Crabbery Street, Stafford

Description:Looking west along Crabbery Street, towards Chapel Street, viewed from the junction with Gaolgate Street, Stafford.

On the extreme left is a branch of Hepworth's, a national chain of menswear shops selling bespoke and made-to-measure suits. The Stafford branch was at No. 2, Gaolgate Street. Further along an advertising sign can be seen for Crown Wallpapers which was attached to Rose & Co.’s decorating materials shop. In the distance near the junction with Chapel Street the three storey building with the Wesleyan Chapel tower rising above is No. 2 Crabbery Street. Next door an archway can be seen which was an entrance to the Co-op although in earlier years it was the entrance to the Albert Hall Cinema. Further along the building with columns was the Co-op Pharmacy alongside the Co-op Hardware shop. Adjoining is Phillip Shaw and Son’s drapers and tailors shop and on the right is a part view of Burton’s, a national chain of menswear shops selling bespoke and made-to-measure suits.

Shortly after this photograph was taken in 1962 all of buildings from the Chapel Street junction up to and including the Co-op archway entrance were due to be demolished to make way for a large new extension to the Co-op store which fronted nearby on Gaolgate Street. However, the Co-op Pharmacy and the Hardware shop survived for several more years before they too were replaced by a new section for the Co-op. In 2013 the Stafford Co-op store closed and stood empty for several years. In 2025 the entire Co-op store in Crabbery Street and the Princess Street Precinct was demolished because of a major redevelopment of the area.

Philip Shaw’s shop was rebuilt around 1965 to 1970 to the design that still remains. It was an Adams children’s shop for a few years and then changed ownership on several occasions. After Hepworth’s moved from the corner site it was occupied by a succession of jewellers and currently (2026) it is Masovia, a Polish bakery and café. The Burton menswear shop was later occupied by Orange which then became an EE mobile phone shop.