Basildon Town Centre - East Square shop closures and changes

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Shop Closures and Changes in Basildon Town Centre

Town Centre Locations
Town Square	East Walk	Market Square	Eastgate
East Square	South Walk	Market Pavement	Westgate
Nether Priors	South Gunnels	Fodderwick	Southernhay
Great Oaks North Gunnels High Pavement

East Square

The first shop units in the 4 storey block known as East Square were completed during 1959 and one of the earliest shops to open that year was T.V. rental & sales dealer Robinson Rentals. This block and that of East Walk (unit numbers 1-47 odd) were built on behalf of the Freedom Development Company. Cubitts, a long established building company were involved in its construction.

The shop units, given odd numbers 1-21, are on two levels and the upper two storeys were created for offices and given the name Freedom House after the aforementioned company. Two red K4 telephone kiosks were also positioned to the right of unit 11 against the side wall. The main Basildon Crown Post Office also occupied a place in East Square at No.25-31 in a purpose built building first opened in 1963. The counter service closed in March 2014 when the business was transferred to retailer WH Smith in Town Square.

Text researched and written by William Cox, 2012.
Copyright © 2012, B. Cox - Basildon History Online. All rights reserved.

East Square

Unit Number	Shop Name	Business	Open approx	Closed approx
Upper Level
1	Stewards Peters Hair Fashions Partners - Hairdressing For Men (relocated: 30 Southernhay - 15/03/2019)	Cycles, Mopeds & Scooters Gents Hairdressers Gents Hairdressers	/12/1959 1963 1978	1963 1978 09/03/2019
3	Stewards Tabwear Bouquet	Cycles, Mopeds & Scooters Menswear Florists	/12/1959 1969 --	-- -- --
5	Gay Furnishings Ltd Stewards Departmental Stores Harts Self Selection Store B & W Linen Shops Ltd Heraldshops Richardson Fabrics The Job Centre (relocated: Great Oaks House) Pizza Hut	Home Furniture Cycles, Mopeds & Scooters Sheets & Bedding Curtains & Linen Curtains & Linen Drapers & Fabrics Employment Agency Diner	1959 /12/1959 /01/1964 25/03/1968 c./06/1970 1975 1977 --	-- 1963 /03/1968 -- 1975 c.1977 c.1982 c./01/2013
7	Gemmel Ltd. Gay Furnishings Ltd Stewards Departmental Stores Harts Self Selection Store B & W Linen Shops Ltd Heraldshops Richardson Fabrics The Job Centre (relocated: Great Oaks House) Pizza Hut	Shoe Repairs & Leather Goods Home Furnishings Electrical, China, Cycles Sheets & Bedding Curtains & Linen Curtains & Linen Drapers & Fabrics Employment Agency Diner	23/02/1959 1959 /10/1961 /01/1964 25/03/1968 c./06/1970 1975 1977 --	1959 1961 -- /03/1968 -- 1975 c.1977 c.1982 c./01/2013
9	Gay Furnishings Ltd Stewards Departmental Stores Harts Self Selection Store B & W Linen Shops Ltd Heraldshops Richardson Fabrics The Job Centre (relocated: Great Oaks House) Pizza Hut	Home Furniture Electrical, China, Cycles Sheets & Bedding Curtains & Linen Curtains & Linen Drapers & Fabrics Employment Agency Diner	/02/1959 /10/1961 /01/1964 25/03/1968 c./06/1970 1975 1977 --	1961 -- /03/1968 -- 1975 c.1977 c.1982 c./01/2013
Lower Level
11	Jeffrey's Hair Fashions United Dominions Trust Nationwide Building Society (relocated: 90 Town Square) Townsend (Peter Townsend) (relocated: Exterior Westgate Shopping Park)	Hairdresser Bank Building Society Florist	27/03/1961 21/06/1974 /04/1976 1990s	1970s -- -- --
13	Robinson Rentals Ltd Granada (relocated: 38 East Walk) Music Makers Tile Warehouse Sunny Side Up The Workhouse Party Party	T.V. Rentals & Sales T.V. Rentals & Sales Musical Instruments & Equipment Tiles Tanning Studio Protective work clothing Costumes & balloons	/01/1959 c.1970 1985 c.1980s c.2001 -- --	c.1970 1985 c.1980s 1990s -- -- 2010s
15	Forbuoys (1) Sterling House Jessops	Newsagent Cycles & Telephones Photography	c.1961 1980s c.2000	-- -- 11/01/2013
17	Sado and King Ltd Off Licence Bristol & West Building Society (relocated: 74-76 Town Square) M.J's Music Love ur Hair	Wine & Spirit merchant Building Society Musical Instruments & Equipment Unisex hairdressers	c.1961 07/06/1971 1990s --	-- -- 02/08/2008 2019
19	ABC Wallpapers Cold Seal M.J's Music (relocated: 17 East Square) Nails Cartoon Shop (relocated: 109 Eastgate)	Wallpaper Doors & Windows Musical Instruments & Equipment Face Masks, Comics, etc. Nails and eyelashes	c.1961 -- c.1993 -- --	-- -- 1990s 2008 2019
21	Post Office (relocated: 25-29 East Square) H. Toby Arthur Prince Megabet	Temporary P.O. Turf Accountants Bookmakers Bookmakers	c.1960 1960s 1980s --	c.02/07/1963 1980s 1990s 2019
25 - 29	Crown Post Office (relocated: 29 Town Square - 27/03/2014)	Counter service	03/07/1963	26/03/2014 Demolished 2019
?	Scientific & Technical	Electrical, Calculators	1980s	--
Above the Crown Post Office
35	Tax Office	Inspector of Taxes	1960s	1970s Demolished 2019
Freedom House
1a	Basildon Development Corporation (relocated: Gifford House, Bowers Gifford)	Solicitors Department	1960s	/10/1971
	A. Glenny & Son	Estate Agents	1960s	1970s
	Basildon Secretarial Services (relocated: Information Kiosk, Market Pavement)	Agency	c./09/1968	01/02/1969
	Elliott, Mortlock, Bland & Co.	Solicitors	Pre /06/1970	--
1a	Co-Operative Insurance Society Ltd.	Insurance Company	c.1970s	--
	Mitchell, Caulkett & Coiley	Solicitors	c.1980s	--
	MWP Solicitors (Maudsley, Wright & Pearson) (relocated: Suite 2g, 2nd Floor, Southgate House, Town Square)	Solicitors	c.1980s	c.2013

Page added: 2002

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