11 Sydney Street

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 24 Jul 2011

Originally built as a private residence and once known as Acton House. Records of trading from the premises are intermittent prior to 1934 when a biscuit making firm initially called Betta then AE Kents & Co moved in and traded up to the Second World War. After the conflict it was expanded into by Ann Logan whose original shop at Image was opened in 1939 and would later expand further by moving into Image during the 1960s. By the end of the following decade the children's outfitting part of the business seemed to have gone though it appears the baby linen part lingered for an extra year at this address. By the beginning of the 1980s the shop had become Brighton Rock, one of the many second hand record shops of the era found in this street. Initially they specialised in back catalogue and hard to get releases from the rock & roll era but later expanded into other genres. The business survived for a number years before closing in 1987 whereupon it became a ladies hairdressers, David Beattie’s Hair though for some reason in 1991 it briefly became part of a local chain, Pee Wees, before reverting back to its original name. Since 1994 the premises has been occupied by Revamp who moved from neighbouring Trafalgar Street having been in operation since the mid 1980s. The shop initially seemed to be a ladies clothing store but has since moved into specialising in fancy dress costumes. OCCUPANTS: 1934-40: BISCUIT MAKERS: Betta (1934), AE Kents & Co (1935-40) 1947-78: CHILDRENS OUTFITTERS: Ann Logan – Baby Linen only in 1978 1980-87: SECOND HAND RECORD SHOP: Brighton Rock 1988-93: LADIES HAIRDRESSERS: David Beattie’s Hair (1988-90, 1992-93), Pee Wees (1991) 1994-2011: FANCY DRESS: Revamp

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