The Barras, Do you remember ? Options

[Tom]

The "Barras" are famoues throughout the world because ex Glaswegians and Glaswegians alike have visited them at some time the range of items is amazing from carpets to TV's and many other things.Do you have any memories of your visits,and what you bought ?

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[Angela Chick]

hi tom i was at the barras on sunday there i go most weekends, bought a pile of dvds for my daughter i love the atmosphere all that hustle and bustle and great bargains its fab

[Dexter St. Clair]

I stoped going to the barras because of the illegal activity such as untaxed tobacco, Bootleg software and pirate CD's. Why bother being a legit trader when you are surrounded by crooks?

[Angela Chick]

personally speaking i would rather pay a fiver for a dvd at the barras than 20 quid at the shops and when you see how busy it is i think most people would.

[doremirena]

My memories of the barras will be forever etched in memory. Each Sunday afternoon with my Dad,we trotted around the barras, having a good wee laugh at the wisecracks from the guy selling lace curtains. The patter was great. But this was way back then. Nowadays the entertainment is no more. It is more commercialised, and yes you have the existance of the "dodgy" characters. But still in all, when I head home to Glasgow, the Barras is still very nostalgic,and a must place to visit. If only to renew those memories..As far as stuff bought. I have many lovely dishes and ornaments, my father bought over the years. I recently visited a flea market here in Canada, and I was aghast at the prices asked for much the same stuff, as I have in my cupboards..Cripes, I said to my husband.."Look, we have a small fortune in our China cabinet"...Glasgow would not be the same without the Barras....Long may it exist.

[steakpie]

I still love lace curtains. I suppose they do remind me of home. I am sure I got my first set at the barras fur oor flat in James Street.

Noo, ah'm gonny buck the trend here fur naked windaes and get some lacy curtains up. Bugger fashion!

I have noticed on my trips home and to England that all the little markets have gone mainline for their products. So much of the same stuff. They used to be really interesting. Mibbe it's jist that ah've got enough of everything. My favourite for china was Preston market, for bedding, Oxford area, window dressing, Glasgow.

Is the china trader still in Stockwell Street? What an Aladdin's cave for me.

[Dexter St. Clair]

They moved to Glasford street and have now closed.They are not taking orders on their web site either.

Stockwell China

[steakpie]

Thanks, DexterSC. I believe I actually visited that store a couple of years ago. I'm a chinaholic. Lovely store, pity it's not still in business.

[Cameron]

My favorite memory of the Barras was when i got demobed out of the army and went back to my trade the job i was on got broken into and my tools and some of my work mates got stolen ,the next Sunday we went to the Barras checked the tool stalls we all had our initials stamped on them then we found a policeman told him what stall had them .We got them back about a couple of weeks later it would have cost a good bit of to replace them

[marina]

we go to the barras maybe once every 3 weeks for mussels and whelks from the loch fyne bar mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Angela Chick]

Oh marina, when you mentioned whelks in your post i was thinking to myself [ i will go to the barras this weekend and get some]

[a menzies]

hi tom my favourite memory of the barras was when i got a wee job and saved for a month so i could buy my ma two wally dugs for her mantlepiece i think they were spaniels.archie.

[Cameron]

Hi Jack Cassidy i couldn't answer you on friends reunited i am not a member,i am sorry but i cant remember your name .It was at the Glasgow Tech now a university that i worked on i don't know if you remember Denis McComish he stays out here and we are still good pals i retired 3 years ago and he retires in July .His wife and friends are having a party for him imagine who needs a party for a booz up


Sorry i got of on another tangent

[Heather]

I have not been down the Barras for years.

I am another one who used to go to the Barras for my lace curtains, do they still sell them as cheap as they used to???????. Maybe I will take a walk down someday and see what is going on.

Marina, I can almost smell the whelks and mussels but that is all I dare to do, is smell them. In my 20s I took an allergy to them and all types of shell fish, one bite and I'm violenty ill, if I even look at shrimps my stomach turns over.

[GovanWumin]

Love the Barras. Still go when I get Hame.
Best memory,
Being taken there by my first Boyfriend wan Sunday and he bought me a kid on Gold locket....cheap rubbish but I thought it was soooo romantic.
The fella that sold us it was full of patter and kept calling me gorgeous...aye...those were the days my Friends...
Huvnae got the locket anymare. I stood on it and smashed it tae bits the night I chucked him....pathetic eh....lol
Lace Curtains and Sheets that wiz ma Gran and my Maw...
We always hid a gid laugh when we went the gether. It is mind boggling fur Visitors though. I took a Pal fae America and she wiz jist totally confused awe day but she really enjoyed hersel but widnae open her mooth...makes a change fur Anne....she usually disnae stop fur breath but the Barra's shut her up.
All the Best
GW