Shops of yore

My favourite shop (apart from chip shops of course) was the "Experimental Model Company" in Lower Ford Street which stocked every kind of model you could think of. I used to spend Sunday mornings there window shopping instead of going to church.

The model shop you refer to in Lower Ford street backed onto the entries in Alma street. I used to climb over the wall and sort through the "goodies" that had been thrown out. Had a few nice models over the years until they started to incinerate everything. We must be of a similar age.

On the subject of "model shops" can anyone remember the name of the one in Spon End (not the one at the bottom of Hearsall Lane) that used to be next to where Listers car showroom stands. I used to spend hours (and lots of pocket money) in that place but I cannot remember its name. In particular they had huge stocks of scale plastic models (Airfix)

Hi, scrutiny. Yes it was sore point with me that during the period I lived in Gosford Street there wasn't a single decent chip shop Instead I had to walk all the way up to DiStefano's in Far Gosford Street. A shop called the 'Friar Tuck' eventually opened almost opposite me but it specialised in greasy overpriced chicken and even greasier overpriced chips. I wish I had a pound for every time I heard the staff tell a customer "we don't do fish".

Ah yes! The other branch was in Hales Street (opposite MH&W) called the "Model Shop". I remember the glass counters full of fireworks near bonfire night and doing "Penny for the Guy" so we could buy some.

The one in Spon End was simply called "The Model Shop". It was run by Claude Beasley. One of my school friends got thrown out once for asking Claude for a bottle of spirit level bubbles. Claude as a nice, helpful guy, but I don't hink he had much of a sense of hunour. When I graduated to contol line model aircraft, I bought my engines from Claude. I generally bought 0.15 cu. in. (~2.5cc) glow plug engines that had a great power to weight ratiio. But he sold everything from airfix kits to model railways. There was another model shop at the top of Albany road, on the left just before the island. It wasn't called "The Model Shop", and I think it had a general toy angle. I forget the owner's name now, but he had a Christmas Club every year and I used it to save up for gross (i.e. 144) boxes of Little Demon bangers.

I think you'll find it was called the "Model Drome", in later years at least? It was originally a timber merchants. I had a similar experience with Claude myself, he had a very short fuse. I found out much later he was a war hero who had problems readjusting to civilian life.

The lady who looked after the model railways, upstairs in the 'Model Drome', moved to Allesley Park shops, sometime around 1999, but closed about 2008. At Allesley Park, it was a toy, model railway and art/craft type shop. Replying to the question asked about my favorite shop, as a child it has to be the model shop in Ford St. It was called the Experimental & Model. The owner moved to Crescent Ave, Stoke, before finishing up in the D at Coundon at Engleton Rd. My wife's favorite was Thorntons. I asked her once if I should buy some Thornton's to which she replied a very favourably yes. She was most disappointed when she realised I was talking shares! They were sold five years ago I am glad to say.

That was 'Model Craft' on the corner of Spon End and Hearsall Lane. No connection with Beesley's 'Model Drome'. She was a Geordie if I remember correctly? Didn't realise the one in Allesley Park had closed? Very sad

'Model Craft' was a comparatively recent use for the shop. For most of its life since being built in the late 1950s it was Gibbs' TV showroom. It's final occupant was a car accessory business called "Wheel Craft". The shop is currently disused. The upper floor of all the shops in that row was always intended to be residential accommodation entered from a courtyard and staircase at the rear of the shops with an opening in Broomfield Place.

I'm quite sure that in circa 1960 it was simply called the Model Shop. There was certainly no upstairs. You used to go in and be surrounded by various sizes and thicknesses of balsawood planks. The linoleum clad counter was so crammed with various items that often it was not that easy to find enough space to put down all your prospective purchases. Obviously it changed of the years.

Quite possible. The census for the period lists it simply as Beesley - Handicrafts but by 1970 it had already become Model Drome. I only ever knew it as "Beesley's" I thought we'd already established it was "Model Craft" on the corner of Hearsall Lane which had an upstairs railway department. I think Beesley's/Model Drome or whatever you want to call it had already closed by then. You might also remember the display of sawn timber outside the shop on the Lister's side and the smell of raw meat from the butcher's shop on the other side of Beesley's?

Well, I've been trawling through the GPO Telephone Directories In 1954, there's a listing for "Beesley's" Model Drome, 89 Spon End In each of 1957, 1960, 1963, 1968 and 1972 there are two listings for one telephone number at the same address, "Beesley's" Model Drome and Model Drome (the speech marks are what's in the directories)

Ahhh, BEASLEYS! Thank you. Thats the name I remember this shop as. I have been trying to recall that name for months!

The fruit and veg shops I remember in Hillfields are Taylor's in King William Street (on the right hand side towards Broadgate) and on the left a little further up was another fruit and veg shop, which I can't remember the name of; what I do remember was the delicious toffee apples they used to sell - chewy toffee and crisp juicey apples. These shops were there in the late 50s early 60s. In the late 60s early 70s mum used to shop at Katie's in Harnall Lane, at the end of King Edward Road. Philip, I do remember Lilleys, I seem to remember it was across the road from Phyllis Butlers, the bridal shop.