Noelie 103 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Just had an e-mail from a cousin whose daughter works for the Co-Op and she says that the Co-Op store on Newgate Street and the one in Gateshead are up for sale. Sad isn't it when stores and company's you've grown up with and known all your life disappear, more British identity lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14055 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 If "British identity" means "inability to evolve and keep up with the times", then yep. The Newgate Street building is really nice, mind. Hope it doesn't get bulldozed Gate-style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyshinton 59 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 If "British identity" means "inability to evolve and keep up with the times", then yep. The Newgate Street building is really nice, mind. Hope it doesn't get bulldozed Gate-style. apartments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14055 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Argh. You might well be right though. Wonder if the Council will (or even have the right to) stick their oar in and insist on certain types of use. Then again, it probably says it all that my first reaction to Noelie's post was "shame, my gran used to shop there". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14055 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Incidentally, was just googling this and came across the following: http://travel.independent.co.uk/uk/article357743.ece Not a bad advert really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noelie 103 Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 If "British identity" means "inability to evolve and keep up with the times", then yep. As an expat Geordie who left the Tyneside 47 years ago to find a place in the sun(Southern California) I've always felt this tinge of sadness when I learn of what I consider loss of "British Identity" and it really doesn't relate to 'keeping up with the times' although I can understand some of the necessary changes for world trade etc. I was sad at the change to decimal money and the loss of words like 'half a croon, thrupenny bit, ha'penny. I was sad at the change to the metric system and the loss of words like; yards, feet, & inches(2 bob a foot has a nice ring) I was sad at the loss of words like; gills, pints, & gallons. I was sad at the loss of words like; pounds & ounces(quarter of sherbet lemons please) I was sad when the "Durham Light Infantry" became no more. I was sad when my 'British Passport' became a 'European Union' one. I could go on but these are what I refer to as loss of 'British Identity' things that were totally 'British' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrokles Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 An issue is that people feel our culture has become 'Americanized' or 'European' or whatnot, whereas in fact, what we've done is to take the worst aspects of these cultures and intergrate them in a dreadful hodgepodge of stuff whilst retaining the negative things of being British too. It's such a sad nation nowadays. It just doesn't like having fun. One half has gone to the fucking dogs and everyone else is too resigned and depressed about that half to do much about it. Stoicism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13861 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Yeh man loads of .co.uk's have the date set in american! plus my Uni does! 9/11 style fuck off.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I like the Co-op. The one in Wideopen is hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17799 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 If "British identity" means "inability to evolve and keep up with the times", then yep. As an expat Geordie who left the Tyneside 47 years ago to find a place in the sun(Southern California) I've always felt this tinge of sadness when I learn of what I consider loss of "British Identity" and it really doesn't relate to 'keeping up with the times' although I can understand some of the necessary changes for world trade etc. I was sad at the change to decimal money and the loss of words like 'half a croon, thrupenny bit, ha'penny. I was sad at the change to the metric system and the loss of words like; yards, feet, & inches(2 bob a foot has a nice ring) I was sad at the loss of words like; gills, pints, & gallons. I was sad at the loss of words like; pounds & ounces(quarter of sherbet lemons please) I was sad when the "Durham Light Infantry" became no more. I was sad when my 'British Passport' became a 'European Union' one. I could go on but these are what I refer to as loss of 'British Identity' things that were totally 'British' FFS. You're happy to leave the UK but want us to cling to all these archaic units and customs in your absence? For the record, a lot of the things you mention there are still in usage anyway - last time I was in a pub it was still a pint. Personally I think the sooner we get rid of the ridiculous imperial system and integrate fully with Europe the better, I like my European passport. As for the co-op, it's a shame, but if anything it's a victim of the rampant market forces that we have gained from your adopted country. It means there will be no decent supermarket in the city centre, instead we will all be forced to drive to out of town developments, Californian style! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34508 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Renton's in a one-per, Renton's in a two-per...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noelie 103 Posted October 17, 2006 Author Share Posted October 17, 2006 If "British identity" means "inability to evolve and keep up with the times", then yep. As an expat Geordie who left the Tyneside 47 years ago to find a place in the sun(Southern California) I've always felt this tinge of sadness when I learn of what I consider loss of "British Identity" and it really doesn't relate to 'keeping up with the times' although I can understand some of the necessary changes for world trade etc. I was sad at the change to decimal money and the loss of words like 'half a croon, thrupenny bit, ha'penny. I was sad at the change to the metric system and the loss of words like; yards, feet, & inches(2 bob a foot has a nice ring) I was sad at the loss of words like; gills, pints, & gallons. I was sad at the loss of words like; pounds & ounces(quarter of sherbet lemons please) I was sad when the "Durham Light Infantry" became no more. I was sad when my 'British Passport' became a 'European Union' one. I could go on but these are what I refer to as loss of 'British Identity' things that were totally 'British' FFS. You're happy to leave the UK but want us to cling to all these archaic units and customs in your absence? For the record, a lot of the things you mention there are still in usage anyway - last time I was in a pub it was still a pint. Personally I think the sooner we get rid of the ridiculous imperial system and integrate fully with Europe the better, I like my European passport. As for the co-op, it's a shame, but if anything it's a victim of the rampant market forces that we have gained from your adopted country. It means there will be no decent supermarket in the city centre, instead we will all be forced to drive to out of town developments, Californian style! My word Mr.Renton, I do believe we have a pedantic verbalist among us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Yes, I believe so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17799 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 If "British identity" means "inability to evolve and keep up with the times", then yep. As an expat Geordie who left the Tyneside 