@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
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.
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!!
My lasting memory of the Queens / Sandwell Centre was the elaborate Christmas decorations. All the tinsel decked from the ceiling along the malls and the tinsel streamers and lights from the edges to the centre of the square. For a kid of around 7-8 years old, it was magical and something I looked forward to seeing. I remember the lump of coal, it was there because I believe the centre was paid for by the NCB pension fund? The lump of coal (and it was not small!) must have been from a local pit. As for other memories of shops, I seem to remember that there was a John Menzies newsagent in the Queens and the Kings. In the Queens I think it was the last shop on the way to the Multi-Story car park. Next to it was a greengrocers I seem to recall, then Druckers (was too posh for us!) There was Tandys next to Sainsburys, then the MEB and I think there was Half Price Jewellers and then another Greengrocers. Down the mall going to New Square was a set of sliding doors to the subway and I took great pleasure as a kid standing on the 'magic' mat which opened them. Down that end I remember was Nursery to Leisure and an electrical repair shop with selling vacuums. The card shop and of course Spooners. Amazing that you remembered the Flask pub. I had completely forgot about that. Beyond that was just an expanse of car parks. For me the Queens was always better than the Kings, but that might have been because as you mentioned, it has the footfall from the Bus Station. The decline happened as soon as the bus station moved be off the Kings. Thanks Phil for the trip down memory lane.
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 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'm from walsall phil, but back in the day, 80s, i used to go to west brom quite often, and remember parking on the multi story car park, and walking into the queens shopping centre, it used to be rammed in there, especially weekends. The camera shop, i think was called Bell & Jones, bought a couple of SLR cameras from there, still got one, ah, the good old days.
Thanks Rae Bell and Jones used to be on the High Street before moving to the Queens Square they were at the top end, as you say by the car park entrance then I think they moved down near the entrance to the now New square - Queen square was a wonderful shopping area but now it hardly has a shop at all now
@@awalkwithphil Cheers phil, i'll be honest, i could cry now, seeing how things are now, compared to how they used to be, i know you've been to walsall, i'm walsall born and bred, and that's just the same, i remember it back in the 60s as a kid, and 70s my teenage years, and the 80s, great times, sadly never to return, just wish i could build a time machine, and go back.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
Except for a charity shop that was there for about 3 months nothing else as ever occupied that space, at over £55,000 pa for rent I doubt there will be many takers
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
@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 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,,,,,,
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.
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.
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
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@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
@awalkwithphil all the best Paul
Would be great to see old pictures whilst youre describing the area. Im sure they must be somewhere on the interwebs
Some of my later films are now showing some pics especially the one about Great Bridge shops. Many thanks
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.
There was a fountain also in King's Square it was like a bunch of flowers spraying out 😂
I remember Chelsea Girl, Dolcis. P Samuels Jewellers. Stan Willets, MEB. GAS Showroom, the butchers. Quik Save etc.
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!!
My lasting memory of the Queens / Sandwell Centre was the elaborate Christmas decorations. All the tinsel decked from the ceiling along the malls and the tinsel streamers and lights from the edges to the centre of the square. For a kid of around 7-8 years old, it was magical and something I looked forward to seeing.
I remember the lump of coal, it was there because I believe the centre was paid for by the NCB pension fund? The lump of coal (and it was not small!) must have been from a local pit.
As for other memories of shops, I seem to remember that there was a John Menzies newsagent in the Queens and the Kings. In the Queens I think it was the last shop on the way to the Multi-Story car park. Next to it was a greengrocers I seem to recall, then Druckers (was too posh for us!)
There was Tandys next to Sainsburys, then the MEB and I think there was Half Price Jewellers and then another Greengrocers.
Down the mall going to New Square was a set of sliding doors to the subway and I took great pleasure as a kid standing on the 'magic' mat which opened them. Down that end I remember was Nursery to Leisure and an electrical repair shop with selling vacuums. The card shop and of course Spooners.
Amazing that you remembered the Flask pub. I had completely forgot about that. Beyond that was just an expanse of car parks.
For me the Queens was always better than the Kings, but that might have been because as you mentioned, it has the footfall from the Bus Station. The decline happened as soon as the bus station moved be off the Kings.
Thanks Phil for the trip down memory lane.
Many thanks for putting more names to the shops that were once so popular in the Queens Square, much appreciated
Camera shop was called Bell & Jones.
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.
@@awalkwithphil your welcome mate.
I did the same when my mom was buying her meat from Walter smiths sitting on that circle 😂
@@alanphillips8089 great minds think alike!!
