[quote][cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]What was the place that used to be down towards the ferry, past Boots, used to buy my Farahs there in the early 80's[/quote]
Wa it Omini's or something like that
Also the mans shop up near were BHS was done all the lastest stuff as well as Suits, Pierre Cardin,Lois, Pringle etc
I always look at it as a tale of two towns - Lewisham and Woolwich. Both lost a lot of jobs/heavy industry and both have seen their populations change over the years. Both are rough and ready places, but Lewisham's still got a bit of life to it - Woolwich looks ready to throw itself off a cliff. Lewisham Market still thrives, and the pound shops haven't quite taken over SE13 like they have SE18.
I wonder - and we're going back many, many years - if it was the pedestrianisation of the town centre that killed Woolwich. I've also got dim memories of it being a bustling centre, the old lifts in Cuffs, waiting for the bus home outside Richard Shops on Powis Street, that kind of thing. That town centre's now a dead zone at night, while Lewisham still feels relatively safe.
Now I only go to Woolwich to visit mates or because I'm on my way somewhere else, and I'm only a few minutes away.
[cite]Posted By: Goonerhater[/cite]Tavern where are you son ? Pringle STs etc im sure the boys would have brought the stuff down there so what was the shops name.
The one im thinkin of would have been about 6/7 shops up from the Ordanance Arms
[cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite]I always look at it as a tale of two towns - Lewisham and Woolwich. Both lost a lot of jobs/heavy industry and both have seen their populations change over the years. Both are rough and ready places, but Lewisham's still got a bit of life to it - Woolwich looks ready to throw itself off a cliff. Lewisham Market still thrives, and the pound shops haven't quite taken over SE13 like they have SE18.
I wonder - and we're going back many, many years - if it was the pedestrianisation of the town centre that killed Woolwich. I've also got dim memories of it being a bustling centre, the old lifts in Cuffs, waiting for the bus home outside Richard Shops on Powis Street, that kind of thing. That town centre's now a dead zone at night, while Lewisham still feels relatively safe.
Now I only go to Woolwich to visit mates or because I'm on my way somewhere else, and I'm only a few minutes away.
Lewisham can look dodgy, there are bad bits I wouldn't fancy walking through on my own, a few nutters loiter round the bus stops. having said that, the DLR brought a whole lot of good-ness to lewisham, the new flats in the middle have improved the area's look from the train tracks if people thought thats what lewisham has to offer.
I wouldn't like to walk around anywhere in the dark on my own, leaving work late at night is dodgy, and always have my phone on me handy ready to call whoever. I'm not saying woolwich isn't grim, and could do with a make over, but i think you all sound surprised that changes have taken place, and that its not possible of changing for the better it is. everything changes!
I worked in Woolwich as a young lad ,Goonerhater.Omnis as DA9 has said sold Farahs etc,all the lads then in our group used Nik Naks in Soho for ST Fila BJ,also we use to go over Shepards Bush great shop over there at the time.Pringle and all the other clobber was westend. I can honestly say in the early 80s i never knew of a shop in Woolwich that sold that gear. Lillywhites was great at the time for gear as well,use to love away games in london as a certain chap that came with us would make a fortune selling us ST,fIla,ellese and burberry. Obvious how he got it by the way
[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]What was the place that used to be down towards the ferry, past Boots, used to buy my Farahs there in the early 80's
BHS?
Nah, it will come to me in a minute, it used to have a small cafe inside there as well.......really bugging me now......got it......OMNI's
Yep, I used to work right next door when it was Bejam, the freezer people! What was the shop at the top of Hare St next to woolworths, that used to have a back entrance to the car park?
[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]What was the place that used to be down towards the ferry, past Boots, used to buy my Farahs there in the early 80's
BHS?
Nah, it will come to me in a minute, it used to have a small cafe inside there as well.......really bugging me now......got it......OMNI's
Yep, I used to work right next door when it was Bejam, the freezer people! What was the shop at the top of Hare St next to woolworths, that used to have a back entrance to the car park?
[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]What was the place that used to be down towards the ferry, past Boots, used to buy my Farahs there in the early 80's
BHS?
