A former place in your town you still haven't gotten over closing?

[OneUmberJoker]

Woolworths

Chelsea girl !

Debenhams. We are now left with only supermarkets to buy clothes from unless you go to New Look.

little hardware shop, only open two mornings a week now!

Wilko

A nightclub with a 'dance on air' dance floor. It felt so fancy to me as an 18 year old. The dance floor had coloured panels that would light up with the light display. Such a fantastic place. Never seen another one like it.

A very lovely toyshop. The owner eventually closed due to online competition - parents were coming in with their children to choose a toy, and then ordering online on their phones there and then and walking out without spending a penny. People were essentially treating it as a showroom for Amazon and some even had the gall to complain when he eventually closed.

Brewers Quay and The Timewalk in Weymouth. It was the old Victorian brewery converted into a museum and shops, and it was wonderful. They used to run a big Victorian evening in the square outside in November, and everyone would dress up and there'd be people selling roast chestnuts and all sorts. Every school kid did at least one school trip to The Timewalk museum, and everyone my age remembers it.

Unfortunately, the building started needing major repairs, which because it was listed were very expensive, and they weren't making quite enough to cover it. They limped on for a few years, but eventually closed. I was gutted that I never got the chance to take my own children round!

Galloway and Porter - bookshop in Cambridge. At least we still have Davids.

Bizarre in Hanley.

American adventure!

Kennedy's pie, sausage roll and cold meat shops (SE London).

Forget Greggs, Kennedy's sausage rolls were the best ever!

Past Times.
Ravel.
Office.
Borders - the magazine section was excellent.

Oh, and Space NK.

I’m still not over Hobbs Pavilion pancake restaurant in Cambridge closing (around 25 years ago).

Also the Bead Shop on Neal Street Covent Garden. Used to spend hours in there. Probably me spending hours in there to buy 10 beads was the reason it closed….

Small town calling. I still miss the greengrocers that closed some time in the late 1980's. It was double-fronted and had fruit & veg one half, and a florist the other.

Not in my town, but “Cookie Jar” selling to Millie’s and eventually all their branches changed over. Their cookies were the best in the world and I’ve never found any even remotely close to being as good. I feel sad that my kids never got to experience just how good they were.

In my town - Stricklands Bakery (an independent bakers whose sausage rolls were to die for and they made really lovely bread) and a shop called Acorn - it was this really long shop on different levels and every time you thought you reached the back you found another room. We used to get all sorts of gifts and things from there, firecrackers, those sheets of stickers, etc. if you were buying for a friends birthday, that’s where you went.

Yes to both of those! I'd forgotten Hobbs Pavilion but they did an amazing white chocolate mousse.

There was a very good bead shop in Cambridge in the mid 90s. I don't think I ever spent more than £2 per shop there...

A proper old fashioned ironmongers. The kind of place you could go to buy individual screw and bolts. Also, Debenhams, but the previous incarnation where all the women's clothes were packed into a dim basement and it seemed exciting as a teen going with friends to look through the racks.
More generic, but I miss having a proper florist. There used to be two plus a market stall in my suburb, now the nearest one is half an hour away.

So glad someone else remembers too!

I remember an illusion / hologram type shop up near Magdalene bridge which sold spinny hologram wheels and magnetic executive desk toys. Loved it. Don’t think I remember the bead shop though - sounds lovely!

As well as all the amazing sweet pancakes shaped like big Ascot hats, they did a brilliant savoury galette with leeks, cashew nuts and cheese - I am always trying to recreate it and I think I’m nearly there!

Our little bakery. I miss that amazing bread so much.

When you crack it, please post the recipe! It sounds delicious.

Woolworths for me too. And more recently, Wilkinson’s.
From other towns I’ve lived in: all the department stores, especially the independent family-owned ones.

Ha, here’s what I wrote down last year - didn’t include many actual quantities but presume “generous”…

Also it would be better with buckwheat pancakes / galettes, but I can’t be faffed to make different types of pancake mix on pancake day, and I don’t remember to do it at any other time of the year!

Toast cashews in dry pan and set aside
Slice 1 leek into rounds
Gently fry in large nonstick sauté pan with butter and oil with lid on - soften.
Add half bag of baby spinach and put lid on
Then sprinkle grated gruyere over top of part wilted spinach and nuts on top of that. Salt and pepper. Lid back on.
Keep on heat for min or 2, then when looks nice but spinach still got a bit of bite to it, take off heat and leave on the side until pancakes are ready. Warm pan through for a min or 2 and serve.

Bennetts in Derby

Yes! Fifteen year old me loved that place!