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While C&A left the UK and Ireland 25 years ago, they remain open across Europe(Image: Krisztian Bocsi\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\nFrom C&A to The Disney Store, these brands need to come back!While C&A left the UK and Ireland 25 years ago, they remain open across Europe(Image: Krisztian Bocsi\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Remember when a Saturday in town was a proper day out? You’d meet your mates outside HMV, maybe nip into Topshop \u201cjust for a look,\u201d and end up in a queue at The Body Shop with a basket full of stuff you definitely didn\u2019t need. Back then, our high streets<\/a> were buzzing. They were full of colour, character, and shops we genuinely loved. Now? It\u2019s all vape shops and empty units.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not just being dramatic (okay, maybe a little). These weren\u2019t just stores; they were part of growing up in Northern Ireland. The places where we bought our first going-out outfit, begged for new school shoes, or spent ages flicking through catalogues pretending we were going to order something.<\/p>\n So, in honour of flaky glitter tops, 3-for-2 lip balms, and pick \u2019n\u2019 mix so good it should be illegal, here are 10 shops<\/a> we still talk about and desperately wish would make a comeback.<\/p>\n C&A<\/p>\n You haven\u2019t known real drama until you\u2019ve sobbed in the changing room at C&A because your mum\u2019s making you buy \u201croomy\u201d jeans from the Rodeo range. Whether you were dragged there under protest or voluntarily browsing for your next fleece, C&A was a staple. It’s store on Donegall Place<\/a> closed in 2000 and we\u2019ve been confused ever since. However, you can bet that if I visit a country which still has one, it is the first shop I visit!<\/p>\n Tammy Girl<\/p>\n If you didn\u2019t go through a Tammy Girl phase, were you even a teenage girl in Northern Ireland<\/a>? It was the place for glittery slogan tops, questionable skirts, and outfits that screamed \u201cI\u2019m 13 now, Mum.\u201d Hidden inside Etam like a chaotic fashion Narnia, Tammy Girl helped shape your identity (and your fashion crimes). RIP, you sparkly legend.<\/p>\n The Disney Store<\/p>\n There was just something magical about The Disney Store. You\u2019d walk in and immediately hear \u201cLet It Go\u201d or Circle of Life, while shelves sparkled with plush toys, princess dresses and mugs shaped like characters\u2019 heads. Whether you were six or sixteen, it made you feel like you were in the middle of Disneyland, even if you were just on Donegall Place<\/a>.<\/p>\n Barratts Shoes<\/p>\n School shoes, party shoes, wedding shoes, Barratts had them all. There was always a sale on, and your mum would say, \u201cThese are lovely and practical,\u201d while you stared longingly at a pair of trainers with light-up soles. If you ever left Barratts without a cardboard foot measurer in your hand, you\u2019re lying.<\/p>\n Ted Baker<\/p>\n Remember when Ted Baker felt fancy? You\u2019d walk in, touch everything gently, and act like you might be able to afford it, even though you were just there for a browse. It was for job interviews, weddings, and \u201cspecial occasions\u201d that you made up just to justify the price. It vanished from our high streets<\/a> and took our posh alter-egos with it.<\/p>\n Adams Kids<\/p>\n Back-to-school<\/a> season meant one thing: a meltdown in Adams. It was the go-to for jumpers, trousers with \u201cadjustable waistbands,\u201d and formalwear for under-10s. You\u2019d be itching to escape while your mum debated sock sizes. Honestly, it wasn\u2019t fun at the time.<\/p>\n The More Store<\/p>\n The More Store was an absolute fever dream. One minute you\u2019re picking up a faux-leather handbag, the next you\u2019re holding a slow cooker and a set of curtains. Part bargain bin, part Aladdin\u2019s cave. No one knew what it actually sold, but you always walked out with something. Bring it back. We\u2019ll clear the shelves!<\/p>\n Index<\/p>\n Index was where you\u2019d go if Argos <\/a>didn\u2019t have it or even if it did, just to feel fancy with a different catalogue. You\u2019d place your order, stare at the conveyor belt of mystery behind the counter, and wait for your order to come along like some weird edition of the Generation Game.<\/p>\n Woolworths<\/p>\n CDs, pick \u2019n\u2019 mix, stationery, and every Christmas<\/a> gift set under the sun, Woolies had it all. You could waste hours there and spend exactly \u00a33.50. When it closed, it felt like a personal attack.<\/p>\n British Home Stores<\/p>\n Homeware, tights, school shirts, lampshades, and a caf\u00e9 that served gravy chips<\/a>, what couldn\u2019t BHS do? If your mum said \u201cI\u2019m just nipping into BHS,\u201d you knew you were in for a good 40 minutes of wandering around and hoping for a traybake at the end. When BHS shut its doors, a little piece of the high street went with it.<\/p>\n They might all be gone, but they\u2019ll never be forgotten, mostly because we\u2019re still telling anyone who\u2019ll listen how great they were.<\/p>\n For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage <\/strong>here<\/a> and sign up to our nostalgia newsletter<\/a> here.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From C&A to The Disney Store, these brands need to come back!While C&A left the UK and Ireland…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":221322,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5011],"tags":[9315,1144,246,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-221321","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-ireland","8":"tag-fun-stuff","9":"tag-northern-ireland","10":"tag-shopping","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=221321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221321\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/221322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=221321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=221321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=221321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}