Changes to the high street

Julnes's pet and seed shop has been extensively modernised. From here to Clarence House, only one shop is still in the same business as when I passed it on my way to school. Then it was John Bullen's butchers, later William Stebbing's, then Riches Bros., and now Doubleday's. Even Clarence House, the most imposing house in the High Street, was converted into a shop a few years ago. Arthur Snare's private house and the office he used in his capacity of Registrar of Births and Deaths, is now a Cafe. From the old National School — now Grahamme Woodyatt's Fabrics Centre — to the Thetford Road corner few new buildings have been built on the south side of the street the last sixty years. In fact until the new International Stores and King's Chemist's was opened on September 11th 1984, I can recall only four new building sites along this stretch. Lloyd's Bank now stands on the site of the famous "George Hotel" and a hairdressing salon with flats above was built next to Julnes about twenty-five years ago. The meadow where part of the Wayland Show used to be held now accom­modates the Police Station, Dr's Surgery and the Library. For the first time in living memory there is now a stop in Beechwood Avenue, Studio Khyber's Photographers.


William Stebbings outside his Butcher's Shop 1935. It's now Doubleday's.


H. Reeve's Saddlery and Harness Shop circa 1916.


The Liberal Club covered with Election Posters about 1913.

By far the largest development in the High Street during the last century has seen the demolition of Codling's shoe shop, formerly the Liberal Club and Holmes's garage showrooms, to make way for King's Chemist shop and the new International Stores, part of which stands on the ground of the Liberal Club Bowling Green. Three new shops are about to be opened on what was Holmes's bottling stores. The front garden of another of the town's finest houses, "The Gables", is now the site of 'Bounty Electrical". The prominent corner shop that was Harry Reeve's saddlers and harness makers business is now Dean's Estate Agents, and on the opposite side Collin's Chemist shop is now "The World of William Brown".


The "George" Commercial Hotel circa 1885.

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