More Lost Shops of the Past

Let's take a nostalgic journey to the past and stroll along the high streets of Britain to revisit some of the shops that are sadly no longer with us.
Last year on Stuview TV, I made a video called Lost Shops You Wish Were Still Around. Included in that video were old favourites such as Woolworths, British Home Stores and Kwik Save. In case you haven’t seen it yet, here's the link - • Lost Shops We Wish Wer...
Today’s video features more old favourites from the high streets of yesteryear. How many will you remember?
Image acknowledgements and attributions
*Beatties carrier bag - www.flickr.com...
CC BY 2.0 Deed | Attribution 2.0 Generic | Creative Commons
*Presto Supermarket - David Henderson
*Woolworths - www.flickr.com...
CC BY 2.0 Deed | Attribution 2.0 Generic | Creative Commons
*Burtons - Chemical Engineer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
upload.wikimed...
*Henry Price - Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) - James Gunn, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon..., via Wikimedia Commons
*River Island - Edward Hands, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommon..., via Wikimedia Commons
*Littlewoods store - By Ben Sutherland from Forest Hill, London. - DSCF1543, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikime...
*Littlewoods Liverpool - Sue Adair / Littlewoods Pools Building, Edge Lane
upload.wikimed...
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Many thanks for watching!

[@richardh8082]

John Collier. John Collier. The window to watch! :)

[@bobikdylan]

That jingle went straight through my head the second I saw the picture.

[@Julie-sm7sp]

@bobikdylan mine too 😁

[@misst.e.a.187]

Dum dumudum; dum dumudum

[@tomsenior7405]

When I was little, I thought it was; "...the window to wash". All the same, the jingle still pounded in my head as soon as I saw the advert.

[@huwlewis9059]

Was at a tv show recording about 8 years ago. The warm-up man did a jingles quiz, getting progressively harder (I.e. older, it was a generally young audience apart from a few). He sang the first part of a jingle, whoever knew it sang the second part. Came to ‘John Collier, John Collier’ and I was the only one out of about 400 to shout ‘the window to watch’.

[@ladydreadqs639]

Wow! A bustling high street with open shops and loads of choice and colour , haven't seen of those in twenty years, mine resembles a cemetery with plenty of grey slabs once full of life.

[@Ginger_Dalek]

Ah! The memories of coming home from school and seeing Mum had a new Littewoods catalogue... 😉😂

[@fus149hammer5]

Ah so it wasn't just me then?😂😂😂👍

[@jaycfc6955]

I wonder what section you looked at first 😂

[@johnross2924]

We all loved the bra page's ☺️

[@fus149hammer5]

@@johnross2924 Bra and knickers....

[@tintobrass532]

Blimey i remember catalogues! Remember when your mam got a new catalogue, and you turned straight to the ladies underwear section? Or maybe it was just me….

[@SafetyProMalta]

"Mum, the Rumbelows man is here" 24 inch colour tv on tick. Weighed half a ton.

[@lucius4556]

We had rediffision with a small box thing in the window to turn it over lol..until we got a colour set😂

[@carolebarker2195]

TV man with a bad back, lol.

[@Mike-James]

@@lucius4556 My dad used to work for redi, repairing tv's.

[@herrflick1244]

We got a colour TV our own as we had rented from relayvision. Got it on princess anne and Mark Phillips wedding day November 72. I had the day off school so I watched the wedding. Dad came in later after work, feeling the telly to see how long I had it on for, turned it off for a while before he came home so the misery couldn't get nasty with me.

[@lucius4556]

@@herrflick1244 My dad used to do that with the electric wall heater we had in the bathroom after we had a bath..we were told not to put it on but would stand on the toilet and pull the string really slowly so that it didn't click lol. Edit - the wall heater was up above the toilet.

[@phina8392]

❤ Chelsea Girl on a Saturday.. Oh them days…

[@gill8779]

Also do you remember Amber fashions & Richards shops?

[@phina8392]

@@gill8779 👍

[@bobikdylan]

The summer of 76 was hot enough. Then mum bought nylon sheets. Thanks mum.

[@mrlodwick]

haaaaaa did you rub them hard and see the sparks

[@rosegolding925]

😂🫶❤

[@Pythonaria]

Bri-nylon sheets and a bri-nylon nightie was fun creating my own mini lightning storm. That said, they were horribly uncomfortable in warm weather.

[@jono.pom-downunder]

Nylon sheets and nylon carpets - what's not to love⚡

[@sameoldrecord]

We had nylon sheets aaaand nylon nighties

[@pronabol]

Let's take a nostalgic journey to the past and stroll along the high streets of Britain to revisit our culture that is sadly no longer with us.

[@spanishpeaches2930]

The past is another country : (

[@fluffyfour]

@@spanishpeaches2930 Except you can't get there by plane! :)

[@Makeyourselfbig]

Defunked Supermarkets and model shops do not a culture make. Businesses begin and end. They call it capitalism.

