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Co-operative Store opened 1931

Please note that this text is an extract from a reference work written in 1990.  As a result, some of the content may not reflect recent research, changes and events.

b) CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY STORE : The largest building in London Road is the Brighton Co-operative Society store. In 1906 the ‘Co-op’ acquired no.96 and gradually took over the adjoining premises which were united into a single store in about 1919. The present store, designed by Bethell and Swannell, was opened on 12 September 1931 with four storeys and a 180-foot frontage relieved only by two giant, fluted Doric columns above the entrance. Now the largest department store in Brighton, it is rivalled in size only by Hanningtons; the Baker Street supermarket originally opened in 1962, and further additions in 1975 and 1980 have brought the total floor area to some 70,000 square feet. {74,75,123}

Any numerical cross-references in the text above refer to resources in the Sources and Bibliography section of the Encyclopaedia of Brighton by Tim Carder.

London Road Co-operative Store 2007
Photo by Tony Mould
Brighton Equitable Co-operative Society, London Road, 1935: The "Co-op" was built in 1931, designed by Bethel and Swannell on 4 floors with a 180 feet long frontage and two giant fluted Doric columns above the entrance. Extended in 1962, 1975 and 1980 the floor area totals about 70,000 square feet. It is currently the largest department store in Brighton.
Image reproduced with kind permission from Brighton and Hove in Pictures by Brighton and Hove City Council

Comments about this page

  • For the most part the Co-operative store is now closed down and has been for a few months now, although the food hall in Baker Street is still in operation, as is the post office and Co-op Travel. I think there is also a shoe sales place in there now as well.

    By Darren Crawford (08/08/2007)
  • I liked the toys at Christmas. There was a Christmas club for low-income families which my mummy used every Christmas. It is all closed now and we miss it.

    By Kate (07/12/2007)
  • I have lots of fond memories of the store, having worked there in the early 80s for several years in the security dept.

    By Jackie (15/07/2008)

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