Showing posts with label Stockport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stockport. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

Tandy in Stockport

Finding a Tandy ghost sign thanks to The Power of Parker!


A recent post in the excellent Tandy UK (InterTAN Ltd) Facebook Group alerted me to the fact that there's a ghost sign from an old Tandy shop in Stockport. A fellow group member had spotted in the background of a scene in the new BBC comedy The Power of Parker. The show is set in Stockport in November 1990.

A Tandy ghost sign in Stockport
Tandy lives on!

The store used to be at 111 Prince's Street. It's now home to a Betfred.

Betfred in Stockport town centre
The former Tandy shop in Stockport as it is today

My first job was at a Tandy franchise shop in Abingdon, Oxfordshire back in 1996 where I remember selling a number of electronic products bearing the 'RadioShack', 'Genexxa' and 'Realistic' brand names.


RadioShack Tandy sign at a shop in Whitstable, Kent (September 2012)
A RadioShack Tandy sign at a shop in Whitstable, Kent (September 2012)

It's crazy to think this Tandy signage has been hidden in (relatively) plain sight in my new hometown!

A Tandy ghost sign in Stockport
A Tandy ghost sign in Stockport

Related blog posts:

Saturday, April 01, 2023

Pubs of Stockport during the coronavirus pandemic

A look at Stopfordian Pubs.

Three years ago today we photographed The Kings Tap on Station Road in Cheadle Hulme. It became the first of 265 pubs, bars and clubs we visited in the borough between April and the 4th of July when the first lockdown ended.

Pub number 1 - The Kings Tap on Station Road in Cheadle Hulme. A lovely Art Deco building. We'd never seen it shuttered before the lockdown
Pub number 1 - The Kings Tap on Station Road in Cheadle Hulme. A lovely Art Deco building. We'd never seen it shuttered before the lockdown

We visited each of the pubs while on our daily outdoor exercise between Wednesday 1st April and before pubs were allowed to reopen with social distancing measures on Saturday 4th July.

It gave us something to do during the lockdowns and it was interesting to see the variety of architecture, different signage, parts of the town we haven't been to for a long time and other parts of the area we've never been to. I documented the pubs on Instagram using the #StopfordianPubs tag.

At the 265th pub on our lockdown 'pub crawl'. Not a drop was drunk on our daily walks in April, May, June and July
At the 265th pub on our lockdown 'pub crawl'. Not a drop was drunk on our daily walks in April, May, June and July

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

A BHS ghost sign in Stockport

The ghost sign at the former British Home Stores shop in Stockport town centre is still on view.


A ghost sign on the former BHS in Stockport
A ghost sign on the former BHS in Stockport

Monday, July 11, 2022

A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man in Stockport

Spotting a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man in Stockport.


A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man in Stockport
The next time I need some flooring I'll be getting a quote from Floor Giants

I do enjoy spotting wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube men advertising stuff. But I don't see them often enough for my liking. The last one we saw was a Santa airdancer in Dereham, Norfolk last November.

A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man in Stockport
An airdancer - and a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man

So it was a real treat when I spotted this fellow while walking home from Stockport town centre on Saturday afternoon!

A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man in Stockport

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Totally Stockport Comic Con

80s TV, film and pop culture heaven!


Gremlins at the Totally Stockport Comic Con
Gremlins causing a scene

We had a marvellous morning at the Totally Stockport FREE Comic Con. What a brilliant event. So much to see and do.

The Totally Stockport Comic Con

The event was organised by Totally Stockport.

There have been some superb events here in Stockport. The last Comic Con was excellent too. The event was set to become an annual attraction, but the coronavirus put paid to the follow-up event in May 2020.

K.I.T.T. at theTotally Stockport Comic Con
I've wanted to see K.I.T.T. in real life since I was a little kid. This was amazing!

We're so glad the event went ahead and are looking forward to the next Stockport Comic Con already!

Ecto-1 at the Totally Stockport Comic Con
Ecto-1

A tauntaun at the Totally Stockport Comic Con
Urgh, this tauntaun smelled bad on the outside

Chewbacca at the Totally Stockport Comic Con
Me and Chewbacca

R2-D2 at the Totally Stockport Comic Con
R2-D2

Johnny 5 from Short Circuit at the Totally Stockport Comic Con
Johnny 5

The A-Team van at the Totally Stockport Comic Con
The A-Team van

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Dodgeballing again!

Back in action with the Cheadle & Gatley Griffins Dodgeball Club.


It was brilliant to be back in action with the Cheadle & Gatley Griffins Dodgeball Club last night.

Richard Gottfried - Dodgeballer
Richard Gottfried - Dodgeballer

The session in Parrs Wood, Manchester was the first one for the club's adult members since March 2020.


I played 4, won 2, lost 2 in games. A fun mix of Prison Rules, Super Catch and Secret Spy.

I was also the third last player in the Last Person Standing game at the end of the night.

Check out the Cheadle & Gatley Griffins Dodgeball Club website for more info on the Tuesday night sessions.


See the British Dodgeball website for more info on the serious side of the game.


My 'all-time' Dodgeball Win-Loss Record (2005-2022) now stands at 991 games played, 453 wins, 494 losses and 44 tied games.

I've been playing the game since the eighties so this is my fifth decade!

Saturday, February 05, 2022

Jump Heaven Adventure Golf in Stockport

New Adventure Golf course opening at Jump Heaven in Stockport.


Jump Heaven Adventure Golf in Hazel Grove, Stockport opens on the 1st March 2022

The new Pirate Adventure Golf course at Jump Heaven in Hazel Grove, Stockport is opening on Tuesday 1st March.

