135-136, Western Road, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 28 Mar 2016

Part of a row that was built in the first decade of the 20th century in the former gardens of a terrace of houses called Codrington Place that had been purchased by the council in order to start the process of widening Western Road on the northern side. Number 135 began life as a photographers, Kent & Lacey, who opened their first shop in Eastbourne in 1894 and added this branch a decade later. When the last partner, Seymour Lacey, died in 1930 the original shops in Eastbourne closed though this one continued up to the start of the Second World War. After the conflict the shop was used for clothes seeming to swap between Martin Norman and Owens though they may have been owned by the same company. During the 1960s it was a shoe repairers and from the 1970s was an off licence which survived until 2009 when it was converted into a wine bar. That closed in 2015 since when the shop has been empty though it looks like it is about to undergo refurbishment. Neighbouring 136, was a jewellers from 1911 to the early 1960s and was then converted into a Wimpy Bar which it remained until the early 1990s. Since the beginning of the 21st century it has been a branch of Oxfam specialising mainly in clothes, they have another in Kensington Gardens which focusses solely on books. They moved here after their shop at 134 was acquired by Waitrose, see Image 135 1904-1940 - PHOTOGRAPHERS (Kent-Lacey Studios 1905-40, Donald Foster Ltd 1940) 1947 - COSTUMIER (Martin Norman) 1949-1951 - GOWNS (Owens) 1954-1956 - COSTUMIER (Martin Norman) 1958 - GOWNS (Owens) 1962-1969 - SHOE REPAIR (Shoecraft Ltd) 1970-2009 - OFF LICENCE (Wine Growing Association 1970-88, Oddbins 1989-2009) 2010-2015 - WINE BAR (Koba) 136 1904-1907 - ANTIQUE DEALERS (Clarke & Co) 1908-1909 - BLOUSE SPECIALIST (Emilie Cox) 1911-1960 - JEWELLERS (Boxell) 1962-1991 - FAST FOOD (Wimpy Bar) 2002-2016 - CHARITY SHOP (Oxfam)

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