Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 27th September, 2020)

About eight weeks my wife had just come out of hospital and for short time needed a wheelchair.
I borrowed one . Unfortunately one of the tyres need attention , I contacted several shops who were completely uninterested and than I rang this gentleman who could not have been more helpful .
I took the chair he attended to it there and then , he refused payment and no amount of persuasion would he take payment , fortunately I had a bottle of wine on the car destined for a friend who had been unwell , I insisted he take it .

I have never met the gentleman before but I would recommend him to anyone needing bicycle repairs of parts. Seldom these days do you find a business so obliging .

Very interesting.

I wonder if Paul is one of those people who, despite the mess, always knows where everything is.

How can you find anything in that lot.

The old bike shop has a certain thrill, the smell of rubber etc, they have personal touch. I Remember the bike shop Andertons on Manchester rd, Ince the smell of new tyres and paraffin in the shop, great aroma, use to love family owned bike shops.

Mick, your best P a D by far, love it !!. I bet Paul's bike shop is full of re-cycle-d stuff. This is the sort of shop were you can get parts for a 1936 Sturmey Archer bike and no doubt. I love to see old shops, does anyone remember the likes of Wilding's newspaper shop in New Springs, Steve Whitfield's and Spencer's in Aspull, whatever the shop there was always an old fashioned smell that you identified with that particular shop. I bet Paul's smells of lubricating oil, the rubber tyre's he sells, puncture repair kits. Thanks Mick, great photo.

Health &Safety would have a field day. Looks like a death trap.

Reminds me of the "bicycle bar" in Ghent.xgn

a place for everything and everything in its place!

I live near there but have never been in since the days it used to be the Post Office, many years ago, (the Post Office is now next door). Only reason being I don't have a bike! I have heard many good reports about the shop though. Going off Tom's post, there is also a handyman's shop that sells everything you could want and an electrical goods shop on the same stretch of road and all three give excellent good old-fashioned personal service. We never need to travel into Wigan for the things they sell.

This was a one time a car parts store after PO.

We used to have a Cyclist's shop just like this on our Market St W/H. I would love this one near me. Thy used to mend them and sell them. I have a Bicycle in the shed just needs some attention, no one to mend it! I would be off like a shot....I love the photo and the 'shop'..

Looks like a bike version of Jack Tomorrows,

Made mi bike frum Gant
I did ,
Women’s frame not half a quid ,
Got sum wheels rigged it up ,
Not like now , no lad ,
Spoilt as muck..

Good PIC Mick. From what I've read the fella deserves to do well.
Well done Paul.

Tom next time I see Paul the owner I will remind him of you.
Paul is a great guy Ive seen mend several wheelchairs and once he was closing early when I got to his shop because he said he had promised one of the local pensioners that he would take him and his chair back to the suppliers.
He sell new and old bikes and he is the best and cheapest in the Wigan area.

Oh Irene you live so close and been in, next time your down that way just have a peep inside, you might even know Paul because he is a local lad

Please tell me there's a bell on the door that chimes when you open it .

Mick , thank you, I would appreciate if you mention how grateful I was for his kindness. He is one of nature's gentlemen . Thank you again.

Walt (N. Yorkshire) I remember Wildings in New Springs, from when I lived In Longfield St. We used to call it the front Street. Do you remember Cusani’s butchers. We moved to Aspull when I was nine and from that I remember Spencer’s, he always had a chat when he collected the paper money on a Sunday. I think his name was Keith Spencer.
Did you go to St John the Baptist then Aspull Sec. Mod.

Reminded me of Tickles in the Wiend, that always looked chaotic, but anything you asked for he knew exactly where it was.

There used to be a shop in Haydock like that. I think it was Joe Chisnall, selling domestic appliance spares. Mesmerising but he could lay his hand on anything asked for.
My attic workroom is exactly the same.

Irene, your very lucky to have these quaint little shops right were you live.Veronica get you bike fixed.My friend bought a second hand one this summer, and she's had a wale of a time cycling through the woods. Especially during lockdown.xx

Have great recommendations for this business,and Paul the owner is so helpful.

There was a shop in Haydock just the same, Joe Chisnall I think. Supplying spare parts for domestic appliances. Mesmerising for customers but he could lay his hand on anything asked for.
A bit like my attic workshop.

F, not heard of the Gant in years, though I think the only bike wheels you'd find there would have been buckled, and then you would have had to fight rats the size of an overfed tom cat to get them, that's if the smell hadn't overpowered you first that is.

