Post by Londonbus1 on Nov 4, 2014 8:55:46 GMT
October 2014.
I recently returned from a gruelling work-infested trip to the UK and unlike many or most of my visits back to Old Blighty, philatelic side-trips were almost non-existent.
I did manage one 36-hour jaunt to London to visit friends and took a few hours to find some stamps and stamp accessories.
I was disappointed on both counts.
As I trudged along the Strand and surrounding streets, once the home of world philatelic stuff, I found myself outside Stanley Gibbons. Always a bit up-market, they at least had a good downstairs accessory department to stock up on sheets and just about anything else.
Not any more.
Downstairs was closed and turned into offices, most likely for their expensive stamp and auction business. Upstairs were mostly catalogues and top quality albums, neither of which were on my list. There was little else and so nothing to hang around for.
I left.
On the opposite side of the Strand was the Stamp Centre, always a useful place although overrun with Dr.Who toys and momorabilia. I entered and was greeted by........lots,lots more Dr.Who toys and memorabilia !! Then I asked the young man behind the counter [who doubtless knew nothing about stamps] if he had some Vario stock sheets and he said they didn't stock them any more and that I should buy them on eBay !!!
He REALLY said that. Shocked, I asked him if he was joking and he said quite calmly that he wasn't.
I left.
Two more shops not to visit on future trips to the UK capital city.
I then headed west for the short walk to St.Martins Lane to one of the last remaining 'real' stamp shops in London. There I was sure to get something of what I wanted or at the very least to look at some stamps.
No.
Not only was the shop gone, but the building had been completely renovated to make it look new and modern and housed some banking or other business facility. I gazed upon the scene with sadness. Was this it ? The end of the line for the average philatelist in London ?
It appeared so.
So what remained?
The Post Office on Trafalgar Square still had a philatelic counter which was quite refreshing. So while all the other 'windows' sported huge mile-long queues, this Bus was able to get his few bits from a Postal Teller twiddling his thumbs !!
It is true, there are still a good number of Saturday and Sunday monthly or Bi-monthly fairs around London and one good monthly fair in the centre, but it seems like the Philatelic death knell has sounded for the ordinary visitor/collector to London.
And it was sad.
But there was one continuing bright spot on the horizon. The Charing Cross collectors fair on a saturday morning, from 7am, was still going strong and was very busy and I did pick up some nice Cinderellas. I met my Stamp buddy, Stampstudy for our usual browse and full English breakfast afterwards.
Some things never change.
Londonbus1
I recently returned from a gruelling work-infested trip to the UK and unlike many or most of my visits back to Old Blighty, philatelic side-trips were almost non-existent.
I did manage one 36-hour jaunt to London to visit friends and took a few hours to find some stamps and stamp accessories.
I was disappointed on both counts.
As I trudged along the Strand and surrounding streets, once the home of world philatelic stuff, I found myself outside Stanley Gibbons. Always a bit up-market, they at least had a good downstairs accessory department to stock up on sheets and just about anything else.
Not any more.
Downstairs was closed and turned into offices, most likely for their expensive stamp and auction business. Upstairs were mostly catalogues and top quality albums, neither of which were on my list. There was little else and so nothing to hang around for.
I left.
On the opposite side of the Strand was the Stamp Centre, always a useful place although overrun with Dr.Who toys and momorabilia. I entered and was greeted by........lots,lots more Dr.Who toys and memorabilia !! Then I asked the young man behind the counter [who doubtless knew nothing about stamps] if he had some Vario stock sheets and he said they didn't stock them any more and that I should buy them on eBay !!!
He REALLY said that. Shocked, I asked him if he was joking and he said quite calmly that he wasn't.I left.
Two more shops not to visit on future trips to the UK capital city.
I then headed west for the short walk to St.Martins Lane to one of the last remaining 'real' stamp shops in London. There I was sure to get something of what I wanted or at the very least to look at some stamps.
No.
Not only was the shop gone, but the building had been completely renovated to make it look new and modern and housed some banking or other business facility. I gazed upon the scene with sadness. Was this it ? The end of the line for the average philatelist in London ?
It appeared so.
So what remained?
The Post Office on Trafalgar Square still had a philatelic counter which was quite refreshing. So while all the other 'windows' sported huge mile-long queues, this Bus was able to get his few bits from a Postal Teller twiddling his thumbs !!
It is true, there are still a good number of Saturday and Sunday monthly or Bi-monthly fairs around London and one good monthly fair in the centre, but it seems like the Philatelic death knell has sounded for the ordinary visitor/collector to London.
And it was sad.
But there was one continuing bright spot on the horizon. The Charing Cross collectors fair on a saturday morning, from 7am, was still going strong and was very busy and I did pick up some nice Cinderellas. I met my Stamp buddy, Stampstudy for our usual browse and full English breakfast afterwards.
Some things never change.
Londonbus1
