Where have all the shops gone?

I went to Bangor earlier as I needed some stuff I can only get from there and hoped to get a few things I want/need, like new shoes, even though there's only one shoe shop there now. I found the shop where I can often find clothes to fit me closed. The shoe shop had very little in store, H&B don't do the hemp oil I wanted, despite it being on thier website. 

It's really doing my head in, it's bad enough having to go there to get spices and bits from an ethnic grocers and other stuff from the wholefood shop, but to find pretty much empty streets with such a post apocalyptic and feral feeling is really upsetting. I know I could get some stuff online, but the P&P on a lot of it is expensive and it dosen't come free with prime either. I'd like to use amazon less too. As for other stuff, I've now no idea where I will get clothes or shoes, the usual places have nothing I like or that fits, or is suitable.

Its making feel really worried, it's bad enough having to wear winter boots in summer because I can't find any shoes, will I be wearing sandals in winter, because all of a sudden suitable stuff will appear in end of season sales? I had this before, I remember walking home from town with broken shoes, crying my eyes out because there was nothing in my size in 3 or 4 different shoe shops I went into, this was a few years ago now, but it seems those times are on the way back.

So if you see someone walking about wearing a blanket with a hole cut in it for my head and a pair of wellingtom boots that leak and are falling off my feet, it will be me.

Parents
  • Bangor is only a city in the technical sense. It's the 3rd smallest urban area in wales. I think you probably need to go to chester or liverpool to get city style shoping options.

  • It has a cathederal, so it's officially a city, it's also one of the oldest monastic settlements in Wales, and is having its 1500 year anniverary this year.

    I'm not sure that going to Manchester or Liverpool would be that better to be honest, there might be more shops, but they don't sell anything much I like or would fit me. Llandudno is our nearest main shopping town. Also I don't go east of Bangor or west of Holyhead or I freak out.

  • Yes. defintions of what a city is in the uk are weird. Some cities are cities because they have a historic cathedreal. Some are just towns that basicly won a goverment lottery. Some citties became citties in a big goverment reorgonisation to grant the status to towns that grew large in the 20th century. (or late 19th).

    These days I would say you're not a proper city till you have 100000 people. bangor doesn't even have 20000.

    I would also say when you get to 1000000 you not really a city any more. You're some sort of mega city (like london). Not a fan of london. too crowded.

  • I understand the parking issue. It is pushed by people who have never not had a phone. Perhaps I'm a Luddite.

    I have some mental block on this. I want to pay by card or cash. If I can't I don't go.

    I had to figure out how to get a train ticket on my phone a few weeks ago. It's just additional steps that add stress, even though it is supposed to be easier. I think it is maybe fine if you do it all the time, but for occasion use it is annoying.

    Maybe I should not visit Wales. I haven't been for 30 years, but used to go multiple times a year when I was younger.

    I haven't been to Oxford for 28 years, I  used to live near there for some years. I liked the museum and the covered market.

Reply
  • I understand the parking issue. It is pushed by people who have never not had a phone. Perhaps I'm a Luddite.

    I have some mental block on this. I want to pay by card or cash. If I can't I don't go.

    I had to figure out how to get a train ticket on my phone a few weeks ago. It's just additional steps that add stress, even though it is supposed to be easier. I think it is maybe fine if you do it all the time, but for occasion use it is annoying.

    Maybe I should not visit Wales. I haven't been for 30 years, but used to go multiple times a year when I was younger.

    I haven't been to Oxford for 28 years, I  used to live near there for some years. I liked the museum and the covered market.

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