| NFR - Smiths of Castleton 09:32 - Oct 24 with 6097 views | Dalenet |
An end of an era - Smiths bakery of Castleton (and Heywood) will close on 2nd November. The business has been up for sale to allow the owner to retire for sometime - but with no buyer they are to close. With Hiltons in Norden closing after Andrews death, this is another traditional business that makes pretty good pies and egg custard tarts that will have fallen by the wayside. I wish the staff all the best. Always a pre-game ritual for us....not sure what to do now for lunch pies. |  | | |  |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 09:42 - Oct 24 with 6059 views | EllDale |
Dear me. Sad news. When I worked in Castleton a few years ago a pie from Smiths was a must on most dinner times. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 10:17 - Oct 24 with 5970 views | judd |
"Pretty good..."
Understatement of the century.
Those meat pies are to die for.
I did see an interested party in the Heywood shop recently but I got the impression he was just after the properties.
Such a shame. |  |
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 10:36 - Oct 24 with 5935 views | TalkingSutty |
Good pie shop, they sell Smiths pies at the Village Bakery in Littleborough. Fortunately we still have Tattersalls Bakery in Wardle, their pies/ muffins/ custards/ bread are legendary. Pies are out of the oven for 1130am every morning. I was born on Clough Street adjacent to the shop in 1964 and apparently had my first meat pie when i was two years old, i've been visiting the Bakery ever since. Give it a try if you're ever in the area.
RIP Smiths Bakery. |  | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 11:18 - Oct 24 with 5887 views | TVOS1907 |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 10:36 - Oct 24 by TalkingSutty |
Good pie shop, they sell Smiths pies at the Village Bakery in Littleborough. Fortunately we still have Tattersalls Bakery in Wardle, their pies/ muffins/ custards/ bread are legendary. Pies are out of the oven for 1130am every morning. I was born on Clough Street adjacent to the shop in 1964 and apparently had my first meat pie when i was two years old, i've been visiting the Bakery ever since. Give it a try if you're ever in the area.
RIP Smiths Bakery. |
Village Bakery changed suppliers a few weeks ago, obviously knowing Smith's was closing. |  |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 12:49 - Oct 24 with 5726 views | judd |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 10:36 - Oct 24 by TalkingSutty |
Good pie shop, they sell Smiths pies at the Village Bakery in Littleborough. Fortunately we still have Tattersalls Bakery in Wardle, their pies/ muffins/ custards/ bread are legendary. Pies are out of the oven for 1130am every morning. I was born on Clough Street adjacent to the shop in 1964 and apparently had my first meat pie when i was two years old, i've been visiting the Bakery ever since. Give it a try if you're ever in the area.
RIP Smiths Bakery. |
I wonder if we should send the Ogden family some Smiths meat pies... | |
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 14:17 - Oct 24 with 5598 views | TalkingSutty |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 12:49 - Oct 24 by judd |
I wonder if we should send the Ogden family some Smiths meat pies... |
Not sure if they’ve been weaned on meat growlers. Cameron and his brother are like racing snakes, they won’t have a impoverished poor diet like us, they’ll eat proper food. Sir Peter will have had his fair share though, probably visited the bakery in Castleton when he was younger. Have you got his address, maybe we could send him a dozen as a Xmas present, either from Smiths or Tatts? I should have submitted the question to the Trust to ask when they meet the Directors tonight..it would have probably got filed in the inappropriate bin with my last question though and dismissed. [Post edited 24 Oct 14:19]
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 14:56 - Oct 24 with 5540 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
I worked in Castleton many many years ago when Whipp & Bourne and other Companies were in their hey day and lunch was always a straight route to Smiths.....I think there is a lady Dale supporter who still frequents the Sandy who worked there......big loss to the place. Another sad day for us old uns. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 15:01 - Oct 24 with 5523 views | nordenblue |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 10:36 - Oct 24 by TalkingSutty |
Good pie shop, they sell Smiths pies at the Village Bakery in Littleborough. Fortunately we still have Tattersalls Bakery in Wardle, their pies/ muffins/ custards/ bread are legendary. Pies are out of the oven for 1130am every morning. I was born on Clough Street adjacent to the shop in 1964 and apparently had my first meat pie when i was two years old, i've been visiting the Bakery ever since. Give it a try if you're ever in the area.
