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Haslemere Shops

When the railway came to Haslemere in 1859 the area began to earn a reputation for its unspoilt beauty. As tourists and new settlers arrived, so locals set up and expanded into new businesses, such as horse–drawn carriage hire and tea–rooms. Haslemere has sustained hundreds of independent shops and businesses. The national chain stores have largely been more recent arrivals. Woolworths came in 1951 and its Haslemere branch is said to have been the only store in Britain not to have the classic trademark red in its sign – a concession to the shop’s surroundings. The UK chain and the local store finished trading at the start of 2009. An independent, R. Miles ironmongers, holds the record for the longest continually running shop in Haslemere.

Track 2 Glow From Shops

Credit line: Elizabeth Boniface talks about Haslemere’s shops.

Transcription:

Interviewee: When I was about five, you’d go down to the town in the evening and there was a wonderful sort of glow because there were no street lights. All the lights came out of the shops and it was lovely. There was just a sort of glow and it was lovely and the shops were open until about eight and the shop windows and some of the doors were open so it was lovely – not like it is now.

Interviewer: They were open quite late then?

Interviewee: Some of them did, yes. I don’t know if they did it on every day but they certainly didn’t shut at five. Six at the earliest in those days.

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