Keith Scantlebury

washing

ironing

f.....g

everything else

(Please do not read the first letter of each word down as it is sexist and may cause offence to those without a sense of humor)

There was a hole in the road ..... the police are looking into it

That barmaid worked in the Percy for years Brian, ..... I wondered where she got to.

I dont mind a bit of folk music, usually traditional Northumbrian, but I don't think I will be rushing out to get a baggy Arran sweater just yet, mind you, the Guiness aint bad

Bloody marvelous........... I was just gonna say that!!!!!

To be honest folks I have I have all but given up on those clowns in Westminster and beyond. It does not matter one bit who runs the country because each one is as bad as the other. They all promise the earth to get into office, when they do get into office they spend their time wriggling out of their pre-election promises then telling lies about their lies. I have seen less !*!@# after a busy day at Hexham mart. Not a single one of them could lie straight in their beds at night. I wonder how long it will take PINKY and PERKY [aka Dave and Nick] to take the country to the deepest fathoms of the Heath government of the early seventies, remember the three day weeks and the power cuts? [ No wonder the daft git sank his yaught ] Seems we are heading that way again at a rate of knots.

Kate Middleton asked The Queen the secret of a long and happy marriage.

The Queen told her to always wear a seatbelt and don't pxxs me off.

Goodun Malcolm ...... worth remembering that H M Queen will have 60 years in the job next year so she won't want Katie taking the shine off that will she. I wonder if we'll get an extra bank hol next year as well

There was a Kevin Arkle that lived in Roslin Park, I think he went to the Whitley when I was there. There were some Arkles running the Bank Top a few years ago.

Hi all just to let anyone who may be interested know, to-day is Australia Day and this proud nation has a day off work to celebrate so to be patriotic in an Aussie way me and mine are going to Burrum heads for a BBQ breakie and a BBQ lunch followed by a swim and a snooze ....(Glad the rain has gone)

Hope you enjoyed yourselves Brian.

I do apologise to all you for going off on one and shifting the subject off topic. I think Vic, in Canada and Brian in Australia would correct me if I'm wrong, If you were accepted into any of those countries and did not have a job you would have to have a sponsor, someone to take responsibility for you because you will NOT be entitled to benefits having not made any contribution. I do know that if you went to Aus on a retirement visa you have to prove that you have substantial funds to support yourselves. The way to get benefits in this country is simple, sneak in through the Port of Dover in a trailer, get yourself caught when the driver stops for a break , get arrested and you are well on the way to the life of Riley. By the way , there are no clothes on Cambois beach, it was too bloody cold.

What are you getting at here Keith? You mention Burkha and interpretor yet only last week you compare favourably the ethnic minority corner shops with our own. Just wondering. ////

Yeah but I am not going into their shops looking for a job, the good people in those shops are doing a fine job that they are willing to work hard at. If you read what I have written again, [i may have not phrased it very well, sorry] you will see that it is not the ethnic minority that I am criticising, it is the system. It seems that the staff at the DWP,or whatever it is called this month, are able to bend over backwards to help those who have made this country their home and expect us to look after them and their extended family [i include all immigrants not just Asians]. It may be that the staff at the DWP have to make sure that they get it right with those people, they don't want to step on some very tender toes, do they. I feel agreived by the fact that I have paid into the system for 40 years, taking very little out [ a short stay in hospital 25 years ago], never been unemployed till now and someone who has come into this country, cannot speak any English gets taken to the job center in a 09 registered RANGE ROVER, sits down with an interpreter then leaves with a big smile on his face. I on the other hand have been kept totally in the dark about exactly what help I am entitled to, I was only told about free eye tests and glasses after I had paid for them, yet they would not let me claim the cost back. Expences paid for attending a job interview out of the area? now that makes my butt cheeks really wobble with laughter........£6 to go to Carlisle and back. I wonder how far that Range Rover would get on £6 worth of fuel.

So FOXY, it is not those folk that have worked hard at running the corner shop, selling us what we want, when we want it that I am annoyed at, nor am I particularly annoyed at the man turning up in the Range Rover, after all he is just taking what he has been offered, I am annoyed by the fact that I am not being afforded the same respect, Now, is that not racism?

Just an afterthought, if I take an interperater/advisor with me, I might be able to claim the cost of the sunbed sessions back. Just in case anyoneis still wondering, YES, some spotty faced, jumped up oik has wound me up the wrong way up there today. If anyone can use them, there will be a pile of clothes on Cambois beach later today, I have just read John Darwin's book, "Canoeing for the depressed"

I'm gonna book a few long sessions in the suntan shop that Andy mentions before my next depression fuelled visit to the Job Center. If I can persuade the wife to follow a few steps behind me wearing a Burkha [she can soon run one up on the sewing machine], I might just get a little more respect and someone might just take an interest in me and give me exactly what I am entitled to and actually do what they are trained to do and help me get back to work. A couple of prospetive employers have told me that even though I am better qualified for the job, they have given it to someone who is long term unemployed because of the incentives available for employing them. So, if the sun tan shop in the station can make sure that there are plenty of shillings in the leccy meter, I'll be along shortly

Hello, just stumbled upon this wonderful site!

