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I can remember going in to the Stakeford COOP as a boy with my Grandmother, no self service in those days just about everything sold was loose and was put up to the customers needs, sugar was weighed and put in to blue paper bags, butter was in a huge lump and the customers requirement was cut off and shaped using wooden spatula kind of tools then wrapped, same with cheese cut with a cheese wire and wrapped, bacon was sliced to the customers preferred thickness. The counter assistant who served you did not take your money she sent you bill whizzing along one of those zip wires to the cash office and they sent you change and you dividend receipt whizzing back to the counter. I can still remember our check number , what a job it must have been for the cashiers in those days working out all the yearly dividend payments using nowt more than a pencil and paper.

We're only larger because we need stronger constitutions than the Southern Shandy Drinkers to enable us to survive in the wild and woolly North (and by 'North' I don't mean bloody Manchester!).

it was still the same in the early 80's in Yugoslavia, they managed 100% employment as in a shop it was exactly the same -- ooo the sight of all the huge wooden drawers with dried peas etc in, but there you told the assistant what you wanted - another assistant went to get it and gave it to another who wrapped it. It then went to the till - where someone totalled it (and then whizzed it away somewhere to gawd knows how many others, in one of those wire machines) and then another packed it all in bags - you were given a till receipt and took that to the payment till and paid ---then you could go and pick up your shopping. I think the last time I saw one of those wire cash carriers in this country was in Smailes in Morpeth, although I seem to recall that all woolworths were fitted with them.

Never noticed any of them. Can't see (via Google) any on the two Co-op buildings at Bedlington Station but the Stakeford Coop one does stand out, when you look up - must have spent my youth staring at the ground!

I'll second that - the 'Remainers' turned to 'comfort' eating with the mind blowing Brexit talks and the final straw, turning Big Ben off their body clocks hadn't a clue when to stop eating comfort food.

Aye, Raisbecks. Leavin' Netherton Village School one day ah shit mesel an' decided ah better wahk yem. Haffway ti West Lea the bus stopped an' the Raisbecks driver tried ti get is on the bus. It took a few minutes like ti convince him ah was happy wahkin'. Ah think ah did iverybody on the bus a favah.