Changes

When I was a lad the shop that is now called 'Footprints' was a sweet shop, it was owned by a lady called Phyllis and she knew everyone who came into the shop. It was a traditional sweet shop with jars of all your favourites, the shop was tiny and wouldn't fit more than 2 of 3 people.

The corner of the shop was on Mill Street which was re-routed when the supermarket at the back was built. About the same time (if I remember correctly) Phyllis retired and the terrace was modernised.

The fish and chip shop used to be called Town End Chippy, people used to queue out of the door and it was still open when the pubs closed. Today it is still a chip shop but it sells all sorts of fast food, I hardly ever see anyone in it and it shuts at 9 PM.

Almost out of shot on the left is the George pub that has been closed for about 2 years, it featured as a blip last December, since then the vandals have struck and the downstairs windows have been boarded up, the pub is for sale but I am not holding my breath.

I used to think I lived in quite a nice town.

Update - a link to blip comes up on my Facebook page and someone has just told me that Phyllis died last week - Sad News - end of an era.