Featured picture shows aerial photo in 1960.
St Marks School asked
“Good morning, we are doing a history project on Spalding are were wondering on Winfrey Avenue many many years ago was there a Morrisons or some other supermarket where Iceland and B & Q is now”.
Thanks to my friends Betty Willson and John Decamp we have the following information for you: But can one else tell us more?
Safeway were where B& Q and Iceland are but they moved to what is now Morrisons on Wardentree Lane. I think they were the first supermarket in the country to use “Bar Code Scanning” at the checkouts. I’ve found a few photos of the shops at the top of Winfrey Avenue. I remember the butchers shop well and Snowdrop Nurseries, Packer and Craven refrigeration engineers and Hardwick Plumbing and Heating were also there.
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You will recognise the footway, it is still there with “Quickfit Tyres” on the right.
Where that filling station on the left is used to be a little terrace of cottages. I remember a lad shinning up the drainpipe of one and getting stuck on the roof, laying flat on the slates with his toes in the guttering too scared to move. That was in 1961 on a Sunday morning, I walked past with some mates and spotted him so I shinned up the drainpipe to help him down but he was too scared to move and we decided the pipe wouldnt stand the weight of both of us so the other lads borrowed a ladder from a house across the road and rescued him that way.
15 Responses
I seem to remember it began as a Fine Fare store first, which was then was rebranded as a Gateway when Associated British Foods sold the Fine Fare brand.
It must have then closed when the same company (Dee Corporation) bought the Key Markets brand and the store at Pinchbeck, and the town store probably closed becuase of this. I’ve been Googling the brands to see what happened to them.
Would be interesting to be reminded exactly what happened as it seems so long ago now.
Thanks for update. Regards Geoff
Keymarkets started brand new down wardentree lane were Morrisons is today it was the second store in the country to have scanning tills.
Winfrey avenue had some small shops as per the photos then Fine Fare built a brand new store on the land and opened as a Fine Fare. Gateway brought the Fine Fare group. Gateway then changed their name to Somerfield. Some years later late 1980s CO-OP brought somerfield but sold alot of the larger sites. Winfrey ave was one of them along with the Wardentree lane site. Morrisons bought both sites. They preferred out of town sites so they traded the Winfrey ave site until the new Morrisons store was built and opened. Then sold the Winfrey ave site to B and Q and Ice Land. Hope thats useful.
Thanks so much for the information. Regards Geoff. We like contributions
After Morrison’s closed, it became a Focus DIY and a Carpetright
Thanks do you have memories as well. Regards Geoff
The first ever bar scanner in this country was at Keymarkets, Wardentree Lane in October 1978. Barbara Windsor opened the store.
Thanks have you got any other memories Regards Geoff
Did the Winfrey avenue site have a petrol station ? Im sure I used to go in there!
Does this help? https://www.heritagesouthholland.co.uk/article/winfrey-avenue/
Regards
Geoff
Hope that is useful
As I recall from the mid late 60’s, there was the football ground, a builder’s merchant by the name of Thompson (I was at school with the son – Peter if memory serves). Then my father’s business (Packer & Craven) with Maurice Scotney the butchers next. Then a collection of small prefabricated shops occupied by businesses including Shwepstones (who made the BEST Lincolnshire sausages bar none!) Snowdrop nurseries and I think a small news agent on the corner.
On Swan street there was Wilson’s garage and further round Beals. They sold cycles I think and other things but I can’t recall what.
Hope this helps. If I can be of any more assistance please feel free to contact me. I lived in Spaulding up until the early 70’s
Thanks please keep your memories coming. Regards Geoff
Any body got any pictures of key market wardentree Lane would love to see them
Let’s hope so. Regards Geoff