Anyhow, wonder if anyone knows anything about my family. Grandparents lived in Choppington, next to the first school. I'd also be interested to find out about the family when they owned Paddock Hall, on the Morpeth Road. I'm freinds with the present owners and know they'd love to see photo's if anyone has any. thanks

Paddock Hall? is that the over priced riding school? I know of quite a few Arkles in the Bedlington area but you have not done yourself any favours by leaving your profile blank, or by not introducing yourself to the members. A little background information would be a great help

what about Subway? the closest one is surely Cramlington or Morpeth? I doubt Subway would turn down a potential franchisee if someone wanted to open one in Bedlington, especially because they are much less picky about territories. Do people in Bedlington actually want a Subway though? For me its just too expensive for what you get. To get a "good" sandwich you end up paying about £4 - £5. I'd be interested to see whether people would actually use it. Also the franchise fee is pretty big so it would definitely need to do well to be worthwhile.

WHAT! 4 OR 5 quid for a sarnie, c'mon Crimsonwizard this is your territory. I would much rather spend me money on a "good healthy fry-up". A least when I'm laying on a hospital bed, hooked up to a heart monitor in intensive care after suffering a heart attack its because I have enjoyed too many of the aforesaid fry-ups , not because I have had a coronary after forking out 5 quid on a piece of torpedo shaped dry bread with a bit of sweaty cheese slapped in it.

Sad to read of the passing of a true footballing legend. How England could do with a centre forward of his caliber now. The game may be much quicker these days, but that guy had steel. Probably his style would be too much for some of the namby pamby players of today too handle

Yes Malcolm , re posts #38 and #39 [ I don't know how to highlight them both cos I'm thick]. I have been transferred under T.U.P.E. regs myself in the past. The Netto staff could have been made redundant and then would have to re-apply for their jobs with Morrison. What I am trying to say is that under T.U.P.E. regs they have continuous employment and no loss of entitlements as per their Netto contracts. The new employer cannot make them worse off. When it happened to me, my old employer gave us new contracts just before the transfer, the new employer had to adhere to that contract for [ithink ] one year after the transfer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U8CZAKSsNA

And there we are...........gone

Would have thought that Netto staff would be transferred under T.U.P.E. regulations [unless they were offered redundancy by Netto -or Asda ]

Reading that link that Stephen posted [#47] Morrisons are doing right by the Netto staff. At least they move to Morrison with all their accrued entitlements intact and their employment is continuous. This means that they can't be made worse off.

Is this the singing Singh we are talking about or the shopkeeping Singh from Bedlington

Yes Brian .... Singh.........or was it Singh

You are probably right Merlin. I think as soon as they got any grief from the authorities about their opening hours or anything else, they would send for cousin Sayed in New Delhi to take over the shop while they would move to a new place. This gave them a clean slate and also set another member of the family on his way to a prosperous life in the good 'Ole U.K. They weren't breaking any rules by doing it I don't think , as I have said before, if I so much as fart in a clean air zone......... The Chinese did the same with takeaways etc. The guy [i wont mention his name] who had the chinese in the station years ago [ bloody good one too] whent back to Hong Kong to get married, he gave the station shop to her family, he then took over two takeaways in Blyth and not long ago he bought Charlies [the all you can eat chinese buffet] in Newcastle. Maybe we can take a lesson from them on how to look after our own.

Exactly Malcolm, if there was to be something like Manor Walks all good and well, but get it built and with proper access and parking etc.Dont just do it like they were playing with a big Leggo set. The other thing is, if through traffic was forced to use the front st again, the dog leg junction of Vulcan Place, Front street East, the Market Place and Church Lane would be a nightmare. There would need to be a roundabout put there. That would only be a couple of hundred yards from where Tesco are supposed to put the roundabout beside the Monkey. ASDA built that roundabout at Bebside, it worked at first but look at the mayhem now at busy times especially if you come off the spine road and are Blyth bound.

On the subject of Tesco and Morrisons etc. Schalsmuhle road, if I am not mistaken, was put built as a relief road for through traffic to avoid the front st, and as access to the estates to its north and police stn etc. With the development of Tesco and Morrison [with whatever they have in mind] Schalksmuhle road would then become an access road to these developments and to whoever else who cares to join them to create the Bedlington retail park [ it could happen] Will the front st become the through route again?, if not, where would there be a relief road to releive the relief road?

Newcastle, a place just south of Bedlington,wish I had thought of putting it like that

Our kids won"t remember the roman shops,when they are reminiscing they will think of Singhs the butcher,Singhs the baker and Singhs the candlestick maker. "OPEN 24 HOURS" on every corner.

I agree completely with you Foxy. The thing is though when Mr. Singh came with his family and moved into his shop, he opened it up at 6 am and didn't close it till 10 pm. With a few exceptions, mainly newsagents, when Mr. Smith had his shop he would open it at 7:30 or 8am close for lunch between 12 and 1pm then shut up shop at 5:30 or 6pm, he would have a half day on a Wednesday and shut all day on a Sunday. Not every "Mr. Smith" was like that but a large majority were, we can all, me included, mock the Mr. Singhs of this town but the fact remains ,he opens his shop when we get up to go to work and he dosn't close it till we are ready to turn in for the night. He does this 7 days a week. Make of this what you will,is it greed or is it hard work and good service towards his customers needs? All of this long before the late night SPA or CO-OP, or 24hr supermarket shopping.