[@musicandbooklover-p2o]

All too Americanised now, even down to the shops being open every day of the week (whatever happened to half day opening on a Saturday, half day opening one day during the week - usually when the local town market was being held ), all gone in the interests of 7 day a week shopping just like in the ''good'' old US of A. Sorry but once you've lost your European identity - and it's happening to most of Europe at this state - for the US open all hours identity you'll never get it back, all you have is a mini USA with different shops

[@spanishpeaches2930]

@@musicandbooklover-p2o The UK is all but a breathing corpse now. The quality of the country has rapidly diminished over the past 30 years. Yes, you can still see the great countryside, the great houses, the great coastline etc...but there is a serious , cancerous malaise in the societal structure and it's getting worse. We peaked around 1996 and we are on the road , to either a civil war or or a zombie nation with an oppressive govt. Life is no longer fun for the majority.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

When there was variety and competition on the high street. But corporate globalism put an end to all that. "Mergers & Acquisitions" legislation purported to maintain a competitive economy while quietly allowing the multinationals to buy up the competition and destroy market economy. We LOVED the variety of the independent shops and small chains, with just one or two of the mega companies. Now city centres across the country are a carbom copy of each other with most of the company brands owned by a handful of multinationals. Thanks for the trip again Stu, and another happy trip to the past. All the best.

[@stuviewtv]

My pleasure! Thanks as always.

[@tomsenior7405]

Woollies... How I miss them. Back in 1969 my dad took me to our local Woolworths and bought me a few Airfix kits. Bloody lovely memories. By the 1980s the retailer was little more than a haberdashery.

[@johnorchard4]

It wasn't even that. By the late 80s it was heavily into children's clothing, pick'n'mix and music sales. That was its problem. It had lost its way, and its customer base. even at the end it was the largest confectionery retailer in the UK and also the largest music retailer in the UK. It's wholesale music arm was the mainstay of the UKs retail music industry. The trouble was, there was too much competition in children's wear, insufficient profit in sweets and technological changes in music. Woolworths was a basket case!

[@tomsenior7405]

@@johnorchard4 As you stated; "...By the late 80's...". I was referring to to the early 1980s when Woollies first went off the rails. Stocks were not replenished, cheap tat filled the isles. The stores resembled their early days of trading practices: Cotton Bobbins, Buttons, Bows, Elastic, Ribbons... It was a shambles. As the 1980s progressed Woollies turned their ship around and the Company was doing well. This was short lived, because of the early 1990s global economic depression. I hope this helps.

[@johnorchard4]

@@tomsenior7405 That was the first time they went bust! I promise you that it was not an economic depression that killed them. The new management were giddy as kippers to be in charge of the brand when they hit the board room - I had a video tape that they sent out to all staff to be played to demonstrate the newness of their intended offer - it was actually just more of the same, with more TV adverts. I have been a retail manager for 50 years and have seen a fair bit of completely stupid management decisions, but in 2008, as a consultant (there were 70 of us!), I was called in by the administrators to manage ten of the Woolworth Stores - during the period in which they would try to sell the business off. When I was being given a tour of the biggest store on my region, the manager took me to his main stock-room. Sensible retailers have very short-term (just-in-time) stocks in their shop's stock rooms - this one was jammed. At the far end of the room which measured about 15 metres wide and 25 metres long, there was a sign hanging above the stock. I asked him to tell me what it said, although I could perfectly well read it myself. He smiled, and said "Fashion". We both pushed our way through the over crowded alleyway to that area. There was not a single item in that stock room less than two years old, much of it as much as seven years old. This was the root cause of their problems. In retail cash is king, you need to turn over the stock in order to pay the bills and to buy new stock. Imagine, there were over 690 stores, all in the same state, plus their central warehousing and distribution hubs. No Tom, they went bust a second time, by not understanding the issues that confronted the old business and, frankly, not understanding the basic precepts of retail management.

[@nelliemelba4967]

I was a Saturday girl in Woolies in the early 80s. It did sell everything and anything, including cigarettes and tobacco. It had a bakery and a deli counter, and upstairs the hi-fi dept and furniture!

[@tomsenior7405]

@@nelliemelba4967 Faerie Nuff. Honestly, I can only speak for the ones I frequented. They were in a right sorry state. I am glad to note that you enjoyed the benefits of working for a fondly remembered company.

[@dawnyWestScotland]

1/2p wow 😆 the memories. We want Woolworths to make a come back! ☀️

[@paulanderson7796]

That was destroyed in 2008 by the "recession". Recessions are created deliberately. International financiers are good at this.

[@julianaylor4351]

There's always rumours that someone wants to relive it. It wasn't just the economy that trashed it, like the management of Wilko, the management messed it up.

[@johnnyg1700]

You can still find Woolworth stores in Australia

[@paulanderson7796]

@@johnnyg1700 That's a completely different company with no links whatsoever to F. W. Woolworth of European origin.

