(02 Jul 2020, 9:22 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Yeah, their filter coffee is good. I bought a big bag of their ground coffee with my lunch order. The single origin one they do is a lovely light roast. A strong milky bucket of that has me ready to be vaguely sociable, in the morning.

I've drunk nothing but LIDL's Colombian since the start of the lockdown! I bought some refillable nespresso pods as I usually have around 4-5 pods a day, it's insane how much you save by making your own pods!
I have an espresso machine and a filter coffee machine, but I just find the nespresso much more convenient as I can make all the pods at once then just have them throughout the day

(02 Jul 2020, 7:31 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Another raft of restaurants disappearing

Newcastle restaurants to close as Bella Italia owner goes into administration

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...p_AppShare

Pret have also announced that they won't be reopening their monument or Metrocentre stores. I bought a lot in their Haymarket store, this morning. I'd be gutted if they folded, too.

I am saddened that Pret have started closing stores.  I used the one at Haymarket for breakfast on my most recent visit to the area, in 2017.

(04 Jul 2020, 4:36 pm)Metroline1511 wrote I am saddened that Pret have started closing stores.  I used the one at Haymarket for breakfast on my most recent visit to the area, in 2017.

Apparently they're trying to renegotiate rents on 300 stores, with current takings only 15% of normal. I didn't have to queue to get in on Thursday and got served straight away, which I was not expecting.

(10 Jun 2020, 12:55 pm)Andreos1 wrote It was a few years ago, but I was reading something about the ghost malls in America. Starting to wonder if we will follow that trend too. 

One I don't mind, is The Oracle in Reading. Not sure if it's the design or because of its location by the river - but it has something about it that intu centres don't.
It's been a while since I was there, but the two in Nottingham that intu have, were pretty awful.

It doesn't seem too long ago, that the metro centre had independent retailers and stores. There was a sweetshop by the old cinema, the tat shop next door, a couple of places to buy stuff for my Amiga... That's just off the top of my head. 
Now, it's pretty much the same store in every town centre and shopping centre up and down the country. As you say, it's identikit.

One of the biggest things for me is that both the Metrocentre and Eldon Square just fell into intu's bland corporate identity, rather than having their own unique quirks about them. Of course, they'd have needed a refurb anyway, but you can do that without losing all sense of identity. The Metrocentre used to have all the greenery everywhere, the 'street stalls' and of course the hot air balloons. It gave it a bit of an outdoor feel, which the village added to.

You of course also had Metroland, which I believe was completely unique at least in Europe... having a theme park inside a shopping mall. I know for a lot of people, it used to serve as a place to leave the kids to entertain themselves, whilst the parents went shopping.

I think the sweetshop is still where it used to be in the blue, but I am almost certain a second one has opened (perhaps in the yellow?), but there is not much else in the way of independent shops. They're a big miss for me, and something that would attract me to use a shopping centre. You've got no chance though with the sky high rents that the intu charge. They're not the only ones mind, as even the likes of the Bridges and Galleries are struggling on that front. Long gone are the days of finding independent record stores and grabbing bargains! 

I can remember the computer shop that used to be in the red mall upstairs? Can't think of the name of it. You also had the games shop that was in the bus station, next door to the Chinese takeaway and the bookies.

(05 Jul 2020, 10:52 am)Adrian wrote One of the biggest things for me is that both the Metrocentre and Eldon Square just fell into intu's bland corporate identity, rather than having their own unique quirks about them. Of course, they'd have needed a refurb anyway, but you can do that without losing all sense of identity. The Metrocentre used to have all the greenery everywhere, the 'street stalls' and of course the hot air balloons. It gave it a bit of an outdoor feel, which the village added to.

You of course also had Metroland, which I believe was completely unique at least in Europe... having a theme park inside a shopping mall. I know for a lot of people, it used to serve as a place to leave the kids to entertain themselves, whilst the parents went shopping.

