Stafford shops opening - Turning into a boom town?

[littleme]

I can remember a time when there was at least 6, possibly 7 fruit and veg stalls in the market, roughly the same for butchers. I'd go in twice a week for stuff. There was 1 butcher, he had the corner stall at the right hand back of the building, did the best smokey bacon ever. Was it Gerry or Jerry Billington, had 2 fruit n veg stalls in there. You got to know them all. Last time I went it, the place was die-ing on its arse.

Lots of the.come into my workplace before or after work....if I can I always try to use them instead of anywhere else ...

 

[Glam]

Lots of the.come into my workplace before or after work....if I can I always try to use them instead of anywhere else ...

The lady who used to run the car bits stall, nearest Wilkos, she is now a receptionist up the County. I see her several times a week, due to going up with patients.

 

[Wormella]

Knocking the lot down and turning it into flats or a hotel.....

Although... How many visitors want to stay in a hotel in Stafford....its Stafford, not Stratford.

More then once I've needed accommodation for visiting friends or when I used to run events and there would be nothing avilable in the town. That was before the Tillington Hall was demolished. I imagine it's worse now.

 

[littleme]

More then once I've needed accommodation for visiting friends or when I used to run events and there would be nothing avilable in the town. That was before the Tillington Hall was demolished. I imagine it's worse now.

That's good, I didn't ever see a reason for people to visit and stay?

 

[Mudgie]

If Len's video of a fancy dress party in the upstairs room still exists, then it is worth seeing...

I remember the folk club in the upstairs room about forty years ago, 30p admission and two pints of Springfield Bitter at 35p each meant an evening out for £1.

 

[Theresa Green]

That's good, I didn't ever see a reason for people to visit and stay?

Alton Towers visitors stay at the Premier Inns at 14 in significant numbers . As do visitors and exhibitors to events at the showground

Then there are all the homes being built plus the dead animals pet food warehouse, all have skilled workers that might stay over for four nights a week

Halfway between up there and down there made Stafford a stop off spot for OAP coach tours, particularly when Tillington Hall was open. Rick Wakeman and his band and entourage were also regulars there , as did other performing artists. It’s not easy to sleep in the hours after performing a concert so bands will sometimes travel on the road after a quick shower, and pitch up halfway toward the next venue so that the following day’s journey isn’t as long.

At 13 it tends to attract liaisons, plus the van man business. There just aren’t the lay-bys that there used to be

Although Acton Trussell is not in Stafford it obviously accommodates the wedding and conference clients as well as business owners on business trips

Then there are the rels

Visiting new family members but not wishing to hear them all night

Airbnb provides this alternative

 

[kyoto49]

I can remember a time when there was at least 6, possibly 7 fruit and veg stalls in the market, roughly the same for butchers. I'd go in twice a week for stuff. There was 1 butcher, he had the corner stall at the right hand back of the building, did the best smokey bacon ever. Was it Gerry or Jerry Billington, had 2 fruit n veg stalls in there. You got to know them all. Last time I went it, the place was die-ing on its arse.

Bob & Gerry Billington. I worked on a Saturday for Bob. Brilliant job as a sixth former

 

[kyoto49]

Well, I know some of the lovely market traders I there...the ones I frequent are (Melcombe, I think) Bags, keys, widows purses....he keeps me I an endless supply of holdalls that my cats like to pee in, so I have to replace regularly....if you ask he can find you almost anything you want with8n a few days.......

The lovely couple with the homeward store, along with Malcom I speak to them most market says, excellent purveyors of normal (not fancy) can openers.

Cats protection.......home made cat nip filled mouses that my cats go mad over....

Marc LeMoine butchers, the carers say it's the best dripping he's ever had.

Sewing stall...everything you could ever want if you sew...I probably only use them once a year but they are invaluable.


Please don't give up on the market....there are things there that you dont realise you want!

I use the sewing stall, the repair lady and Cats Protection but that's about it. It just hasn't got stalls I use sadly.

 

[staffordjas]

I use the sewing stall, the repair lady and Cats Protection but that's about it. It just hasn't got stalls I use sadly.

