The early days of the new shopping centre for Laindon.
Editors note
The following images are from a publicity leaflet produced for the Laindon Centre (Origin unknown) and clearly show how the original intentions were to provide a pleasant local shopping experience. What went so wrong to leave us with the present centre, which is now almost shop less?
Comments about this page
Add your own comment
I remember a lot of the stores mentioned in this leaflet. We used to live in New Century Road, my mum and dad moving to Laindon as newlyweds in 1963.
My mum Iris worked in the Co-op chemists in the 70s. I remember as a child being taken down the road and over the bridge to get the bread from Barton’s, veg from Peaches and stopping to talk to my mum’s shop friends before a few half penny sweets and home. Doreen(?) used to let me go in the goods lift and see the stock room and I remember being given a paper face mask once which I was very excited about as doctors wore those. I was around four at this time.
I later years I hung around the indoor market buying my vibrant plastic earrings and happy pants before choosing a video (pink card, blue was Betamax) from Godfrey and hoping I could get away with with the age.
I worked at Lloyds bank from September 1973 to March 1985. I remember lots of the old shops.
Having lived in laindon all my life I find it extremely Sad at how the shopping centre has ended up ,how could you convince anyone that this used to be the thriving hub of the community . My first paper round was with newsbox and my pocket money was spent buying comics in Keith’s . And who can forget when Mervyn Day opened the sports shop . P.s if anyone has a copy of brochure that can be scanned or photocopied that would be great
I’m a documentary photography student doing a project about Laindon and Basildon, having grown up there it astonishes me to see how bright and vibrant the centre used to be. I’m twenty-one so I got to see the back end of its heydey. If anyone has one of these leaflets lying around that they’d be happy to post to me for this project, I’d really appreciate it! If you can help me out. I have supplied the Editor with my email address.Thank you!
Destined to failure, who would shop here when Basildon Town Centre was so close, had a larger choice of shops and many being part of large chains, could offer a wider selection of goods at a lower price. Some locals would remain as regular customers purely for convenience, many would shop here just to try it out and then realise it wasn’t for them, but the local government brought the final nail for the coffin by allowing the development of out of town retail parks with large free car parks.
Note to Richard: Ford didn’t produce the Granada in this colour, therefore it has to be a Mk 3 Cortina and looking at the twin headlamp arrangement it has to be the GXL model. And I wonder why I have no friends.
I worked for Barclays Bank in Laindon. The original premises were at the end of the High Road, last building on the right before the station. We moved into the shopping centre on 1st June 1970. Under the clock.
Mustard yellow Ford Granada, Laindon Shopping Centre- that’s class . Bartons the baker, their custard tarts were magic. The South China restaurant too, a nice meal at midday – perfect. Whatever happened to it all?
My mum still has the original brochure for our lovely new shopping centre.
Oh what a shadow of its former glory it is now. 🙁
I remember the Laindon shopping centre when it first opened my dad used to take me to Mr Harris the barber, my first bank account was with Natwest, there was so many shops there. Last time I visited it was like a ghost town really run down. When you think what a lovely High Road we had, everything you wanted there was a shop for it.
Add a comment about this page