Nah, it will come to me in a minute, it used to have a small cafe inside there as well.......really bugging me now......got it......OMNI's
Yep, I used to work right next door when it was Bejam, the freezer people! What was the shop at the top of Hare St next to woolworths, that used to have a back entrance to the car park?
Tav think ur right mate , although i thought i got my Sts there tho ? just remember a well known chap with a van load of Pringle gear --- anyone remember that ? im sure it was shortly after that the "best dressed crew in div two" was herd.
[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]What was the place that used to be down towards the ferry, past Boots, used to buy my Farahs there in the early 80's
BHS?
Nah, it will come to me in a minute, it used to have a small cafe inside there as well.......really bugging me now......got it......OMNI's
Yep, I used to work right next door when it was Bejam, the freezer people! What was the shop at the top of Hare St next to woolworths, that used to have a back entrance to the car park?
Wasn't Burtons at the top of Hare Street?
Yes, I think so. Opposite Woollies
Right. Opposite not next to. I knew it was near Woolies...
Also at the time Nik Nacks had Armani etc,our lot was wearing the latest Lacoste at the time,as i have mentioned on previous posts getting dressed for the match,part 1 and 2,can we bump this please?
I remember that Woolwich wasn't always a nice place to be. Saturday nights there were gangs going "paki" (sic) bashing or squaddie bashing or squaddies fighting each other or the locals, the pubs were terrible and like American Werewolf in London.
My nan used to work in the Mitre and the pub opposite.
Did go shooping there in the 60s as a kid and it was thriving which is why McDonalds open there first store there. But then again fewer people had cars, people shopped locally and more often as no freezers or on-line shopping.
More people used to go to the cinema but now there are DVDs and 1000 TV channels. 3 cinemas in Woolwich and all closed now. Fair point that Somali and others recent arrives don't have the same drinking or even pub culture but pubs have been going under for a long time and are doing so in areas with mainly White English residents.
Since WWII all the major employers from Charlton and Woolwich, not just the Arsenal, have gone. Siemens, The barracks, etc etc, all gone or drastically reduced. Ditto Morgan Grampian and the Woolwich so all people in work spending money at lunchtime in shops or in pubs like the Mitre. This also hit Charlton Athletic as the men who might have finished work at 12.00 on Saturday went on the game. Now they are tucked up in bed in Medway.
LB Greenwich didn't help but the decline would most likely have happened anyway. People now go to Bluewater or Lakeside.
But things do change. Decline is not irreversible. Woolwich pre-WWII was a very rough place. The police went about in pairs in some areas and not at all in places like the Dusthole where some of my family came from. My dad says that seeing Soldiers and Sailors going at each other was a regular event as was the Horse Artillery using their spurs on people when they went down.
[cite]Posted By: Goonerhater[/cite]i remember going to Brick Lane to buy a pair of Gibson shoes , was f**king scared to wear em out they cost so much !
From Blackman's?
The worst shop, worst customer service, worst presentation ever. Business card was a cut up shoe box with a John Bull stamp on it.
We had a tear up with a load of squaddies at the North Kent Tavern, night of the Woolwich town hall back to the Valley announcement, remember one of their own squad telling them to line up and march back to the barracks, very bizarre, but a good show of discipline
I dont remember it being rough tho Henry ? thats not to say it wasnt. As you say it was (still is) a garrison town. Its not that long ago that a few well known people used to do the door at Flamingoes and you also has Spooks there , so i must have been (as will others on here ) wandering about after they chucked out.
Also a well known guy Mic Mac (RIP) who was CAFC did a skin head sorts disco evvery Sunday night in The Crown and Cushion i dont remember it being that bad coming back from there either.
There was a famous jewish taylors at new cross end of Deptford High Street where the mods used to get their suits made. was still there about 15 years back spoke to the guy in there about it once said it was his dad and uncle that did all that and some saturdays they would be quing outside waiting to get measured for their whistles.
When I was a kid, the 3 places that the family would shop were Bromley, Lewisham and Woolwich - and my old Nan, living in Eltham/Brook estate would always prefer Woolwich.
When I was a kid growing up, Woolwich was hustle and bustle, the colourful Beresford Square Market and all the big shops down Powis St and Hare St, and a myriad of busy smaller shops. So many people.
In the 70's, I was working for the Woolwich Equitable opposite the Arsenal station and remember going to MacDonalds when it was the first one in Britain about 1973. And the Tramshed was the place we went to.
