15. The History Of The Shops

Chester Road East - Odd Numbers

1 EMPTY. Most recently it was The Beach Suntan Centre from late 1999 to 2005. The shop stood empty between 1997 and the end of 1999. Most recently, until 1997, it was Petals Florist. Before that it was Dolly's Flower Shop in the 80's. Don's Fruit and Veg. was here in the 70s. In the 50’s it was Bryant's Jewellers. In the late 40s it was a Garden supplies shop, and Katie Astbury had a hairdressing salon upstairs. In the early 40’s Mr. Barker had a toy shop here and there was a dentist upstairs.

3 (EMPTY) Most recently it was VANTAGE Chemist (H.A.Crook) since 1994. It moved from here in mid 2003 to Number 23 - 25. This shop had always been a Pharmacy. It was R.E Bowden between 1968 -1994. Between 1940 - 1968 it was John Hughes Chemist, and prior to that it was John Prince Chemist, which opened in October 1902.

5 DEESIDE CYCLES Bicycle Shop {WEBSITE} since about 1979. In the 1970’s it was the Joke Shop. Between about 1920 and 1970 it was Edward Prince Tobacconist who sold a very wide range of cigarettes, tobacco and snuff.

7 WING WAH Chinese Takeaway has been here since about 1970. Before that, for about fifty years, it was Jones' Fish and Chips. Mrs margaret Vaughan also ran this as a Fish and Chip shop until about 1925, prior to moving to number 26 Chester Road East.

9 PICCOLO BLINDS opened here in 2002 following the closure of Kimberley Print, Printers and Stationers. Until 1992 it was Spencer's Gas Supplies, who extended through to number 11 for a short time. Between 1920 - 1945, Mr. Salter ran a plumbing business from the shop.

11 BS NORTH WALES SEWING MACHINE CENTRE. It has been here since 2002. Sueperb Flowers opened here in 1997 after two years as an empty unit and closed in 2002. For a short time Spencer's Building Supplies linked this shop with number 11, then transferred to this shop only before moving altogether to the Deeside Enterprise Centre. It was empty between 1990-2. Between about 1968 and 1990 it was Bellis' Newsagents, and for about 40 years before this it was George E. Jones Newsagent and toy shop.

NELSON STREET - House building began in 1899. Two new flats have recently been constructed on the main road.

North Cambrian (Electrical) Company HQ in Nelson Street in spring 1953. Shotton High-level railway station is in the background.

(Thanks to Roger Carvell for the photograph)

13 (EMPTY) The most recent occupiers, GEMINI BLINDS Window Blinds closed the shop in December 2000. It was an upholsterers for a short time in the 1960's and during the 50’s it was a sweet shop. Before this it was Bradbury & Jones Grocery Store.

15 (EMPTY) N. Roscoe Butchers traded here for many years until 1989. Before this it was Norman Wood’s Butchers.

JUBILEE STREET - Built in 1897, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, hence its name.

17 - 21 DR. LIAM GAVIN Deeside Medical Centre. In the 1970’s it was Wrexham Carpets, but before this, numbers 17 & 19 formed C. L. Nicholson estate agents and number 21 was a house. Prior to this, the entire "Eleanor Terrace" consisted of private dwelling houses.

23 & 25 VANTAGE PHARMACY (H A Crook) {WEBSITE} It was empty since the closure of The Joke Shop and Fancy Dress Hire which opened in 1988. For a short period in 1999 The Joke Shop relocated, but returned after a few months, only to close again 2 years later. This is the first commercial use of these buildings.

27 (EMPTY) Most recently it was Shotton Fine Arts between 1997 - 9. Briefly during 1996 it was Drask Employment. Previously Multicom Ltd. Satellite TV Systems. Converted from houses the same time as numbers 23 & 25.

29 HOUSE

31 HEADMASTERS Hairdressers. Has been owned by various hairdressers since the mid-sixties. Before this, it was a house.

33 MIND CHARITY SHOP. {WEBSITE} This shop was empty for about two years in 1994 - 5. Before this it was Deeside Video rental shop. Prior to this it was F.J. Wall newsagents. Walls had occupied it since about 1915, but the original building burned down in 1926.

