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Redgates


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REDGATES

LOCATION

Furnival Gate (sunwin house ?)

INFORMATION

Much missed toy shop that took up 3 whole floors ! This place was heaven for children who could pay money reguarly into a christmas savings scheme and redeem their books at christmas for a treat.

PICTURES

Coming soon..

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You just mentioned the ONE word that really brings back loads of memories of childhood.

'Redgates'

What a SUPERB store that was - I would only agree to go to town with mum if she would take me to Redgates.

Loved the huge rack of Subbuteo stuff, as well as all the usual top-draw toys of the time.

We were spilt at one bit too as I remember, as we had a 'Hamleys' virtually around the corner.

I was like a kid in a toy-shop. Literally.

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Here's a challenge for you - see if you can find any photo's of the place because I'm really struggling !

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There is one of the Redgates that was on the Moor, following it being bombed, on Picture Sheffield.

As I remember the history of Redgates (I once read a load of info about it somewhere on the net) it started on The Moor and moved once or twice before settling where Sunwin House now is?

I'll try and find more info..

It would seem that Redgates has had 3 locations:

1) Bottom of Ecclesall Road (when Ecclesall Road met The Moor, London Road, Cemetary Road and St. Mary's Gate with a roundabout - Redgates was a little way away from the junction)

2) Near top of Moor (Where Sports Soccer currently occupies, opposite Debenhams)

3) Furnival Gate (Where Sunwin House now occupies)

It was a family business for some years until a gentleman bought it in the 30's - he was the chap responsible for it moving up the bomb-damaged Moor during the rebuilding process and turning it into the much grander scale that is remembered by many a kid-at-heart now.

I'll try and find out more...

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I remember Redgates being on the moor that building is still there, it used to house a stationary / card shop but don't know if it still does as I have not been back for a couple of years. I also remember the new store opening it really was a magical place.

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Guest sparky
I remember Redgates being on the moor that building is still there, it used to house a stationary / card shop but don't know if it still does as I have not been back for a couple of years. I also remember the new store opening it really was a magical place.
The stationery shop was Universal Stationers, and I remember a tunnel that went from this shop into Redgates at the Sunwin House location. a truly magical place for a kid to go! I once won a gift voucher for Redgates in a Junior Star Competition and I felt like a millionaire going in to spend it
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Guest knighty59

You just mentioned the ONE word that really brings back loads of memories of childhood.

'Redgates'

What a SUPERB store that was - I would only agree to go to town with mum if she would take me to Redgates.

Loved the huge rack of Subbuteo stuff, as well as all the usual top-draw toys of the time.

We were spilt at one bit too as I remember, as we had a 'Hamleys' virtually around the corner.

I was like a kid in a toy-shop. Literally.

Redgates was the stuff of childhood legends. A trip there on Saturdays with my parents was almost as good as waiting for Christmas morning.......I'm talking about the one where Sunwin House is now.

I once took part in a nationwide Subbuteo tournament that Redgates held in their store. Got past round 1 but knocked out in round 2 due to a very dubious offside decision!!!

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Guest moira

Hi , Just thought I would like to tell you that my sister-in-law did the designs and displays for many years at Redgates, The internal ones and the beautiful window displays at Christmas, She never really grew up, we put it down to her playing with toys all day, even in her late twenties.

Moira

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To be honest I think as many adults as children loved Redgates so can't really blame her !

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Never went to the Sunwin House location but went almost every week as a kid to the one near the Moor. Remember my mate getting arrested for shoplifting a small rubber spider there back in about 1977, and I was frightened to go in again for months, even though I didn't steal anything, because I thought they would be looking out for me as I was his mate.

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A small rubber spider eh ?

I remember seeing one in there that was as big as an adults hand, made of rubber, and has spikey back and legs - it was fantastic and we bought it.

It had red eyes and the legs were excellent - really long and the thing moved realistically as it was made of rubber too

When you say the one near the moor I wonder if you mean Sunwin House - or maybe a location before that ?

