After nearly four decades of serving loyal customers, Dicksons, a cherished North East food chain, has closed its Bedford Way branch in North Shields. The shutters came down for the final time on Friday, marking the end of an era for the iconic shop that had been a local institution since 1988.
A Fond Farewell
The closure was confirmed several weeks ago, and Dicksons marked the occasion with an emotional post on Instagram. The post read: "5 Bedford Way. 36 years. Countless memories. Closing these shutters is emotional! Tracy, the manager, has worked in this shop for 23 years! To every single customer who walked through those doors, supported us, shared a chat, thank you. Truly. You've been the heart of Dicksons from day one. This may be the end of an era, but it's not goodbye. A new Dicksons opens next week... and we can't wait to welcome you back for a brand new chapter."
A New Beginning
While the Bedford Way branch has closed, a brand new Dicksons store is set to open on North Shields high street within days. Mike Dickson, a family member and director, was present at the launch of the new shop earlier this month. He shared the company's history: "My grandfather met a German woman, Helen in Howdon. They fell in love, got married, set up the first shop in 1953 in South Shields. It's still there today and we've grown to 32 sites now."
What to Expect
The new store features a contemporary redesign, moving away from Dicksons' origins as a butchers. Mike explained: "Originally we were a butchers, but we're not really defined by that anymore. Our new descriptor, as we do so many different things, is 'breakfast, lunch and tea.' We're known for the saveloy dip, which we've got in, as well as pies, fresh salads and jacket potatoes, great barista coffee. Loads and loads of different things."
Dicksons has seen significant changes in the past year, including the closure of its Newcastle city centre branch, which is set to be replaced by Blue Lagoon, a Scottish fish and chip chain.
Current Locations
Dicksons continues to operate across the North East, with branches including:
- North Shields: Bedford Street, NE29 6QF
- Sunderland: Durham Road Retail Park (SR3 1TQ), High Street West
- South Shields: Fowler Street (NE33 2LR), Horsley Hill Square, Prince Edward Road
- Jarrow: Edinburgh Road (NE32 4BB), Hedworth (Fellgate Avenue)
- Gateshead: Interchange Centre (NE8 1BH)
- Newcastle: 124 Shields Road (NE6 1DS), 77 Grainger St
- Other Areas: Hebburn (St James Mall), Guide Post, Washington (The Galleries)