Visit the Jump Heaven website for more information.


It's the first Adventure Golf course to open in Stockport and will be very local to us and our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

This sign stinks

This sign in Stockport stinks.


This sign stinks
This sign stinks

Saturday, December 18, 2021

The best Christmas tree I've seen so far this year

We spotted this marvellous Christmas tree made out of skips as we passed by Cheadle Skip Hire on Friday evening!


A Christmas tree at Cheadle Skip Hire
A Christmas tree at Cheadle Skip Hire

Sunday, December 05, 2021

Jump Heaven Adventure Golf in Hazel Grove, Stockport.

A new adventure golf course is being built at Jump Heaven in Hazel Grove, Stockport.


The new Jump Heaven Adventure Golf course at Jump Heaven in Hazel Grove, Stockport is opening in March 2022.

Jump Heaven Adventure Golf in Hazel Grove, Stockport.
Opening in March 2022

We swung by for a quick look while out on a Sunday drive.

Jump Heaven Adventure Golf under construction in Hazel Grove, Stockport. December 2021

Jump Heaven Adventure Golf under construction in Hazel Grove, Stockport. December 2021

Jump Heaven Adventure Golf under construction in Hazel Grove, Stockport. December 2021

Jump Heaven Adventure Golf under construction in Hazel Grove, Stockport. December 2021

Visit the Jump Heaven website for more information.


It'll be a very local course for us and our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Winebulance

We recently had a delivery from the Stockport Winebulance!


The Winebulance
Emily with her emergency delivery of supplies from the Winebulance

What an emergency service.

The Winebulance
New York - Paris - Milan - Stockport

Check out the Helen Jones Wines website for more information.


Monday, November 22, 2021

Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport

It was nice to see Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport on Saturday evening as part of the promotion for the new Ghostbusters film.

Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport

Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport

Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport

Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport

Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

A sign of the times

A sign from the 2021 fuel shortage crisis.


Petrol shortage sign at Texaco in Cale Green, Stockport
What a sign!

They didn't have any petrol there.

Sunday, August 29, 2021

One of the last buses out of dodge

Stockport bus station closes at the end of today, Sunday 29th August 2021.


Work will then begin on a new bus station as well as other developments in this area.

We saw this old orange Manchester bus on its Stockport Bus Station Special Farewell Tour in the town centre yesterday.

An old orange Manchester SELNEC bus on a Farewell to Stockport Bus Station Tour
An old orange Manchester SELNEC bus on a Farewell to Stockport Bus Station Tour

Videos of the area before the closure

Monday, August 02, 2021

LAPD Food Stockport

Emily recently had a brilliant takeaway tea ordered from LAPD Food Stockport - they deliver your order in an American police car!

LAPD Food's Delivery Police Car
How cool is this for a delivery vehicle! I love the branding

What a brilliant thing to see driving around Cheadle Hulme.

Monday, May 17, 2021

Lost shops - Debenhams

Debenhams recently became the latest retail casualty as the brand ceased trading on the high street in May 2021 after 243 years of operation. More than 100 bricks & mortar stores closed and Debenhams will continue as an online-only brand as it is now owned by online retailer Boohoo.

Debenhams in Manchester

Debenhams in Stockport


Debenhams in Stockport
The lights were still on in December 2020

Debenhams in Stockport
A view of the store during lockdown in April 2021

Debenhams in Stockport

Debenhams in Stockport
In the store in April 2021

Debenhams in Stockport

Debenhams in Stockport

Debenhams in Stockport

Debenhams in Stockport
In January 2021

Debenhams in Nuneaton


Debenhams in Nuneaton
In May 2021

Debenhams in Nuneaton

Debenhams in Nuneaton

Debenhams in Nuneaton

Debenhams in Nuneaton

Debenhams in Nuneaton

Debenhams in Manchester


Debenhams in Manchester
Debenhams on Market Street in Manchester one day after the store's closure

Covid-19 signs


Debenhams in Stockport
Covid-19 signage in January 2021

Debenhams in Stockport

Debenhams in Stockport

Debenhams in Stockport

Debenhams in Stockport
A Covid-19 sign in August 2020

What next for the former shops?

As with other collapsed chains it'll be interesting to see who moves in to the former Debenhams shops and how long the last traces of the brand will linger on the high street.

There are already plans for one former store to become an indoor entertainment venue. Gravity Active Entertainment will be opening a new centre in Wandsworth, London. The four-floor site will be home to a crazy golf course, bar & restaurant, pool, tenpin bowling, darts, high ropes, go-karting and more.

The retailtainment and minigolf boom

Miniature Golf is a big part of the retailtainment boom, with courses opening as standalone entertainment activities, or as part of large shoppingtainment leisure offerings in malls, high streets and retail parks.

Some of these retailtainment activities are permanent, while others are pop-ups catering to a mix of audiences, from children and families, to adults looking for competitive socialising fun.

Minigolf has really grown in popularity in the last decade and has moved from only being a traditional outdoor seaside summer activity to become a year-round game that can be played indoors, outdoors and at pretty much any time of the day.

A number of high streets, retail parks and shopping malls are now home to minigolf courses, with more new venues planned to open.

Minigolf is also a popular addition to boost footfall, create awareness and attract people to a location. Businesses also use portable and temporary minigolf layouts for product launches and promotions.

Other lost shops

We've seen traces, remnants and signage of a number of lost shop brands on our travels including Blockbuster Video, Toys R Us, Woolworths, British Home Stores, Kwik Save, Tandy, RadioShack, Grainger GamesCarphone Warehouse and JJB Sports.