Buttercross
Buttercross
Gossip Shop – a pretty good name for a retail outlet.
A Google search shows there are many such titled businesses – fashion, greeting cards, hairdressers (of course!), shoes, etc – all no doubt named in an attempt to give us that cosy and relaxed feeling when stepping into these establishments.
It all adds to that most important thing customers look for, personal service or being valued.
One thing I know is that we have had many such shops and businesses in Swaffham over the years, perhaps without realising how lucky we were and are.
These days, with constant pressure on reducing numbers of sales staff, there seems to be less time for pleasantries and, perhaps, the swapping of the latest news and, dare I say it, gossip.
Customers cannot wait to get their business done and then to get out of the door. Not ideal.
Independent traders should score heavily here every time. Many of the older generation in our town will remember dear Joe Eggleton, who had a shoe repair business adjacent to the old Banners grocery shop, this through the ‘50s and into the ‘60s.
Joe was a stalwart of the town’s football club and a committee member, indeed it was he who persuaded me to join this committee in the late 1950s. Meetings were held at the White Hart.
If you ever wanted to find out the latest about anything in the town, Joe would probably have the answer. All you had to do was to call in for a gossip, and many did, while he worked away.
He used to have the Swaffham Town football team sheets for the following weekend posted in his window and I used to hurry to the shop to see if I had been selected (mostly for the reserves unfortunately!).
His daughter Maisie married Don Everall who, on leaving the Army, stayed in Swaffham and pursued his trade as a very fine plasterer. He, together with Gerald Waters and later John Moore, worked for my father for many years.
Don was also a very fine footballer, a strong centre-half, and he captained Swaffham through many triumphant seasons. Indeed, I believe he could have played professionally if he had so wished.
When Joe put down his knife and hammer and took off his apron and retired, the shop closed. Don and Maisie eventually moved to the other side of the country, where they still live.
Albert Hudson tells me that Don “managed” his new home town football team and indeed got them through several rounds of the FA Trophy one year. Don and Maisie were back in Swaffham visiting last year, meeting up with their many friends here. Joe and his business may have gone but other gossip shops remain, and thank goodness for that because such establishments are needed in our community. They bring people together for a laugh and a chat as well as promoting trade.
Mentioning shoe menders gives me an ideal opportunity to mention Malcolm Barnicoat and his Swaffham Cobblers business in Lynn Street. Malcolm is another Joe, in that he is very much into football, although in this instance all things Norwich City.
When you call in to see him you can also chat about things other than football and even, Heaven forbid, trade a little gossip.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