RIP Smiths Bakery. |
I grew up on Cornbrook just around the corner and used to hang around with the current owner, he was raised on Heath Rd, guessing it's still owned by Mr Dearnley | | | |
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 15:50 - Oct 24 with 5444 views | TVOS1907 |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 14:17 - Oct 24 by TalkingSutty |
Not sure if they’ve been weaned on meat growlers. Cameron and his brother are like racing snakes, they won’t have a impoverished poor diet like us, they’ll eat proper food. Sir Peter will have had his fair share though, probably visited the bakery in Castleton when he was younger. Have you got his address, maybe we could send him a dozen as a Xmas present, either from Smiths or Tatts? I should have submitted the question to the Trust to ask when they meet the Directors tonight..it would have probably got filed in the inappropriate bin with my last question though and dismissed. [Post edited 24 Oct 14:19]
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Not surprised. I don't think helping you to find that boring ex-girlfriend is part of their remit. | |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 16:03 - Oct 24 with 5425 views | TalkingSutty |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 15:50 - Oct 24 by TVOS1907 |
Not surprised. I don't think helping you to find that boring ex-girlfriend is part of their remit. |
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 19:06 - Oct 24 with 5197 views | 49thseason |
At the turn of the 20th century, there were more workers per square mile in Castleton than anywhere else in the world.. over 50,000 people worked there. The final nail in its coffin was building the cycle path through the village and stopping people from parking outside the shops to nip in and buy a few bits and pieces. This pathetic piece of authoritarian virtue signalling was endorsed by Castleton Councillors because in their own words " it was money from the Manchester Authority".. so thats all right then... £1.7m down the drain. ...The work took months, businesses closed, people are now finding their car insurance is rocketing and house values falling because they can't even park outside their own house any more and have to use a parking space 100s of yards away. And I have yet to see any commuters biking to Manchester .. but dont worry, I believe the next phase will soon be upon us...down the rest of Manchester road, with big changes at theTesco and Roch Valley Way lights, then down Old Manchester Road to the traffic lights at Touchstones...
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-workers-at-barlow-and-tweedale-ironwor
[Post edited 24 Oct 19:06]
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 20:12 - Oct 24 with 5088 views | EllDale |
I couldn’t agree more about the Castleton workforce having worked at various times, including summer jobs, at places like Woolworths, Arrow Mill and Whipp and Bourne. All busy places. I think the biggest was Tweedales and Smalley but that was before my time.
They kept places like Smiths and the various fish and chip shops busy at dinner times. My favourite was one on Newchurch St.
Are Smiths the last of independent bakers in the town as there used to be several exceptional ones including one on Oldham Road near the Wandrus Stores (Broadheads?) and another on Corporation Road which closed 50 years again. A chap called Pat Keane had a bakery in Heywood and supplied a few of the working men’s clubs in Rochdale on a daily basis as well.
As well as Hilton’s bakery on Ashfield Road Nicholsons on Watts St made decent pies but didn’t have a retail outlet of their own. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 12:29 - Oct 25 with 4663 views | robtheb |
I worked in Castleton as a butcher from 1963 to 1972 and Smith's was one of our customers. I delivered meat for their pies 6 mornings a week. We were one of seven butchers in the village, which was thriving at the time. It saddens me to drive through now, with all the empty shops and a useless cycle lane. I did hear a rumour that a long time staff member put in a reasonable bid to buy but was rejected. I stand corrected. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 14:16 - Oct 25 with 4543 views | SuddenLad |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 20:12 - Oct 24 by EllDale |
I couldn’t agree more about the Castleton workforce having worked at various times, including summer jobs, at places like Woolworths, Arrow Mill and Whipp and Bourne. All busy places. I think the biggest was Tweedales and Smalley but that was before my time.
They kept places like Smiths and the various fish and chip shops busy at dinner times. My favourite was one on Newchurch St.
Are Smiths the last of independent bakers in the town as there used to be several exceptional ones including one on Oldham Road near the Wandrus Stores (Broadheads?) and another on Corporation Road which closed 50 years again. A chap called Pat Keane had a bakery in Heywood and supplied a few of the working men’s clubs in Rochdale on a daily basis as well.