[@dawnyWestScotland]

@@johnnyg1700 I think they had a Woolworths in Germany too.

[@johnnyboy-f6v]

I never thought the shops I grew up with would disappear! Presto, Woolworths, John Menzies, Littlewoods, Fine Fare, BHS, C&A, RS McColl, Frasers, Debenhams, Arnotts. Even Jenners on Princes St has gone! And the culprit? The internet. And it's only going to get worse! Former High Streets are becomming deserts or a bland mix of hair salons, charity shops and bookies. Thanks Stu for the nostalgia trip.

[@stuviewtv]

My pleasure!

[@peterclarke3619]

Dont forget the vape shops 😢

[@luckysembry5508]

And takeaways!

[@philtowle4683]

And charity shops

[@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw]

@johnhamilton Woolworths and C&A are / were both American. C&A still exists in Germany. I saw a recent YT video about a German city ( I forget which) and there was an open C&A. They've obviously left the UK, but it doesn't mean they no longer exist.

[@Daisy-tl2lh]

Nothing like spending a winters evening with the Littlewoods catalogue planning our summer holiday and summer wardrobe ...

[@Joanna7428]

Tammy Girl, Our Price....Etams! I miss those...i remember my nan talking about Prestos!

[@stevedavis6879]

I think Prestos were still going strong in the 80s , as I was born in 74 and vaguely remember them .

[@luckysembry5508]

I remember shoe shop Freeman, Hardy and Willis.

[@thornbird6768]

Curtis as well

[@Daracdor]

Bentford Nylons omg ! The name of night mares , as kid my skin would catch on the pulls in the sheets Ma and Pa bought nylon sheets and the blankets . The static snaps popped me me everywhere over my body ... my bum the most as I remember !

[@landscapedetective4064]

Some day in 1990 I remember watching two old biddies having a scrap in Presto's (Peckham, South London). I'm not sure what they were fighting about, but they were grabbing items from each other's baskets and throwing them anywhere. I ducked to avoid being hit by a can of beans, then as I lifted my head again I was hit in the face by a flying pack of bacon. Ah, the good ole days :) Yeah, Peckham could be a bit rough.

[@stuviewtv]

Wow, who knew bacon could be so lethal?

[@zombiebiker5581]

No you know where the saying,,,,,,,,slapped ham

[@matthewhopkins666]

@@stuviewtvOr that pigs really could fly.

[@donnahollins5071]

Purple bri nylon sheets and a floral nylon nightie. Lit up like Blackpool illuminations !

[@hilaryjuliecoxon5434]

😅😅😅

[@ChrisJohnson-te3eg]

Im originally from Birmingham and have fond memories of Beatties models. I used to go on the no 50 bus into town with mum and she would take me in there and I would look at all the model trains. Such a shame all these places are long gone. If i could go back to the 80s i would. Much better times.

[@philwoodall9023]

126 bus for me or 120 if I had time on my hands! Both doing Dudley to Birmingham, the 120 was nearer home but much longer as it took in Oldbury and bits of Smethwick.

[@jackasmr2691]

I love this channel because it gives me major feelings of nostalgia in a good way not a sad way if that makes sense 😊

[@stuviewtv]

That's great to hear. Thanks!

[@billiondollarman3847]

I remember Zodiac Toys store. It was a world of wonder and joy when I was a kid in 70s. 😊

[@loftlegacy]

Yes, we had a Zodiac in Blackburn. For a fairly modest sized shop, they had a massive selection.

[@julianaylor4351]

I have a set of books on famous explorers that I collected week by week from Zodiac Toys.

[@cazharris5581]

Zodiac toys had everything a kid wanted in the 70s, I got all my Sindy stuff from there…

[@cdub5033]

@@loftlegacy I was in Zodiac, Blackburn every Saturday looking at all the stuff I couldn’t afford. I missed that little shop on the corner on the way to men’s conveniences in the shopping precinct.

[@loftlegacy]

@@cdub5033 for models later in life it had to be Mercers on Northgate.

[@steevobarker581]

I used to really like Radio Rentals. Could always have the latest TV and video at a monthly payment over a few years then, send it back and get the new models. Excellent.

[@k.edwards3138]

Only just found your channel, got to say its wonderful. Looking back to old shops and retro foods is very nostalgic and I look back with fondness. I was born in 70 so remember loads of what you show. I can remember nicking a jelly from finefare, my dad caught me and all he said was the next thing I pinch he would make me eat it regardless of what it was. When your parents talked to you in that special voice you knew you'd better behave, pity kids today don't have the same respect that my generation had.

[@stuviewtv]

Glad you are enjoying the memories on the channel! Many thanks for watching.

[@johnp8131]

I remember buying trousers from Foster Brothers, highly fashionable in 1976 but felt like they were made of sand paper!

[@alexday5892]

That 60s style John Collier advert was like something you’d see at a local cinema where the address of the shop always features at the end of the ad.

