The store was originally known as Hyde Department Store or FineFare Superstore and with a retail space of 76,000 square feet was the largest store in the FineFare organisation throughout the country.
It was opened by the popular 70's TV actor, Derek Nimmo in March 1976.
(Thanks Susan ) :)
Pictured circa 1976
The same view 2012
Growing up down Brook St, I can remember Fine Fare being built.
ReplyDeleteThe Irish navvies used to ask us to go to Doreen's sweet shop to get them ice lollies for them.
'Doreen's' was located next to the Moulders Arms.
The store has had a few names over the years, Fine Fare Department Store, Hyde Hypermarket, Food Giant/Do It All, Morrison's.
My parents still shop there, as they have done since the day it opened.
I remember helping dad do the "big shop" at fine fare in the early 80's and on a Sunday using the car park to learn how to drive!
ReplyDeleteDes anyone know when this shop opened? I remember visiting friends in Hyde in July 1977 and we went tomthe store because the fire brigade had an engine on display in the car park. I have a photo of my son, then aged 3, on the back of it. He's 38 now! I also remember that on the same day - a Saturday - there was a carnival in the town and we stood at the corner of Park Road to watch the floats coming down Clarendon Road. I guess that, because of the year, it was something to do with the queen's silver jubilee.
ReplyDelete@ Susan Jaleel
ReplyDeleteMarch 1976, it was opened by the popular 70's TV actor, Derek Nimmo.
I remember around '79, '80, every Sunday, a local radio controlled car club would meet on the 'bottom' car park.
ReplyDeleteThere was maybe about 20 of them, and they would lay out a large track with barriers and tyres on the bends and then they would race their very noisy, very smelly, and very fast, petrol fueled, radio controlled cars, us young lads loved it.
I don't know where they came from, or if they had FF's permission, but they only lasted a few months and then they stopped coming.
Thank you for the opening date. Was it Fine Fare then?
ReplyDeleteNot only Derek Nimmo was there during opening week, i remember going to see Noel Edmonds and Patrick Mower.
ReplyDelete@ Susan Jaleel
ReplyDeleteYes, it was owned by Fine Fare, at the very beginning.
If you look at the photo, you can see the two 'F's of the Fine Fare logo, on the building.
@ Gianni Zazzarino
Yes, there was quite a few celebrities at the store in the early years.
The ones I can remember are KISS (Rock Band), Frazer Hines (Emmerdale actor), Stevie Coppell (Man Utd player), but my favourite was the McLaren F1 team (with car).
The car was on a trailer, and the guy let me climb up and sit in it, a great feeling for a young teenager. :)
If, I'm also correct in saying, I think Fine Fare was the first UK store to demonstrate the first Bar Code reading checkout till.
I can remember it being a big thing back then, which was about '79.
There was some woman government minister there to take part in the presentation.
I met KISS and got their autographs!
ReplyDeleteGreat days :)
Just another interesting piece of information I found while looking through the old North Cheshire Heralds at the library last week. The appication for the store was originally put in by Debenhams and there was opposition from the Hyde traders that the store would take away trade from them. I am still going through the papers, I will try and find out why Debenhams didn't take it in the end.
ReplyDeleteHi.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if any of you Hyde folk have any pictures of the Victorian school called. Liegh infant school. Think it was near where hyde baths is now.
Peter From Ashton.
remember meeting darth vader and len fairclough couldnt remember his real name ha ha we used to buy big blocks of ice cream and eat them walking round hyde
ReplyDeleteoh and remember doreens they used to sell practical jokes must have spent a fortune in there back in the day brill shop
ReplyDeleteI remember going to see some stunt driving display on the car park at fine fare around 1984 then off to Pats Plaice for fish and chips.
ReplyDelete