London Road - the opposite of Liverpool ONE

This article is taken from the now closed liverpool.com website that is still being updated?!

What?s the opposite of Liverpool ONE? Well, London Road?s a good place to start. This raggle-taggle route no longer takes you to a place where the streets are paved with gold but, thankfully, it still takes you to the wonderful TJ Hughes. Despite the loss of the Odeon, and, sigh, Bensons For Beds, there are trinkets and treasures worth exploring...continues...

Further Reading

Existing London Road thread: London Road Area

London Road used to be my local shopping street for years. Colliers (we can date when I was in there getting my school clothes one saturday when Alan Waddle scored the only goal in the Derby match) - Colliers had one of those tube payment systems. All mankind which then became Mailbox for your kecks, shirts, jeans etc. Timpsons and London's shoe shops, Woolies, Jonathan Silver, TJ's (that subway under Stafford Street), my parents got our glass cabinet out of Hardys, our office bought our snooker trophies from that shop facing the co-op which I traipsed around with my mam when it was fine fare. Had 3 piece suites from a couple of shops in London Road too. Pity how it's gone.

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Originally Posted by Ged

London Road used to be my local shopping street for years. Colliers (we can date when I was in there getting my school clothes one saturday when Alan Waddle scored the only goal in the Derby match) - Colliers had one of those tube payment systems. All mankind which then became Mailbox for your kecks, shirts, jeans etc. Timpsons and London's shoe shops, Woolies, Jonathan Silver, TJ's (that subway under Stafford Street), my parents got our glass cabinet out of Hardys, our office bought our snooker trophies from that shop facing the co-op which I traipsed around with my mam when it was fine fare. Had 3 piece suites from a couple of shops in London Road too. Pity how it's gone.

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London Rd does look a mess in parts but intrinsically it can be saved if it became a focus for specialist shops which were then supported by the population. Like many Liverpool shopping streets, it's suffered from a change in buying habits; so many existing shops could not survive. Some regeneration has taken place already of course, Remember the old frontage of the Arndale Centre next to T J Hughes. It was hideous and now having been reclad looks quite attractive. Other buildings in the street could do with some of the same tender loving care.

I agree Taffy but not just buying habits but the total destruction and depopulation of the area too. London Road once served hundreds of families based in and around the Bull Ring, Gerard Gardens, the Four squares on Soho st as well as the Piggeries - all in close proximity. Subsequent housing counts for a lot less than half the original numbers and if people head into town now, it's for St Johns and liverpool 1.

Got a suit from the Fifty Shilling tailors in London Rd cost me 8 guineas(?8/8shillings)
P S the clothes I`m wearing in my avatar are all from T J`S

What's happened to Liverpool.com?

So what's the full story?

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Originally Posted by eyedoubleyou

What's happened to Liverpool.com?

So what's the full story?

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I remember your comments when we spoke last mate, seems to have been a bit of a premonition. See here

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Originally Posted by gregs dad

Got a suit from the Fifty Shilling tailors in London Rd cost me 8 guineas(?8/8shillings)
P S the clothes I`m wearing in my avatar are all from T J`S

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Inflation must have taken place !!! Surely 50 shillings is two pounds 10 shillings and not 8 guineas

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Originally Posted by Ged

I agree Taffy but not just buying habits but the total destruction and depopulation of the area too. London Road once served hundreds of families based in and around the Bull Ring, Gerard Gardens, the Four squares on Soho st as well as the Piggeries - all in close proximity. Subsequent housing counts for a lot less than half the original numbers and if people head into town now, it's for St Johns and liverpool 1.

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True, Everton's population has fallen 10 fold since the 1960s. It's interesting to look at the London Rd area in the 19th C censuses. It's astonishing how many people lived locally

There's engineers dept records of housing in Kempston st and all those streets at the top end of London Road and off Prescot Street too - the area must have been thriving back then.

I remember TJ,s going shopping there with my Nanna. I think im right that the Money used to fly off in a shuttle, then the change came back? or am i crackers? No im sure it was TJ's i even think i saw the pipework still there when last i visited.

I have to keep reminding myself where ive been :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3436/...f4f2db2c_o.jpg
The old Co-op, art decor building in London Rd now student accomadation.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/...4ec90ba6_o.jpg
Blackburns old building in Great Newton St
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2675/...4395761c_o.jpg
Rapids new store, the old John Lewis and George henry Lees store from Williamson Square

Colliers - I remember, just like Ged, going around there with my mum and being facinated by the tubes they put the money into.

I remember the Woolies too. Still go to TJ's regularly.

Does anyone know why the posts are dated 04/08/09? Or have I been asleep for a week!

I think that mean April 8th 2009 ;)

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Originally Posted by Spike

I remember TJ,s going shopping there with my Nanna. I think im right that the Money used to fly off in a shuttle, then the change came back? or am i crackers? No im sure it was TJ's i even think i saw the pipework still there when last i visited.

I have to keep reminding myself where ive been :)

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Nah! man you're right it was because too many tills would have had to be issued on each independant department.

As for crackers...you still are. :)

Great pics Gregs Dad, as usual. I remember going window shopping down London Road with me mum and dad. It was magical. I was up there acouple of months ago and it was very sad. It looked like the whole place was ready to fall down.

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Originally Posted by George

Nah! man you're right it was because too many tills would have had to be issued on each independant department.

As for crackers...you still are. :)

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Phew I knew I remembered it.

Yep still crackers, best way to be :)