The fifth episode of the third series of ‘Grundy Goes’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy about the building that people have constructed over the centuries to help themselves work, live and enjoy themselves. In this programme John enjoys a bit of retail theory and travels across the Northeast looking at how shopping and retail have changed over the centuries and how these changes have produces some of the region’s...

The fifth episode of the third series of ‘Grundy Goes’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy about the building that people have constructed over the centuries to help themselves work, live and enjoy themselves. In this programme John enjoys a bit of retail theory and travels across the Northeast looking at how shopping and retail have changed over the centuries and how these changes have produces some of the region’s most interesting and inventive architectural designs. Over a montage of John Grundy wearing various costumes and maps of the region the opening credits. Title: Grundy Goes… Shopping To ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’ shoppers walk along a wet Newcastle Quayside past stalls on its Sunday Market. Dressed as a Medieval court jester and carrying a mock sceptre or ‘bauble’ of a balloon on a stick presenter John Grundy skips past explaining he’s out to do ‘ye-Christmas shopping’ much to the amusement of those around him. Back in his normal clothing John walks along the quayside explaining that the joys of shopping haven’t changed much since towns began. However, shops themselves are very different. Not far from the quayside a Medieval street known as The Close with John walking into The Cooperage public house. Over views of both the exterior and interior on the building which hasn’t changed greatly in 500 years, John provides details on what it would have looked like as a barrel maker and how the goods were sold. Next door he walks past another building, The Buttress, with its shuttered-up frontage explaining that our ideas of a shop front or window is very much a modern invention. John provides some details on how businesses such as this one would have sold their goods from a market stall at the front of the house. Inside John walks through an upper room with its luxurious plasterwork ceiling, an example of the kind of money being made by merchants in Newcastle in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Walking down Owengate away from Durham Cathedral in Durham, John talks about how by the 1700s shopping had changed and merchants were beginning to use the fronts of their premises to attract attention to their businesses. Along Saddler Street a beautiful example of an early shopfront with Regency features dating from around 1820 when shopping was becoming fashionable. However, the glass widow isn’t clear so no good for displaying goods. Dressed as a Bristol Draper from c.1826 John walking up to the shop on Saddler Street and reads a letter written by said draper about the virtues of having a good shop front to sell good and to attract new customers. A montage follows of two other shop fronts along Saddler Street with John pointing out architectural features that were designed to grab the attention of people walking by. Before heading inside what was then an Oxfam charity shop John explains why this is his favourite shop on the street with its fanciful but tasteful and classy frontage, this is the ‘fully refined Victorian shopfront’. Both outside and in John provides details of some of the shops architectural features. A montage follows of similar shops and shop fronts from around the region. The montage ends on the Northern Goldsmiths gold clock above their shop on the corner of Pilgrim and Blackett Street in Newcastle. Standing across the road from an arts shop on Westgate Road John provides details on the building which is a conversion from a mid-18th century town house. Inside he admires the grand plaster ceiling in the Rococo style as well as an elaborate staircase. On Blackett Street John appreciates the gloriously inventive art nouveau shop front of Reid and Sons jewellers, inside the interior little changed since it first opened in 1906. As John dressed as the Bristol Draper again walks along Grey Street past large glass fronted shop windows, he explains in voiceover his surprise that shop fronts like these have survived. Running into John Grundy outside one of these shops the two men discuss innovations in glass making, developed in Sunderland in the 1850s, that allowed glass such as seen here to be available. The development of another invention, the cast iron column to support the shop front is pointed out by John who spots inside the court jester from earlier now sitting with a cup of coffee resting his aching feet. Title: End of Part One Grundy Goes… Part Two At home as John attempts to pick up his post from the doorstep, he is continually interrupted by the telephone ringing and people attempting to sell him something. Sitting on his sofa in his living room John turns on the television where he is sees himself playing both a man and woman on a shopping channel attempting to sell the virtues of a string vest. John complains about all this tele-shopping, but as he gets up and leaves his house he explains there is still a ‘powerful hunger’ for ordinary round the corner shops. Over a montage of various shop fronts John explains