View from the (Stretford) Villa

I've been on a trip down memory lane today thanks to Google Street View. Quite literally, actually, because we used to live at 79 Memory Lane on the Stretford/Chorlton Border (StreChoBo) and I was able to see our old house which I haven't seen for 12 years now.

Unfortunately I can't get Bobby Goldsboro's Honey out of my head and that line, 'see the tree how big it's grown,' since I saw the tree that we planted nearly 30 years ago and how big it had grown.

I took a trip into downtown Chorlton - Thresher's still there, Canadian Burger and the Inn Plaice Chippy too, but Norton Barrie's gone.

My barber's (now known as RJ's) is still there with the same gang in attendance. About 3 metres of my hair ended up on the floor of the shop in the years we lived in Manchester and we didn't half have some laughs there.

Here's a snippet.

Why does Jim Ramsbottom (millionaire bookmaker, property developer and decorater of the shop) have JR1 number plates on his Roller?

Because somebody already had TWAT1 !!!!!

The prediciton I heard about Norton Barrie's shop also obviously came true. A men's outfitters specialising in super sharp, super expensive, Italian suits, was frequented mostly by super cash rich mobsters from Moss Side. The prediction went like this

'if ever a tiny gun is invented that can be carried in your suit jacket without showing, then Norton Barrie will go out of business.'