Chester Road East c. 1920

35 HOUSE OF SPORT Sportswear and equipment since 1997. It was empty from 1994 - 97 and between 1991 - 94 it was Unicorn Mortgage And Finance. Between 1915 and 1940 it was Dan Lewis' Opticians.

37 & 39 THE CORNER KITCHEN Cafe. Number 39 became a cafe in the 1970’s. At the same time, number 37 was Domestic Services. In the 1960’s Number 37 was the Post Office (Ellis') and number 39 was Ellis’ grocery store.

ASH GROVE. - The name of this street once applied only to a row of houses that stood here, but later became adopted as the street name.

CAR PARK. A small Baptist Chapel once stood on this land. The congregation later moved to a new church in Wellington Street.

Ash Grove c. 1920

ROWLEY'S DRIVE. - Named after Mr. Rowley who lived at Deebank Cottage, a large house at the bottom of the lane. One of the original gateposts can still be seen on the corner of the street, and is now used as a post for a "No Parking" sign.

In 1929 Deeside Central School was opened in this street. It is no longer a school, but is occupied by Deeside Enterprise Centre. Also in this road is the NHS Dentist and clinic. During WW2 Orange Juice was dispensed from the clinic for children . On the corner of the street is a recently built Drug Rehabilitation Centre where, today, they dispense hypodermic needles! (How times change)

63 - 83 HOUSES (No. 73 was E.A. Harris Solicitors).

85 (EMPTY) Most recently Phillips Insurance. In the 1980’s it was Carol 's Hairdressers. In the 60’s and 70’s it was Margaret’s Hairdressers, and in the late 30’s Katie Astbury also used it as a hairdressers. In the 1920’s it was occupied by Daisy Jowett who was a dressmaker.

Chester Road East c. 1930

87 - 93 HOUSES.

95 PHILLIPS INSURANCE BROKERS. Empty during 1992 & 93. Previously occupied by Trimmers Hairdressing Salon. During the 1980’s a taxi service was operated here. In the 1960’s E. J. Platt had a hairdressing business here and it was known as the "Styluxe Salon." In the 1930’s and 40’s it was Owen’s Greengrocers.

97 DALESIDE VETERINARY CENTRE. {WEBSITE}. It has been a Vet's for many years. From 1962 to 1967 G. N. Ash had his veterinary practice here. He took over from Dr. Gavin who had used it as a surgery since 1940. Between 1935 - 40 it stood empty. Mr. Ellsum built the shop in 1925 along with number 95, and ran his butchery business here until 1935.

KETLAND CLOSE. This street did not exist until 1962. It was named after a Councillor. Originally, the land was owned by Mr. Ellsum, the butcher, and an abattoir was sited here. A joinery business, "Corbett and Hughes" also had a workshop here.

The area was cleared in 1961 and Mr. Bert Ellsum built a new house on the corner of the street, No. 105.

PARK AVENUE was the entrance to Deeside Central School’s playing fields.

LONDON HOUSE. On these premises was F. A. DICKENSONS PRINTERS, who printed, amongst other things, the centre fold for the free newspaper The Advertiser. The remainder of the paper was printer at Fewster's in Connah’s Quay.

B & Q {WEBSITE} occupies the site of the showrooms of GEORGE HENRY WRIGHT builder supplies. In 1910 it was Wiseman & Green Corn Merchants.

The wasteland, adjacent, was most recently occupied by Alyn & Deeside Supplies Depot. Before this it was Gill’s Joinery.

Planetree Service Station was built about 1959 was demolished in 2000 and is now another plot of waste land.

The car park of LIDL DISCOUNT FOODS {WEBSITE} marks the boundary of Shotton. A building occupied this site until 1995 when it was D.C.M. Glass & Glazing. For a very short time in the 60’s the building was a transport cafe, after sitting empty for many years. In the 1970’s it was J.Palmer & Co (Glaziers) Ltd.

Copyright © Keith Atkinson 1998 - 2006

You may print out the pages of this website for your own personal use. I do not sell this material in any printed format and therefore if you are offered this for sale, please contact me at shotton@postmaster.co.uk

Quick Navigation

Home 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22