[@stuviewtv]

You are spot on with that! That particular ad was indeed shown in cinemas.

[@carolebarker2195]

Pearl & Dean probably!

[@TCHorwood-xq7mw]

"Just 200 yards from this cinema."

[@dawnyWestScotland]

Oh the good old days 💙

[@stuviewtv]

Great days indeed!

[@ianr]

Great video again! Yes....I still have nightmares about my mother buying Purple Nylon sheets from Brentfords. Used to hate going to bed! 😄

[@nellspencer6417]

Know what you mean, the sparks comming off my nylon nightie hitting nylon sheets.

[@trevorbrown6654]

I was watching and episode of Space 1999 very recently and noticed the bedding and pyjamas in that was nylon. I guess at the time people thought it was space age rather than a fire risk

[@stuartlauderdale8382]

As a long time resident of Washington Tyne and Wear Sainsbury's is still called Savacentre by many locals.

[@Joncl]

Brushed nylon was just itchy, and I remember sweating in my nylon sheets 😢

[@hilaryjuliecoxon5434]

Ruddy awful,nyon sheets.😔

[@strakermidwich9679]

I have an endearing image of Woolies. Being taken in by my Nan and Grandad and looking at all the yellow Rupert Bear books. Grandad would always buy me one and Nana would buy a big bag of pic n mix as a treat. Oh how we all miss those days.

[@xXTheSammichXx]

Beatties in Southgate was the place where I used buy all my Citadel miniatures and Games Workshop stuff. Good times.

[@nicolasykes6637]

We used to shop at international stores, macfisheries, Bejam and sometimes Victor values when I was growing up. I miss etam and I loved Woolworths at Christmas. The good old days of the high streets.

[@julianaylor4351]

My local Macfisheries had a trout tank in the window. The firm also had a supermarket chain, we had one of those too, they were called Key Markets, both long gone, but the company is now in seafood distribution and they sell fish and other seafood to Iceland supermarkets and I think others too. Bejam were taken over by Iceland.

[@Julie-sm7sp]

We had nearly all those where I lived, except SavaCentre and Beatties, we did have something similar to Beatties called Timothy Whites, it had an awesome toy department, Radio Rentals brought back memories going in every week with mum to pay for the television 😁 Chelsea Girl and Etams they were the go to shops for us girls back then, it's a shame how we've lost all those great shops ☹️ thanks for the video stu 🙂

[@snowysnowyriver]

I remember Timothy Whites! There always seemed to be a fierce battle between TWs and Boots. I think Boots bought them out eventually.

[@Julie-sm7sp]

Ah I didn't know that, what a shame, I loved that shop it was always a special treat for me and my brother to go in there when it was our birthdays, we'd spent ages round the toy department, I'm sure that's why mum didn't take us in that often 😂😂

[@fus149hammer5]

Captain Mainwaring always claimed his platoon was responsible for the stretch of Walmington On Sea High Street between Stead And Simpsons to Timothy Whites.😂

[@Julie-sm7sp]

@fus149hammer5 After a quick Google search I found the episode on you tube 😁 'Something Nasty In The Vault S3' so funny 🤣🤣 I didn't remember that episode, brilliant comedy, thanks for the reminder 😊

[@kevy1967]

Back in the late 70s my parents bought a music centre from Rumbelows. When we got it home they had left a cassette in it, it was one they must have played in store. It had some hits of the time and every so often the music was interrupted by Terry-Thomas saying “golly good show Rumbelows” in his classic gap-toothed style. We kept that cassette for many years.

[@stuviewtv]

What a marvellous little treasure.

[@pigknickers2975]

Oh this is great. Friday evening routine when I was 9 or 10 was helping my mum out round Prestos. I saw a teacher from school in there once and realised these people were real people that went shopping. Ha. This country was so wonderful, it's half gone now. Brentford Nylons was on the telly all the time. I still think about it driving through . . . Brentford :)

[@gjwestonable]

Such a shame for Beatties, their toy department was fantastic in Wolverhampton. I remember the entrance was through the breakables department 😂. Another great long gone toy store was Zodiac also in Wolverhampton found a Zodiac bag in a trunk recently. Great video thanks.

[@paulanderson7796]

Zodiac had a small outlet in Uxbridge during the 70s and 80s.

[@stuviewtv]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks! I remember Beatties and Zodiac in Wolverhampton very well.

[@philipdouglas5911]

Remember them both. Beatties had an excellent cafe that used to be the go to place as a child for a cob and a milk shake. Their toy department was down in the basement close to the small food hall that they had.

[@herberthartwig8544]

Remember most Stu, thanx for the Memories 👍

[@stuviewtv]

My pleasure!

[@Daniel-Optician]

My mate Harry the Bastsrd worked at Rumbelows

[@redsamson70]

Who remembers index extra.loved it

[@TCHorwood-xq7mw]

IIRC it was a catalogue shop like Argos.

