97-99, Western Road, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 25 Mar 2016

The former Debenhams department store between Gothic House, Image, and the junction with Montpelier Road. Built in the 1840s as residential dwellings they were not converted to commercial usage until the late 1890s. Number 97 briefly appears as a surgeon prior to its acquisition by AC Sharman around 1897 and converted along with 96 into a shop. Sharman extended his store eastwards into Image around 1911 and westwards into 98 in 1916. Prior to that 98 had been a cycle shop, tailor, a trio of knitters and a draper. Sharman’s extended store was taken over by Plummer Roddis in 1920 and they continued its extension into 99 around 1935, the shop having previously been a photographic dealers, milliners and furrier. Plummer Roddis was acquired by Debenhams in the 1960s though the store retained its name until around 1972 when it was rebranded. By this point the department store was a veritable warren of rooms and required expert navigation particularly in the upper floors. By the 1990s it was no longer fit for purpose and the business jumped at the chance to obtain a flagship store in the newly redeveloped Churchill Square where they moved in 1998. The problem then arose on what to do with the disparate buildings that had made up the store. The upper floors of all bar number 95 were converted into flats whilst the shop was broken into smaller units, namely 95, 96, 97 and 98-99. The conversion took some time and wasn’t completed until 2004 when all the units were initially occupied. However, success has been mixed; 95 has been in continuous use albeit under four different owners, 96 has been empty since the demise of Blockbuster, 97 saw a couple of discount stores pass through and remained empty for three years and is currently occupied by a charity shop. 98-99 have been combined into an independent supermarket, Taj, who have traded here since 2005. It was their parent company who acquired ownership and undertook the renovation. 97 1896 - SURGEON (E Baber) 98 1897-1898 - Montpelier Cycle Agency 1900-1911 - TAILOR (Maurice Rose) 1912 - KNITTERS (Cromey, Hawke & Worsam) 1913-1915 - FURNISHING DRAPER (EJ Simmons) 99 1895-1911 - PHOTOGRAPHIC DEALER (Solomon Bell 1895, J Burrough 1908-11) 1912-1923 - MILLINER (Knott & Kaye) 1925-1930 - FURRIER (Premier Fur Co) 97-99 1898-1919 - MILLINER, DRAPER, OUTFITTER (AC Sharman) 1920-1998 - DEPARTMENT STORE (Plummer Roddis 1920-72, Debenhams 1973-98) 97 2005-2010 - DISCOUNT STORES (Essential Pound Store 2005-06, Pocket Savers (2006-09) 2012-2016 - CHARITY SHOP (Martlets) 98-99 2005-2016 - SUPERMARKET (Taj)

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