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Never went to the Sunwin House location but went almost every week as a kid to the one near the Moor. Remember my mate getting arrested for shoplifting a small rubber spider there back in about 1977, and I was frightened to go in again for months, even though I didn't steal anything, because I thought they would be looking out for me as I was his mate.

Welcome to the site. It is good to have another "Canuck" onboard. Enjoy the site and visit often.

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Was Redgates located at three different locations at differenrt times:

Furnival Gate, the the store we all know and love

Sunwin House

And one that I don't recall seeing mentioned Just round the corner from Furnival Gate on The Moor, it may have been a temporarily location, perhaps sometime in the early to mid 1970s. The sales floor had a ramp in it which always caught me out, seem to recall it was a large single level sales area.

Can anyone shed any more light on this location?

Maybe I'm just dreaming?

I'm just waiting for the day a colour photo of that giant Redgates sign is finally located and posted, who needs Hamleys.

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A small rubber spider eh ?

I remember seeing one in there that was as big as an adults hand, made of rubber, and has spikey back and legs - it was fantastic and we bought it.

It had red eyes and the legs were excellent - really long and the thing moved realistically as it was made of rubber too

When you say the one near the moor I wonder if you mean Sunwin House - or maybe a location before that ?

I'm thinking of the one just off Furnival Gate...opposite the Hind pub. My paternal grandparents used to take us there every Sunday (almost) during the early-mid 70s. I loved the toy soldiers displays just inside the main doors. Very happy memories.

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Was Redgates located at three different locations at differenrt times:

Furnival Gate, the the store we all know and love

Sunwin House

And one that I don't recall seeing mentioned Just round the corner from Furnival Gate on The Moor, it may have been a temporarily location, perhaps sometime in the early to mid 1970s. The sales floor had a ramp in it which always caught me out, seem to recall it was a large single level sales area.

Can anyone shed any more light on this location?

Maybe I'm just dreaming?

I'm just waiting for the day a colour photo of that giant Redgates sign is finally located and posted, who needs Hamleys.

The Moor was teh location most people over 50 will remember as being THE redgates.

It was there many many years certainly all through the 50's and 60's

Two floors - ground floor and basement. The ground floor was mainly bikes and prams, but I remember one year they had a train set on display there - not a normal size one - this was huge - the sort any backstreet kid could only dream of simply becaue it was designed to carry kids. A slightly smaller version of the minature railways you can ride on in Stately Homes or at seaside resports

Downstairs was dedicated to the 'proper' toys - two rooms, one for games etc the other mainly for kits, scalextric model trains etc.

When I was really young they had a helicopter ride in the corner of this room - for 6d you could siit on this thing and it woould take you up almost to the ceiling.

Hanging from the ceiling were all manner of model aircraft - all built with loving care and incredible detail by a bloke in a wheelchair. Occasionallu he would give a 'show' and build a kit out on the shopfloor

a magical magical place - on the 'other' Sheffield forum I think I am right in saying that this shop had more posts in it by far when it ran a thread about old Sheffield shops - Redgates won by a mile

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Thanks for confirmation about Redgates on The Moor, reading your description things are falling into place.

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The stationery shop was Universal Stationers, and I remember a tunnel that went from this shop into Redgates at the Sunwin House location. a truly magical place for a kid to go! I once won a gift voucher for Redgates in a Junior Star Competition and I felt like a millionaire going in to spend it

It was also Quadrant Stationers, but don't know whether that was before or after Universal. One of them had a large poster department - downstaoits and to the left, that took up nearly the whole side of the shop.

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Guest Deswalker

Was Redgates the one with the train track attached to the ceiling?

I remember the planes and subbuteo stuff, but I was really little at the time.

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Was Redgates the one with the train track attached to the ceiling?

I remember the planes and subbuteo stuff, but I was really little at the time.

Beatties on Pinstone St. had the model overhead railway

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The sign for Beatties was Yellow, Black and White as far as I can remember

As for redgates - I'm trying to think of what the sign was like

I'm sure it was a huge red farm gate logo on the front of the store about halfway up ?

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