By the early 80's, places started getting boarded up and being pulled down.
I haven't been back since - but from what you people are saying, I wouldn't recognise the place now.
Comments
Wa it Omini's or something like that
Also the mans shop up near were BHS was done all the lastest stuff as well as Suits, Pierre Cardin,Lois, Pringle etc
I wonder - and we're going back many, many years - if it was the pedestrianisation of the town centre that killed Woolwich. I've also got dim memories of it being a bustling centre, the old lifts in Cuffs, waiting for the bus home outside Richard Shops on Powis Street, that kind of thing. That town centre's now a dead zone at night, while Lewisham still feels relatively safe.
Now I only go to Woolwich to visit mates or because I'm on my way somewhere else, and I'm only a few minutes away.
The one im thinkin of would have been about 6/7 shops up from the Ordanance Arms
Already got it mate, OMNI's
Fsahionways?????
When will it ever end!
Lewisham can look dodgy, there are bad bits I wouldn't fancy walking through on my own, a few nutters loiter round the bus stops. having said that, the DLR brought a whole lot of good-ness to lewisham, the new flats in the middle have improved the area's look from the train tracks if people thought thats what lewisham has to offer.
I wouldn't like to walk around anywhere in the dark on my own, leaving work late at night is dodgy, and always have my phone on me handy ready to call whoever. I'm not saying woolwich isn't grim, and could do with a make over, but i think you all sound surprised that changes have taken place, and that its not possible of changing for the better it is. everything changes!
I can honestly say in the early 80s i never knew of a shop in Woolwich that sold that gear.
Lillywhites was great at the time for gear as well,use to love away games in london as a certain chap that came with us would make a fortune selling us ST,fIla,ellese and burberry.
Obvious how he got it by the way
Wasn't Burtons at the top of Hare Street?
Right. Opposite not next to. I knew it was near Woolies...
My nan used to work in the Mitre and the pub opposite.
Did go shooping there in the 60s as a kid and it was thriving which is why McDonalds open there first store there. But then again fewer people had cars, people shopped locally and more often as no freezers or on-line shopping.
More people used to go to the cinema but now there are DVDs and 1000 TV channels. 3 cinemas in Woolwich and all closed now. Fair point that Somali and others recent arrives don't have the same drinking or even pub culture but pubs have been going under for a long time and are doing so in areas with mainly White English residents.
Since WWII all the major employers from Charlton and Woolwich, not just the Arsenal, have gone. Siemens, The barracks, etc etc, all gone or drastically reduced. Ditto Morgan Grampian and the Woolwich so all people in work spending money at lunchtime in shops or in pubs like the Mitre. This also hit Charlton Athletic as the men who might have finished work at 12.00 on Saturday went on the game. Now they are tucked up in bed in Medway.
LB Greenwich didn't help but the decline would most likely have happened anyway. People now go to Bluewater or Lakeside.
But things do change. Decline is not irreversible. Woolwich pre-WWII was a very rough place. The police went about in pairs in some areas and not at all in places like the Dusthole where some of my family came from. My dad says that seeing Soldiers and Sailors going at each other was a regular event as was the Horse Artillery using their spurs on people when they went down.
From Blackman's?
The worst shop, worst customer service, worst presentation ever. Business card was a cut up shoe box with a John Bull stamp on it.
But best shoes/boots and best prices
Also a well known guy Mic Mac (RIP) who was CAFC did a skin head sorts disco evvery Sunday night in The Crown and Cushion i dont remember it being that bad coming back from there either.
Taking them to the dry cleaners and getting the crease permanently stitched in?
Lois jumbo cords?, splitting the seam and fraying them at the bottom, them were the days fella
just checked out their website, some good stuff on there
When I was a kid growing up, Woolwich was hustle and bustle, the colourful Beresford Square Market and all the big shops down Powis St and Hare St, and a myriad of busy smaller shops. So many people.
In the 70's, I was working for the Woolwich Equitable opposite the Arsenal station and remember going to MacDonalds when it was the first one in Britain about 1973. And the Tramshed was the place we went to.
By the early 80's, places started getting boarded up and being pulled down.
I haven't been back since - but from what you people are saying, I wouldn't recognise the place now.