The Londis Building.

Plans have now been submitted to change the use of the old Londis store from a possible retail outlet to housing. If the plans are approved it will mean the end any possibility of retaining one of Silverton's most historic shops.

Okder residents will remember the Londisbuilding when it was Perrats, a general store of the 'Open All Hours' variety. At perrats you could get anything from paraffin to bacon to wallpaper, often next door to each other, and some people will remember when it was staffed by characters such asMr Dibsdale and Mark Skinner. When the Perrat family gave up the business, the shop went through a number of franchises including Vivo, SPAR and finally Londis before closing  some four years ago.

The end of Londis is a reminder of the loss of retail outlets and businesses that have taken place during my lifetime. We have lostm as far as I can remember,  French's general store  and Brooks the baker in the High Street, Silverton Dairy and its shop and the butchers that was opposite. Henry Lewis, builders and undertakers, Thr coalyard that was behind 'Emmas Cottage'. Westerns (later James) butchers wgere the Post Office now is, Mrs Bowermans fruit and veg outlet  which was in the rebricj house in the row opposite the post office at the Silverton Inn end. Ayshfords Garage and what came after next to the Silverton Inn, Bill and Pens flower shop and Images health club, Frankpitts Butchers and the butchers who succeeded them in the shop which is now incorperated into SPAR, as was Stradling's the Bakers and Goodwins Newsagents that succeeded it. Archie Tremletts Blacksmiths shop in Tiverton Road and its near neighbour, George Carpenters Barbers Shop  and Btady's Garage which was in School Road, Mot to mention the various buisnessess that went through the barbers shop which was previously Cabbages and Kings. In addition, of course, we lost the British Legion Club. I expect that others could ass to the list.

All this, pf course, is related to the changed ways that we shop with supermarkets and the internet. what it reminds us is that we have to use what we have as much as possible be it the Post Office, SPAR the various hairdressers or the three pubs. particularly in these recessionary times the message really is 'Use it. or lose it'.