Rapid Hardware in administration

Loved this place when in Renshaw St but not after it moved to GH Lee building. Lost the 'quaintness' of searching for old and unusual things i.e.. gas mantles

Rapid Hardware WAS Renshaw Street wasn't it? Over the years they just snaffled up shop after shop.

If you wanted a half-inch flange edged gland seal for a high velocity knurl valve.... they were sure to stock it !!

Sad to hear of its passing.

Yes, sad; gone are the days when the floorboards in hardware shops were saturated with paraffin and you could buy three 3 inch No.8 screws.
Actually, come to think of it, we still have a proper hardware shop here in Shrewsbury. Has a concrete floor, but still smells of paraffin. My last purchase there was 2 inches off a 2 foot wide roll of perforated zinc, Imported from Canada I was told. From memory, it cost £1 an inch. Try B&Q for that.

Originally Posted by chriskay

Yes, sad; gone are the days when the floorboards in hardware shops were saturated with paraffin and you could buy three 3 inch No.8 screws.

Black Japanned 3 inch No.8's of course !!

If you saw a Rapid delivery van on the Wirral you knew it was a Thursday

Know which shop you mean Chriskay, bought some rope there a few months back, down by the river, another one where the Guy is closing down and retiring is Ron Hammersley's in Mold, went in the shop today and it was nearly empty, all his screws have been bought leaving just bits of was a great place for screws and paint, kitchen bits and lots of other bits and nick knacks.

Liked going into Rapid but only went once it moved.

Originally Posted by davew3

Know which shop you mean Chriskay, bought some rope there a few months back, down by the river,

Yes, Birch's. Long may it prosper.

Originally Posted by chriskay

Yes, sad; gone are the days when the floorboards in hardware shops were saturated with paraffin and you could buy three 3 inch No.8 screws.
Actually, come to think of it, we still have a proper hardware shop here in Shrewsbury. Has a concrete floor, but still smells of paraffin. My last purchase there was 2 inches off a 2 foot wide roll of perforated zinc, Imported from Canada I was told. From memory, it cost £1 an inch. Try B&Q for that.

Very sad to hear this news, iconic shop which will be sadly missed.
Remember this Chriskay?
[youtube]sO6EE1xTXmw[/youtube]

Oh dear, I hope someone saves it. I know people tend to blame the 'big box stores' like B&Q or Wickes for a demise such as this, but sadly it's the folk who choose to shop there that cause it. We all have a choice where to buy our goods.

***From the BBC News***
"Director of Group Services Liz Jenkins said she was "devastated" for staff but that meetings were under way to establish what would happen next".

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...re-until-further-notice-100252-32765392/

The store has been shut down "until further notice"

So Sad

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

We all have a choice where to buy our goods.

We don't have much choice these days. It's really not the fault of the current generation, more the previous (and my) generation who, because they had cars and found it difficult to park in towns, preferred to go to the out-of-town stores: that and the fact that fewer and fewer people live in town centres these days.
However, all isn't lost; have a look later in the picture gallery, when I've uploaded some pictures I took today.