Memories of Merseyway Shopping Centre, Stockport

[@CowmanUK]

C&A and BHS in Stockport was where my parents would drag me before the end of every school summer holiday in the late 70's/80's to get me new clothes for going back to school. As a treat after we were done they'd let me spend some money in Toy & Hobby (usually on Star Wars toys)

[@timplatt4651]

I remember the smell of hops on market days which were packed with all sorts of stalls ,the travelators were fun and a drink at Silvio's? cafe was a great treat, but I will always remember that hops smell which smothered the market in the 70s walking with my mum round the stalls great days

[@matthewmwolff]

It still smells of hops!

[@ourhousetv]

it's crazy how merseyway actually looks more modern than it does today!

[@mdc2142]

Our House so very true

[@shirleymilton5178]

I worked for a time at Marks and Spencer, which was built over the River Mersey.That would have been circa 1960 -62.I remember the food hall being open and the management being very excited because they took over £1,000 .

[@williamkennedy5492]

I moved up from Dunstable in 1978 and was very impressed with Stockport and its shopping center, since then i have moved closer to Chester and Stockport seems to have gone down since those glory days. But then its happening all over the UK.

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

Woolworths/marks and spencer and bhs now also a memory!!!!

[@swaldron5558]

I’m from Chorlton I remember go to Silvios restaurant after visiting jobcentre in 1977 to 1980.

[@gohumberto]

I was born in Stockport in 1962. I moved South in 1989 for work, and then to France in 2019 for retirement. Stockport will always be home though and, on my very rare visits back, I always feel like a weight has been lifted. I see that, after half a century, the Market and the Underbanks may be finally getting the attention they deserve. If they were in a Hampshire or Surrey town they'd be full of the best restaurants and high-end shops. They'd be a destination.

[@AJM-timecop]

The Silver Spoon cafe? Would meet my mum there after school in the 70s. Great place to just chill out & do some people watching.

[@traceywilliams9802]

Wow how I miss home, lookin at this, n fond memories flood back, Up the Stockport crew, n the red lion, xx

[@melaniegordon9494]

All great memories for me, especially the market i remember when it was one of the bigggest around, C & A brings back lots of memories, going to Rumbelows to listen to latest tracks, was a child in the 70's sometimes change is not for the better...

[@jeepsthetimebandit]

I remember the bandstand outside the Co-op. We all used to sit around it. All us punks in the early 80s. Happy times, happy memories.

[@geoffreycoulson2039]

I bought my very first record in Stockport " Neil and Hardy's" George Harrison's " my sweet lord " Jan -1971 ,anyone else remember that shop ??

[@RetroReminiscing]

👌I think my aunty worked there in the 70's😁 You chose a great first record ! I love that song 🎶

[@lawrencecody4085]

I remember Nield and Hardys, was always in awe of the stereo equipment on show, too expensive for me, Bang and Olufsen, Hacker, and of course the musical instruments, and record dept..Anyone remember the orchestra leader Geoff Love?, he was popular in the 70s, and oftren appeared on tv with Max Bygraves and many others. I have quite a few of his LPs, and he made an appearance, there, and signed all of my Lps I took with me..I also remember seeing David Hamlton there as well, happy memories, and of course it was where 10cc had their first recording studio, on the first floor.

[@MrMass1234]

I used to work in Jackson the tailor, 1970/71 ish. I really enjoyed it, all the staff were fantastic. Mr Fox was the manager.

[@AidanEyewitness]

This is an excellent view of the shopping centre, both before its construction and in the years immediately following. Some excellent archive photos and footage. I remember it being built. My dad showed me a glimpse of the river near Mersey Square during construction. Many thanks.

[@zulfiqarali9808]

Lovely capture of a good past

[@simonfoster4350]

I've recently moved from down South and I think Stockport's such an interesting place. Only found out about the air crash the other day

[@Spacexgazzer]

You may find the water tunnels interesting too, there are lots of them underground taking water from the river up stream to the old water wheels of the corn mills a few hundred years ago.

