137 BEEHIVE LANE, ILFORD, IG4
This shop was at the junction with the Eastern Avenue (A12) and was opened 1964-5. When this shop initially came up for possible rent, Eddy decided that it would make a good outlet for scooter sales. The owner was a certain ‘Man Mountain Dean’, a British champion all-in wrestler, and so it was with him that an agreement was reached for Grimstead’s to rent this shop. The shop was to be managed by Len Wade and his wife, Carol, where they sold bicycles, mopeds, go-karts, scooters, scooter parts and the Techno mini racing car.
Unfortunately (and a subject that Eddy had overlooked) you needed ‘change of use’ permission from the council to sell motorcycles at this address; this was underlined following a visit from council officers and was, unfortunately, after Grimstead’s had opened the shop.
Change of use was not to be forthcoming, which forced Eddy’s hand to look for another venue. Fortunately, a candidate came up in the shape of a far more suitable premises at Newbury Park where permission to sell motorbikes was available, so the Beehive Lane stock of scooters was transferred over to Newbury Park, turning Beehive Lane into a car spares wholesaler.
This lasted for about three years, but proved to be a loss maker, so Eddy’s youngest brother, Michael, who was some years younger than Eddy, took over the shop’s management to sell bicycles only.
This lasted for about 10 years, but it was closed when bicycle sales fell, so Eddy gave the shop back to the imposing ‘Man Mountain Dean’. It’s now a loft conversion supplies shop.
To amplify the importance of Eddy Grimstead and his shops, the combined Burdett Road and Barking Road shops were Vespa’s biggest-selling dealerships with more than 300 new Vespas being sold in 1961 alone. Lambrettas were then being sold at both the Burdett Road and Rancliffe Road shops.
Also, and for the sake of completeness, there was an Eddy Grimstead workshop at 81 Northern Road, Plaistow E13; this was going strong with eight staff around September 1964, a fact which is only rarely mentioned.
Due to the time-consuming work involved in the Grimstead ‘in-house’ insurance offer to new buyers and the like, an office was also set up in Northern Road for this purpose for a short period. But it was closed due to not being financially viable, with the insurance work returning to the shops as before.
Also, and much later, there was a Toyota showroom in Bishops Stortford that deserves a mention. This is now rented out. [This article could not have been written without the invaluable help of John Chinrey, Gary Grimstead, Len Selfe, George Blower and the sadly missed Malcolm Perrett. Many thanks to you all]. Article compiled and written by Roger Grimstead and Dave Dry