I Remember When With Milton Rendell

Do you remember when there was no shopping on Sundays, no late night trading on Thursday and shops used to close at noon on Saturday? How things have changed in those times. The local shop was your back up plan for basic items, sadly in many ways we miss the local shop. If you couldn’t get something you simply accepted that you couldn’t, and waited until you could, when the big shops opened on Monday.

The banks used to be open only from 10am till 3pm, except on Fridays they stayed open until 5pm. There were no ATMs, how the hell did we all survive? That’s right, you simply waited until the bank was open or when you got paid, because we all got paid in cash or got a cheque which you would cash at the bank. No on-line banking or shopping yet, we seemed to be okay.

There were no messages every two minutes from someone you really didn’t want to hear from on your mobile. No mobile phones? Oh my goodness! This must have been the dark ages. You used to have some privacy. I guess everyone didn’t know your business except what you heard from the local gossip.

Pubs had Sunday sessions where you caught up with your mates and we were home at a reasonable time, unless you kick on at your mates. The Stockman on Railway Parade used to be a favourite for quite a few people I knew, as well the Stirling Arms in Guildford was popular for a Sunday session.