[@rw8733]

Happier, better days. Thanks, Stu. Brilliant 😊

[@stuviewtv]

Happy days indeed! Many thanks as always.

[@arthurstack6278]

Remember Timothy Whites. Often used to pop in there at the weekend. Very similar store to Boots

[@RHR-221b]

Thank you, Stu. Nearing my 73rd years on this strange Astral Plane, I lucidly remember most of the focuses within this upload. The beginning of a timeline, now hitting the present buffers of decency et al. and what used to be our form of reality. AKA: Modern Rip-Off. I am now about to re-visit these times when I/we all worked HARD and food, etc., outlets realised some solid sort of our trust, in return for respect. Stay free. Rab 👋 🕊

[@stuviewtv]

Many thanks Rab.

[@TheCatBilbo]

7:33 Oh my God - so THAT'S where River Island came from! I never knew that. Just as well, 'Concept Man' wouldn't have floated my boat 😊

[@Mozza107]

Richard Shops? Very catchy jingle

[@carolebarker2195]

I remember that. There also used to be a clothes shop called Van Allen, very trendy.

[@jeaniebottle6758]

John Collier ad took me back.. Rumbelows too. I remember Fosters. School ties. Brentford nylon sheets. Wow those were horrible. Chelsea girl was fab.

[@mjc8281]

Ironically my first job and the only time I have been let go in work was a Presto store...... What was interesting about being let go from there was they had brought all the stock fillers maybe a dozen of us in on a Saturday evening for overtime and then fired us all the following week on the Thursday before our pay... No great shock no overtime in the pay-check the following day when I went to collect it... As I recall it took them more than 6 months for me to finally get the pay they owed me.. My guess is most of the people I had worked with had given up by then. My very next job in retail was about 20 years later as a regional manager of a chain, honestly I think the only thing I leant from Presto was to treat everyone you work with with honestly and respect something that was really lacking there.

[@aegisltd2018]

Nostalgic goodness! 😊 Love it

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

A favourite trick of mine when visiting a friends house in the 70s was if a littlewoods or Grattons catalogue was laying on a table was to pick it up by the spine between my thumb and index finger and give it a gentle shake. No prizes for guessing where the pages of the catalogue would fall open !!!

[@stuviewtv]

Love it!

[@raykdotcom]

Presto. My god my mother father sister, she met her husband there all worked there, lol I even eventually worked in the same building but it is now a Chinese supermarket lol . God I'm old

[@stephenguppy7882]

Thanks for some more wonderful memories. The high street today is all discount stores, charity shops and coffee houses. I loved the Brentford Nylons ad. I wondered if they had the idea of using nylon after seeing Fluff's hair?😂😂Alright? Right? Not 'arf!☺👍

[@hayley7090]

Lots of happy memories here of being out shopping on a Saturday afternoon with my mum and dad. Now I'm a casualty of a defunct retailer myself. I worked at Wilko for nearly 20 years until they went under last October. It's a real shame our high streets are not a patch on what they once were.

[@stevedavis6879]

..sad times. I hope you have found new work . Take me back to the 80s . I was born 74 and most of these on this clip I remember very well . 🙂

[@stacydraper1001]

I have fond memories of Littlewoods (also Index, which was located above our local Littlewoods store in Lewisham), C and A, BHS (I loved the fry ups in there, too! 😋), Our Price, and Beatties. Another favourite of mine which wasn't featured in the video was the toy shop Gamleys. Wonderful memories. Please keep making and sharing these videos 😊❤️

[@stuviewtv]

Many thanks Stacy! Lots more nostalgic memories to come.

[@G_Fresh_UK]

This is fast becoming my favourite Channel maybe is because my body is hitting 60 but my brain is hitting 21....lol,

[@stuviewtv]

Brilliant, thanks!

[@bobikdylan]

Why was there a snooker hall above every Burton's? My brother worked for Dunn and Co. for donkeys years. Great quality old fashioned tweeds at low prices. In the 80s they called in the bean counters and asset stripped until it was all gone. It was owned by staff, George Arthur Dunn's gift to his staff, but by the time Price Waterhouse were done, there were few staff left. Just directors and senior managers who cleaned up. Ah, Littlewoods catalogue. The solace of many a teenage boy.

[@paulanderson7796]

I remember it well.

[@julianaylor4351]

My late father got his suits from Dunn and Co. because he was the head of a department at a private school, then later a deputy head master at a comprehensive.

[@jeffholt9437]

😉

[@tonyfincham6126]

Nice to see G.A.Dunn the hatters mentioned .Hats for all occasions along with caps .Head office Camden .

[@bobikdylan]

@@tonyfincham6126 I still wear a Dunn's tweed cap, among others, e.g. a Donegal tweed cap and an English tweed one. I am a university teacher in Poland, and I turn a few heads now and again when wearing (rocking, as they say nowadays) the olde English look. A few years ago I had a blue herringbone tweed suit made for me here in Poland. I bought five yards of cloth from a Yorkshire weaver and had a tailor make me a five piece suit (two trousers, one for a belt, one for braces. Proper buttons, not clips that ping off embarrassingly). Guess how much I paid.

