COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
The two double shops known as Commercial Buildings were built in 1904 and stand at the south-west section of the High Street, on the corner of Cagefoot Lane and next to the Ocean Drive car wash.
SHOPS 10
Rolf Ruff: There were originally four individual shops in Commercial Buildings. Starting at the southern end, there was Percy Brooks, the colonial butcher, and the bicycle business of Rolf Ruff. Fred Ruff took over from his father until the early 1960s, and then the business was carried on by J.T. Wilkins until 1967. Next to Ruff's was the Grimsby Fish Stores, now Antiques & Home, and finally Pattenden's newsagents - now Stokes.
Wine Rack 1 & 2: The Wine Rack was originally located in Caudle Street, and moved up to Commercial Buildings in the 1980s. It was painted green and then repainted blue in later years. The chain shed several branches, including the Henfield branch around 2008, and the premises were taken over by Hartleys and then Hobbs.
Hartleys 1, 2 & 3: The last-but-one occupiers of the lower half of Commercial Buildings.
Stokes 1 & 2: Owen Parkers booksellers occupied the premises now occupied by the newsagents called Stokes. Linda and Adrian Stokes ran the shop named for many years, retiring in 2014. The shop - still trading under the name Stokes - is now much more of a sweet shop than it was, and the back garden has been transformed into an outdoor café area.
Stokes interior: Taken in 2015.
SHOPS 19
Rolf Ruff: This b&w photo was taken in 1965 and shows the shop after it was vandalised by having yellow paint thrown over the windows.
Commercial Buildings: A view of the block taken in August 2016.
Stokes (Commercial Buildings): A view of the Stokes shop window showing the 2016 Hallowe'en themes.
SHOPS 25
Lego figure, Stokes: This large Lego Playmobil advertising figure was originally placed outside Stokes shop - late June 2018 - but has since been moved inside.
SHOPS 30
Hartleys (Commercial Buildings) 1: A view of the off-licence in 2015.
Hartleys (Commercial Buildings) 2: The off-licence closing down in early 2019 - bought out by Hobbs.
Hobbs (Commercial Buildings): The off-licence now owned by Hobbs. Mid-March 2019.
SHOPS 10
Rolf Ruff: There were originally four individual shops in Commercial Buildings. Starting at the southern end, there was Percy Brooks, the colonial butcher, and the bicycle business of Rolf Ruff. Fred Ruff took over from his father until the early 1960s, and then the business was carried on by J.T. Wilkins until 1967. Next to Ruff's was the Grimsby Fish Stores, now Antiques & Home, and finally Pattenden's newsagents - now Stokes.
Wine Rack 1 & 2: The Wine Rack was originally located in Caudle Street, and moved up to Commercial Buildings in the 1980s. It was painted green and then repainted blue in later years. The chain shed several branches, including the Henfield branch around 2008, and the premises were taken over by Hartleys and then Hobbs.
Hartleys 1, 2 & 3: The last-but-one occupiers of the lower half of Commercial Buildings.
Stokes 1 & 2: Owen Parkers booksellers occupied the premises now occupied by the newsagents called Stokes. Linda and Adrian Stokes ran the shop named for many years, retiring in 2014. The shop - still trading under the name Stokes - is now much more of a sweet shop than it was, and the back garden has been transformed into an outdoor café area.
Stokes interior: Taken in 2015.
SHOPS 19
Rolf Ruff: This b&w photo was taken in 1965 and shows the shop after it was vandalised by having yellow paint thrown over the windows.
Commercial Buildings: A view of the block taken in August 2016.
Stokes (Commercial Buildings): A view of the Stokes shop window showing the 2016 Hallowe'en themes.
SHOPS 25
Lego figure, Stokes: This large Lego Playmobil advertising figure was originally placed outside Stokes shop - late June 2018 - but has since been moved inside.
SHOPS 30
Hartleys (Commercial Buildings) 1: A view of the off-licence in 2015.
Hartleys (Commercial Buildings) 2: The off-licence closing down in early 2019 - bought out by Hobbs.
Hobbs (Commercial Buildings): The off-licence now owned by Hobbs. Mid-March 2019.
