History of this place

Deb’s Deli was originally a post-war store that sold Kosher food. At that time Gardner Street had two way traffic and life was chaotic on busy days. There was a milliner’s, dry cleaner’s and sweet shop opposite with a gent’s hosiery at No. 5 and a jeweller’s at No. 3.

In 1950, Deb’s parents bought the shop and it became a grocer’s. Then TESCO opened a supermarket with an ugly facade further down Gardner Street and Deb was almost forced out of business but she never gave up and converted the shop into the delicatessen we see today.

The large variety of home made snacks from sausage rolls and cheese cakes to lutkas and bagels have added colour and aromas to the street for the last thirteen years. The street becomes a pedestrian way on Saturdays and although it is really busy, it is a joy to work in.

Comments about this page

  • This lovely deli is now known as Hells Kitchen, selling similar and better foods.

    By Jason (23/02/2004)
  • My Great-Grandparents, Herbert and Daisy Cassey, owned the gent’s hosiery at No.5 Gardner Street. Their name still partly remains in the black and white tiles outside the shop, but the ‘C’ is missing, so unfortunately reads ‘assey’! I’m interested to know if there are any photos of this shop?

    By Sue Thorpe (11/06/2008)
  • My Grandparents owned a greengrocers along Gardner Street. Does anyone have any photos please?

    By Anthony Silverthorne (09/08/2009)
  • I believe Hell’s Kitchen is the same family as Deb’s Deli. Does anyone remember the Cork Shop in Gardner Street?

    By Richard Payne (24/11/2009)
  • Does anyone remember an odd, chaotic little shop called ‘10,000 Valves’? It was on or near a corner – I think possibly in Gardner Street / North Road, or somewhere nearby. I bought a large box full of old valves for my boyfriend at the time for Xmas 1969- he was into that sort of thing.

    By Diana Lambing (23/05/2010)
  • Yes I remember the cork shop, I also have memories of the egg shop and a shop with a great smell that sold many bags of different coffees. Coffee shops- they’ll never catch on in Brighton.

    By Michael Walsh (11/09/2010)
  • I have just posted around 70 images of the Cork shops interior on a picasa album – they are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/parfittdavid/BeallCoCorkShop51GardnerStreetBrightonCirca1982?feat=directlink

    By David parfitt (18/11/2010)
  • My Great Grandmother was born on this street and her parents ran a grocer. A lot earlier than what you are discussing. Does anyone know what the oldest building on the street are? My great grandmother would have left there in the mid-1800’s with the Mormons to the US. The street is beautiful and I am sure 10 years ago it was better and 20 it was even better. I will be passing through there in May and I am looking forward to walking the street where my great grandmother grew up.

    By Marcie Greer (08/03/2023)
  • Marcie, most of the street was developing in the 1820s; if you go into the little ‘twitten’ of Orange Row to the west of Gardner St you can see some of the undecorated rear walls which give you an idea of he age of most of the properties. It was a very poor area at the time of your relation as it was on the edge of the notorious Pimlico slum demolished in the 1860s.

    By Dr Geoffrey Mead (08/03/2023)

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