[@lorrainereid9787]

worked in littlewoods when I left school it was an all round learning experience then went on to chelsea girl when it still had the sixties appearance but they upgraded soon after great days shops were so busy in those days Saturday shopping and all shops closed on sunday,shops started to go downhill when sunday shopping became the norm they didnt employ extra staff but just spread them out we should go back to a day of rest

[@spanishpeaches2930]

What about Fine Fare supermarkets ? That fantastic Littlewoods building, in Liverpool was abandoned around 1994 and then some pos torched it a few years back. The roof collapsed and the place was totally ruined...a grafitti ridden heap. However, it is being renovated shortly to film studios and other stuff.

[@user-ld3mb9uu8o]

I lived in the other end of the country , in North Devon in a small town called Bideford. Presto was the first proper supermarket we had. It was amazing to my pre- teen mind! Lol. Then it became a Safeway . 😢

[@nellspencer6417]

I lived in a seaside resort town. I overheard a visitor joyously exclaiming "Oh look, they've got a Brentfords Nylons"

[@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw]

😂🤣😆😁😅😁😆 Some people just don't know how lucky they are...

[@johnnyg1700]

Another shop on the go at the same time as Chelsea Girl was Jean Machine, seen a few doors along on the Chelsea Kings Road.

[@piggysister01]

Me! I remember Brentford nylons! 😂 I think that’s where we got our quilted bed spreads. Presto was my childhood supermarket in Grimsby. Watching these vids emphasises how little choice we have on the street now.

[@101steel4]

Ooh Beatties. I remember standing in the Croydon branch dreaming 😂 I still have the blue RC bag somewhere.

[@stevewilson8467]

1.26: It's an Austin Ambassador Y reg! Always loved a trip to Beattie's in the St. John's Centre in LIverpool, cheers Stu.

[@stuviewtv]

My pleasure!

[@steveh6373]

In the 70s friend's of my parents drove to Spain on holiday very adventurous and trendy at the time. They brought all Brentford nylon clothes cos a quick wash and hang dry no ironing. Well you can imagine in the heat they had to buy all new clothes.

[@chrisrixham6723]

So glad the algorithm brought this channel to me, proper memory lane. I bought my first suite from Fosters in 1984 when I was 17, to go to our local nightclub, had to wear a suit in those days no jeans or trainers, never forget old fluff Freeman on the Brentford nylons adverts, remember all these shops, great video again Stu 👍 Thanks

[@stuviewtv]

Nice to have you here Chris! Glad you enjoyed the memories. Many thanks!

[@martinsmith1538]

Fantastic nostalgia as ever.

[@pipkinpan781]

I remember the Presto advert with talking fruit and veg and I'm sure there was a branch in Bognor Regis where my nan lived!

[@frankhovis]

My wife used to have "C & A" on her underwear. I assumed it was for the same reason wellingtons boots have "L & R" wrote on them.

[@Mav-dm5mb]

Loving these videos, lost shops that come to mind are International, KeyMarkets and Gateways supermarkets, Texas Homecare, MFI, Comet, Barrets.

[@ianjackson7726]

International supermarket bought out supermarket chain Mac Markets. Which was around in the 70s

[@MarkAllison]

Thanks Stu, another really enjoyable post. I always remember Rumbelows, along with Currys and Dixons. But also the TV rental shops - the name I remember is Rediffusion.

[@stuviewtv]

Thanks Mark. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@sarahlewis7669]

My Nana rented a telly from rumbelows . Nylon sheets were a nightmare. Nana was a grattons catalogue agent. Thank you for this walk down our shopping memory lane.

[@stuviewtv]

My pleasure!

[@joannesaltfleet2071]

I remember the Gratton catalogues from years ago!

[@snowysnowyriver]

I vividly remember Brentford Nylons! My mother got really into nylon bedsheets and they were awful! Luckily, I had left home so only had to suffer them on visits. Nothing worse than nylon bedsheets! 😩 Rumbalows.......husband and I rented our first TV from Rumbalows! But didn't know that they never made a profit!

[@ArtJourneyUK]

Chelsea Girl and Concept Man became River Island. I was working at Concept Man when the transition took place, went home on a Thursday, came back to River Island on the Saturday!

[@Pierre61]

Bottle green flares, platform boots and poodle perm all in place, it was time to shop in Stockport: Your interview suit, wedding suit and funeral suit all came from Burtons. Fridge from Comet. Telly from Redifusion. Bat wing collar shirt and tank top from 'Stolen from Ivor' at the top of the market. All set up, it's time to borrow a pound note from your mum and gather up a couple of 10p coins for pool and you're set for a night at the pub. Chips, curry and fishbits on the way home and that's Friday night.