Kath H, I'm an Aspull lad not New Springs though my cousins lived there. Yes I did go to Aspull Sec from the first day it opened until Easter 1962. I loved the smells that were present in the old shops like Wildings, tobacco, news print, sweets etc all mingled together. Sadly, about a year ago the last such shop close to us closed for the last time, all those beautiful aromas gone for ever, sign of the times I suppose.

Hi Walt. We were there at the same time. I started in the second year when it first opened and also left Easter 1962.
Remember Mr Firth, Miss Eastwood, Mrs Parkinson, Mr. Sutton, Mr Wilkinson, Miss Gardener are the names I remember.

Kath. I seem to recall that Cusanis had a van that used to go round Aspull selling meat in the 1950s and 60s. There were a few such traders as well as those (like Joe the grocers) who sent the lad on a bike round with orders. Those were the days.

Carolaen. I also remember Cusani’s having a shop on Holly Road. Derek Cusani was a big character.

Kath. I remember a shop in Holly Road just before Haigh Road. Was that Cusanis ?

Carolaen. Cusani’s was next to the old playground opposite the bottom of St David’s Crescent. The shop you are thinking about at the end of Holly Road and Haigh Rd was a grocery shop, can’t remember the name.

I saw Paul yesterday Tom and mentioned how grateful I was for his kindness.
I also told him to have a look on Wiganworld to view the photo and the comments

Hi Kath, we probably know each other as we were there at the same time. I guess like me your 21 st was a few years ago now. Remember, Miss Swift, what about Duncan Gaffakin, he had an irritating cough, he was an Aussie. Mr Chadwick the woodwork teacher, Mr Wilson Science. Good times long gone. I started in 2B I think you were in 2A am I right. I was told by Mr Firth that I was the cleverest lad in our year, I remember his exact words. "Walter lad ! I don't know why you come here there's absolutely nothing we can teach you" --- by gum I thought, I must be more clever than the teachers. Keep safe Kath.

Hi Walt your comments made me smile, thinking about Freddy Firth, we had never seen anything like him strolling along the corridors with his cap and gown. Yes I was in 2 A. Sounds like you should have been in 2A as well, according to Mr. Firth. Just remembered another name. Mr. Sutton Maths teacher. I always remember him saying ‘are you asking me or telling me’ Happy Days, hope you are well. Notice like me you look on PAD every day. As you say keep safe. Lots on cases in Wigan at the moment.

Thank you for that Mick.

Kath. It's weird I remember that old playground very well but have no memory of a y shop there. You're right about the other shop on Holly road. We used to go in there to buy ice lollies and rolls of " caps" for our Line Rager 6 shooters My Aspull Grandmother though would only ever buy groceries from Joe's on Bolton Road.

Kath H and Carolaen, the shop at the top of Holly Road belonged to Whittles, Joe Parkers was the shop on Bolton Road. Levi Atherton had a shop here as well as the Co-op. Tom Jackson's shop in School Close. Billy Croston and Arthur Winrow on Scot Lane as well as Tom Jackson's dad's shop. Nellie Orrel had that sort of DIY shop that sold paraffin and paint, if it had ever caught fire they would still be trying to put it out. Proctors had the Post Office. Mrs Eckerley's was the Chip Shop on Scot lane (I have travelled the UK and never found chips that tasted that good). Then there was a little shop on Stanley Road we got our ice lollies there Kath if you recall, just down from the school out gate just past the bike sheds. Another Chippie on Radcliffe Road as well as the Post Office on the corner of Haigh Road directly opposite the Balcarres pub. Goodness, you two have jogged my memory, thanks. Jimmy Holcroft had the fruit truck, Peter Taylor had the Fish van, Ferretti and De-Roma ice cream vans, Cowburn's came on a Saturday with the pop lorry. Hanson's, Coop and Marsden's had the milk rounds. When you get to our age they say two things start to happen Kath, first you start to forget things and hmmmm can't remember what the other was !!.

Walt and Carolaen. Walt what a memory. The shop you are talking about on Stanley Rd. was Boardmans. I used to drop my Mam’s shopping list there every morning before going to school, and they would deliver later.
Carolaen. Cusani’s was not there when we were kids. It used to be just bare ground that we played on, and they had a bonfire there every November.
Cusani’s and a Hairdressers was built later. I only know because I left Aspull in 1968 when I got married, but my Mam and Dad always lived there, Dad living in Hollydene, sheltered accom. Perhaps you didn’t go to Aspull then. Can’t remember when they were built, but there are houses there now.