47 years ago to find a place in the sun(Southern California) I've always felt this tinge of sadness when I learn of what I consider loss of "British Identity" and it really doesn't relate to 'keeping up with the times' although I can understand some of the necessary changes for world trade etc. I was sad at the change to decimal money and the loss of words like 'half a croon, thrupenny bit, ha'penny. I was sad at the change to the metric system and the loss of words like; yards, feet, & inches(2 bob a foot has a nice ring) I was sad at the loss of words like; gills, pints, & gallons. I was sad at the loss of words like; pounds & ounces(quarter of sherbet lemons please) I was sad when the "Durham Light Infantry" became no more. I was sad when my 'British Passport' became a 'European Union' one. I could go on but these are what I refer to as loss of 'British Identity' things that were totally 'British' FFS. You're happy to leave the UK but want us to cling to all these archaic units and customs in your absence? For the record, a lot of the things you mention there are still in usage anyway - last time I was in a pub it was still a pint. Personally I think the sooner we get rid of the ridiculous imperial system and integrate fully with Europe the better, I like my European passport. As for the co-op, it's a shame, but if anything it's a victim of the rampant market forces that we have gained from your adopted country. It means there will be no decent supermarket in the city centre, instead we will all be forced to drive to out of town developments, Californian style! My word Mr.Renton, I do believe we have a pedantic verbalist among us. OK, I was harsh, but I do find it really odds the people who are most nostalgic are very often the same people who have emigrated. If you are so fond of quaint old-fashioned department stores in city centres, why have you chosen to live in probably the most car-dependent place on Earth? And what is so good about the confusing imperial system and pre-decimilisation currency, or common-wealth passports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14055 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I like my European passport. Besides (assuming everyone else's UK passport is the same as the one I was issued by the consulate in Düsseldorf a few years back), it only has the words "European Union" in fairly small letters at the top, then "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" in bigger letters underneath and a massive royal coat of arms taking up the rest of the front page. It's not as if we're being asked to roll up to passport control and hand over our biometric data imprinted into a Belgian waffle or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Nostalgia amongst those who have emigrated isn't really that odd when you think about it. Ironic perhaps but understandable. I quite like the imperial system to be honest although I'm nor arsed either way. I bet not many people on here know their weight/height in metric off the top of their heads. Also, who buys weed in grams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34508 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I like my European passport. Besides (assuming everyone else's UK passport is the same as the one I was issued by the consulate in Düsseldorf a few years back), it only has the words "European Union" in fairly small letters at the top, then "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" in bigger letters underneath and a massive royal coat of arms taking up the rest of the front page. It's not as if we're being asked to roll up to passport control and hand over our biometric data imprinted into a Belgian waffle or something. I'd have mine on a Croque Monsieur. Oo la laaaa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Must admit mind, I wouldnt fancy going to a pub asking for 500ml of beer or whatever I also still prefer miles not kilometers. So, Id rather stay with what we have not be "forced" to change. Its fair enough giving people both options (Oz or Kg), but it was a farce when they done that bloke for still selling in Oz even though its what his customers wanted. Even though he was a Mackem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 (edited) The Metric Martyr died a year or two ago iirc. I could see where he was coming from but I would have just accpeted the changes tbh. Of course the likes of The Sun and The Daily Mail had a field day. Edited October 17, 2006 by alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adios 717 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 (edited) I like my European passport. Besides (assuming everyone else's UK passport is the same as the one I was issued by the consulate in Düsseldorf a few years back), it only has the words "European Union" in fairly small letters at the top, then "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" in bigger letters underneath and a massive royal coat of arms taking up the rest of the front page. It's not as if we're being asked to roll up to passport control and hand over our biometric data imprinted into a Belgian waffle or something. I know I've lost track of this ID card debacle but Charlemagne Wept! Edited October 17, 2006 by ObaGol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17799 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Must admit mind, I wouldnt fancy going to a pub asking for 500ml of beer or whatever I also still prefer miles not kilometers. So, Id rather stay with what we have not be "forced" to change. Its fair enough giving people both options (Oz or Kg), but it was a farce when they done that bloke for still selling in Oz even though its what his customers wanted. Even though he was a Mackem Aye, except he was "done" for not giving people the option of having the weight in metric though, wasn't he? Which is fair enough imo. He just used it as an excuse to be a right wing twat really. Nothing is changing overnight anyway, this process has been going on for 30 years and if anything the younger generation are more au fait with metric now, with a few exceptions which I'm not bothered about. But it makes sense when we are part of a bigger community to use the same measurements where possible, for all sorts of reasons. Plus imperial is incredibly hard to use in practice, as it's not based on base 10. No sensible person would want to go back to the pre-decimal currency, would they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I thought he was done because he wanted to give them both imperial and metric but had to only use the latter as (apart from certain dispensations like pints of beer) there was a cut off point after which imperial measurements could no longer be used. I may be wrong though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob toonpants 3604 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I thought he was done because he wanted to give them both imperial and metric but had to only use the latter as (apart from certain dispensations like pints of beer) there was a cut off point after which imperial measurements could no longer be used. I may be wrong though. Renton is right on this one, the bloke was just being a wanker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adios 717 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 If a bloke wants to run his business into the ground, selling only the lefty-hand side of cabbages, sold by the moon-unit, how can that really be anyone's business but his own? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob toonpants 3604 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Its intended to stop the unscrupulous spiv ripping off the unwitting public Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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