cyberem78's profile

Located near the cross-roads at Bedlington Station this store sells wall ornaments and home furnishings. Their window display is amazing and they are definatelt the chicest shop in the area! The quality of the goods they store is very high. There are some orginal designs. They generally stock things like mirrors, wall art and ornaments. This is a specialist home design shop and a great alternative to the mass produced art at places like Ikea!

Since my local branch of Crofts at nearby town Bedlington closed down I was referred to this practice. It is located not far from the main road running through Blyth but can be difficult to spot as it is in a primarily residential area. The best way to get there is to turn down the road opposite the bus station then take a right and it is on the left hand corner.

Parking is available in the streets but there are some spaces marked 'permit holders only’ and some yellow lines.

The practice is on the corner of the street. There is a glass fronted window and one main wide door which provides disabled access.

Inside there is a small waiting area. A hard seat alongside the window or two plastic seats near the reception desk are where you can wait. There is a noticeboard near the door with advertisments on it. There is a lot of helpful infomation regarding training classes etc. To the right there is a coffee making machine for cients. There is also a bowl of water provided for dogs. There are wall hooks where leashes are provided should you need one.

The reception is usually manned by one or two staff members. The girls here are lovely and will talk to your pet as if they are human! They will even come around and stroke your animal if it is quiet inside. The dedication of the staff is obvious from the huge display of photos of animals behind the desk.

I have three dogs who come here regularly and one has had a life-saving op which meant me turning up out of hours on New Years Eve. I have to say the staff are amazing, hard working and so talented. I often get a different vet every time I come here but they are all very nice. You can also choose to see a veterinary nurse too.

A brilliant practice, they send me mail outs concerning the practice regularly as well as appointment reminders. They also have a new state of the art hospital for clients.

This store is located inside the Keel Row shopping centre at Blyth. It is located near to the entrance beside the bus station. There is a carpark beside the centre with free parking available.

This is a large store which sells a variety of products. There are newspapers and magazines on the immediate left. Towards the back left of the store there is stationary and cards. To the right front of the store is the main till and a confectionary stand. To the back right is books and DVDs.

The store has a huge collection of items in each section with lots of specialist items available. Children’s books, including shool books, are available to buy. There is often a large display of biographies and celebrity endorsed books. The Richard and Judy Book Club often is promoted.

There are often sales items near the front of the store which will include all sort of stock. The shop have a large proporation of WH Smith branded products which tend to be more expensive than brands from other stores.

I find the staff to be very helpful here, offering advice in all departments. This is a busy store and there is usually a queue but customers are served quickly.

The store accepts cash, cards, giftcards and Keel Row vouchers for payment.

A small Argos store which is located just off the market place in Blyth. It is situated on the corner of the street with the entrance on the diagonal edge of the building. There is a quiet cobble style road around the store which is often parked heavily. The nearest carpark would be the supermarket one street away or the Keel Row Centre carpark five-ten minutes walk away.

The facade is always clean and bright. The front doors are a little stiff and narrow. There is a level surface into the store though, so prams and wheelchairs can get inside.

Inside there are desks around the edge of the windows and one in the centre where you can look through the catalogues. The stores have stock checkers here too where you can punch in the catalogue number of a given product and see if it is in stock.

To order you must write the catalogue code on an order form (provided at the desks) and take it to the tills. There are a row of about five tills. Usually only two or three of these are manned, with staff opening more if a queue forms.

Staff are dressed in red uniforms and always look well presented. They will go through a specific sales speech at the tills which includes asking if you want insurance on any electrical items. You can pay by cash, gift voucher or credit/debit card. You are then supplied with a numbered receipt. You must wait nearby until a wall mounted TV displays the same number as on your reciept. There are a couple of hard wooden chairs where you can sit to wait. I often see people standing though, as there are not enough seats here. Staff collect the items from their storerooms and serve you quickly.

Also in the store are leaflet piles and stands full of Argos company services like pet insurance information. By the door there is a box of catalogues. These can be taken home free.

By the collection point booth there is often piles of reduced stock. This can look untidy but you can often get a great bargain. Ask staff if you want a specific item in this collection.

This is a large branch of Barclays located on the main road running through Blyth which leads along to the market place. The bank is near to the job centre and the library. Local parking is avilable either to the back and left of the main entrance or in the Keel Row shopping Centre carpark, both free.

The bank has steps leading up to the entrance or a side ramp for easy access for disabled people or those with prams. There is an automatic door.

