Thanks to Gary Sharman for this fantastic video of Stone that he filmed back in 1991 and has now shared via YouTube.
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Gary said: “Who can remember the days when we had two lanes of traffic hurtling down the High Street? There must be many people reading this who moved to Stone in the last 17+ years who can’t conceive of anything other than a pedestrianised High Street. Well, you may be interested in looking at a home movie I have put on to YouTube taken on 1st April 1991, I was sitting as a passenger as we drove up Crown Street then down the High Street, passing the MEB, the Midland Bank and Purtons to name but a few of the ‘lost’ names.”
Anyone else got any old footage of Stone? We’d love to see it and share it! Email news@alittlebitofstone.com
17 comments
Matt Tonkinson
The highstreet looks a lot better like this! I would use it a lot more if it was like this still, as it stands, I don’t want to pay to park in the co-op so I always drive out to Eccleshall or Stafford instead of using stone ( I live on Old road so it’s pretty close to the centre). I imagine others must feel like this too so it’s a real shame stone is loosing business from the people who live her for the sake of pedestrianisation. Nice find on the video!
Matthew lowe
I remember how Stone was a proper high street
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Helen
Being only 4 or 5 when the high street was pedestrianised I only have vague memories of the town being like this. It was really interesting to see. This video was shot before I was even born! I looked at Gary’s youtube chanel and saw his photos from 2005-07 which was also worth a look, I started at Alleyne’s in 2005 so was interesting to see what the town looked like when I was home from school.
Jamie Summerfield
Hi Helen. It’s a great video, isn’t it?! I’ll have a look at Gary’s other videos as I don’t think I’ve seen those
Jackie Dent Leadley
I remember it.I was living in Hanley at the time it was closer to work and I missed Stone.I didn’t know anyone living in the potteries and couldn’t believe I would ever get back but now I live nearby and am much happier when I found a few people who had been to Alleynes.
Mike
I am 68 and remember Stone from when I was about 4. At that time traffic was two way up and down the high street with a PMT double decker bus every 12 minutes from Stafford to Hanley on Saturdays (The Number 10 route in those days)
Ben Powell
Much Better! I would actually use the high street if it went back to this, the big shops with the very local parking always get the business, Wednesfield where I’m from pedestrianised and the high street died.
David
The car park is still there in Stafford Street…when did that collapse and the new road get built?
Andrew Wilson
Arrr! those were the days…….when you could drive around with your video camera in one hand; steering with the other!
Jon Cook
Just in case you’re being serious ” I was sitting as a passenger as we drove up Crown Street”
Ian Cardinal
Oh my goodness! My first visit to Stone was by canal boat in 1972 and I can certainly remember it looking a bit like that! memory lane
Aimo Amison
Forget that it’s pedestrianised when you see that. Just like yesterday.
Hannah May Amison
i wasnt even born al shieks wasnt even built lol
Annette Godwin
remember it well 🙂
Jon Cook
Wow, as someone who moved here in 2005 I can certainly see the difference. I can’t believe how wide the high street looks with the two lanes going through it!
David B
Believe me, it didn’t feel wide as a pedestrian – especially when the wagons came down and tried to turn into Mill Street!