betcha no one can help with this.....

[rebelwivoutaclue]

Sat around in a local public house the other night, and being as we are in mid thirties, a certain amount of 'wasn't it better when we were kids in the 70's/80's' was about.

One of the assembled chaps asked a really good question, totally stumped us all........

Anyone answer this, i've tried finding the answers online but to no avail.

Whatever happened to the toy shops known as...

Toy and Hobby?

Used to be big in the 70's, 80's, indeed, i remember after star wars opened in the 70's some fella at the stockport branch dressed as a v v convincing Darth Vader.

Was it just a northern thing? Was it national? One of the lads reckoned it was Toys R Us, who simply changed their name and signage to the current set up, not sure bout this as i'm pretty certain Toy and Hobby was a British company.

Anyone?

[Richmond Clements]

Seems that you're right- No one can!

[Peter Wolf]

     You would have to look in a directory of companies that were trading at that time if you can pinpoint one to a certain area if you remember one  being open.      You can do this  going right back to the victorian times in the town you live in or any other town as well as all shops and businesses had to register in a directory and are listed.        Not sure where to go to look at these but i can find out.

[Queen Firey-Bou]

prehaps it was just a regional thing ? i've never heard of them & i'm pretty damn ancient.

[ioreky2k]

Toy and Hobby went bust after over ordering stock that they couldnt shift. They all closed down very quickly. Within a matter of weeks in fact.

[Steve Green]

I grew up in the 70s in Derby, and don't remember anyone called that. So maybe it was pretty much a northern thing?

Still, I mention Alpine lorries to anyone down south and they look at me blankly.

Mind you, we didn't even have a McDonalds in Derby -  The first time I saw Ronald McDonald was in the Cursed Earth, I didn't twig until I saw him on TV at my uncle's in London.

- Steve

[Richmond Clements]

The first time I saw Ronald McDonald was in the Cursed Earth

Surely one of the greatest sentences I have ever read!

[Bad Andy]

Darth Vader visited Toy & Hobby in Ashton too, but someone let off a stink bomb outside so it wasn't an unparalleled success.

Used to get all my Transformers from there, but it was a tiny shop.

[Buttonman]

Alpine lorries - bloody heathens! Bon Accord was the home delivered soft drink company of choice. The day they gave out free Pineapple aid as samples was a highlight of my youth!

[Satanist]

Alpine or Solripe? Didnae matter to me as all I cared about was how long I could hold onto the back of the lorry. Hudgies!

[Steve Green]

I don't remember either of those - maybe Derby was hardcore Alpine territory :)

I have to say, it was a pretty good way of limiting kids intake of fizzy drinks. Once it was gone, that was it until the next delivery - or at least, that's what I was told...

- Steve

[Bolt-01]

I remember Alpine!

That stuff was shit, waay too much sugar and I've got the missing teeth to prove it!

Bolt-01

[Richmond Clements]

You mean you haven't got the teeth...

[Bolt-01]

erm, yeah.

I've got the gaps though!

Bolt-01, dead proud that none of my kids have had a single filling!

[I, Cosh]

Dunlop. Or Woodrow's Lemonade.