NextBackSaturday night was good because Granny would be in the Snug and if she saw me in the Outdoor she would buy me a Vimto and a packet of Smiths Crisps (no ready salted then – the salt came in a twist of blue paper.) I once tried a swig from Grandads bottle on the way back to his house (my Grandparents lived next door) – the beer tasted revolting – ah how tastes do change!
No.8 looms large in my memory – it was a fish and chip shop owned by Len Thomas. It was business which had been around for many years. The boxes of fish ands sacks of potatoes were usually stacked up in the yard behind the shop (and that wouldn’t be allowed today either!) Friday and Saturday nights were entertaining in Peakman Street. At 10.30pm (closing time) the regulars from the Sportsmans would decant to the chip shop to buy a ‘six of chips and a fish’ (six pence or 6d being the ‘six’) and then congregate under the lamp on the corner of Wellington Street and No.12 Peakman Street
