terawua Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 I remember my first trip to Bluewater, rolled in to the place and suddenly realised I used to run my BMX and a trials bike there many years before they built anything. It was just a chalk pit back then. That was way back in 1979 or so. JB Indeed Branners is right.... Bluewater came from Blue Circle Cement, who used to own it to quarry chalk for cement.... hmmmmm....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey76364 Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 wasnt there talk of the other side of the road being made into a retail park once they had finished digging that side out from what every they take from there... making it a bit like Lakeside with the outlets there???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trig Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 wasnt there talk of the other side of the road being made into a retail park once they had finished digging that side out from what every they take from there... making it a bit like Lakeside with the outlets there???? Think that is being made into a new housing estate afaik. Didnt think of the Dartfrod tunnel actually. Think thats worth the £2 alone Cant believe Branners used to be a Dartford boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trig Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 oi you bugger, you edited... you mis-spelt 'tolls' as 'tools' i was was wetting myself! lol What a road.... but yeah that bump over the Darent is a little hairy i really should read my posts before actually pressing submit lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branners Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Cant believe Branners used to be a Dartford boy! Indeed, born in West Hill hospital, lived just next to Joyce Green hospital (infact the link road runs straight over my old house), went to school at St Anselems and me and my parents moved away in 1981. My parents believed in us being free to roam so a trip out to the chalk pits for a bit of BMX was normal. I even got to walk through the second Dartford Tunnel before they opened it to the public. Also used to run a 50cc trials bike down along the Thames next to the power station and spent many an hour roaming about the fields with my mates. Ahh, those were the days. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trig Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 Thats where i was born too! Sadly West Hill hospital isnt there anymore. My Dad used to work there. We have the new Darenth Valley Hospital next to Bluewater. My Nan used to live near Joyce Green hospital too! Used to go down to the dirt track and watch the bikes when i was little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trig Posted June 14, 2005 Share Posted June 14, 2005 PS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Blimey, I used to cycle down there and catch newts in the various ponds. I was circumcised at Joyce Green. According to my mum I was a bit of a broken cabriolet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Lakeside - not too bad inside now that they've refurbished it a bit (it was looking quite tired after Bluewater had shown how it could be done). Good variety of shops (inc. Ann Summers!), excellent food level at the top but a bit short on seating. Outside you've got Ikea of course, and a massive B&Q (which was the largest DIY store in Europe when it opened), plus lots of furniture shops, variety of eateries (KFC, McDs, TFI Fridays, etc), Maplins and Dansk (a *very* expensive furniture shop). Plus you've got the fun of parking near the tall digital clock/temp tower thing that used to stop my 200SX alarm working (very odd, you could never set the alarm in that carpark, there was some sort of interference). Bluewater - lovely inside, lots of room, range of shops is good but with an emphasis on clothing, good HMV (who usually have a '4 for £20' DVD thing going on at the front of the store, but the rest of the prices seem massively expensive compared with the interweb), more variety of eatery than Lakeside (Italian, Chinese, American Diner, etc), excellent shoe shops, Timberland shop (with an interesting 'rock face' shop front). Downside is that there's just Bluewater, no accompanying retail park. They're both about equal for department stores and stuff like WHSmiths, Boots, etc. If you consider Lakeside with the retail park, it has the upper hand on 'housey' things, but Bluewater has more emphasis on clothes and shoes. Of course, what with them being so close there's nothing to stop you doing both in one day... (I've done it a few times, the full-on 10am to 10pm multi-centre experience). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted June 15, 2005 Author Share Posted June 15, 2005 Oh no!! I need to get some jeans for work but I was planning on picking up some house bits too. Argh, what to do!! An all dayer is out, horse can't be left for that long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 House bits can wait, jeans can't. Get the house bits another day (or get the jeans in Bluewater and then do a 'targeted retail hit' where you only hit the exact shop you need for the housey bits - like Ikea). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STOX Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 House bits can wait, jeans can't. Get the house bits another day (or get the jeans in Bluewater and then do a 'targeted retail hit' where you only hit the exact shop you need for the housey bits - like Ikea). Sounds like 2 days shopping!! *shudders with fear* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Go for the 'TRH' option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terribleturner Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Well i'm off to Reading as soon as i get out of bed:D . Ample shops there for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I have to pay £2 for trolls when going to Lakeside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trig Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 had to double check to make sure i didnt actually type that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted June 15, 2005 Author Share Posted June 15, 2005 Sounds like 2 days shopping!! *shudders with fear* What?! Shopping was your idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted June 15, 2005 Author Share Posted June 15, 2005 Go for the 'TRH' option. Yeah, good thinking. Although I'll have had enough of the psycho women clothes shoppers within a couple of hours and then I won't want to go to the next one Maybe over 2 weekends. Clothes for work takes priority before any more comments are made! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerotop Dave Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Excellent. Now make sure you measure everything up before you go, and don't forget to nick an Ikea pencil - perfect DIY pocket size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branners Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Thats where i was born too! Sadly West Hill hospital isnt there anymore. My Dad used to work there. We have the new Darenth Valley Hospital next to Bluewater. My Nan used to live near Joyce Green hospital too! Used to go down to the dirt track and watch the bikes when i was little. yeah, I saw they were going to build houses on the West Hill and Joyce Green sites, destroying my childhood...my mum and dad both worked in Joyce Green and my dad also covered Darenth Park. I even learnt to swim in the joyce green open air pool and then progressed to Fairfield. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terawua Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 wasnt born in dartford.. but grew up there.... well near there. Never went into hospital there, but my grandfather nearly died of perforated diverticulitis before being admitted, so they sorted him out just fine. Apparently the new hospital doesnt have the same reputation as the old one.... so dont get taken ill when shopping at bluewater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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