[@stuviewtv]

What great days!

[@xxFORDIExx]

Gamleys toy stores were a port of call for me as a kid. Not sure when they closed for good.

[@Dom79217]

The one in East Grinstead limped along until sometime in the early 2000's. The owners weren't the most generous to their staff apparently.

[@xxFORDIExx]

@@Dom79217 I actually wasn't sure how long they lasted, or how many shops were about back in the day. They were always pretty overpriced iirc lol.

[@Dom79217]

Not sure either but they had everything. Britains, Deetail, Action Man, Corgi, Dinky, Meccano, Lego plus all the board games and prams/dolls downstairs. I think you're right on price as I could hardly ever afford anything but always popped in for a long gaze.

[@xxFORDIExx]

@@Dom79217 at least it was cheaper than Hamleys 🤣

[@Foebane72]

There's a line in the BBC TV show "Bottom" about Rumbelow's about a television set owned by Richie and Eddie!

[@FlyAmeliaEarheart]

Exactly what I was thinking. But Richie went a few doors down to give the money to a special 'enhancement doctor'.

[@juliebrooke6099]

I remember the lighting in Chelsea Girl was really gloomy and also that they had communal changing rooms with just a couple of cubicles for older women.

[@rob5944]

I built two R/C cars in a day from Tamya kits supplied by Beatties as a teenager after being highly impressed by one at a friend's house. They were a quality product and great fun (but expensive for poor old dad) racing around in the dirt, Frog and Hornet!

[@billb4089]

Man at C&A.

[@julianaylor4351]

My older brother, until he turned Goth. 😁

[@MarkmanOTW]

I remember these well (apart from Beatties - not where I lived). SW of London in Surrey we had Rumblelows competing with Granada and Radio Rentals for TV rentals. Other stores that disappeared - Clarks Bakeries, International Stores, Harlequin Records, Richards Shops, Comet (electrical goods warehouse), Allied Carpets, the Southern Electricity Board shop (sold white goods and where you could pay your electricity bill), Dolcis and Saxone (shoes). Also various local independents that were bought up or closed.

[@hawkpaul8735]

I loved going through Beatties. They had some wonderful things. This video takes me back in so many other ways too. Thanks so much.

[@londonroulette]

Love your videos great memories and great details and info you give 👍👍👍👍

[@stuviewtv]

Many thanks!

[@spencerhardy8667]

Colonel Beattie, who started and ran the toy stores, was also the national chief of UK fire services during WW2. Prior to his work on standardisation, fire services would often have individual and incompatible equipment, causing problems when fire services tried to help each other in the early days of the Blitz, a problem highlighted at Coventry. His toy stores may have gone the way of the ringing bell on a Merryweather fire engine, but his work on unifying fire service equipment is still with us today. Double salute for Colonel Beattie.

[@geoffaustin9385]

My Savacentre is now known as Hempstead Valley but I, often, still refer to it as Savacentre and get funny looks from people

[@ianlove1215]

Where I grew up we had a small Liptons, along with a run of specialist shops (launderette, butchers, newsagent, chemist, hardware shop, greengrocer & video shop). The Liptons was the size of a Tesco Express. You mention that Liptons was eventually part of the Safeway group & they eventually became Morrisons. It is strange that as of March 2024 they haven't gone with the bar scanners, despite them being the 1st to try them in 1990s. We also lived close to a SavaCentre, at Hempsted Valley near Gillingham in Kent. My mum loved it until they rearranged the layout of the shop & she kept getting lost. Didn't realise about River Island's origins, went to Brentford Nylons for bedding with mum, As I was a model train kid, I went to Beatties in London a few times.

[@dough740]

After Collier and Burtons (and Claude Alexander - also taken over by Colliers), the other name was Hepworths. They had a new concept, possibly brought by George Davis, that would stock small ranges that wouldn't be restocked to give exclusivity. The stores would have more space than stock to underline this. They called the new stores Next. It was so successful that they converted most of the Hepworth stores to Next and changed the name of the company. The exclusivity didn't last long though....

[@gpo746]

My Nanna would take us shopping to Prestos and later Food Giant in the North East . Great vid as always Stu , Cheers !

[@stuviewtv]

Thanks!

[@Gerrygambone]

Beatties a massive Dept Store in Wolverhampton, great service so so sad when it went.

[@KarrierBag]

1. Presto I remember and the adverts too 2. Saver centre I remember the name but don't think I been in one? 3. Fosters I do remember them. 4. Seen one but never been in one 5. LOL Chelsea Girl, not my cuppa tea being a bloke. 6. Nope, do not remember them. 7. Oh a competitor to my parents shop.... they lasted till 2008# 8. I am not sure if I ever went in one but remember the name 9. I remember Littlewoods we had one local where I grew up # My parents ran a TV rental, sales and repair shop in East Sussex from early 70's up till around 2008 ish, they provided a brilliant service, how shops used to be.

