Hazel Stevens

Hazel Stevens talks about her favourite shop

My favourite local shop was Miltons the grocers in Parrock Street. On one side there was the bacon slicer and all the meats and a cheese cutter which was a piece of steel wire that would cut through the cheese, then they'd wrap it in greaseproof for you with perfect folded ends. The other side of the shop had shelves for all the tins, vinegars (no olive oil in those days), jams and shiny toilet paper. The flour, currants and other dry ingredients were kept in large containers and bags and were taken out with scopes and put into sheets of blue paper. The paper was made into bags and the tops folded in. Butter was cut from a slab and patted into shape with wooden spatulas. At the end of the shop the cellar door was left open and it was a mystery how no one fell down it!