- Joined
- Friday July 10, 2009
- Location
- Little Feckwittering-on-the-Moor
Today, I was sent on an errand by SWMBO for a picture frame - specifically we have 3 pictures in the front room that are framed in frames acquired from Bainbridges (aka John Lewis) in Newcastle... so I set off in high hopes that I could park and ride, make a surgical strike and leave....
It was not to be. The snivelling gits have stopped selling those frames - because there was no demand according to head office - the lady running the pictures and mirrors department was very sympathetic saying she had at least 2 people per week ask for these frames. Annoyed, I left there and tried virtually every other emporium in the city that might sell them off the shelf... no luck.
Walking back to the station to get the train, I had a brainwave - try the Art Centre as frequented (afternoons only of course) by Art students - I looked and they had nothing, asked the lady (at least it had shirt potatoes and had applied lipstick, so I make the rash assumption that it was a female at least) if they did or knew of an outlet for frames - she pointed me through their gallery, cafe and art supplies department to a small courtyard where there's a business called "the Frame Shop"...
I entered and with some trepidation asked the (Antipodean - it seems it's impossible to have an indigenous assistant these days) chap behind the counter if he had frames like those I sought - the answer was in the negative, but he could make me them if I could give him the dimensions - I asked the obvious questions - how long and how much - the answer - go get a coffee and it works out to be something like £12 for the frame I wanted (less than they are retail). So I went and got a coffee and came back to a perfect match for the frames we already have for far less.
So if you're ever in the Newcastle area and in need of a picture frame - the Frame Shop - in the courtyard behind the Newcastle Art Centre, Westgate Road is the place.
It was not to be. The snivelling gits have stopped selling those frames - because there was no demand according to head office - the lady running the pictures and mirrors department was very sympathetic saying she had at least 2 people per week ask for these frames. Annoyed, I left there and tried virtually every other emporium in the city that might sell them off the shelf... no luck.
Walking back to the station to get the train, I had a brainwave - try the Art Centre as frequented (afternoons only of course) by Art students - I looked and they had nothing, asked the lady (at least it had shirt potatoes and had applied lipstick, so I make the rash assumption that it was a female at least) if they did or knew of an outlet for frames - she pointed me through their gallery, cafe and art supplies department to a small courtyard where there's a business called "the Frame Shop"...
I entered and with some trepidation asked the (Antipodean - it seems it's impossible to have an indigenous assistant these days) chap behind the counter if he had frames like those I sought - the answer was in the negative, but he could make me them if I could give him the dimensions - I asked the obvious questions - how long and how much - the answer - go get a coffee and it works out to be something like £12 for the frame I wanted (less than they are retail). So I went and got a coffee and came back to a perfect match for the frames we already have for far less.
So if you're ever in the Newcastle area and in need of a picture frame - the Frame Shop - in the courtyard behind the Newcastle Art Centre, Westgate Road is the place.