HOME PAGE / @awalkwithphil #westbromwich #queens The QUEENS SQUARE SHOPPING CENTRE is on its knees. The place now has a feel of desperation has it slowly withers to nothing. What can be done to save it?
@awalkwithphil Hi Phil when you walked in from the bus station on the left that's were I remember the record shop and you've joged my memory your right there was a record shop in Paradise Street
Hope you enjoyed this short look around Queens Square Shopping Centre in West Bromwich. Consider subscribing to this channel by hitting the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON in order for me to continue making films in and around West Bromwich and it will also ensure you are alerted to new video content. As always, all comments, questions, and feedback are welcome. Thanks for watching!!
Wow what a blast from the past. I used to go queens and kings square with my parents back in the 80s and 90s. I lasted visiting there in 2002/ 2003. I also remember the outdoor markets in the 80s & 90s. I remember the water fall in the centre outside Tesco. Can't believe it's so empty I remember it being packed back in the day.
Hi Phil, the camera shop was called bell and Jones, the round circle on the gas show room was just past the end of the shop just opposite the MEB shop, I remember sitting in it when waiting for mom to pay her bill . Thanks for this video, it’s shocking how dead Queens square is now. 😔
Bell and Jones, that's the one. Many thanks, also thanks for pointing out the exact spot where the window was, these things leave an impression when one is younger I mean why was the window ever removed? What harm was it doing? Great memories, much appreciated.
I remember visiting West Bromwich for shopping in the very late 90s/very early 2000s and it was a great place. I particularly remember the Stan Willetts electrical shop. It would never happen as they like to build new out of town places but imagine if the Cheshire Oaks company took over all those empty units and made the town a place for a bargain like it used to be, but in a slightly different way.
A valid point. I recently did a video of Walsall Town Centre and the Old Square is no longer a shopping centre, well internally anyway. Hopefully The queens will not go the same way Many thanks
Never understood why Holland and Barrett are so hidden away , you would think they would move to the old Poundland store at the front , the footfall is massive compared to where they are now
Me too . I was looking for the Holland and Barrett store not long ago having found them online but had difficulty finding them as they are so isolated and tucked away.
I don't know what the rental cost is for a unit in Queens Square but they may as well offer it free for 6,12 or 18 months if not longer as theyre making no income from them now anyway! and with Christmas approaching why not open some of them up as themed grottos to attract some attention, people want more of an 'experience' when shopping now.
You'd think that those who run this place would be bending over backwards to get this place up and running again, lower leasehold costs, more pop up shop opportunities and getting someone to run a centre cafe, but its been like this even before covid so there seems to be no urgency about fixing the issues whatsoever. Appreciate the comment
I agree with you that the area by Boots should be used as an eatery to at least put something into that large devoid characterless space. What’s so tempting about empty food shelves? SOMEBODY MOVE THEM,,,,,,
A great video Phil,it's a shame to see it now to the way it used to be,there was talk of it being knocked down and the new square being extended to go in it's place,don't know if it will be
A couple of things arising from your video. The Public did host one or two music events in the early days and I saw an act called Tipitina playing there at least once. They are a good two-piece duo from the north of England who play New Orleans style jazz music and are performing to this day, appearing at places like the B Music events in Birmingham. See also my note further on about the record shops. I find the area between Boots and what was the old bus station pretty depressing now with all the empty units.
It must be said The Public did lay on some impressive stuff from to time it even had a cinema room but most local people never enthusiastically responded to what was on offer. It really was too big and in the wrong town IMO. Many thanks
There are many shops in Wednesbury but they are the wrong sort, too many takeaways, barbers and nail salons. I think they also had a Union street/square shopping centre back in the day with an indoor market, but there's nothing left of it now has Morrisons dominates the retail scene. Appreciate the comment
@@awalkwithphil Wednesbury was a lovely little town with shops that sold everything you needed there was no need to go out of town for anything. The union centre (indoor market) was ok for everyday items I never went in there that much. My father in law always said that once Morrisons was built it would kill wednesbury and he was right.
Me and my friend used to go into the record shop, went in once and Jonathan King was in there, he was talking to the manger, he'd got a record out and asked us if we had heard it, we just said yes and went to look at the records I think it was about 77/78
Hi Phil I remember the Record shop I think it was called Turners this is were I purchased all my Black Sabbath records and Hepworths the Taylors I had to look good when I went for Drink in the Farriers and the Dartmouth it's a shame its looking run down I think free Parking and cheaper business rates would help West Bromwich shops regenerate the town .West Bromwich has got good Transport links and I hear the Poolhall has reopened after Weatherspoons closed it .all the best Paul
All good valid points, these could make a difference but it seems many are dragging their feet for whatever reason. btw I think Turners was in Paradise Street
I thought Turners were in Paradise Street- I bought quite a few records from there in the 60s/70s The record shop in Queens Square, where Xcite is now was if I remember rightly Our Price Records and possibly HMV before that.
Depressing. It's all gone. And it's everywhere. So many town centres that used to be major hubs. Have you been to Cannock high street? It's pretty much the same, destroyed by supermarkets and out of town retail parks.
I will eventually get round to Cannock, but yes supermarkets have had an adverse effect. I remember when Merry Hill arrived it practically killed off Dudley Town Centre. Thanks for the comment
@@awalkwithphil The Councilors of these towns should explain themselves, destroying the town centres by allowing these retail parks. They surely knew what they were doing, destroying communities and a way of life. There are no independent shops anymore, it's all corporate.
@awalkwithphil yeah usually as a kid I got my records from wh Smiths but I remember going in there finding the album of Monty python's"Life of Brian" happy days!
i did my school work experience in tesco's back in the mid 80's. brought my spectrum from i think it was currys in their (still have today). i remember stan willetts also esp when he was in the other shop in the high st i brought a lot of in car radios and amp and speakers from him and loved looking at all the second hand stuff he used to have. i remember the record shop in their and it was called sounds good records he used to make his own mix tapes and sell them under the counter i brought them also (any one remember what the mix tapes was called). the other record shop someone thought was in their called goulds was in fact in great bridge they was known for the dj rate prices they would do to dj's. i remember working in the don millers bread shop on the old "YTS" and in my break going for a walk in the queens sq. i would think all the shops are empty due to exessive rents esp it it is owned by sandwell council.its a shame how it as gone down hill even the kings sq is as bad.does anyone remember what the electrical shop was called that used to be at the top of the high st where you could get your sky telly back in the early 90's
We have a Shopping Centre in Bristol @ bit like this called the Galleries, it’s a sign of the times, They are pulling down the Galleries in 2025, I’m guessing these kinda Shopping Centrea just don’t belong now
I tend to agree they appear to be out of place of place now. If this was to be demolished i guess the place left behind would be apartments. Thanks for the comment
Was there a Goulds record shop next to bell and jones camera shop? Steves discount store in the kings square, he sold up and the buyers renamed it Poundland i think.
