@Celia i have to agree with you about the shops up 'oop north'. However, I’m afraid I’ve never fancied living north. Ten years in Luton was enough. And I’m sure lots of people might agree with that.
I'm sure it’s because the mills were there. We’ve never been an industrial area here. The only shops seem to be Fabric Land which I avoid as they often seem to have no idea of the composition of their fabrics. I once bought some cotton there for a shirt. Most uncomfortable thing, the fabric felt horrible and I ended up binning it. John Lewis which is now a dead loss. And they seem to be displaying their fabrics in a very strange way nowadays. Dressmaking fabric on bolts is stood on its end, making it very difficult to get out and very messy to look at.
We have one or two small places but they are generally quilting shops. And that is it really.