Laindon Shopping Centre - 1969 - 2019 shop closures & changes

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Laindon Shopping Centre: Shop Closures and Changes - 1969 - 2019

The first shops at the new shopping centre at Laindon began opening in late 1969. Many businesses that had previously traded in High Road were the first to open. These included Stanwood Radio, T.E. Collings, Peachey's, A.G. Butler & Son, Lloyds and Midland's Bank and Keith's newsagent.

The complex when completed also included a three-storey office block specifically for non-store retailing called Clock House and a Truman's run public house called The Joker.

In addition to the shop units a small permanent clothing stall - with canopy structure and located on the paved square adjacent to Clock House - was given permission to trade during the 1990s to the early 2000s.

Below is a fairly comprehensive list of the many traders to have set up within the centre since those earliest days through to 2019 when the centre was finally demolished (see note 3) to make way for a new development of shops and housing called Laindon Place.

Where it exists, photographic evidence of the shop nameboard has been used in the naming of many of the businesses. Other additional information where known is also included with each business.

Laindon Shopping Centre
Number	Shop Name	Business	Open approx	Closed approx
1-2	Lloyds Bank (merged with Trustee Savings Bank 1995) Lloyds TSB TSB Happy Hub - Motivated Minds one-stop wellness shop Parents 4 Parents Community Rainbow Genies Building demolished 2019	Bank Bank Bank Purple Genie Life Coaching	c./02/1970 1995 09/09/2013 c./05/2017	1995 08/09/2013 01/01/2017 2019
3	Dewhurst Wright Price Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Butcher Toys\Cards\D.I.Y.\Gardening\Electrical --	1970s -- c.2005	1980s c.2005 2019
4-5	Godfrey The Chemist Hills Vantage Lloyds Pharmacy (relocated: 11/03/2019, temporary unit, Danacre, rear car park, Laindon Centre) Building demolished 2019	Dispensing pharmacist, Photography, Records, Tapes, Video Hire Chemist Chemist Chemist	/03/1971 -- -- --	1990s -- -- 09/03/2019
6	Peters Joelios Hair Fashions Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Hairdressers Hairdressers --	01/09/1970 c.1982 c.2006	c.1982 -- 2012
7	Barton's the Bakers The Bakers Oven Greggs Building demolished 2019	Bakers Bakers Bakers	1970s 1980s c.2000s	1980s c.2000s 06/11/2018
8-9	Harrington Cordon Bleu (rebranded Lo-Cost) Mega Save Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Butchers & Poulterers Frozen Food Centre Freezer/Frozen Foods --	1970s 1980s -- c.2006	1980s -- Pre-2006 2019
10	Peachey's Fresh Fare Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Greengrocer & Fruiterers --	1970s 2000	c.1999 2019
11	Opthalmic M.J. Revell Templeman Ophthalmic Optician (relocated: 11/03/2019 and open from 16/03/2019, temporary unit, Danacre, rear car park, Laindon Centre) Building demolished 2019	Opticians Opticians Opticians	c.1970 1970s c.1980s	1970s c.1980s 15/03/2019
12-13	Walk 'n' Wear (Richard Parrish) Howard's Discount Furniture Store Southern Comfort Discount Furniture Fairways - Your local discount food store XS Stocks Limited The Listening Post Girls Empowerment Initiative (unit 13) Building demolished 2019	Shoes & Clothing Furniture Furniture Food and Fancy goods etc. Fancy goods, gardening, toys etc.	/06/1971 /03/1973 c.1977 c.1990s c.2008 /05/2017 19/10/2017	c.1973 c.1977 c.1990s c.2008 c.2016 2018 2018
14-15	National Westminster Bank Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Bank --	1970 2000s	1990s 2012
16	The Swinging Plaice (Peachey's) Fish 'n' Chick'n Building demolished 2019	Fish & Chip Shop Fish & Chip Shop	/02/1970 c.1990s	-- 02/02/2019
17	The Pop Inn Akash Tandoori Restaurant Building demolished 2019	Cafe including Juke Box & pinball machine Fully licensed restaurant and take-away service	1970s 1990s	1990s --/07/2018
18	Mini Wear Centre Fashions Abbey National (bank from 12/07/1989) Claims Express Big Reds Adult Store Vacant unit Centre Office Building demolished 2019	Childrenswear, babywear & wools Fashionwear Building Society. Bank following demutualisation Insurance claims Adult sex goods 18+ only entry -- Love Laindon improvement headquarters	/02/1970 c.1975 c.1980 /03/2000 c./07/2003 2007 c.2012	c.1975 c.1980 1998 c.2003 c.2007 c.2012 2015
