I SHOULD be writing up Dragon Hall, but I’ve been diverted by its mysterious neighbour. Dragon Hall is to the left of this picture. It’s a 15th century trading hall, built by the wealthy merchant Robert Toppes and now open to the public as a museum.
But what’s next door? A medieval first floor along quite a stretch of King Street, curiously suspended on 20th century pillars. Everything is boarded up at all levels and no-one seems to know who owns it or what their plans might be. I vaguely remember it being home to the electrical retailers Bennetts, but that was years ago wasn’t it?
So what next for 125-127 King Street? Do get in touch if you’ve got any info about this remarkable survivor.
Hi, I believe this building is owned by the architects A-Squared based at Netherconesford (AKA 93-95 King St). They have successfully developed the old shoe factory in which they are based. It has an old well in the courtyard.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, they have put in plans to demolish the lower ground floor and all the newer stuff around the back of this building. They want to build houses at the rear and renovate the buildings to the side and make a courtyard in the middle. Access will be through the ground floor of the building fronting onto King St. The plans are available to view on the Council's public access thingy. I supported their plan because of their previous good work and sensitivity.
Thank you very much for the tip.
ReplyDeleteSteve
It used to be a BB Adams (Big Barry Adams) electrical store in about 1987? BB Adams was sold to Bennets.
ReplyDeleteHistory here:
http://www.bbadamstrade.co.uk/about.html
A fuller version of the BB Adams story here
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbadamsdirect.co.uk/about-us
Regards
Steve
I’m about ten years late to this post but better than never! I can confirm that this was definitely a BB Adams store in 1986, as I had a part-time job there as a sales assistant – in the computing department.
ReplyDeleteIf I recall correctly from the company blurb at the time (because the store was more or less new in 1986) it had 23,000 square feet of shop-floor space on the ground. I’m pretty sure it used to claim to be the biggest electrical store in East Anglia. Certainly, to the 16-year-old me it felt like a megalopolis.
This ground floor was zoned. As I said, I worked in the computing department, which was at the front-right as you look at the building from the outside – so directly behind those white hoardings. In the middle of the store was a central cash desk, as square, with tills on all sides. To the rear and right of the store (again as viewed from the outside, on King Street) was the audio-visual area. I can’t remember was to the front-left, but I think small electricals (kettles/vacuums etc). I have no memory at all about was to the rear left, but I do know that a sizeable chunk of space in that region was hidden behind shop fittings and served as a repairs workshop. Various engineers lurked in this hidden space. I distinctly remember being able to spy on (usually angry) customers through the little holes in the shop fittings, as the engineers toiled on their faulty widget.
There was a smaller lower-ground floor, at the very rear of the store, backing on to the car park. This was used for the sale of white goods.
Then, there was the first floor. The stairs for this were in my department (computing) and led to various offices/admin/stockroom/storage areas and – horrors! – the palatial suite that was Big Barry’s office. I don’t think mortal staff were ever allowed to venture into this revered room, so I have no idea if it really was palatial or just a tiny squat housing a beer-stained recliner with built-in minibar and a cupboard full of floozies. Who knows?
I have a vague memory that there was a small staff kitchen/canteen areas upstairs too, but I might just be imagining that.
And that is pretty much everything I can remember. I know this will be of interest to a sum total of about two people – one of whom is me, and I’m barely interested tbh – but it’s in my mind, so I thought I might as well spill it out onto this page.
I’d *love* to see inside this building before it’s knocked down. I have a sneaking suspicion that the layout will be basically unchanged from my days as a suffering staffer, and I additionally suspect that many of the shop fittings will remain in place. But more than anything else, I’d like to ascend those stairs, enter Big Barry’s special place and… release the floozies! They must be both dusty and thirsty by now.
Who’s up for a bit of urban exploration?!
I too toiled at BB Adam’s around this time, and concur with the comments above. I worked in most departments and ran the white goods section and small radios section too for a while. It really was an eye opener working there but despite the goings on there was great Camaraderie amongst the staff. I wish I could contact some of the staff. I was friends with some in the hidden repair section.
ReplyDeleteBack on topic this mediaeval first floor was used as a box room storage and faulty goods. It was always full! This may have been Big Barry’s office previously and there was a curious inscription carved on a beam on the ceiling. I don’t recall that inscription but think it was a later addition
Jonathan Tuner