The interior is very large and spacious with lots of room to stand. Several booths are manned by staff - it is usually quite busy and the staff manange transactions quickly and efficiently. The staff are well trained and have a friendly manner. I actually bank here and have never had any problems at the branch, even when dealing with complicated monetary matters!

There are ATMs available at the bank which do not charge for withdrawals.

The Market Place Post Office has a deceptive name as it located away from the main market place area and is actually found in the west end of the front street. It is very easy to find and is near to the TSB bank. There is a post box outside of the building.

The building has a slight ramp up to the door which means easy access for prams and wheelchairs. The door is easy to open too. Inside there is a small area where you can queue. I find that because it gets so busy the queue is often trailing out of the front entrance. This makes entering and exiting very difficult.

There is a stand selling cards for all occassions, a working photo booth and a children’s bubblegum machine inside. There is also a wall mounted stand where you can get padded envelopes. If you need to write anything or fill out a form you can lean on the windowsill area. This is a bit awkward but there is usually a pen lying on the sill ready to be used.

There are several booths where you can be served. I do find that the most staff here is usually two people and more often it is only one. This tends to mean long queues and waiting times.

There are pens chained to the boothes and scales where you can weigh your post. The staff talk you through all transactions. I must say that some staff members are a little bit stern and bad tempered and sometimes just gesture instead of speaking. I find this a little rude and unpleasant.

A busy, post office, the next nearest office is located next door to the Spar shop at Bedlington Station.

Parking is available at street level or behind the front street in free carpark.

Ann’s Pantry is a popular delicatessen which is situated on the road between Bedlington and the Station. It is situated near to a busy residential area and is quite a favourite with those living in the neighbouring estates. It is also beside a major route bus-stop and as such attracts people who go in to buy themselves a breakfast or lunch ready for the working day.

Previously a convenience store, the building is quite big and roomy inside. There is space to move around so even when busy you feel comfortable with space to move. There is a large glass fronted counter behind which the staff serve.

They have a wide selection of savoury and sweet homebaked style products which are always ultra fresh and which smell delightful.

I find that the staff here will go out of their way to help. I recently went looking for a specific food item and even though they didn’t have it recommended and sold me something that replaced the item nicely. They are friendly and seem to enjoy what they do.

There is no parking spaces near the store except on the residential street areas.

This co-op is located in the Bedlington Station area close to the library and near to the railroad tracks crossroad. It is close to the Spar store, which is it’s best competition. As it is near to the High School it is often frequented by kids at lunch times and half past three when the shcools are out.

There is no nearby parking spaces but you can park around the corner (about ten minutes walk away) or in a nearby residential street. There is one entrance with a flat surface which is easy to negotiate with wheelchairs and prams.

The store is quite small and has a dark, decorated glass window. There are pictures of food items on the facade of the building which looks quite inviting.

Inside there are only a few narrow aisles. The store sells a small selection of foods including dairy products, cereal, sweets and snacks as well as household products and newspapers and magazines. The prices are average in comparison to local stores. It is basically a handy convenience store rather than a full supermarket sized shop though and has a selection of brands rather than every brand available.

The staff here are kind and helpful. There is often a queue but the staff serve people quickly.

This hairdressers is located at the east end of Bedlington Front Street, just off the junction where the pedestrian crossing is, and near to the market place. Parking is available just across the road and around the corner at the free Tesco’s carpark. The road around the salon is busy but once inside the noise of the street is muted and it is a calm, relaxing environment.

The salon has a charming, fun appearance to it with the main sign having a cartoonish, young look to it. The facade is clean and bright. There is a windowed front but it is somewhat obscured by the decor. Inside it is clean and you can feel at ease.

This is one of many hair dressing salons in the area but this one seems to cater to all sorts of clientele, from young to old.

The staff are really lovely and very helpful in aiding your hair styling decisions. Price wise this is average in comparison to the other salons in town.

This pub is located in the Bedlington Station area and is alongside the main road. There is a private car park inside the grounds with limited spaces available. There is usally parking available though and if not there are some residential streets nearby available.

The pub is large with a main entrance leading to the main area. Disabled users may need a little help getting in. The interior has a comfortable, cosy feeling to it. The furnishings look clean and the standards of heigiene are good.

The staff here are friendly and efficient. They serve drinks and snacks. There are plenty of tables and seating areas.

The Terrier has many facilities such as dart boards which are often utilised by the local teams.

Overal the place has a good atmosphere and whilst popular with a specific local crowd also invites visitors.