19	The Newsbox S & R Newsagents Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Newsagent Newsagent --	/02/1970 -- c.2004	-- c.2004 2019
20	Crown Post Office Building demolished 2019	Post Office services	/12/1970	02/04/2019
21	Laindon Furniture Stores Howard Furniture (relocated: 12/13 Laindon Centre) First Edition George's (George Hedges) (& at Billericay and Stanford-le-Hope) Headquarters (relocated: 29 Ballards Walk, Lee Chapel North) Building demolished 2019	Furniture Furniture Mens Clothing Clothes, Schoolwear and Babywear Unisex hairdressers	/02/1970 1970s 1970s c.1982 2010s	1970s /03/1973 c.1982 2000s /12/2018
22	Handyman Le Form Heywood's World of Flowers Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	D.I.Y. Worktops, Self assembled units Hardware Store Florist --	1971 1970s 1980s Pre-1994 2000s	1970s -- -- 2000s 2019
23	Do It Yourself Le Form Fat Man's Cafe The Garden Cafe Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	D.I.Y. Worktops, Self assembled units Cafe Cafe --	1970 1970s c.2000 2000s c.2006	1970s -- 2000s c.2000s 2019
24	C.E. Wignall Wignalls Bet Global Bookmakers Building demolished 2019	Bookmaker Bookmaker Betting shop	1970 -- c. /06/2014	-- 2000s 2018
25	The Joker Building demolished 2019	Public House	16/12/1970	??/02/2017
26	S.B. Youngs Pints N Litres Building demolished 2019	Off Licence Off Licence	1970 c.1990s	-- 2018
27	A1 School of Motoring & Auto Accessories M.J. Revell(relocated: 11 Laindon Centre) Pets 'N' Food (Pets Feeds & Needs) T & T Interiors Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Driving School & motor factors Optician Pets, Fish & Accessories Carpets --	1970 1971 Pre 11/1978 c.2005 c.2011	1970s -- 2004 c.2011 2019
28	Launderama Laindon Cleaners	Launderette Launder & Dry Cleaners	1970 c.1990s	-- 2018
29	Express Shoe Service (Richard Parrish) (also at 47 Ballards Walk, Lee Chapel North) Laindon Pizza & Kebab (relocated: Unit G, Wrexham Road, Laindon) Building demolished 2019	Shoe repairs and sales, Key cutters Pizzas and Kebabs with free pizza delivery	/02/1970 c.2006	c.2006 2018
30	Carolen Cards Shoe Repair (24 hour service) Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Cards, stationery & novelties Footwear repairs (shared unit with Carolen, 2000s) --	1970 c.2006 2012	2012 c.2012 2019
31	A.G. Butler & Son (business now known as Butler & English) (relocated: 8-9 New Century Road, Laindon) Building demolished 2019	Funeral Director	01/12/1969	2018
32	Number associated with unit 31. Building demolished 2019	--	01/12/1969	--
33-35	Merit Budgen Cannon Shoppers Paradise Kwik Save Vacant unit Hamelin Trust Building demolished 2019	Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket -- Charity shop	/02/1970 c.1973 c.1978 1982 -- 1998 c.2006	c.1973 c.1978 1982 -- /03/1998 c.2006 2018
36	Playbox 2000 (and at 79 Southernhay, Basildon town centre) K & E Discount Carpets (and at 1, Bells Hill Road, Vange) Conquest Auto Parts Startrite Motor Spares (relocated: Unit 8-9 Durham Road, Laindon) Heley Bargains Vacant unit The Community Advice and Support Scheme (CASS) Solidarity Care International Building demolished 2019	Toyshop (Finlay & Co. Ltd.), and at lower level Carpets Car Accessories Car Accessories Food, Drink, Alcohol, Household and Toiletries -- Support for the disabled and elderly Use of lower floor as storage for equipment to be sent abroad that was used as educational or medicinal that had been discarded by schools and hospitals.	/02/1970 c.1977 1970s 1980s /02/2013 c./02/2017 c./05/2017 c./05/2017	c.1977 1970s 1980s 2011 c./02/2017 c./05/2017 2019 2019
37	Golden Gate Super Kitchen South China Restaurant Empty unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Take Away Restaurant --	Pre 08/1970 Pre 08/1970 c.2005	-- -- 2012
38	Co-op Chemist Well Pharmacy (relocated: 11/03/2019, temporary unit, Danacre, rear car park, Laindon Centre) Building demolished 2019	Chemist & dispensing pharmacy Chemist & dispensing pharmacy	1970 2015	2015 09/03/2019
39	Co-op Laindon Lanes Indoor Market ShoeSave Sue Ryder Shop - Charity shop Building demolished 2019	Supermarket Indoor Shopping Centre & Cafe Footwear Second-hand clothes, books and bric-a-brac	/02/1970 08/06/1985 1980s /01/1989	c.1984 -- 1989 10/11/2018
40	Co-op Laindon Lanes Indoor Market Baby Bits Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	Supermarket Indoor Shopping Centre & Cafe Babywear & Nursery goods & prams --	/02/1970 08/06/1985 c.2000s c.2009	c.1984 -- c.2009 2019
