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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 10:30 am   #1
BrianAllen
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Default Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

Have all the above now disappeared from our high streets?

Only recently having an interest in vintage radio, I would have loved to have gone down to a local stockist to buy wire, resistors, capacitors etc etc.
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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 10:37 am   #2
rontech
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

With the demise of Maplin I know of no component suppliers in my area. There is a good independent HIFI/TV shop who sells cartridges, styli, pickup arms, turntables, interconnects etc.
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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 11:54 am   #3
Chris55000
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

Hi!

They're very and far between, but I think there's a retail counter in Chesterfield that advertises in EPE/PE Magazine, and there's Rapid in Colchester, as well as Birketts in Lincoln that still sells assorted odds and ends, but they might be temporarily shut due to the C.V!

Chris Williams

PS!

I think you can pay over the counter at RS outlets if you're registered with them!
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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 12:46 pm   #4
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

Not sure what their current opening hours are, but Cricklewood Electronics in London is one of the very last of its kind. They've diversified in recent times into stuff such as CCTV, enabling them to stay afloat, while remaining pretty much the only store that I know of where you can walk in and buy a JFET over the counter at.

edit - their website says they are open as usual!
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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 12:49 pm   #5
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

My local RS counter in 'Ackney shut down. I was under the impression they'd closed their trade counters... Maybe they have one left in Kirby?

For vintage parts, Cricklewood is pretty much the only one I know...sadly...
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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 2:06 pm   #6
David G4EBT
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

ESR Electronics shop in Cullercoates, Tyne & Wear, is a joy of a place and their service online and by phone is top class.

Long may they continue:

https://www.esr.co.uk/shop/contents/en-uk/about.html

Some pictures:

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1...oiowFXoECCgQAw

I'm old enough to have wandered down Tottenham Court Road, visiting one magical store after another. Happy days.

This nostalgia malarkey, harking back to days of yore, always brings to mind the clip from 'Blue Remembered Hills' by A E Houseman:

Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?

That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 2:13 pm   #7
duncanlowe
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

Quote:
Originally Posted by knobtwiddler View Post
My local RS counter in 'Ackney shut down. I was under the impression they'd closed their trade counters... Maybe they have one left in Kirby?
They have a number left (seems about 16).
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Old 22nd Feb 2021, 2:22 pm   #8
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

I haven't been there for a while but I think Hardings Electronics may still be on the High Street in Cheltenham.

The last time I went to this old part of the High Street there were also a couple of retro shops selling cordless phones, radios, aerials, battery chargers and other cheapo electronics goods.
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Old 23rd Feb 2021, 7:46 am   #9
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

Quote:
Originally Posted by G0HZU_JMR View Post
I haven't been there for a while but I think Hardings Electronics may still be on the High Street in Cheltenham.

The last time I went to this old part of the High Street there were also a couple of retro shops selling cordless phones, radios, aerials, battery chargers and other cheapo electronics goods.
They were still there right up to the first lockdown , lets hope they are still there after its lifted,the service there is excellent ,they even had a display of radio knobs and buttons on display in the window for sale last time.
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Old 23rd Feb 2021, 12:56 pm   #10
knobtwiddler
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Default Re: Independent High Street Electrical/Electronic Suppliers

Quote:
Originally Posted by duncanlowe View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by knobtwiddler View Post
My local RS counter in 'Ackney shut down. I was under the impression they'd closed their trade counters... Maybe they have one left in Kirby?
They have a number left (seems about 16).
Thanks. My impression was skewed by the closing of the branch in hipster Hackney Wick. The hipsters obviously didn't visit the place enough. Maybe they could have kept it going if if they'd sold cassette tapes, 35mm film and parts for 80s video consoles.
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