder how many of those high street shops will suffer the same fate as BHS and the rest?
When I come to do my Christmas shopping I shall certainly be retracing my steps and visiting one or two of them.
Happy Christmas everyone! And a healthy and prosperous New Year to you all!