South Yorkshire Times November 8, 1969
At a Glance Guide to Goldthorpe shopping
With Christmas 1969 fast approaching, shoppers are faced with the age old problems which are now part and parcel of the modern day festive season – who to include on their presents list? What to buy? And last, but by no means least, where to buy it.
Goldthorpe shopkeepers are confident that they have the answer to two of these problems for people of Dearne and neighbouring areas. Their solution — simple! Shop in Goldthorpe, for they supply almost everything you require.
Advantages
One tradesman adequately summed up the progressive views taken by his fellow shopkeepers when he said: “Make no mistake, local shopkeepers in Goldthorpe are keeping abreast of the times.”
He added: “Goldthorpe shopkeepers are maintaining their efforts in trying to compete with the amenities of the larger neighbouring towns.”
-It is not an easy job. The struggles of small towns in the shadow of the expanding provincial capitals have become an accepted part of twentieth century life.
Goldthorpe is the shopping centre of the 27,000-strong Dearne Urban District. However, it is geographically set between the trading magnets of Barnsley and Doncaster with the prosperous city of Sheffield well within striking distance.
Goldthorpe has long since accepted its function in the trading activities within South Yorkshire. Although its scope has been by definition limited, the township has played an important part in the trading cycle of the area, and despite metropolitan trends there still exists plenty of room for expansion.
The Goldthorpe shopping centre has an important part to play in the everyday life of the Dearne area, and it is moving with the times. The shopkeepers are providing amenities which are quietly and successfully competing with the larger towns.
Competition
“We could never hope to set up in direct competition, however,” said one Goldthorpe trader, Mr. John Houghton.
He added, however, that the needs of the Dearne shoppers could be more than adequately served without ever competing directly with huge rivals.
“The locals will always make their trips to the larger towns. I could never imagine them changing their habits, but they will continue to shop locally most of the time,” he said.
This Christmas, Goldthorpe shopkeepers are making an extra effort to step up their range of goods and services, and local shoppers will have on their doorsteps a fully comprehensive trading unit.
Shopkeepers are confident that once the Goldthorpe shopper has seen what the township has to offer, then they will bring back less and less from their days out further afield.
It is just commonsense really. When over three-quarters of the commodities are available at competitive prices near home, why trail miles into the heart of the larger towns, struggling with overloaded bags to jostle with the bargain hunters?
Goldthorpe’s shopping precinct, centred along the wide main street, offers as wide a range of goods as any centre in Yorkshire of comparable size.
The shops are attractive, spacious and well laid out, and Goldthorpe offers one over-riding attraction to the twentieth century shopper—its numerous side streets running off the main road offer virtually inexhaustible parking accommodation in the very heart of the shopping area.
There have been several new faces appearing in the shops. Over the past two years about half a dozen well established traders have either retired or left the district. Despite the changes, the shops themselves and the high standard of service have remained the same.
It is this reluctance to change which is perhaps the Goldthorpe trading community’s greatest asset. Over the years Goldthorpe traders have won their custom by unflagging reliability.
Progressive
There are few frills. If a shop offers certain goods and services, the regular shopper knows full well that that shop can he relied on to provide the complete range of advantages the particular service has to offer.
In moving with the times, however, Goldthorpe has added additional services to its well established list of concerns. The launderette, that instant answer to Monday morning blues, has proved a great success and is now an indispensable part of the everyday life.
Latest addition is a sports outfitters which will be opened within the next fortnight. There has for some time been a demand for such a shop and so the gap has been plugged and now Goldthorpe can offer yet another reason for shopping at home
Shopping in Goldthorpe can be a pleasant task. The friendliness of the traders has long been noted part of community relations. Trading is on a scale so as to allow personal contact between shopkeeper and shopper.
Goldthorpe has maintained that personal touch which is being lost with the advent of the large general stores in the larger towns.
Goldthorpe’s shopkeepers have worked together to earn the prestige which the town now holds as a shopping centre. In the past an active and go ahead Chamber of Trade have protected the interests of the traders, while at the same time improving facilities for the customer.
Not inactive
Mr. N. Crossley, fruiterer on Barnsley Road, and president of the Chamber of Trade said that over the past two years the Chamber have not met, due to the departure of several of the group’s leading figures. He emphasised, however, that the group had not been inactive over this time, and be hoped to resume meetings early in the new year.
Mr. Crossley continued: “It will be better to allow the newer traders to find their feet before re-starting the meetings. Once the Christmas rush is over I intend to get in touch with the new shopkeepers and with their support re-commence the activities.
Goldthorpe shopkeepers, are, in, short, aiming to please. The town is now better equipped than ever before, with a wider range of commodities and an increased number of shops. What is more, Goldthorpe traders have shown that they do not intend to stop here. Further extensions and improvements are in the pipeline.
The message is clear. Goldthorpe traders moving ahead with the cry to the shoppers of Dearne and neighbouring areas, “Have your days in the larger towns if you must, but do your regular shopping in Goldthorpe. It makes sense, too.”