Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, December 2020: The Ashton Review of Shops

This month’s semi-reopened window on the shop windows

At this time of writing, four days have passed since the second lockdown. Greater Manchester is back in Tier 3, which in layperson’s terms is a watered-down version of the lockdown we came out of earlier. It means, for at least a fortnight (best case scenario), we cannot go to the pub.

Across the UK, the prognosis for wet-led pubs (which makes up a substantial chunk of Tameside’s licensed premises) and bricks and mortar stores is very grim.

Brass Banding Goes Pop: EM60’s 2020 Advent Calendar: 5. Light As Air

As British Bandsman told his tale…

• Piece: Light As Air;
• Composer: Dvorak/Gary Brooker/Keith Reid/Matthew Fisher;
• Arranger: Goff Richards.

Once upon a Christmastime ago, a box of cigars or a packet of cigars was seen as an acceptable Christmas present. Yes, back in the days when Coronation Street only had two weekly episodes. Back when Senior Service (well, Gallaher) was one of Tameside’s largest private sector employers. Among their brands was Hamlet (“The Mild Cigar”), whose humorous adverts had a snatch of Dvorak’s Air On A G String.