I used to visit this street many years ago and loved it as a musician, they want coffe shops and street fod , but looks like the hipsters have taken over and that's why its going to die as they want street food and artisan coffee shops
I haven’t been to London since I filmed this in 2019, but I’m really curious to see how it’s changed since, especially with downtown areas being hit hard from the pandemic and WFH
One great way of keeping physical shops alive could be for them to sell a good amount of stuff that you can't get anywhere else. So something that is specifically made for those shops. Because then people can't go online to get that. Myself I do go online at Thomann specifically, because I don't have that much money. But I much prefer the idea of going into an actual physical shop with its own vibe to try out and discover stuff.
What great films. Brings back so many memories. I used to shop here so much. I was supported and given cabs and leads by Orange, I bought guitars, amps, strings, FX pedals, played in the 12 Bar just off in the alley, the 100 Club across the road, played guitar in Rose Morris, had guitars resprayed and repaired at Andy's, and oh so much more. Nowhere can ever be the same ever again. Danielz (T.Rextasy)
Macaris had gone from #22 by mid 68, when Top Gear opened that year there was only one other shop on the street, Image/Rotosound at #19 and it was mainly PA and lighting… Rhodes Music later moved into that space but was more your “odds and sods” music shop. Top Gear had the best selection of used (nothing was old enough to be vintage ) American guitars in the West End , and an amazing vibe that none of the Charing X Rd and Shaftesbury Av shops had. With Wunjo now at #5 there has been a guitar shop in the space for over 50 years. Keep up the good work ! @@talesfromtinpanalley-thedo6198
@@kiloband7430 This is the case but they returned with a keyboard/synth Shop in 1970 as annotated by Anthony Macari who is in our film and as GLC photographs also in our film bear testament as seen online at London Metropolitan Archives
Thanks. This pic is Top Gear staff leaving work Dec '71. The real estate sign on the far right is #25, is there a record of the street # of the synth/keyboard shop? I can see the Rorosound shop on the right but no Macaris .. We rode the train down to Brighton every night with Larry and Joe, they were only on Charing Cross Rd by this time. Thanks again for keeping the memory alive. facebook.com/289183784906634/photos/a.289208494904163/304263636731982/?type=3&theater@@talesfromtinpanalley-thedo6198
@@kiloband7430 Macaris was on the opposite side ..They also moved around a bit. They were in fact on the Charing Cross corner of TPA with the yellow metallic backed sign sadly trashed when Wunjo took over recently. They were there in the very early 1960's - moved out then moved back to the same side to the middle of the north side next to KPM 1970-1972 (when the pic was taken) then further along on the same side at two addresses: one guitars one keyboards Anthony has a book of old pics with all these in his archive in the basement of the other shop in Charing Cross Rd. But Macari's preceded Top Gear but initially a multi instrumentalist shop. Top Gear was the first dedicated guitar shop.
