72-73, Western Road, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 25 Mar 2016

The current unit was merged together in 2009 by the last occupants, Jamie Oliver’s Recipease, which closed in 2014 and has been empty ever since. Food plays a large part in number 72’s history much of which was spent as J Lyons tea shop starting in 1911 when they took over an existing restaurant to its closure in 1972. From that point it became a clothing store and later an optician, who would move a couple of doors down to Image, before ending its individual existence as an outdoor equipment store. Number 73 has had a more varied history with the last five decades of the 19th century spent as an artists studio then another 60 odd years as a milliners, one of whom Lea & Son also traded at Image and Image A decade as a leather store was followed by stints as a gift shop, greeting card store, before spending the 1990s as a hi fi dealer. Tandy was purchased by Carphone Warehouse in 1999 who replaced them until around 2007 after which the store was merged. 72 1845-1873 - COOK, CONFECTIONER, BREAD & BISCUIT MAKER (James Bollen) 1874-1972 - RESTAURANT (Sayers 1874-1907, Forfars 1908-10, J Lyons & Co 1911-72) 1974 - BOUTIQUE (Skirt & Slack Shack) 1978 - BOOKSHOP (Susan Reynolds Books) 1982-1994 - MENSWEAR (Stunning Rags 1982-88, Flix 1993-94) 1999-2004 - OPTICIANS (Optical Express) 2004-2008 - OUTDOOR GOODS (Field & Trek) 2009-2014 - KITCHEN EQUIPMENT (Recipease) 73 1845-1850 - CARVER & GILDERER (Thomas Shelley) 1852-1909 - ARTISTS REPOSITORY (Harriet Shelley 1852-56, George W Ryde & Co 1959-1909) 1910-1974 - MILLINERS (Lea & Sons 1910-33, John Vickers Ltd 1934-74) 1976 - SHOE SHOP (William Timpson) 1980-1981 - LEATHER GOODS (Shimco Collection) 1982-1986 - GIFT SHOP (Bob) 1985-1987 - GREETING CARDS (Someone Somewhere) 1990-1999 - HI FI DEALER (Tandy) 2001-2007 - MOBILE PHONES (Carphone Warehouse) 2009-2014 - KITCHEN EQUIPMENT (Recipease)

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