57-60, Western Road, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 25 Mar 2016

The three shops in view are 57 on the left, the combined 58-59 in the centre and 60 on the right located on the corner of Castle Street. Number 57 was a chemist in 1845 and remained so for the next 78 years under three different owners. Maynards took over in 1924 having moved from Image and remained here for 60 years after which the store spent a further decade or so retailing socks. The opening of the revamped Churchill Square in 1998 saw a number of retailers move out of Western Road and the small amount of shop floor space coupled with increasing rents has meant the shop has since struggled to acquire long term tenants. A three tenancy by a lingerie retailer broke a series of appearances by short term discount stores. In 2013 an independent mobile phone shop opened and still occupies the store today. Numbers 58-59 were merged at the start of the 20th century. Previously 58 had spent half a century as a tea dealer then brief interludes as an ironmongers, a store full of mutoscopes which are better known as ‘What the butler saw’ machines that were found in amusement arcades up to decimalisation, and handkerchief maker. Number 59 had been a milliner for 35 years then saw a succession of businesses pass through until 1901 when a juvenile outfitters moved in and merged the two shops. They had gone by 1906 to be replaced by a woollen drapers and then a furriers who remained here for nearly 50 years. The 1980s saw a succession of clothing shops followed by a discount book store and since 2002 home to electrical retailers Sony. Number 60 was a baker for 35 years then a succession of different retailers until Page & Miles moved in 1891 to stay for the next 56 years. Following a brief stint as a neon sign manufacturers the shop would retail clothing for the next 35 years, initially as the Irish Linen Association Man’s Shop, then Just Pants and later as a ladies wear store. My research currently has a blank for all of the 1990s until the last year of the century when current incumbents, Vodafone, moved in. 57 1845-1923 - CHEMIST (Henry Hooper 1845-70, George Muston 1871-1915, Edward Roper Ltd 1916-23) 1924-1985 - CONFECTIONERS (Maynards 1924-84, Candyland 1985) 1985-1996 - SOCKS (Sock Shop) 2006-2009 - LINGERIE (Yamamay) 2013-2016 - MOBILE PHONES (Fone World) 58 1845-1896 - TEA DEALER (Edward Harris 1845-77, George Collins 1879-84, The Mincing Lane Tea & Coffee Co 1885-96) 1897-1898 - IRONMONGERS (C Wassall) 1900 - THE MUTOSCOPE LTD 1901-1902 - IRISH LINEN HANDKERCHIEF MAKER (Mrs A Lable) 59 1845-1880 - MILLINER (Jane Matthews 1845-50, Mrs G Wymark 1852-80) 1883-1885 - LADIES & GENTS TAILOR (GL Abrahams) 1887-1890 - HOUSE AGENT (Henderson Webb) 1891-1895 - HOSIER & OUTFITTER (Ambrose Pawson) 1896-1900 - FRUITERER (Covent Garden Fruit Store) 1901-1906 - JUVENILE OUTFITTERS (FW Griffiths & Co) 1908-1927 - WOOLLEN DRAPERS (H Roland & Co) 1928-1976 - FURRIERS (Swears & Wells Ltd) 1977-1978 - LEATHER GOODS (The Suede Centre) 1980-1987 - MENSWEAR (Irvine Sellars Retail Fashion 1980, John Kent 1981, Harpers Quality Clothing 1982-87) 1988-1991 - LADIESWEAR (Form) 1993-1994 - BOOKSHOP ( Low Price Books) 2002-2016 - ELECTRICAL GOODS (Sony Centre) 60 1845-1880 - BAKER & CONFECTIONER (George Nunn) 1883-1884 - HATTER (The Normandy Cap Store) 1887 - LADIESWEAR (Miss SA Bartlett) 1889 - CONFECTIONER (M Latham) 1890 - HARDWARE MERCHANT (JD Rowley) 1891-1947 - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS (Page & Miles) 1949-1951 - NEON SIGN MANUFACTURERS (Neon Service Ltd) 1954-1983 - MENSWEAR (ILA Mans Shop 1954-71, Just Pants 1972-83) 1984-1989 - LADIESWEAR (Lady Lisa Ltd) 1999-2016 - MOBILE PHONES (Vodafone)

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