41	Keith's (Keith Cullis & A. Martin) Martins Building demolished 2019	Newsagent, Tobacconist & Stationer Newsagent, Tobacconist & Stationer	03/10/1970 c.1976	c.1976 2018
42	Stanwood Radio (taken over by Rumbelows) Rumbelows The Prime Meat Co. Vacant unit (never re-let) Building demolished 2019	T.V., Radio & Household Electrical T.V. Video, Radio & Hi-Fi Butchers --	11/12/1969 1970s 2000s 2010s	1970s -- c.2010s 2019
43-45	Kibby's (rebranded International Stores) International Stores (rebranded Gateway, 1988) Gateway (rebranded Somerfield) Somerfield (rebranded Co-operative, 2010) Co-operative Building demolished 2019	Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket	/12/1969 1972 1988 c.1994 /06/2010	-- 1988 c.1994 /06/2010 01/09/2018
46	T.E. Collings (Basildon) Ltd. International Stores (rebranded Gateway, 1988) Gateway (rebranded Somerfield) Somerfield (rebranded Co-operative, 2010) Co-operative Building demolished 2019	Ironmonger, D.I.Y., Hardware Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket	/02/1970 15/11/1984 1988 c.1994 /06/2010	1984 1988 c.1994 /06/2010 01/09/2018
47	T.E. Collings (Basildon) Ltd. International Stores (rebranded Gateway, 1988) Gateway (rebranded Somerfield) Somerfield (rebranded Co-operative, 2010) Co-operative Building demolished 2019	Ironmonger, D.I.Y., Hardware Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket Supermarket	/02/1970 15/11/1984 1988 c.1994 /06/2010	1984 1988 c.1994 /06/2010 01/09/2018
48	Laindon County Library (relocated: New Century Road, Laindon) The Afro Centre (relocated: Basildon Resource Centre, The Gore, Basildon) Vacant unit Building demolished August 2008	Library Centre for African culture Remained vacant to 2008 demolition.	c./02/1970 /01/2004 /01/2005	/03/2001 /01/2005 /08/2008
49	Basildon Development Corporation Commission for the New Towns Basildon District Council Building demolished August 2008	Housing Department/Rent Office Housing Department (Laindon & Lee Chapel District Housing Office)/Rent Office Housing Department/Rent Office	1970s 01/04/1986 1990s	31/03/1986 31/03/1994 /08/2008
50	Clock House Farber Jan & Bartholomew (& at Nevendon Hall, Nevendon Road) Basildon Insurance Services Laindon Insurance Brokers Howtal Whiting Ameeco Ltd. (later Ameeco-Broby c.1975) Manchester Unity of Oddfellows Peter Steggles & Co. (Steggles Palmer) A.W. Mudd & Co. (Anthony William Mudd) (2nd floor) J. Always (Holdings) Ltd. Hammertex Ltd. New Town Co. Provident Clothing and Supply Co. Royal Liver Friendly Society W.H. Davey & Co. Ltd. Gale, Brown & Co. E & S Design & Development Ltd. Gesso Construction Nationwide Surveys Flametamers Ltd. New Futures Opal Computers Ltd. North Thames Engineering Friend, Boydon & Co. Building demolished August 2008	Architects Insurance Insurance (Room 107) Design & Engineering Co. Telecommunication Engineers Social Association (Stepney District) Solicitors Certified Accountants Transport Contractors Gentlemen's Tailors Plant Hire Credit goods Insurance Friendly (Room 106) Materials Handling Equip. (Rm. 200) Certified Accountants Automation Systems & Equipment Ceilings & Dry Lining contractors Surveyors & Valuers Fire Protection Consultants Disability & special needs Computer services Draughtsman & drawing services Solicitors	1970 1970 /02/1970 1970 1970 1970 1970 1970 1970s 1970s 1970s 1970 1970 1970s 1970s 1970s 1970s 1970s 1976 -- 1980s 1980s 1980s	-- -- 1980s -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 1980s 2000s 2000s
51	Midland Bank Vacant unit Building demolished August 2008	Bank Remained vacant to 2008 demolition.	1970s --	-- /08/2008
52	Turnbull Gibson Leisure Travel Agency Discount Sports (Sports 4 Leisure) Hamelin Trust (relocated: 33-35 Laindon Centre) Vacant unit Building demolished August 2008	Travel Agent - Theatre Tickets Travel Bookings Clothing & Uniforms Charity shop Remained vacant to 2008 demolition.	/02/1970 c.1974 c.1976 -- c.2006	c.1974 c.1976 -- c.2006 /08/2008
53	Barclays Bank Vacant unit Building demolished August 2008	Bank Remained vacant to 2008 demolition.	01/06/1970 08/04/2000	07/04/2000 /08/2008
54	United Friendly Insurance Co. (relocated: Branch office 361, 3 Argent Court, Sylvan Way, Southfields Business Park, Laindon) Computer Games Club Vacant unit Building demolished August 2008	Insurance Advance Software Remained vacant to 2008 demolition.	1970s c.1992 1990s	c.1992 1990s /08/2008

