Lewisham shop

[Brenda]

Bel, you would know the answer to this one.  We've spoken about this particular shop previously (but I am too lazy to search through the old postings1).  What is the name of the cheapish clothing shop in Lewisham that closed down within the last couple of years?  It was a big place, with an escalator, all the clothes were on racks on two large floors.  A bit of a warehouse arrangement I suppose.  I think it was part of a chain and the Lewisham store one was the last remaining one.  I've known the name of this shop all my life and suddenly I can't remember it!  It's driving me bonkers.

Bren

[Bel]

ah.Brenda...... C & As comes to mind.... that was where I used to shop as a teenager.  they have all closed now, including the one in Bromley.  Primark has taken over all the stores and sell really cheap clothing. Jeans for £3. and tops for £1.50p  and I must say that the quality isnt too bad. They are often made in India, and are dearer there (so my son says who has just come back ). A lot of the shops in Lewisham have gone including the Co-op (now a police station and dear old Chiesmans, with the bargain basement where my Mother loved to shop. The Times furnishing (where I used to work) is another shop that has disappeared. Belx

[Lindylou2_2002]

THe Primark in Bromley is in the old Alders (Medhurst Building) it was in the Littlewoods Building Before that. THe Old C and A in Bromley is now A Next store.

Brenda where in Lewisham are you talking about?

Littlewoods has gone, so has C and A.
So has the Indoor Market (more small kiosks than a market)and not the indoor market that went in to the Cheesman Building (Now a wine Bar).It was next to what my mum used to Call the Model Market or the black market.

[Dickie eagle]

Bel, you would know the answer to this one.  We've spoken about this particular shop previously (but I am too lazy to search through the old postings1).  What is the name of the cheapish clothing shop in Lewisham that closed down within the last couple of years?  It was a big place, with an escalator, all the clothes were on racks on two large floors.  A bit of a warehouse arrangement I suppose.  I think it was part of a chain and the Lewisham store one was the last remaining one.  I've known the name of this shop all my life and suddenly I can't remember it!  It's driving me bonkers.

Bren

     Bren my plum, I havent "fired" you what are the White Blobs ?. Oh and were you thinking of Chiesmans by any chance ?  dickie ....................

[Graham]

My aunt Eileen worked in the C&A shop in Lewisham after the War. It was in Lewisham High Street just past the train bridge at Courthill Road and opposite Morley Road and the High Street.

Len Styles music shop was on the corner of Courthill Road and Lewisham High Street where many teenagers use to hang out. Just around the corner was a Snooker Hall that, as kids, we were told told not to visit.

[Graham]

I remember Alders. Mr & Mrs Alder was a friend of my grandmother and I recall going there with her to buy some material. It was a dark spookey shop  with a man sitting high in an office at the back where all the sales money and change was delivered to and from  by a wire aerial delivery system. I can still see all those tubes flying by overhead. Alders was in Rushey Green on the corner of Wildfell Road.

Across the road was Gabledeaus toy shop which was always full of kids.

Does anyone remember the horrible, dirty house on the corner of Davenport Road with many caged animals called Pets Corner.  As a child, I bought a tortoise there and it disappeared from my garden and crawled away. Never did find it!

[Brenda]

ah.Brenda...... C & As comes to mind....

Thank you Bel, that's the one.  How I could have forgotten I do not know.  I just goes to show what state my brain is in.  I had heard Chiesman's had gone too.  Nothing stays the same, does it?

Bren

[Brenda]

THe Primark in Bromley is in the old Alders (Medhurst Building) it was in the Littlewoods Building Before that. THe Old C and A in Bromley is now A Next store.

Ah Lindylou, you've just solved another query.  I couldn't think why I was getting muddled up with Alders and Medhursts in Bromley.  Yes, it used to be Medhursts, the department store near Bromley Square.  I've got that right, haven't I?

Bren

[Brenda]

I remember Alders. Mr & Mrs Alder was a friend of my grandmother and I recall going there with her to buy some material. It was a dark spookey shop  with a man sitting high in an office at the back where all the sales money and change was delivered to and from  by a wire aerial delivery system. I can still see all those tubes flying by overhead. Alders was in Rushey Green on the corner of Wildfell Road.

Across the road was Gabledeaus toy shop which was always full of kids.

Does anyone remember the horrible, dirty house on the corner of Davenport Road with many caged animals called Pets Corner.  As a child, I bought a tortoise there and it disappeared from my garden and crawled away. Never did find it!

Hallo Graham,
I loved Alders in Rushey Green.   There is a shop in the city where Syd works which has that same old-fashioned feel about it (minus the aerial cash system - wasn't that fascinating?) and  whenever I go down there, I have a walk around the shop just to sniff in the atmosphere.

