Description:This view of Greengate Street in Stafford was taken from the first floor of the Swan Hotel, of which there is a part view on the right.
The Pickford’s heavy haulage tractor unit is transporting a fractionating tower, also known colloquially as a 'Crackers Tower', along Greengate Street which at the time of this photograph was also the A34. In 1992 the town centre became pedestrianised and the A34 was re-routed around the town.
On the extreme left there is a glimpse of Dale’s Ironmongers shop which was demolished in the early 1960s to make way for a new parade of shops which were completed around 1963. Also on the left, the Tudor style building is Martin’s Bank and the Prudential Assurance offices, the ground floor of which later became a café and then a menswear shop called Terraces. Adjacent is the Oddfellows Hall which remains (December 2020). Newbold Opticians occupied the ground floor, currently (2020) it is Harvey’s shoe repairs and key cutting shop. Next along is the junction with Tipping Street with the Alexandra Hotel on the far side, which closed in 1961 and was demolished the following year to be redeveloped as a supermarket, which later became the Superdrug store. On the first floor of the adjoining building can be seen the offices of Pearl Assurance and on the ground floor is Frames Tours. The ground floor later became part occupied for several years by Pimlico’s shop and later by Entertainment Exchange along with the entrance to Pickering and Butters Solicitors. Next door is Curry’s electrical goods store which moved further along the street for several years and subsequently moved to the Madford Retail Park. For several year this shop was a Bella Pasta restaurant and in 2020 it is ‘Coffee#1’ coffee shop. Most of the buildings in the photograph remain although over the years their ground floors have changed use several times.
Acknowledgement: Thank you to Mr Chris Coates and Mr Ian Hazlehurst for the additional information.
Picture reproduced by kind permission of the Staffordshire Newsletter who retain copyright.