[@frankwales]

For your consideration for future episodes: MFI, Maplin, Debenhams, Hepworths (still alive as Next), Green Shield Stamps (still alive as Argos), Tandy, Sock Shop. Also, a couple of interesting European brands that expanded across the UK, and then withdrew entirely again: Tchibo, Clas Ohlson.

[@thomascook578]

My first job in retail was with Presto, my last was Morrisons, a full circle

[@Ihavetwoearsandonemouth]

Loved woolies. Do you remember the deli where you could get garlic sausage and tongue.

[@ThatsnewsTV]

And they sold tinned snails and tinned frog's legs. Also, tinned whole chickens.

[@lucius4556]

I worked on a deli counter part time when I was at college many years ago..the tins of tongue in jelly would arrive and I had to empty them out and slice...you could actually see the massive tongues and it hadn't dawned on me when my parents ate tongue that it was really tongue 😅😅

[@herrflick1244]

@ThatsnewsTV loved the tinned whole chicken, it was the only place I had seen them, pulling the chicken out of the tin squelching sound of jelly.makes you wonder how they managed to stick all that in the cylindrical tin. Last time I saw them were the late 80s there, also the processed cheese sluces there and big blocks of processed cheese that looked and tasted of plastic or luncheon meat. Hated that. Loved their iced buns there with the sweet dough.alot of woolworths food was imported from America and Holland.the cakes didn't have real cream but a glossy airy type that was really sweet.their jam fillings in some were a bit stingy

[@bobikdylan]

Cuffs department store in my hometown, Woolwich, processed change and receipts using pneumatic tubes to and from accounts. In the late 60s that was already old fashioned, but as a kid I thought it was amazing.

[@DofTF]

Great video, having worked in the shop fitting industry I fondly remember many of those names having traveled all over the country working on them 👍

[@stuviewtv]

Glad you enjoyed the video.Thanks!

[@melmaggs749]

I live in Wolverhampton and the beatties building is such a sad sight to see.

[@philwoodall9023]

As a Black Country ExPat, I sympathise. I was there last month. I grew up with The much smaller Dudley store but the Wolverhampton store was special.

[@sharronlewis3429]

🇬🇧❤️ I just remember going to Lipton's , before I started school then to prestos, then Safeway, shopping.cant remember the clothes shops, we never got new clothes, we went to Rummage sales. But I remember the name, Chelsea girl. But I ❤️ love River island, now I can afford the clothes.🤭

[@Supashoppa69]

Worked at Concept man in Lincoln with Chelsea girl next door. I remember Eddie Kidd coming in and doing a promo visit in his Levis 501s. I was on a YTS at the time.

[@stuviewtv]

Wow, that's fantastic.

[@thefrecklepuny]

Another defunct name is Grandways supermarket. Most well known in Yorkshire. I used to o work for them in Leeds as a teenager on Saturdays.

[@gill8779]

Was it near the bus station? I vaguely remember it & my mum shopping there.

[@joaniesoo]

I used to work for Index, in the East Midlands, they were a rival to Argos, with the then popular catalogues shopping, we had mini blue plastic pens and also separate jewellery store,( we'd do watch batteries and ring sizing.) They were part of the Littlewoods group and disappeared a bit earlier before them iirc.

[@rob5944]

My very first job was in the fruit and veg department at Presto paying £50 p.w. That was in the days when you filled in a paper form and hopefully someone would call you in for an interview. After Safeway took over they tried to go upmarket, expecting us to as well. I voted with my feet as they didn't seem to think much of us. Rumbelows were also in the precinct an ran a hire purchase scheme using a book as a payment record and I used it to buy an Amstrad Midi system. Over the weeks that followed I developed a rapport with the assistant manager, it was a nice shop. Fosters briefly had a small outlet down the road, it gave me the impression that somehow they were struggling, I did buy a couple of things in the early 90s there. I miss those days, everything was simpler and uncomplicated.

[@clivemason-ms8ju]

I bought lots of clothes from Foster's, as there were 2 branches closeby. jeans, shirts, suits, coats, I bought them all over the years. I was sad when they closed down. I remember the Brentford Nylons ads and the static shocks from those sheets. Beattie's, now that was the posh store and there wasn't one near us, so don't think I ever went inside one. Yeah, Rumbelow's was the slightly staid but trustworthy place for your electrical goods, whereas Dixon's was flashy and blingy. I have a vague memory of a supermarket called Krazy Kuts that we would go to in the early 70s. I've no idea if it was a chain or ours in Cannock was the only one. I have the impression that it was on the bargain basement side of grocery shops.

[@carolebarker2195]

I remember seeing Krazy Kuts. I remember people going on about it, so it must have been cheap!

[@micheallastname5772]

The Chelsea Girl pic shows another lost brand, Civic. I remember most, from the TV ad's of the time (being younger) than actually seeing the shops. Pound Power at Williams always springs to mind