that even the biggest departments stores started from small beginnings and during the Victorian era developers recognised the significance of shops and built them into the housing developments. Standing across the road from a corner shop, a little dream of traditional England, John explains why these types of shops were usually more expensive to rent. Standing on Armstrong Road in the Newcastle suburb of Jesmond, John explains that even with the threat from out-of-town shopping centres and the internet, these shops are alive and vibrant with so much energy and individuality. A montage follows of some of the shops including customers coming out of a Tesco supermarket, a traditional overstuffed hardware store, Martyn’s shoe repair shop with the cobbler at his workbench, a wet-fish shop and finally the local newsagents or paper shop with a community noticeboard inside the shop window. Still standing on Armstrong Road John runs into the Bristol Draper again who is changing costumes to become Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge who in 1838 came up with the plan to create one of the world’s first department stores. Now dressed as Emerson Bainbridge John stands in the entrance way of the Bainbridge departments store inside the Eldon Square shopping centre in Newcastle. As shoppers wonder around the store John speaks in voiceover describing Bainbridge’s as one if not the first stores to start the move towards ‘bigness’. On Northumberland Street Christmas shoppers pass any number of national and international chains including C&A, Marks and Spencer, HMV and the Virgin Megastore. Shopping, exclaims John, has entered the world of the giants. Small children and their parents are enthralled by the animatronic Christmas display inside the Fenwick department store window. Walking along the arcade of The Holy Jesus Hospital on nearby City Road, John provides details on another development that changed the face of towns today, the arcade or mall. In the pedestrian underpass beneath Swan House the replica of the Royal Arcade designed by local architect John Dobson in 1823-24 and demolished and forgotten about for decades in 1963. Unsurprisingly, John is not impressed by this arcade rebuilt on this ‘scrappy roundabout’. Over views of the nearby Edwardian Central Arcade on Grey Street John talks about its many beautiful architectural features describing it as the summit of historic shop design in the Northeast and a direct ancestor of the modern shopping mall. Dressed again as the count jester John wonders through the arcade with his shopping complaining of the lack of days remaining till Christmas. Inside the Metro Centre at Gateshead a revolving Christmas tree and a montage of crowds of shoppers wondering past the many shops. Over an aerial of the centre John exclaims that its scale is almost as gigantic as its draw. Back on Northumberland Street John wonders through the crowds of shoppers explaining that places like the Metro Centre don’t interest him. As he comes to a stop outside Eldon Square, he states towns have fought back and created their own malls. Inside as crowds wonder past John comments that Eldon Square is almost as large and busy as the Metro Centre, a complex collection of streets and indoor squares or meeting places. As shoppers wonder along both Silver Street and the Market Place in Durham John explains how the city has become more shopper friendly. As John walks along the Prince Bishops Place shopping centre, he talks positively about the work done of this new mall making it fell ‘more generally towney’. As shoppers wonder past various outlets John states that if towns are to survive, they need to provide the kind of shops the consumer demands. Again, as the court jester John wonders past with his shopping. Returning to Grey’s Monument in Newcastle John sits on a bench pointing out some of the retail architected delights surrounding him. Across the road on Blackett Street is Dillons bookshop established inside Emerson Chambers, probably one of the best art nouveau buildings in England. Inside a glorious combination of its old plasterwork and modern high tech. Further down Blackett Street is Reid and Sons jewellers again, next door Warehouse the women’s fashion chain described by John as a splendid modern design. Moving onto the top of Grainger Street an Oddbins wine shop which John likes as it is 'wittily untidy and personal' and across from that another women’s fashion outlet French Connection. Heading inside John explains he has a weakness for ‘women’s frock shops’ but only for the architecture and design. As he wonders around the shop, he provides details on why he adores the best modern shop interiors. Coming back outside onto Grey Street John concludes the programme by explaining why there are so many contemporary and exciting designs and why towns are exciting places to visit and why he loves it when ‘Grundy goes shopping’. For the final time dressed as the court jester John heads off down Grey Street carrying his shopping. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Photography Mike Parker Sound Paul Graham Electricians Lew Hedley, Gordon Porteous, John Mason Costume Cathy Beaney Graphics Alan Davidson Dubbing Mixer Charles Heath Editor Bernard Helm Director / Producer Roger Burgess Title: © Tyne Tees Television 1999 End title: A Tyne Tees Television Production. © Tyne Tees Television MCMXCIX