I think the sweetshop is still where it used to be in the blue, but I am almost certain a second one has opened (perhaps in the yellow?), but there is not much else in the way of independent shops. They're a big miss for me, and something that would attract me to use a shopping centre. You've got no chance though with the sky high rents that the intu charge. They're not the only ones mind, as even the likes of the Bridges and Galleries are struggling on that front. Long gone are the days of finding independent record stores and grabbing bargains! 

I can remember the computer shop that used to be in the red mall upstairs? Can't think of the name of it. You also had the games shop that was in the bus station, next door to the Chinese takeaway and the bookies.

As an example in Stoke, we had a double fronted unit in the city centre for £28k, a unit half the size on the other side of the same street, but part of the intu centre, was £100k plus service charges.

(05 Jul 2020, 10:52 am)Adrian wrote One of the biggest things for me is that both the Metrocentre and Eldon Square just fell into intu's bland corporate identity, rather than having their own unique quirks about them. Of course, they'd have needed a refurb anyway, but you can do that without losing all sense of identity. The Metrocentre used to have all the greenery everywhere, the 'street stalls' and of course the hot air balloons. It gave it a bit of an outdoor feel, which the village added to.

You of course also had Metroland, which I believe was completely unique at least in Europe... having a theme park inside a shopping mall. I know for a lot of people, it used to serve as a place to leave the kids to entertain themselves, whilst the parents went shopping.

I think the sweetshop is still where it used to be in the blue, but I am almost certain a second one has opened (perhaps in the yellow?), but there is not much else in the way of independent shops. They're a big miss for me, and something that would attract me to use a shopping centre. You've got no chance though with the sky high rents that the intu charge. They're not the only ones mind, as even the likes of the Bridges and Galleries are struggling on that front. Long gone are the days of finding independent record stores and grabbing bargains! 

I can remember the computer shop that used to be in the red mall upstairs? Can't think of the name of it. You also had the games shop that was in the bus station, next door to the Chinese takeaway and the bookies.

Aye, the independent stuff is a miss for me. 
I remember three computer games shops. There was the one you mention in the bus station and two upstairs - one across from MetroLand and another near Halifax (think it's a barbers now).
Even the Galleries are pushing the chain stuff as though it's a good thing. I don't know if it is always a good thing.

(05 Jul 2020, 10:52 am)Adrian wrote One of the biggest things for me is that both the Metrocentre and Eldon Square just fell into intu's bland corporate identity, rather than having their own unique quirks about them. Of course, they'd have needed a refurb anyway, but you can do that without losing all sense of identity. The Metrocentre used to have all the greenery everywhere, the 'street stalls' and of course the hot air balloons. It gave it a bit of an outdoor feel, which the village added to.

You of course also had Metroland, which I believe was completely unique at least in Europe... having a theme park inside a shopping mall. I know for a lot of people, it used to serve as a place to leave the kids to entertain themselves, whilst the parents went shopping.

I think the sweetshop is still where it used to be in the blue, but I am almost certain a second one has opened (perhaps in the yellow?), but there is not much else in the way of independent shops. They're a big miss for me, and something that would attract me to use a shopping centre. You've got no chance though with the sky high rents that the intu charge. They're not the only ones mind, as even the likes of the Bridges and Galleries are struggling on that front. Long gone are the days of finding independent record stores and grabbing bargains! 

I can remember the computer shop that used to be in the red mall upstairs? Can't think of the name of it. You also had the games shop that was in the bus station, next door to the Chinese takeaway and the bookies.

I think the computer store was called byte, or something like that. 

Bigun used to buy slushies from either of the two identical sweet shops. 

When the Metrocentre was owned by the church commissioners, they did a deal with small businesses of reduced business rates for the first year or so, which is what got the antiques court and the old roman forum going. If course now the roman forum is a dining zone that can't stay full and the antiques bit just can't stay even not almost abandoned.

(08 Jul 2020, 10:35 pm)BusLoverMum wrote I think the computer store was called byte, or something like that. 

It was called Microbyte.

