Retail rivalry and game pie - when Sheffield was the north’s ‘shopping capital’

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It’s hard to imagine that Sheffield city centre once attracted shoppers from the continent and went head to head with nearby Leeds for retail dominance. But in the early 1970s, it did just that.

Homegrown department stores like Walsh's, Cockyanes, Redgates, and Cole Brothers were the cornerstone of the enviable retail experience.

The city proclaimed itself the north’s ‘shopping capital’ and boasted department stores with silver service restaurants, teams of chefs and game pie one of the most popular items on the menu.

The newly re-published ‘Shopaholics Guide to 1970s Sheffield’ tells the story via the memories of scores of people who used to work in the stores

Sheffield's bustling Chapel Walk in the early 1970s

Forgotten names like Wigfalls, Paudons, Sexy Rexy, and many more are all remembered alongside civic institutions like the Hole-In-The-Road and the Fiesta – the latter being the biggest nightclub in Europe that even held a date over for Elvis.

Author Neil Anderson said: “When you look around Sheffield city centre today, it’s hard to imagine what it was like 50 years ago when it was at the height of its retail dominance. A trip into town was a reason to get dressed up – it was the highlight of the week for many. It was the cornerstone of the weekly social calendar in the days before smartphones. It’s very hard to appreciate what it was like all those decades ago – only Atkinsons remains of its former roster of homegrown retail giants.”

The 'Shopaholics Guide to 1970s Sheffield' offers a captivating glimpse into the city's vibrant retail past, showcasing its heyday when it reigned supreme in the shopping sector.

'Shopaholics Guide to 1970s Sheffield' is available now from: https://dirtystopouts.com/products/shopaholics-guide-to-1970s-sheffield

It costs just £17.95 (plus P&P). The first 50 copies are signed by the author.