They are knocking the Odeon down!!!

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:26 pm

communistworkethic wrote:
Zulus! Thousand of 'em! wrote:
Montreal Wanderer wrote: Clogs? Posh people didn't wear clogs. Black Oxfords. We bought them from this place down by the Derby memorial where they had X-Ray machines to see how much room your toes had (forgotten the store's name). Surprised I don't have toe cancer!
Freeman, Hardy and Willis used to have one of those machines in their shop on Newport Street. They also had one of those pneumatic pipe jobbys that used to send receipts and change around both floors of the store in brass tubes. Fascinating for a five-year-old!
Hmm you sure?, I remember the shoe shop that stood where Ikon is now and it had an xray machine for your feet.

No idea where (or what) the Ikon is. The store I'm thinking of was about the north-east corner where Deansgate, Bradshawgate, Churchgate and Bank St. all came together. May have been a sotre or two down Churchgate towards St. Peter's Way. Preston's was on the north-west corner IIRC. Can't remember the name but it certainly wasn't Freeman, Hardy and Willis (of whom I've never heard).

CrazyHorse · Post by **CrazyHorse** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:33 pm

Ikon is "Bolton's premier nightspot". Or more specifically "Bolton's premier shithole"

Nightclub at the town end of St Georges Rd.

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:42 pm

Montreal Wanderer wrote:
communistworkethic wrote:
Zulus! Thousand of 'em! wrote:
Montreal Wanderer wrote: Clogs? Posh people didn't wear clogs. Black Oxfords. We bought them from this place down by the Derby memorial where they had X-Ray machines to see how much room your toes had (forgotten the store's name). Surprised I don't have toe cancer!
Freeman, Hardy and Willis used to have one of those machines in their shop on Newport Street. They also had one of those pneumatic pipe jobbys that used to send receipts and change around both floors of the store in brass tubes. Fascinating for a five-year-old!
Hmm you sure?, I remember the shoe shop that stood where Ikon is now and it had an xray machine for your feet.
No idea where (or what) the Ikon is. The store I'm thinking of was about the north-east corner where Deansgate, Bradshawgate, Churchgate and Bank St. all came together. May have been a sotre or two down Churchgate towards St. Peter's Way. Preston's was on the north-west corner IIRC. Can't remember the name but it certainly wasn't Freeman, Hardy and Willis (of whom I've never heard).

Got an idea it was Saxone. They had a branch later on the town hall square but I'm pretty sure it was what you mean.

Edit, make that Saxone -Cable.

bobo the clown · Post by **bobo the clown** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:26 pm

Did you get your Tuff Wayfinder's there ??? With a compass in the heel & the sole with animal footprint markings on them ?

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:27 pm

communistworkethic wrote:
Hmm you sure?, I remember the shoe shop that stood where Ikon is now and it had an xray machine for your feet.

Going back a fair while, but the Co-op used to stand on the corner opposite the Palais and next door to it was the old Rialto Cinema (where Ikon is now) . The Co-op was a very large store and sold clothes and shoes. After that the memory fades a bit. Other decent sized shoe shops I can remember were: Timpson, Bata, Saxone, Skinners, Freeman Hardy and Willis and there used to be a smaller one opposite the Wheatsheaf on Great Moor Street.

enfieldwhite · Post by **enfieldwhite** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:20 pm

TANGODANCER wrote:
communistworkethic wrote:
Hmm you sure?, I remember the shoe shop that stood where Ikon is now and it had an xray machine for your feet.
Going back a fair while, but the Co-op used to stand on the corner opposite the Palais and next door to it was the old Rialto Cinema (where Ikon is now) . The Co-op was a very large store and sold clothes and shoes. After that the memory fades a bit. Other decent sized shoe shops I can remember were: Timpson, Bata, Saxone, Skinners, Freeman Hardy and Willis and there used to be a smaller one opposite the Wheatsheaf on Great Moor Street.

Don't forget Tommy Balls!

sluffy · Post by **sluffy** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:44 pm

I remember the x-ray shoe fitting machines too.

The place my parents took me to though was a shoe shop (I'm 99% certain it was Clarkes) which was situated in a shopping arcade that led on to Bradshawgate. I think it probably was demolished to make way for the Arndale (although I might be wrong about this).

I posted this thread on ww - and one of the memories that came up was the 'wig' shop outside the Lido. You can just about make it out on the picture below -

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:11 pm

sluffy wrote:I remember the x-ray shoe fitting machines too.

The place my parents took me to though was a shoe shop (I'm 99% certain it was Clarkes) which was situated in a shopping arcade that led on to Bradshawgate. I think it probably was demolished to make way for the Arndale (although I might be wrong about this).

I posted this thread on ww - and one of the memories that came up was the 'wig' shop outside the Lido. You can just about make it out on the picture below -

On the next block down (towards Deansgate) was the old UCP cafe. All human life was there.

sluffy · Post by **sluffy** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:44 am

Anybody remember this -

The birdcage inside the Arndale (and Stolen from Ivor!)

Zulus Thousand of em · Post by **Zulus Thousand of em** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:48 am

Kinnell!

CrazyHorse · Post by **CrazyHorse** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:50 am

How old is that photo? Because it just seems like yesterday that the Arndale looked like that to me.

Zulus Thousand of em · Post by **Zulus Thousand of em** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:50 am

Mid to late 1970's I reckon.

bobo the clown · Post by **bobo the clown** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:53 am

TANGODANCER wrote:On the next block down (towards Deansgate) was the old UCP cafe. All human life was there.

The UCP cafe ("restaurant", actually Tango) was my dad's favourite haunt for grub. Looking with today's eyes I suspect it was all the rather severe waitresses in their black skirts. white blouses and white pinnies that was the draw.

Full name United Co-operative Provisions ... ie the Co-op eaterie (pronounced 'Qwarp', by the way).

It was the only place I ever knew who sold tripe, cowheel, trotters etc. from their menu.

My selection was always sausage, chips & gravy with a barm cake & a pot of tea.

It died the death around 1970, at the same time the Golden Egg opened next door to what became the Gaity pub, opposite the Swan.

Eeeh, but they knew how to live in those days !!

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:02 am

bobo the clown wrote:
TANGODANCER wrote:On the next block down (towards Deansgate) was the old UCP cafe. All human life was there.
The UCP cafe ("restaurant", actually Tango) was my dad's favourite haunt for grub. Looking with today's eyes I suspect it was all the rather severe waitresses in their black skirts. white blouses and white pinnies that was the draw.Full name United Co-operative Provisions ... ie the Co-op eaterie (pronounced 'Qwarp', by the way).

It was the only place I ever knew who sold tripe, cowheel, trotters etc. from their menu.

My selection was always sausage, chips & gravy with a barm cake & a pot of tea.

It died the death around 1970, at the same time the Golden Egg opened next door to what became the Gaity pub, opposite the Swan.

Eeeh, but they knew how to live in those days !!

Only other place I remember with the "French Maid" style waitresses was the Commercial pub/reataurant on the town hall square. Mind you, that was "posh", silver service stuff with the chips and plaice.

enfieldwhite · Post by **enfieldwhite** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:11 am

I'd forgotten about the birdcage!

And those child statues that looked like Pompeii victims, hideous.

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