[@ilikebananassometimes3608]

So I didn't imagine the travelators! As said elsewhere it's funny how Merseyway looked more modern 40 years ago than it does now.

[@davidmolyneux2691]

im 27 and it looks well better back then than it is now

[@hevski1055]

That's because there was hardly anyone there and it was all new and shiny.

[@DaGleese]

Awh, I'm from Stockport, but I suppose I only caught the very tail end of this glory period, only being born in 1990... I think I do remember the C&A though, was there a Mcdonalds there on the walkway above? And a Clarks shoeshop? We didn't really go into the town that much after about 1998, just to Asda and that (I used to still sneak off to the underbank though, there was a couple of good computer games stores there!). Moved away to Ireland in 2004. From what people tell me, I'm not missing much these days, but I'm really happy I grew up there, I had such a great childhood in Bredbury!

[@2815andy]

Mad that mate .was born in brinny a moved to bredbury ,then moved to Ireland on 2000.i visit home monthly.im 44 now ,maybe we knew each other( where abouts in bredbury did you live,I lived near the cemetery

[@judithbirch700]

i love stockport born and bred here my mum spent many a night in the shelters during world war 2 its a hidden gem with lots of history thanks from stockport 😺

[@TheVimtoMoustache]

This is amazing! It's very hazy now,but did there used to be a toy shop at the bottom end where the works is now? And yes,there was the Toy And Hobby building clad in tiles that looked like giant upside down Scrabble tiles! Happy days.The 70s were great. Damn online shopping to hell-everything's so sterile now and nothing's a treat.

[@pauljbutler7756]

That was Rileys Toy Store Great Shop got many Models from There

[@letsgoshoppingify]

fantastic upload, loving the architecture!

[@roynicol8353]

Really good film that , very well edited and shot . All good !

[@Pierre61]

Enjoyed that. Great memories of the jazz cellar under the Warren Bulkley.

[@kq8499]

Its a shame to see it now , so lifeless!when i was a kid.it was bustling place of endless shops. Does anyone remember the food factory near C&A ? I use to get an ice cream from.there as a kid . Yeh its a ghost town now . The high street has gone 😔.

[@pauljbutler7756]

It was Best in the 70's/80's Early 90's Great Shops and the Market was Far Better

[@None-zc5vg]

The council has plans to replace many of the dead shops with 'apartments' which local and national taxpayers will be paying for, one way or another.

[@raymondkeen196]

Remember riding around downtown, eyeing up the girls, down mersey way, through the center by the bull ring, up Princess Street and repeat, and repeat. Happy days 1960s

[@Mrbimdrummer]

Who remembers the tram sheds

[@TobyHoward]

Thanks for this, enjoyed it very much.

[@SeventiesMania]

@Queenofslots I miss the 2-floor Tescos, East Didsbury Selnec bus depot could never have the same charm. There was a record shop on the upper level where you could listen to the latest singles on weird outsized telephone earpieces.

[@RetroReminiscing]

This was brilliant to watch! Thank you..and am I the only one thats looking at all the people back then trying to spot a relative or friend? 🤣..Kept looking for my mum pushing me around in my 70s silver cross pram ha ha

[@jukechst]

I'm Stockport born and bread. I'm also proud of where I live. It's no Venice, but it's my place to call home so people should show some decency - that's whats missing in this world. Stockports is no better or worse than any other town. I loved seeing this, Merseyway looked great back then and I can't complain now.

[@leonh8813]

Stephen Black Yeah every town is EXACTLY the same as every other town!? What a close minded fool. Good luck!

[@mightyalbert1470]

Jesus it looks so different then too bad I wasn’t born then to experience it. It’s gone crap now no escalators no nothing. The sad thing for me is that old model shop to the side of it on the hill is closed now. It’s bloody a shame

[@aprilavrill461]

ITS ME ME AND MY AUNT AT 2.54, ON THE ESCALATOR

[@tobidekker1116]

The lifts were open in the 90s

[@kirkbrookes8422]

I've lived in Stockport all my life.the place as declined a lot over the years. the pubs around the town and market are either closed or empty. no fun anymore.hillgate mile as gone. and lots of characters now dead.

