It closed a few years back, probably due to competition from the nearby Metros and Locals, and I watched the site with interest hoping someone would make good use of the old shop frontage.
As you can see here it has suffered terribly.
The main picture shows the shop as it was in 2008.In January this year I noticed the shop windows at the front had been removed, and soon after some scaffolding was being erected. Then, last Thursday I stopped in my tracks when I saw the extent of the 'renovation' – there is nothing left of the old shop whatsoever.
One of the fellas working there saw me taking photos (that's him on the left, bottom right) and he came over to talk, thinking I was impressed. He asked me what I thought and I told him (ahem) how it was awful to have eradicated the historical element – all those beautiful hand-made tiles gone, probably dumped.
I also berated him for putting in nasty, unsympathetic, non-sash UPVC windows. He was bemused, probably thinking I was mad. Mad yes; but in the angry, frustrated way; not the loopy way. People like him seem to think that old is bad and dirty, and new and white is clean and good. Knob head (him not me).
In the same street I found a discarded, dirty and deflated Space Hopper, but at least this little fella, which is really tiny and looks to be made of really thin rubber*, brought back fond memories of the races my sister and I used to have in our garden in the seventies.
* I recall my Space Hopper was made of sturdier stuff and came in a box about 1ft wide.
