Wilden's R.I.P....

It was with a sense of bemusement and deep regret that this morning I found myself in Boutport Street standing in front of Wildens which to my amazement appears to have shut up shop. I'd gone along there early in order to get a couple of screws to re-attach a doorknob which had worked itself loose only to find myself knob in hand standing out in the street. It's a crying shame as to my mind Wilden's was the only place in town were you could turn up with a defunct piece of home hardware in hand and find some assistance so you could rectify your problem. Nobody there looked at you strangely, or tried to sell you a new one they would be genuinely keen to help you out. The old fellow knew every nook and cranny of the place and would scurry off in all directions in order to search out an illusive screw, washer, nut or cup hook. Admittedly, the young bloke was a touch on the dozy side but once you prodded him into life with a few teasing questions about grouting, weedkiller or cuprenol he was also eager to please. Wildens I'm sure will be sadly missed as it was a veritable Alladin's cave of hardware treasures. I suppose you have to be a toolman to have fully appreciated it and recognise the significance of it's demise. However, the disappearance of Wilden's and stores of it's ilk is a clear example of how such businesses suffer in a town like Barum surrounded as it is by bleddy ubiquitous D.I.Y barns staffed as they are by well minded but largely clueless till monkeys. You can't buy a one pound bag of assorted nails in B&Q. It never ceases to amaze me why folk continue to patronize these establishments to the detriment of cheaper, locally owned and better quality town centre alternatives. I know for a fact that a Wildens junction bix like for like was of a beter quality and a darn site cheaper as were their drill bits. You could also buy cable by the metre for about half the price of a DIY barn 5m drum.
Mark my words as more and more functional town centre stores shut down to be replaced by stores pandering purely to consumption or just stand empty the heart and soul of our town centre is just going to disappear. There will soon be no need to go there unless you like parading up and down on a Saturday afternoon or have the disposable income to divest in mobile phones, accessories, gambling or overpriced coffee.
How long for Youing's, John Patt's, Banbury's or Apex Sportsto name the few once the new Tescos opens it's aisles for trade next year? Not long.

Of course, Wilden's itself replaced another fine and much missed local business, Raymond's Bakery home of the world famous Raymond's Pasty and pies