Keith Scantlebury

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

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! 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.

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

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.

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

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.

Just a thought, was it not Swans shop then George Strakers, me mammy's not with us anymore so I can't ask her

Peter Bacci was a smashing fella, if two kids went into his shop and only one had money, Peter made sure that the one with no money left with a sweetie or two. Mind you he didn't take too kindly to the "bigger kids" trying to knock the crap out of his pinball machines.

Thinking back I remember the chiropotist and the chemist dont think I can remember the co-op, [was it the co-op that preceeded the bakers] my mother worked in George Swans shop for about 17 years. The thing is Pete, those shops in the oval have changed hands /use, [with the exception of a couple] so many times over the years. I can remember during the first miners strike when we had electricity rationing and power cuts [was it winter '71 or '72] some of those shopkeepers camping out in their shops overnight for fear of looters.

The Oval used to be a thriving little community as many of us well remember. There was the clinic/school dentist, the doctors surgery [ivory and Brown] paper shop, hairdressers , Dennis' greengrocer, George Swan's [mini mart] the butcher, bakers, fish and chip shop and the school.I've bound to have something out. There was a second hand motorbike shop [was that in what used to be the bakers?]

I sent them an e-mail and gave them a little geography lesson Malcolm ......... I hope the good people of North Uist appreciate their new Morrison store.

Arthur Routledge ........... Had a butchers shop at the oval during 60's and 70's

DONE IT AT LAST....... Thanks GGG and Brettly. We did everything as you said and a bit of help from others. It seemed that perseverence was the thing. Its up and running now so hopefuly now that all the settings are in place and stored ,all the bairn has to do is log on and use it. Mind you, I hope people don't think me too harsh for sending a 10 year old out to work so that he can earn the money to download games at 20 quid a crack.

I read that Rio Tinto [the company that owns Alcan] have been badly affected by the flooding down there, they have a few coal mines etc in Queensland. This will have a major impact on the steel industry in Asia and in Europe. Apparently, they donated A$1ooo,ooo to the flood relief fund ,so for the Australian govt just to match that sum is a disgrace. Lets see how many of Australia's so called freinds rush in with financial and practical help as they do with "less fortunate countries". Also the Rio Tinto mine workers who have been unable to work, because of the flooding, have been put to good use helping the victims the best way they can. Lets all hope you do not need their assistance Brian, good luck mate and we all hope that you and yours stay safe and dry.

come on Malcolm, now you are talking silly, it takes years of dedicated training to become that bent and twisted........whereas the Chinese State Circus......well at least you have to be dedicated

I can do that, me and my flexible freinds that is

Personally, I think the country would be at a loss without them. The christmas special this time round was an absolute hoot. Jim Royle having to be lifted onto the crapper 'cos he had two sore big toes ................ or is that the wrong family. oops , mebe them ROYALS in London should swap with them ROYLES in Manchester. The christmas message would be better to watch for one thing

Thanks GGG will try again tomorrow with what you say. We will have to get it working somehow, the laddie wants to get to use it. I suppose we could get on to Sony if all else fails