Independent shops are much missed

With the selection of shops Ashford has to offer becoming more and more sparse, many of us hanker after some of the longlost traders of individuality that once graced our town.

It all started in the 1960s, when some of the major chains came to town and effectively pushed the independent trader to one side.

As time has gradually passed, more and more of the independent shops that Ashford was well known for have disappeared into the history books.

I really don't know what is wrong with Ashford compared to other nearby towns and those further afield.

It's actually quite apparent that like-for-like towns up and down the country aren't demonstrating the desolate identity Ashford has unfortunately adopted since the Covid pandemic and indeed the recessional times.

There are barely any empty shops in neighbouring towns that I've been to recently, and indeed some of these have been in either Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire.

Someone said many years ago that it was the local authority's masterplan to turn the town centre into fully residential.

It's something I disregarded at the time it was mentioned but now I'm starting to wonder whether this is true and, if it is on the cards, is something we as residents should be informed about.

There are, in fact, very few long-standing independent traders left which is incredibly sad as they were known to generations and generations of Ashfordians.

One such independent trader in the town and owned by the son of the founding member is Soundcraft Hi-fi in the Lower High Street.

Originally established as Photocraft, then Photocraft Hifi, and started by the Mathews family, it did away with the photography element back in the early 1990s to focus on superior and professional hi-fi equipment – which it still does today.

This week Remember When hankers back to the days of Photocraft Hi-fi when owner Victor Mathews, father of current owner Geoff Mathews, made the independent business the place to go for all your photography needs.

It’s now the place to go for all your hi-fi needs – more than 50 years since the business was started.

Do you have any old photos or memories of Ashford? Email rememberwhen_kmash@hotmail.co.uk

Circa 1963 - Owner and father of current owner Geoff, here we can see Victor Mathews with employee Clive Castle at one of the display cabinets

Circa 1963 - Photocraft Hi-fi at 40 Lower High Street back at the start of the 1960s, when both those interested in photography and superior audio equipment visited the site

Circa 1963 - Audio equipment on the upper floor at number 40 high street with a demonstration room at the front over the photography shop