Kentish Express Ashford & District
‘Reset’ needs to consider empty sites
September 1962 - Slightly obscured by the one-time Saracens Head Hotel (left), the premises were for many years occupied by long-lost chain John Collier the tailor and departmental store Ashley Russell, as shown here by the advertising on the roof gable
The town of Ashford has many beautiful buildings both listed and unlisted and some of these are in the town centre itself.
It may be a place of worship such as a church or it could be a dwelling which has stood for generations.
In many cases, the building could have changed use from a house to a retail premises and there’s certainly a few of those in the town.
When all is said and done
Ashford has its fair share of gems when it comes to these.
Sadly, there were many more up until the 1960s and 70s when poor planning practices and mindless applications saw the disposal
January 2021 - The vacant and beautiful building at 54 high street and 2 North Street which up until recent years was always regularly occupied of some beautiful buildings by means of demolition and redevelopment.
Regretfully, this was a practice up and down the country and in many cases still is to this day.
With the authorities planning to ‘reset’ Ashford town centre, one wonders quite what they have in mind, but one thing they need to contend with and should be mindful of is the amount of vacant and beautiful buildings in the town centre and how unfortunate it is that they are vacant.
In previous weeks, we have spoken of the completeness the town centre streets once held in respect of the individual trades and that there was no need to go elsewhere for anything.
Those of us who remember how things were in much happier times will agree that if the authorities want to fix a town centre that is a shadow of its former self, then this needs to be a due consideration.
Yes, times have changed and the pandemic doesn’t help, but the right ideas and right formula brings the results that are needed.
As well as this, the council needs to involve the people of Ashford that know the town well and the records of Ashford’s history should be referred to in order to bring back the sparkle that the town has lost and much needs again.
Number 54 high street and 2 North Street has for many years been retail space but it hasn’t always been like that.
Starting as a house and then becoming a tailors, the retail space was extended into North Street generations ago.
Now plans exist to convert the wonderful upper floors into flats, thus denying the town of a building that should not be tampered with any more than it has in recent years.
This week, Remember When takesalookbackatatrioof images illustrating the historic building.
Do you have any photographs or slides of old Ashford you would be willing to loan me?
Email me: rememberwhen_ kmash@hotmail.co.uk