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.
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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.
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.
I have lots of fond memories of the store, having worked there in the early 80s for several years in the security dept.
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