Recalling Value Stores in South Shields

In the days before Aldi and Lidl, South Shields had its own cut-price shops, Value Stores.
The official opening of the Value Stores shop in Frederick Street, South Shields, on July 2, 1969.The official opening of the Value Stores shop in Frederick Street, South Shields, on July 2, 1969.
The official opening of the Value Stores shop in Frederick Street, South Shields, on July 2, 1969.

And judging by the number of comments posted on Facebook, in response to a photo of the store in the town’s Frederick Street, they were particularly popular with shoppers.

Irene Egglestone remembers that very store while Stephen Griffin recalls “the one on Fowler Street, where a young lady called Yvonne worked there in the 60s! Wow!”

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Sharon Elizabeth Nicholls posted: “ Me mam shopped there when we lived in Marshall Wallis Road.xxx” while Jill Khanzadeh-Amiri said: “Every week, with my mum, then myself on pay day.”

Dawne Adams revealed: “Me mam worked there for years x” and Lynda Ennis went online to say: “There weren’t many carrier bags either, shopping bags were the norm.”

Marion Nicholson said: “Did all my shopping there when first married” while Linda Mitchell remembers “shopping there with mam at Nook.”

Talking of The Nook, Lizzy Robinson, explains how “I worked there for 1976-1978” while Judith Payne harks back to those days, saying: “Aye the one on Boldon Lane used to get the broken biscuits.”

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Julie Carter took to Facebook to post: “I remember the one on Boldon Lane, used to go with my nana” and Sharon Walker adds: “ Remember going in the one at The Nook.”

Lesley Thompson explains that she: “Did my shopping there” while Mandey Nana Shaw said: “Me mam shopped they every Friday, Fowler Street” and Ann Pearce added: “ Every week with my mam and dad.”

Jean Sim is another Gazette reader who remembers Value Stores, saying: “Yes that was a long time ago, while Maureen Dowson shares the following tale.

“My dog once went in there and knocked tall display of beans over, they weren’t amused!”

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Kathleen Smith posted: “Used to go all the time with me mam xx Brill shop it was” while Lindsey Deanes says: “ I used to get dragged round that shop every Friday with my mam and grandma. It had some good cheap clothes for sandy dolls.”

Jennifer Pybus also took to social media to reveal: “Shopped there, you could leave your baby outside, imagine doing that these days.”

Meanwhile, when asked about your favourite shops in New Green Street, in South Shields, Helen Gardner suggested China Craft as did Linda Collier.

Irene Egglestone said: “ Tully’s machine shop” while Susan Sinclair stated: “Allens – sold everything!”

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Kathleen McConvill, meanwhile, revealed: “ I worked in the hairdressers, Annreil next to Sharps the butchers.”

Donald Bell went online to say that his favourite store was Duns, in Kings Street, a long time ago.”

Meanwhile, readers also took to Facebook after we posted photos of The Tavern and the Mermaid’s Tale pubs.

Robert Hambling posted: “My wife played darts there (the Mermaid’s Tale) in the mid-80s, press-ganged into a 24-hour dart marathon,last four hours was just a blur!”

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George Skelton pointed out that “Tail was always spelt ‘tale’ on the pub and ‘tail’ on the hanging sign?”

No doubt Clairey Laidler Whitfield could answer that puzzler, for she reveals that: “I lived there as a child, my dad used to run this pub.”

Another person who remembers the Market Place pub was Carl Stewart as did Derek Williamson who said: “Had some great times in there” while Simon Bruce recalls spending his time “upstairs mostly”.

Referring to The Tavern, Ken Cowey reveals: “Loved it Thursday and Satruday nights in the Hirdy Gerdie lol.”

Eleanor Davidson was also a fan, saying: “Crazy night on Thursday, loved the hirdy gerdie. Fantastic memories.”

Sandra Noble asks: “Can anyone remember the caller club on a Saturday afternoon?”