Now, it would be easy to be sarcastic here given all the references present in the photie, but the remains of Myles Camping Center Ltd (that’s what it says on the sign) just to the west of Paisley’s town center conjured up something else as well.
Remember when outdoor shops were a bit haphazard, the staff weren’t “trained”, the displays were more related to a jumble sale than a jewellers window and browsing had a guilty feeling attached, like you were callously waking up the assistant who would ignore you until prompted with an unwelcome question?
Well, I can visualize walking into Myles to see tents nailed onto the old church floor for display, only half the lights working, Camping Gaz of all sizes stacked in a hazardous fashion against one wall, leather boots still in rows of unopened, slightly crushed, white card boxes, green nylon shapes draped from wire coat hangers and a musty smell of fabric and old wood that is oddly reassuring.
Ach, maybe it was a caravan shop, but don’t burst my retro bubble, that wee logo’s got mountains on it.