I remember paying my electricity bill in the MEB and my gas in the gas shop in cash there, those were the days
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
Online shopping has changed shopping for ever
Brilliant video Phil I think Game used to be fosters and my sister worked in Taylors , Preedys used to be the best chocolate and toy shop ever❤
Yes you’re right it was fosters I’d forgotten all about them many thanks
I'm from walsall phil, but back in the day, 80s, i used to go to west brom quite often, and remember parking on the multi story car park, and walking into the queens shopping centre, it used to be rammed in there, especially weekends. The camera shop, i think was called Bell & Jones, bought a couple of SLR cameras from there, still got one, ah, the good old days.
Thanks Rae Bell and Jones used to be on the High Street before moving to the Queens Square they were at the top end, as you say by the car park entrance then I think they moved down near the entrance to the now New square - Queen square was a wonderful shopping area but now it hardly has a shop at all now
@@awalkwithphil Cheers phil, i'll be honest, i could cry now, seeing how things are now, compared to how they used to be, i know you've been to walsall, i'm walsall born and bred, and that's just the same, i remember it back in the 60s as a kid, and 70s my teenage years, and the 80s, great times, sadly never to return, just wish i could build a time machine, and go back.
@@raecattell7680 This channel is about invoking the memories of what once was, because sadly those great days will never return.
@@awalkwithphil Thanks phil, you're doing a great job mate.
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
West bromwich now Phil is full of tacky clothes shops in both squares and dont go near the indoor market the smell of fish is putrid
(This is a disaster of a shopping centre ) and (A disaster zone ) Two quotes you said Phil that i couldn't of put any better myself ❤😢
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.
It really would make the place buzz again, but sadly I just aint as optimistic as I once was. Thanks for the comment
Where the poundland used to be tesco on the ramp by the car park kwick save and argos used to be there and a Valerie passierie there
Thanks for this info
I seem to remembered holding on to reach those toilets then found you needed to pay!
Interesting I would find that annoying if one had to pay to use them. Don't we already pay for them via our council tax? Many thanks
@@awalkwithphil yes annoying, especially if you don't have any coins
And next to poundland was an ourprice
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.
I remember the name Goulds so there is a strong likelihood that the record shop down by the steps entrance had this name. Many thanks for that
Steve started the Poundland stores and owned them for many years before selling them. The new owners gave kept the name.
Have kept the name
@@PatDawes thanks Pat, I wasn't too sure about the naming.
Haven't been there for years ! looks like i haven't missed much.
You certainly haven't. Many thanks
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
Sounds good records, i think we have now tracked down the name of this fabled record shop many thanks MT for the info
I don't know about Currys but I do remember Dixon's which wasn't in the square but in the main shopping outside front of Queens Square.
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
Im also amazed its up that end where now no one can see it unless you went looking for it
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.
@@geoffwbaU I bet many don't even know that further along that public toilets exist, they aye even signposted. Many thanks
The shop were Holland is now used be Tandy's and H&B use to be further back on the left next to the butchers
@@grillflame103 Tandys...i'd forgotten about that place, many thanks
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.
@@geoffwbaU I also remember Our Price It didnt seem to be around for very long
The record shop in the Queen Centre was Terry Blood's.
@grahamseager2826 thanks for giving us the correct name of that Record shop all the best Paul
West Bromski
Still better than Walsall’s old square. That virtually had no shops in it!
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
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
Mother Care - bought my 1st pram from there in 1988
Except for a charity shop that was there for about 3 months nothing else as ever occupied that space, at over £55,000 pa for rent I doubt there will be many takers
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
It was a smashing little shop I remember that the Kings had a record shop called Terry Blood but I never went in there. Many thanks
Am I right that the entrance to the Queens had a cafe on the left and a newsagents on the right (in the 90's) and used to love that record shop!
Personally I remember the cafe and as for the record shop I bought my first ever LP in there!!
@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!
@@hangarfiftyonehangarfiftyo9942 We also had Woolies as well for music. All gone now.
It was Taylors and Preedys 😊
So sad to see this.
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,,,,,,
totally agree, many thanks
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.
@@iansmith6166 good valid points, managed decline springs to mind, many thanks
Mcarthur Glen Outlet hasn't helped !
@@awalkwithphil Merry Hill killed off Sainsburys and I think M&S on the High Street.
wednesbury is no better, I remember going to west brom in the early 90s it was a good place to shop, lots of hustle and bustle.
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.
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
Zero made who pays ?