Page added: 2001

Other points of interest:

1) The Laindon County Library at No. 48 was previously at No. 3 High Road in a parade of shops that stood near the Winston Social Club.

2) The demolition of Clock House and the former library building took place from July to August 2008. The clock had previously been removed on 24th April and put into storage. Centre owners Colonnade planned on demolishing the centre for new housing with around 40 new shop units to be built on the site of Clock House and the surrounding land. Unfortunately the project stalled and no further work was carried out and the sites of both Clock House and the former library remained boarded up through to 2019 when the remainder of the centre was demolished by Swan Housing.

3) In May 2015 Swan Housing Association acquired ownership of the run down centre with the intention of regenerating the entire site, including the health centre, in a new development of homes and shops to be called Laindon Place. Basildon Council approved their planning application in February 2017 and work began in October 2018. Demolition of the shopping centre, though not the health centre which will eventually be relocated to a new site on High Road opposite the new development, was completed by October 2019. The post office was the last business to leave following close of business on Tuesday 2nd April, 2019, bringing to an end almost 50 years of trading.

4) In May 2017 Swan Housing working in partnership with Centric Community Projects of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire let out three vacant shop units to a selection of charitable organisations and a non-profit 'Community Interest Company' (CIC). The three units used were as follows: unit 1-2 - previously occupied by TSB; unit 12-13 - vacant from around 2013 and unit 36, previously occupied by Heley Bargains. This arrangement continued into 2018 before most of these charities relocated elsewhere, although one possibly remained into 2019 before the main shopping area - comprising units 1-13 and 33-47 was finally closed off to the public on 14th March 2019.

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