Yes, I remember the pet shop and the dreadful old man who ran it whom we called "Haircut".  When my friend and I were about ten years old, we complained about the state of some too young kittens in there (still blind) and Haircut chucked us out.  Thank heaven that sort of place wouldn't get away with it now.  Wel, I hope not anyway.  I bought a tortoise from there too.  We went on holiday to a chalet in Leysdown for a week and took the tortoise with us.  One morning, we found it with bite marks on its neck.  Mum said it was probably rats.  When we left, she said she left the tortoise with the lady in the shop to take care of.   I believed her for years!  Never had another one.
Bren

[Pauline]

ah.Brenda...... C & As comes to mind....

Thank you Bel, that's the one.  How I could have forgotten I do not know.  I just goes to show what state my brain is in.  I had heard Chiesman's had gone too.  Nothing stays the same, does it?

Bren

I remember C & A or Coats and Ats as we used to call it.  They were a Dutch company I believe with an unpronouncable name.  Yes, the stuff in there was cheap but reasonable quality, not like Primark.  I visited Primark when I was in London recently - what a mess!!!!

[Lindylou2_2002]

[quote\]I remember C & A or Coats and Ats as we used to call it.  They were a Dutch company I believe with an unpronouncable name.  Yes, the stuff in there was cheap but reasonable quality, not like Primark.  I visited Primark when I was in London recently - what a mess!!!![/quote]


Unfortunately the average high street including Bromley and Lewisham has more poor quality type of clothing stores now than any other type.
In Bromley. You Have Primark, Select, Peacock, bay trading, New Look, Clobber. TKMaxx.
There is a Debenhams, British Home Stores, Evans, Next, Marks and Spencer and a few others but no House of Frasier or anything left.

In Lewisham it’s pretty similar in the cheap shops. There is only a small Next, Marks and Spencer, British homes store, and again no House of Frasier.
Bexleyheath is also pretty similar.
 The only reason in my opinion why the older shopper still goes to these places is routine, it where they have always gone and they don’t want to change, that and the markets. Lewisham still has it fruit market every day but Monday(I think) and Bromley still has it market on a Thursday. Grove Park Market is long gone.

It’s as if they are trying to turn people away from the High street, by producing high Fashion low quality clothes that will only last the season. Getting the young Market who are not quite brand aware, but want a similar rara skirt to the one Jlo is wearing. Obviously by the time they are 17-18 they want the Prada, or Ted baker so unless they are on benefit and can't secure a credit card they also head way from the high streets.


There is an out of town shopping complex Called Bluewater near where I live in Dartford and they have all the Designer shops, and a John Lewis, House of Frasier, and Marks and Spencer. They don't have stores like Woolworth or Argos, so at Christmas time it’s back to places like Bromley to buy stuff for the kids.

[Bel]

Yes.... all the good stores are going.  Went to Dartford Market last week, what a shambles.. that is another place which has gone down hill fast, but the housing is cheaper there, and several people I know moved from Catford but are now regretting it.  About Alders of Catford... I remember shopping there when I was a kid and the manager was a tall man who wore a mis matched wig, which always fasinated me . He always gave a little nod to my mother and fetched her a chair while she sorted out the net curtains. Went shopping in Catford last week, but was glad to get back to the serenity of Northumberland Heath , altho I must admit the shops there are better than Bexleyheath. The estate on which I live has a big green opposite our house and they come every week and cut the grass and trim the bushes, and every day to pick up the rubbish.  I cant fault the Council for that.  Bel

[Lindylou2_2002]

I have just come back from Dartford needed the bank. I have never seen it so busy on a Monday. But yes you are right there is nothing much there except estate agents charity shops and again cheap shops. The only thing Dartford has going for it is the schools are really good. Which apart from the cheaper housing, is one of the reasons we moved here from Catford 7 years ago.

I went to Erith as a change last week thought I would shop at Morrison’s as we are fed up with Tesco’s. I haven’t been to Erith in 20+ years and was pleasantly surprised by the area around Morrison’s and my daughter loved the waterfront promenade to watch the boats. My aunt Used to be the Landlady at the wheatly Arms in Erith probably the last one before they pulled it down and it and the area around it was a real dump.

[Bel]

I often go to the Playhouse at |Erith, which is brilliant. The waterfront is very pleasant too, but like most areas there are good and bad pockets. It would be nice if they did river trips from the pier there.When we were looking for a property to buy 3 years ago we decided on a town house  as we needed plenty of room and were lucky to find this one as it ticked all the boxes. My son's girlfriend bought a similar house in Bromley at the same time and it was £l00,00 dearer. Bel

[Brenda]

[quote\]. Grove Park Market is long gone.


A market at Grove Park?  When?  Where?

Bren