keith lockey

There's a lot of debate about online shopping killing off townships and community spirit. Let's look at it in perspective. I can't even buy a pair of shoes in Bedlington. (I know Tesco has just added a clothes department but...come on...not a great deal of choice.) If I want clothes of any kind I have to go out of town...which in my case means bus fares - £5.50 for a day return to Blyth. So I have that added cost. I get to Blyth and find they don't have what I want. So the next day I go to Ashington - more bus fares. They haven't got what I want either...and you can see where this is leading. An Arriva weekly ticket would cost me £25.50 and that's before I even set foot in a shop. On the other hand I can go online...sit in the comfort of my own home and order what I want...normally at a cheaper price than the shops. I can see what I'm buying and know it will arrive within a week. You can bury your heads in the sand if you want but online shopping is fantastic. No waiting for buses; no waiting in queues; no turning up at the shop and finding they haven't got your size in. What I'm trying to say is online shopping is here to stay and it wipes the floor with trudging around the Toon on a cold winter's day. What we need is what Merc' says. Local shops selling local produce at cheap prices. But in case you think I am giving up let's look at some shops that we could really do with in Bedlington... Wilkinsons. Primark. Heron's. (good food at good prices) Shoe Fayre or Priceless. W.H. Smiths. Just for starters. Let's not knock online shopping...for some it's the only game in town.

It's an old political trick...the..."Would you trust a new government at this time of crisis..." ruse. "We are in power...we know the rules of the game...trust us"...yadda yadda yadda. Unfortunately sheeple believe them. Come election time and every dirty trick in the book will be brought out.

I think STOP SHOP POP was 'Pop' Clouson (Clouston?), Eggy.

I can't swim. Besides, I've had too much cold water poured over my dreams.

I think Merc' & Malc' have the right idea where food is concerned. I think we should concentrate on that side of attracting people to our town and now that winter is around the bend people will be getting the broth pans out. So how about opening a couple of brothels in Bedders!! We could turn all the empty shops & pubs into high class establishments and I will even propose myself for consumer tester. Now I know it's a daunting task and will take up a lot of my time but I'm willing to take one for the team. All those in favour raise your...hand...and say AYE!

You're just a Cockeyed optimist, Threegee. (or as me and my brother used to say in our younger days ...:a cockeyed octopus!!!)

So was it "Salmond's enchanted evening."

Seriously not being funny here, Adam, but what is 'foot fall'. It's sound like politic-talk / jargon but I don't know what it means.

I'm afraid it's not just Bedlington, TomTom, It's in most of the towns. Shops closing down, businesses uprooting elsewhere; half-finished projects. (Elliot's Garage fiasco) I'm beginning to think Threegee might be right about radical change. (Was that a Tony Blair phrase?) As far as fag ends and rubbish goes they should get the tobacco companies to finance the clean up of their loathsome products. But the fact is that Britain is full of forgotten towns and the light at the end of the tunnel might just be afterglow.

Bank holiday coming up, Malcolm, my money's on Monday night for the first one to go out.

I see the Clayton Arms is getting new windows put in.

Cheers Reedy. Yes, that would be my Uncle Jacky - he lived in the Rows (Raas). Don't know about the Polish guy, Lewinsky. The guy on the bike wouldn't be Fanna Brown, would it? And finally, yes, my dad was nicknamed Nipper. Good one, thank your dad, cheers.

Er, are these them???

And some of them can ride tandem at the same time.

No good, Threegee, they can't do U-turns, the politicians' greatest manoeuvre.

I found these photos of my father and wondered if anyone can identify the other blokes on them. My dad is second from the right on both.

James, here's a photo of Yvonne Brown getting married. Her mam and dad were Peggy & Alfie Brown. (Standing to her left) Is the guy at the immediate right of the picture - as you're looking at it - you grandad, 'Fanna'?

I saw the reports last night when I went to bed. If it is indeed suicide then I can only hope those who have never suffered from chronic depression can try to understand how numbing it is. Many will think RW had everything, but sometimes you have nothing inside...or at least that's the way it seems.

Merc's right. I have this running argument with a friend about violence - past and present. The world seems a more violent place now - but that, as Merc says, is because we have 24 hour TV and mass media coverage. It's a violent planet we live on.

I'll hunt them out as soon as I can, James, hope they will be some help.

Jamesbtx - my aunty, Margaret 'Peggy' Cullen - married an Alfie Brown, He had a brother called Fanna. Alfie and Peggy lived in the prefabs then moved to Hollymount Square. Don't know if this is any good to you. If it is I'll dig out some photos for you.

I remember it well, Tony. Me and Jimmy Hunter went on the High Flyer and the challenge was to get high enough to see over to Blyth. Was there a 'crab' apple tree nearby? I remember being ill after eating some!

A confused and depressed identical twin decided to commit suicide...so he shot his brother.

Welcome aboard, Steve, hope you enjoy it.

Third from the right - front row - I think is David Jackson.