Victorian Arcade

They say you shouldn't go back don't they?
('They' being... from some forgotten mythical race of Albian perhaps?)...

I went back.

To a warmly-remembered time of grandiosity; when, for example entire shops were dedicated to selling gloves; leather, silk, sheepskin, in colours to fulfill any possible glove desire (in dove-tailed, polish-fragranced mahogany drawers and glass-fronted cabinets). This arcade also held the magical and sparkly delights of (at least three) toy shops, whose windows were chock full, from the trikes and scooters hanging above, to the yoyos and corgi cars beneath (dolls, teddy bears and every other play thing imaginable in between). And jigsaw puzzles. (I love a mind bender in the crossword dept, but jigsaws? Never ever saw the point. Only last week I noticed an advert for a jigsaw puzzle app...
'Who?'
'In their right mind?'
I asked Himself, over a gentle cappuccino, 'would EVER ever download an app for jigsaws??'
He reddened!).
The arcade also used to house purveyors of fine patisseries, and chocolates to die for (Parisienne creams anyone?)... A shoe shop with carpet you sank into, and a school uniform shop, where the assistants were stricter than teachers.
The fishmonger is still there, but considerably less grand than I recall...
(Monger is a lovely word though, isn't it, whether iron, fish or scare?).

I shan't be returning.
It was just too sad.

This is a quick phone blip, and comments will be tricky today.