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Market Street

The rear of 53 Market Street photographed in 1969

The photograph above is of the rear view of 53, Market Street, a substantial building occupied by Hannington’s since the 1850s. It has had many uses over the years, being a workshop, a warehouse for upholstery and woollens and a garage for hearses.

Soon after this photograph was taken in December 1969, the garages were converted to shops. The photograph below was taken in 2013.

Do you remember what shops used to be here? If you can help, please leave a comment below.

The rear of 53 Market Street photographed in 2013

Comments about this page

  • Although this page is titled Market St. it is actually about the buildings facing Brighton Place. Many years ago after I finished university I worked as a part-time [and unskilled!] house painter. The team I was with had a very old boy – Mr Gazzard – who told me he had lived in the Druids Head pub [opposite these buildings] where his father was the landlord. The Druids was the ‘carriers pub’ in that when wagons and carts came in at night and in the small hours, with foodstuff for the market by the Town Hall, they would stay over at the pub for a few hours before returning up-country. Many a time this gentleman found strange men laying on the floor of his room, and in the corridor and occasionally in his bed! More than once still wearing their boots and on one occasion one carter still clutching his wagon whip!

    By Geoffrey Mead (05/02/2013)
  • I remember when Market Street (the other side of this building) was a road going down to East Street. I used to use the gents hairdressers there called ‘Keith’s’, he eventually moved the business to Bond Street in the late ’70s. I also remember some clips from a couple of films were made around there. ‘The Night We Got The Bird’ in 1961 starring Brian Rix and Dora Bryan: in one of the shots you see a van going up Market Street and across to where Gilletts the stationers was and it was just about where they shot the famous scene in ‘Brighton Rock’. Later on, in about 1971, Gilbert O’Sullivan did a short film for his song ‘Matrimony’ and I can remember a shot of him going down Market Street and coming out into East Street on a bike.

    By Paul Clarkson (06/02/2013)
  • I worked at Ceres restaurant 23 Market Street in 1971.  Before it became Ceres, one of its “before’s” was as Applejohns (could have been Appletons) Cider Bar. Many a weekend would find it full of sailors on leave drinking “half and half”. This was half really well aged hard cider with half a lighter one. On my last visit to Brighton I went into the boutique now on the premises and was delighted to see the original mantlepiece  in the corner with the apple carvings still there.

    By Mary Lowry (03/09/2018)
  • Hello Mary Lowry,
    I used to go to Ceres as a child and have such wonderful memories of the food there – the amazing salads and the incredible wholemeal cheese flan served in squares… I don’t suppose you know any of the recipes? I would love to make them for my Dad.

    By Jo North (05/08/2020)
  • Hi, my mother worked at Ceres for a while and I can remember going in after school and having an egg mayonnaise which was my favourite 🤩 and an elderly lady customer gave me a Black Beauty book too. x

    By Nicola Sinclair (20/11/2020)
  • I too visited Ceres and ate lunch there many times a week. I loved the food especially the veggie casseroles and the whole grain rolls with Danish butter. The lovely oatmeal coloured stoneware plates and cups added to the pleasure of ones dining experience. The two gentlemen that owned the business would be servers at times. Sadly when I revisited Brighton in the 80’s it had changed hands. I too would love their recipes if anyone has them.

    By Gwen Healy (26/03/2021)
  • Hi , I remember the art restorers Alan Boyle in Brighton Place, or Square cannot remember which , he had an amazing team of art restorers , and some state of the art equipment for re lining old oil paintings, I was working as an electrician installing the lighting and other equipment he used he and his partner had another gallery around the corner in Market Street , which was purely a gallery
    With many paintings for sale , I often wonder what happened to Alan unfortunately I lost contact with him . Such good times .

    By Joe (03/04/2021)

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