Newbiggin Hall Shopping Centre

I last visitied Newbiggin Hall Shopping Centre over 25 years ago. I have been used to shopping at Tesco at Kingston Park for many years now, but decided a year ago to support local businesses as much as I could. Also, after seeing TV news reports and newspaper articles on food production and the true cost of the supermarket "cheap" foods, I wanted to do my bit for the cause. Another reason added to the mix was that the fruit and veg that looked lovely in the supermarket went off within 2 days and the meat I was getting there was tasteless and packed in foam trays and cling film.

I remember Newbiggin Hall Shopping Centre from my younger days as a toddler, when there was a Greggs, Chemist (where I remember buying cinnamon sticks to chew on), Barclays Bank, Chip Shop, Newsagent and Post Office, Butcher, Fruit and Veg shop, Bookmakers, and Moores "Supermarket" (a fraction of the size of what we call a supermarket these days). It was always busy and a place where my mother and others caught up with local gossip and where the shopkeepers were known by their first names by the customers and the shopkeepers knew your name too. I must say that this was in the late 1960's and early 1970's, but even in the mid 1970's when I was at Cheviot Middle School, the supermarket had changed to Liptons, it was still a busy hive of activity.

Well, imagine my suprise when I started shopping at the Newbiggin Hall Shopping Centre in May 2009. The centre looked desolate and you would be lucky to see another person walking around. In fact all that was missing was the tumbleweed. There is still the Chip Shop, Butcher, Chemist, Fruit and Veg Shop. There are also a few new additions like the Sandwich Shop, Hairdressers, Tanning Centre but the place is unrecognisable from the mid 1970's. Greggs is long gone, but there is the superior Peters Bakery, and the cheese pasties don't have a greasy bottom and do not give me heartburn. My nephews love the sausage rolls and my mother is fond of the cream eclairs.

From the sandwich shop, my nephews love their savaloy sandwich and the baked potatoes.

In my humble opinion, the chips from the Chip Shop are the best in the area, and I always get a freindly hello when I pop in.

The staff in the Post Office are courteous and quick, making it a pleasure to go to. Unlike the Post Office at Westerhope where they take ages to serve you, ignore you whilst they're serving you and, in my experience, are quite rude.

The goods in the Fruit and Veg shop are well displayed, and you select the stuff yourself and do not have to have a sealed polythene bag with more than you need. And what's more important to me, it doesn't go bad within 2 days.Top class.

Now, my favourite. The Butchers. I get the amount of meat I need. No longer am I buying more than I need because of so called "special offers" where I waste more than I need too. Do your tastebuds a favour and grab some back bacon from the butchers as it tastes fantastic. I bet you will not buy your bacon from a supermarket again. For me, it tastes like bacon should and what I remember from my chidlhood. I get Lamb Mince for a broth and the taste is wonderful, and there's no gristle in the mince. And, the Pork joint I bought recently was gorgeous (but maybe it was my cooking that made the difference).

You will not get everything you need at Newbiggin Hall Shopping Centre, but what you do get is well worth the short trip. Just think how far you travel to go to Tesco, then walk the length of their car park, then walk around their store. Take a few minutes out of your day and treat yourself to local service from local people.