As well as Hilton’s bakery on Ashfield Road Nicholsons on Watts St made decent pies but didn’t have a retail outlet of their own. |
There was Schofields bakery on Spotland Road, (next to Lucky's chippy) which closed some years ago and Waltons Bakery in the same row, where we used to buy our bread/pies when I was a nipper,
Lower down Spotland Road near Clarkes Lane was Firths bakers. Long gone but a great shop for bread/pies etc...... The loss of Smith's is a sad landmark for the village of Castleton and indeed the Borough as a whole. The family have been well known for their high quality produce from their various shops, and there will be no substitute for them or their goods. |  |
| “It is easier to fool people, than to convince them that they have been fooled†|
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 15:40 - Oct 25 with 4422 views | Dalenet |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 12:29 - Oct 25 by robtheb |
I worked in Castleton as a butcher from 1963 to 1972 and Smith's was one of our customers. I delivered meat for their pies 6 mornings a week. We were one of seven butchers in the village, which was thriving at the time. It saddens me to drive through now, with all the empty shops and a useless cycle lane. I did hear a rumour that a long time staff member put in a reasonable bid to buy but was rejected. I stand corrected. |
The business was up for sale as a going concern with offers of c£600k a year or so ago. That included the empty recently closed 'bottom' shop and the two remaining trading shops, bakery, vans etc. It is now for sale with a suggested price of £165k 'with potential to be converted into a 3 bed house'. It seems that nobody wanted it as a going concern. A lot of staff will be losing their jobs too - there are 18 of them. All it needed was a younger owner that would retain all that was good about it, and diversify into artisan bread and pastries as demanded today, along with wider distribution throughout shops and pubs in the area. Maybe add the now empty Hiltons shop in Norden to the portfolio. Oh and a capable social media savvy employee who could manage a website for online orders. Sad day. [Post edited 25 Oct 15:51]
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 17:21 - Oct 25 with 4308 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
Slightly off the original topic, but anyone remember Paul Rocca (ex local cricketer) who ran the Post Office in Castleton for a number of years? Always had a smile and time for a natter with folk. Not sure what years he was there. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 17:59 - Oct 25 with 4245 views | EllDale |
Paul certainly ran the Post Office for most of the 1980s when he was a classy veteran spinner in the CLL. Played for Cassy Moor, Rochdale and Milnrow amongst others.
Cheery character who liked a round of golf as well. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 21:10 - Oct 25 with 4065 views | TVOS1907 |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 17:59 - Oct 25 by EllDale |
Paul certainly ran the Post Office for most of the 1980s when he was a classy veteran spinner in the CLL. Played for Cassy Moor, Rochdale and Milnrow amongst others.
Cheery character who liked a round of golf as well. |
Paul?
I always thought his first name was Punk! | |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 08:57 - Oct 26 with 3779 views | Nigeriamark |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 14:16 - Oct 25 by SuddenLad |
There was Schofields bakery on Spotland Road, (next to Lucky's chippy) which closed some years ago and Waltons Bakery in the same row, where we used to buy our bread/pies when I was a nipper,
Lower down Spotland Road near Clarkes Lane was Firths bakers. Long gone but a great shop for bread/pies etc...... The loss of Smith's is a sad landmark for the village of Castleton and indeed the Borough as a whole. The family have been well known for their high quality produce from their various shops, and there will be no substitute for them or their goods. |
For the older ones to remember there was Holt's bakery and pie shop at the bottom of the hill in Norden before you climb up to Owd Betts. They also ran the chippy at the bus terminus ( The one that the bus crashed into !!). been gone a long time from both but used to go a couple of Friday's every month for a Friday tea. Another place with great pies ( think they were homemade).
Glad Tattersall's in Wardle is still going as I may be moving there next year & reckon I will be a decent customer for them. |  | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 18:06 - Dec 8 with 1737 views | EllDale |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 17:21 - Oct 25 by Yorkshire_Dale |
Slightly off the original topic, but anyone remember Paul Rocca (ex local cricketer) who ran the Post Office in Castleton for a number of years? Always had a smile and time for a natter with folk. Not sure what years he was there. |
Bumped this one because I learned this afternoon that Paul Rocca has passed away.
RIP. My thoughts are with his family tonight. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 23:35 - Dec 8 with 1505 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 18:06 - Dec 8 by EllDale |
Bumped this one because I learned this afternoon that Paul Rocca has passed away.
RIP. My thoughts are with his family tonight. |
Thanks ED, sad news indeed. Condolences to his family, another cheery chappy passes on. | | | |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 14:05 - Dec 11 with 868 views | rochedale |
| NFR - Smiths of Castleton on 15:01 - Oct 24 by nordenblue |
I grew up on Cornbrook just around the corner and used to hang around with the current owner, he was raised on Heath Rd, guessing it's still owned by Mr Dearnley |
Pretty certain it is. He was in the year below me in school. Best meat pie I’ve ever had, the gravy in them is divine! |  |
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