I had my Nintendo NES chipped there back in the day. They also had a shop upstairs in the Greenmarket at Eldon Square, next door to the 'Kook Inn' cafe.

The other computer shop in the Red Quadrant, which might now a barber shop as Andreos suggests, was called Maughan Micro Computers. The third shop, the name of which eludes me, was more or less next door to Mycrobyte upstairs from Argos. TGI Fridays currently occupies the location.

I might be WRONG! but I don't think all three were open during the same period. Maughans lasted the longest but I'm sure Microbyte closed circa 1993 with the one next door opening the year after.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...t-18592071

Face masks will be compulsory in shops from next week or you'll face a £100 fine


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(14 Jul 2020, 11:45 am)TEN 6083 wrote https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...t-18592071

Face masks will be compulsory in shops from next week or you'll face a £100 fine


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Matt Hancock has also said that shops should call the police if people refuse to wear a mask

(14 Jul 2020, 11:45 am)TEN 6083 wrote https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...t-18592071

Face masks will be compulsory in shops from next week or you'll face a £100 fine


Sent from my iPhone XS using Tapatalk

I somehow can't see that saving the high street. Popping to the shop is such a bleeding faff, as it is.

More Swiss cheese on the high street with M&Co going into administration. I don't believe the ever intended on staying in the former markses store in Durham, mind. Same as with the old bhs store. 
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...m-18718999

(06 Aug 2020, 7:03 am)BusLoverMum wrote More Swiss cheese on the high street with M&Co going into administration. I don't believe the ever intended on staying in the former markses store in Durham, mind. Same as with the old bhs store. 
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...m-18718999

Haven't they been in administration before. I'm sure I remember stores closing a few years ago.

(06 Aug 2020, 12:48 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Haven't they been in administration before. I'm sure I remember stores closing a few years ago.

Wouldn't surprise me. Pretty much primark quality at higher than M&S prices.

Since Eldon Square has been purchased , but Metrocentre hasn’t been purchased by any buyers as of yet, I wonder what will happen to the site complex if there’s no buyers?


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Leading shopping centre operators, Sovereign Centros, will today take over the running of Intu’s largest asset, the Metrocentre in Gateshead, heralding a new era for the premier North-East retail and leisure destination.

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/busine...cmZW5kMREw


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(21 Oct 2020, 10:45 am)cbma06 wrote Since Eldon Square has been purchased , but Metrocentre hasn’t been purchased by any buyers as of yet, I wonder what will happen to the site complex if there’s no buyers?


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(26 Oct 2020, 8:23 am)cbma06 wrote Leading shopping centre operators, Sovereign Centros, will today take over the running of Intu’s largest asset, the Metrocentre in Gateshead, heralding a new era for the premier North-East retail and leisure destination.

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/busine...cmZW5kMREw


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Both of them are still owned by intu btw. It's just a new management company running them on behalf of the bondholders who have taken control of their assets since intu collapsed. Until the bondholders sell them then they will be still owned by intu but they don't want too currently as the value is low so they'd lose money. It's a right mess how intu is setup when you look into it. The Metro Centre is by itself and Eldon Square is part of intu debenture which is lumped with Braehead, The Potteries and Bridesmith Gate and that's why they've gone their seperate way.

Sovereign's biggest centre is St Enoch which has a Hamleys which is probably how the Metro Centre has got one all of a sudden. The only thing they run up here is The Arnison at Durham.

Only the Trafford Centre is being sold.

Some totally useless information but hey ho haha.

(26 Oct 2020, 4:49 pm)Storx wrote Sovereign's biggest centre is St Enoch which has a Hamleys which is probably how the Metro Centre has got one all of a sudden. 

I never even noticed one was opening in Metrocentre.

There used to be one on Northumberland Street in Newcastle where HMV was once based, late 80s - early 90s.

I think its a "pop up" hamleys at the Metrocentre

(30 Oct 2020, 11:21 am)Rob44 wrote I think its a "pop up" hamleys at the Metrocentre

It sure looks like it. Just walked past it literally a minute ago. Tiny.