Lost Shops 2006-2011

Mobile Technics, Warwick Road
Kenilworth Weekly News – Warwick Road
Spicers – The Square
William Hill Bookmakers – The Square (relocated into centre of the town)
Rayner – The Square
Old Emporium – The Square
Mark Jarvis Bookmakers and Crystal Take Away – Warwick Road.
It’s a Pound – Warwick Road.
Help The Aged – Warwick Road
Headquarters – Warwick Road
Halifax Estate Agency – Warwick Road
Emerald Shoes – Smalley Place
Castle Flowers – Smalley Place
Brambles Gift Shop – Smalley Place

Disappearing Shops 2017-18

Lost Shops 2023

Station Road – Been in the town for 30 years – Arthur will be missed
The Square – Another bank gone – Closed August 2023
Warwick Road – Wasn’t a ‘Top Draw’ for long
Abbey End – Been in the town for 50 years
Station Road – Another shop that will be sorely missed – Been in the town for 12 years
Warwick Road – The restaurant with the ever changing name
Bridge Works, Farmer Ward Road – To be replaced by a car showroom
Another carpet shop gone south or west – lasted near 10 years in the town
Sylvesters the Jewellers (Opened in 1965 – closed 24th December 2023)

Corner Seat Restaurant – By Cyril Hobbins

Who remembers the – Corner Seat Restaurant – just a café really – that was on the corner of Station Road and Warwick Road? It was owned and run by Mr Dolphin and was a very popular venue for many years.

The very distinctive Bow-Window frontage was designed by George Clarke, brother to Dennis Clarke who owned Inchbrook Woodworkers Ltd, my then, employers.

I was the joiner who made the whole thing with very little help in the workshop at Common Lane during the early-mid 1960s. English Oak was the timber used, the deep chamfered profiles on the Mock Georgian window bars were machined by Raymond Tisdale Joinery, whose workshop was opposite us in Common Lane.

The whole frontage was drawn out full-size onto a joined sheet of hardboard, and the tried and tested – rod method – was used to ensure accuracy of fit, into the huge opening. It was one of the most complicated joinery I ever tackled, no glue was used just traditional mortice and tenon joints with wooden pegs, for the main frames.

It took me about three weeks from start to finish working alone, I only received help during final assembly. The whole thing was transported by lorry one cold Sunday morning, I had a small gang to help remove the old frontage, and to break up the quarter plate glass windows, which was surprisingly tough. We did it by jumping on the unsupported sections of glass; until we had small enough pieces to load.

Once the whole new frontage was fixed in place and the front door hung, the premises were boarded up until the next day. You can see from the photograph, just how many panes of glass were fitted, each one held in by dozens of very thin oak beads, embedded in waterproof mastic.

The cafe was opened the following week, after the linseed oil finish had dried and all the timber to brick joints were sealed and secure. I still have the hand-made gouge I used to scoop out some of the surfaces to give the window a ‘weather-worn’ appearance, as requested by Mr Dolphin – criminal.

When the cafe closed the window stayed in use for an Estate Agents until removed for the current frontage. I desperately tried to rescue my window, to use as a conservatory, but I was too late – it was smashed to bits on the back of a lorry……. Such is Life.

Copyright Cyril Hobbins 2023

Buyrite – The End of ‘Aladin’s Cave’ – Arthur Harrison – 2023

Sent from (not too) Coventry

Shop to be Re-developed by Landlords

One of Buyrite’s shops in Talisman Square 2006/7

Wilco Did Buyrite a Favour

‘Wilco’s arrival did Arthur a favour

Kenilworth Vibes Goes ‘Viral’

Trading was extended by a month
Bye-Bye Arthur

Shutters Go Up

Empty (except for the till which they couldn’t sell)

May 2023

Boarded up – July 2023

H. H. Railton & Ernest Shrimpton

Nellie and Ernest in their younger days. (photo courtesy of Sally Taylor)
Shop at 6, The Square c1920s (photo courtesy of Sally Taylor)
Shop in New Street – year unknown (photo courtesy of Sally Taylor)
Present day (now a private house)
The Norvic Shoe Factory – c1961
Ernest is on the far left of the back row c1930s (photo courtesy of Sally Taylor)
Pet & Garden Supplies – c1997
Nellie and Ernest – 1963 (photo courtesy of Sally Taylor)
The Picture Shop – c2005
Tree House Book Shop – present day

Lost Shops 2013-14

Lost Shops 2015-16

Lost Shops 2017-18