The last time I went in there was to the Cats Protection with some donations. The woman was most rude to me (after I'd patiently hung on for ages waiting for her to finish her chat to her mate) and told me she didn't want any more stuff . The Dogs Trust around the corner were grateful for the donated items , and I never visited the Market or Cats Protection stall again!

I had been going to use a card stall once , by passing The Card Factory , thinking I'd give the market one some business. No one around to serve me, even though I was standing there with a handful of cards . so put them down and went back to the Card Factory, All the stall holders seemed to have disappeared off for a chin wag .

 

[littleme]

Alton Towers visitors stay at the Premier Inns at 14 in significant numbers . As do visitors and exhibitors to events at the showground

Then there are all the homes being built plus the dead animals pet food warehouse, all have skilled workers that might stay over for four nights a week

Halfway between up there and down there made Stafford a stop off spot for OAP coach tours, particularly when Tillington Hall was open. Rick Wakeman and his band and entourage were also regulars there , as did other performing artists. It’s not easy to sleep in the hours after performing a concert so bands will sometimes travel on the road after a quick shower, and pitch up halfway toward the next venue so that the following day’s journey isn’t as long.

At 13 it tends to attract liaisons, plus the van man business. There just aren’t the lay-bys that there used to be

Although Acton Trussell is not in Stafford it obviously accommodates the wedding and conference clients as well as business owners on business trips

Then there are the rels

Visiting new family members but not wishing to hear them all night

Airbnb provides this alternative

Ahhh but Tillington is demolished, and we're a long way from Alton towers....not much to see or do here apart from family visits

 

[Gramaisc]

Ahhh but Tillington is demolished, and we're a long way from Alton towers....not much to see or do here apart from family visits

Great British Kitchen.
V Festival.
Shakespeare at the Castle.
Bands at the Showground.
Etc.

 

[littleme]

Great British kitchen? Where?

V festival didn't happen this year, not based in stafford either. Better hotels in Telford.

Castle Shakespeare probably moving to the Gatehouse, so not as much of an occasion.

When do the showground have concerts? Not fur years, all you see there are cats or tractors.

Don't get me wrong, i love stafford....but there's not much to do here.....

 

[Gramaisc]

Great British kitchen? Where?

V festival didn't happen this year, not based in stafford either. Better hotels in Telford.

Castle Shakespeare probably moving to the Gatehouse, so not as much of an occasion.

When do the showground have concerts? Not fur years, all you see there are cats or tractors.

Don't get me wrong, i love stafford....but there's not much to do here.....

Mmm, that was the point...

GBK was supposed to be in St George's.

There used to be a V-related event in the park, for those that arrived by train?

 

[Feed The Goat]

Great British kitchen? Where?

V festival didn't happen this year, not based in stafford either. Better hotels in Telford.

Castle Shakespeare probably moving to the Gatehouse, so not as much of an occasion.

When do the showground have concerts? Not fur years, all you see there are cats or tractors.

Don't get me wrong, i love stafford....but there's not much to do here.....

Not much to do in Stafford, how ungrateful

You can play indoor golf or darts in a converted 99p store

 

[Theresa Green]

Merrie England theme park

Est 1973

 

[Theresa Green]

Around The World Buffet @

Stafford Borough Library

 

[proactive]

Great British kitchen? Where?

V festival didn't happen this year, not based in stafford either. Better hotels in Telford.

Castle Shakespeare probably moving to the Gatehouse, so not as much of an occasion.

When do the showground have concerts? Not fur years, all you see there are cats or tractors.

Don't get me wrong, i love stafford....but there's not much to do here.....

Do people not come from all over the world to see our amazing castle?

 

[littleme]

Mmm, that was the point...

GBK was supposed to be in St George's.

There used to be a V-related event in the park, for those that arrived by train?

Used to be, used to be.

 

[littleme]

Do people not come from all over the world to see our amazing castle?

No

 

[Wormella]

That's good, I didn't ever see a reason for people to visit and stay?

All you need is a sell out show at the gatehouse (comedy shows often do that) + something big at the show ground + a delegation visiting something like perkins, or a big wedding and that's it. Add in usual rooms going to visiting people, or people stopping off as they do long drives and suddenly Stafford runs out of hotel rooms pretty quickly.