Royston in the 1980s and 1990s
Do you remember these places?
By James Robinson
When we moved to Royston in 1979, the cinema was a thriving old style cinema with one screen and an endless stream of the latest films. The town had at least three butchers, three sweet shops and a proper toy shop as well as a book shop (Chantico), an auction room and so much more.
Over the years most have disappeared for lots of reasons but before many of them did I took these pictures just to remind me of how it used to be.
Has anyone else got any pictures they could add – Huntingdon stores or the Co-op perhaps?
This page was added on 04/04/2012.
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I lived in Royston in the late 70’s and left in 1981. Does anyone remember the mobile shop that came round in the evenings? I believe it was known as ‘Benny the Bus’ and I remember getting sweets on it when it came round North Close and Orchard Way. It was an old red converted coach with a pale blue stripe if I remember rightly.
Loved living in the town and have been back since and been shocked at how it’s changed!
Isles Butchers was owned by my grandfathers brother. His son Roger is my dads cousin, but we lost touch.
Marsoms was in Queens Road.
Mr Iles the butcher was in Kneesworth Street, along from the chip shop, opposite the Museum.
I think the butchers shop was called Isles, he had a huge very old butchers shopping block and I can remember watching him preparing, rabbits, hare and turkeys for hanging in his front window. He also sold some fantastic homemade pork beef and herb sausages. A butchers in the High Street was called Herts and Beds bacon and they used to have a little drawing in their window probably done by a kid, with a heart shape and a large bed. They also sold great sausages and bacon, sliced just how you liked it. Ladds was an old style shop with old fashioned sweets and some wonderful smelling tobacco for pipe smokers. My parents lived in Royston from 1962 – 2008
The butcher’s shop was called Aisles, and they delivered. We lived in Royston for a short time from 1968 to 1970 when I was 10 to 12 years old but I loved it.
Anyone remember the names of the butcher shops in Royston!!?
Wow so many memories looking at those photos. I am amazed that Marcelle ladies clothes shop was there so long, it was always closed and looked like it was from 1940.
I lived in Royston briefly from July 1979 to March 1981. I loved the town. It was a short walk from my home me in Layston Park. My favorite bar was the Banyers Hotel. I got quite boisterous on Friday nights especially. The cinema was good and I did see one or two good films specifically Midnight Express and Dressed to Kill. Very fond memories and glad to have had such a happy experience living there.
Reallyinteresting photos. I lived in Royston 1968-2014. I will never forget Royston in its hey day. Ladds is still there – touch wood. I can recall a really good delicatessen – opposite the old Woolworths. Plus Piggs (?) a lovely shop which also sold beautiful Christmas decs. And what about Tices on Fish Hill selling pink corsets. The old library in Fish Hill. People were allowed to smoke in there (!) Mrs. Rule’s turkeys for sale outside Royston on the road to Chishill (?) I know that Chilcourt where I lived from 1968 was an old nursery. Oh yes, they had (air raid sirens) at the Fire Station to alert firemen on call. The yearly bonfire in November, at the top of Briary Lane.
How about Willy (?) Stevenson’s stables behind the now Princes Mews. The horses used to be exercised 1-2 times a day on the Heath, going along Heath Avenue. One of them got loose one day, and charged down Chilcourt. I was scared!! The path that the horses took, was a chalky path worn by their hooves. Whenever, I returned from a holiday away, we would drive along the Baldock Road, see the white path going over the slope on the Heath. I was home. And Kennedy’s auction site.