[@susangould3209]

True.some great pubs .

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

The council have sold us down the river and they used the smoking ban to do it!!!!

[@pauljbutler7756]

Yes it was Best in the 70's/80's Early 90's Better Shops [ Chestergate Stores ] and Others and the Market was Far Better and more Busy

[@petermorris925]

I used to take the SelNec bus for tuppence down Didsbury Road just to play at the precinct.

[@Intravenusdimilo]

Pretty much a lesson on why local councils are not good at Town planning. The river bought trade and wealth for centuries, the council decide to concrete it over.

[@Stockportonline]

Really interesting!

[@dinkdankdoo3035]

The sound of banjos is deafening

[@CathKidstonLover12]

Hello - Love the video, would I be able to use this footage elsewhere? And who do I cite?

[@Desmodromic100]

I can`t think of the Road where a heavy pull and push haulage company was situated, was it Wynns ? i know there was a huge brick chimney along there, anyone ?

[@Romesdal]

my friend is in this video but its just a short clip, who do i contact to see if i can get a copy from before it was clipped, if possible?

[@KitCurranRadioShow]

I've got the original DVD, I could try digitising it and sending it when I get chance.

[@YouNameItILLBuyIt]

great video brings back memorys!

[@johnclayton7465]

It needs demolishing and the river being opened up again as the majority of the shops are unoccupied. Underbank and the market should be redeveloped.

[@SeventiesMania]

@matthewmwolff Yeah, but it was *our* dump... ;-)

[@hjp1hjp22]

I didn't know that there were outside escalators being exposed to rain and snow. I thought that would be very dangerous.

[@jamsdodger8970]

They were very dangerous, as certain youngsters and teenagers used to dangle off the handrail on the outside edge until they reached halfway up the stairs where they ended up dropping off onto the ground below. Not the proper use for them at all. 🙁🙁🙁

[@Fireglo]

I imagine they were either switched off or salted during snow.

[@Fireglo]

@Spinler Muckflitt I've never been to Stockport in my life so I couldn't tell you. But it prob sounds about right that they were probably turned off more than they were turned on. Outdoor escalators would require a lot more maintenance than indoor ones due to being exposed to the elements.

[@mightyalbert1470]

J.J. They not even there now

[@vwt6withrick911]

All my youth spent in Stockport Mersey way it’s such a shame that it’s now scruffy, boarded up and empty. A vibrant community which like many other town centres has become TO LET.

[@Fireglo]

I love those 60s/70s style malls.

[@hoole1926]

Does anyone remember a toy store up the a6 near the blossoms somewhere? I rem going as a kid in 80s yet abso noone i know remembers it but me.

[@uzmahussain1109]

There was a model shop near the blossoms

[@mightyalbert1470]

My mum said it’s where the fountains are now. That old red shop or something

[@mightyalbert1470]

Uzma Hussain yeah there was on the hill You can only get models from the market now

[@hoole1926]

No it was way up the hill nearer to edgeley

[@hoole1926]

@Mermaidwithabrokentail no it was mainly star wars toys a woman with super long finger nails ran it.

[@jdvlogs1820]

When was the clock tower destroyed?

[@philh1462]

It's still there.

[@RetroReminiscing]

HIya I was there yesterday and it was stil there

[@MrMjewel]

Cull the scallies !

[@janet31611]

Would love to share on FB

[@ghostedfrequency]

@letsgoshoppingify how do you love the architecture? the architecture there now is bollocks!

[@agentspycam6379]

thank goodness for the inernet, means I don't have to visit that hell hole.

[@leeloo222]

whattt, it used to be so pretty 😢

[@dangzhd2512]

half of the carpark and is aponds

[@matthewmwolff]

To all those who are saying "It's a dump now". IT WAS A DUMP THEN!

[@bentyreman5769]

can't wait to LEAVE...cheers

[@mickeymunkchunk4512]

Full of economic migrants now and they are still comming.

[@MrLawman10]

it,s a dump now.