The parade of shops along Haven Road has been the hub of Canford Cliffs for more than a hundred years.
The “Cliffs of Canford” were originally part of Lord Wimborne’s Canford Estate and between 1880 and 1890, the area was sold to a syndicate that set up the Canford Cliffs Estate Company.
By the early 1930s over half the plots sold by the syndicate had been developed along with the shops and the village hall.
The various open spaces: the chines, cliffs, and pleasure gardens were handed over to the local authority.
In the 1970s the range of shops was very similar apart from the number of garages including the petrol station at Canford Cliff Motors which had a showroom further down the street.
Take a look at these 10 photos from the Grahame Austin Collection and see if you remember some of the retailers and stores of the time.
Canford Cliff Motors and the Petrol station on the corner of Haven Road and Ravine Road. Swift travel Agents, Fos and Sons Estate Agents, and Dixons the butchers were some of the shops featured in the shopping parade.
The zebra crossing picture here just after the junctions of Elmstead Road and Cliff Drive no longer exists.
Looking down Haven Road to the left, Mason & Gilletts the grocery store, Adams the Electrical Contractors, Carousel the hair salon, l.M. Whittle, Rumsey & Rumsey estate Agents, Barclays Bank, wine merchants, Bollom and Canford Cliff Chemist.
The junction of Haven Road and Maxwell Road with the shop Sea Sales on the corner.
The junction of Haven Road and Ravine Road shows the BP Garage and the single pump Esso garage further down the street.
The N.S.S. newsagent was on the corner of Haven Road and Maxwell Road. Love the once-popular scales outside the store.
Looking along Haven Road from the Elmstead Road junction shows Canford Cliffs Radio- Electro Electrical Contractors and Radio and TV Specialists, R. Godsell Auctioneer and estate agent, a Tobacconists, Laurence a hair salon, P.F.Tanner the butcher And Haven Car Sales to name a few.
Shops on the parade, Swift Travel Services, Jane Mann, Canford Cliffs Motor Ltd, Fox & Sons estate agents, Canford Cliffs Hardware, Dixons for Meat, Haven Car Sales, National Westminster Bank, and Lloyds Bank.
Looking down Haven Road to the left, Mason & Gilletts the grocery store, Adams the Electrical Contractors, Carousel the hair salon, l.M. Whittle, Rumsey & Rumsey estate Agents, Barclays Bank, wine merchants, Bollom and Canford Cliff Chemist.
Pictured are the Telephone Exchange, Canford Manshop, Maxwell's the greengrocers, the Wine Market, The Galleon and at the end of the parade the restaurant called St Clair
Do you have any memories of these shops from this time?
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