Local listing is different to statutory listing; it does not provide further legislative controls. and does not affect when planning permission is required. However, when planning permission is required, the ‘special interest’ of a locally listed heritage asset will be taken into account. In 2013 the council asked for nominations for inclusion in the list; over five hundred submissions were considered. The Local List of Heritage Assets was adopted on 18th June 2015, it will be reviewed in 2020; other items in the current list can be seen here.
Richard’s Garage
These two 1950s Shellmex petrol pumps in Bath Street might seem a surprising addition to the local listing of historically important landmarks, but they were nominated by residents for inclusion. It is believed that the petrol pumps were among the earliest in Brighton.
Richard Busse was the proprietor of Richard’s Garage, Bath Street, Brighton from around 1962; he died in 2011. The pumps were serving petrol until 2010; the garage is now a private house.
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These petrol pumps have certainly been spruced up since I took some photos of the garage frontage in 2008. At that time, the pumps were painted pink, red, and murky yellow. A sign in front of the doors, mounted on an old car tyre, stated: “DO NOT PARK HERE used nights POLICE TOW SQUAD IN ACTION”. I rather doubt that!
Lovely Morris Isis in the background, I had one of these, they had a lot of torque with the 6 cylinder engine pulling it along. Used to get to London in no time at all, or so it seemed.
I lived in Bath street from around 1955 to around 1965. I used to go into this garage to ask for ball bearings, to add to my marble collection. I was about 12 years old when I left Bath street. I have a photo of me and my sister standing outside the car parking garages just a few doors away.
My Uncle Billie Mason ran this business back in the 1940’s. There was a flat above.
I understand that my Grandfather Lawrie Sargeant had the first petrol pumps in Brighton at The Clarence Garage opposite St Mark’s Church in Eastern Road just after WW1. Before this you had to purchase petrol in sealed two gallon cans which were stored underground in a covered pit and lifted out with a hook on a pole like a boathook. There is a photo from 1919 on here under ‘first petrol pumps in Brighton’. Sussex Square Garages on the site now. The Avery Hardoll petrol pumps shown above date from the early 1950s and probably replaced earlier hand-wound ones. Note the overhead swinging arm arrangement in the lower photo for serving across the pavement without obstructing the footpath. Wouldn’t get away with that now!
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