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Retail unit the Square vacant? - paul (11th Feb 2023 - 16:37:59) Hi, What is the current situation with retail unit between the Cycle shop, and Hamptons? I saw last week men emptying the premises. It would be good to know the current landlord has a new tenant, with enterprising ideas. It is worth running with the right community support, and ideas in a great central location, of a ever growing community.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - paul (11th Feb 2023 - 17:04:04) Hi. I think it would be a great place for a Youth Zone. 20 plus activities, both inside, and outside of the surrounding countryside areas. Use donations and funding models, to facilitate the premises costs. Charge a £5 annual membership, with £1 for a hot meal when attending. Great social, educational, and fun, for the new and future generation of Liphook to enjoy.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - BD (11th Feb 2023 - 17:45:55) Paul - What planet do you live on?

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Jane (11th Feb 2023 - 18:36:45) Would be wonderful to have a nice bistro - somewhere to eat out please!

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Joe (11th Feb 2023 - 20:08:25) It may well be that they are just moving the stock out nothing more. Has the shop been advertised anywhere to take for rent or lease?

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - M (11th Feb 2023 - 22:04:02) Not anymore eating places we have so many . We have so many good places to eat in liphook and in the square not a good position.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - WENDY MARTIN (12th Feb 2023 - 10:02:56) Why not a collectors/antique market?

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Re (12th Feb 2023 - 11:21:37) Well it used to be a chemist so we desperately need a second pharmacy would be a good place for that. We have plenty of eating places and coffee shops , please no more estate agents.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Local (12th Feb 2023 - 11:56:55) It would be great to have a farm shop selling local produce. Fresh. Veg ect Big opening for that sort of thing these days.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Del (12th Feb 2023 - 15:06:19) I think you will find that it is being turned into a house.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Jon (12th Feb 2023 - 16:31:37) Now that the LAS(Liphook Auto Services) advertising has been removed the original stonework can be seen. Monks chemist has been unveiled, curious to know whether this was the original occupant if anyone knows. From googling chemist Liphook, I can only find that Hamptons Estate agents used to be Smorthwaite chemist in mid 1900's.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - paul (12th Feb 2023 - 18:19:00) Hi Jon, Back in the 60's (and maybe earlier) these premises was a Greengrocer, selling fresh fruit and veg produce. My mother worked there, and some of the custom was then the Royal Anchor hotel for their kitchen.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - gr (12th Feb 2023 - 20:14:43) check with heritage centre for Ian Bakers book about Liphook shops I can remember chemist and greengrocer but not before that So older residents may know more

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Joe (12th Feb 2023 - 21:35:49) If this thread is about the previous mobility shop then according to a previous thread it sold last year with apparently permission to build flats above.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Russ Ellis (13th Feb 2023 - 10:23:45) Paul the groceries shop was where the cycle shop is now. My wife worked there in the sixties in the cash desk Harry Morley was the manager it was owned by Harmans of Haslemere . The shop next door was a chemist smorthwaites then Monks . Back in the 1900s it was windibanks blacksmith two stories high, I have a print of horses tied up outside being shod and that’s the 1914-18 war time because they are soldiers standing by their horses. How time’s have changed.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - paul (13th Feb 2023 - 12:05:34) Hi, Fascinating information Russ. I remember the old chemist shop,. As a boy I would visit to see an array of coloured Apothecary bottles on display.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Russ (13th Feb 2023 - 12:35:56) Glad you liked it trouble is it shows my age most of this is at the heritage centre for people that don’t know. Liphook was such a lovely place back then still is really I could not live anywhere else.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Peter Rowan (13th Feb 2023 - 13:14:14) Hello Russ You might then remember my Aunt and Uncle, Norman Salter worked in Lloyds Bank, and my Auntie Winnie in the greengrocers, I think it might have been called The Salad Bowl ?

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Russ (13th Feb 2023 - 13:34:30) Peter now you are taxing my memory yes mr salter at the bank drove an Austin Healy Sprite , that’s when I worked at Mosses garage just before I got married . Can’t remember where the salad bowl was a lifetime ago. Am correct mr salters son was Tony salter had the tree nursery at liss .

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - paul (13th Feb 2023 - 14:19:41) Hi, Yes back maybe in the 80's at Lloyds bank, the manager was call Mr Sainsbury, some coincidence latter for our supermarket. Where there any other names locally with a link? I belonged to Fernhurst fishing club. They had an outlet in Station road Liphook. On the committee were Mr Pike, and Mr Roach.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Jenny (13th Feb 2023 - 14:44:00) By coincidence I am currently researching The Old Forge (latterly the mobility shop) for an article in Liphook's Community Magazine. The premises were sold at auction last year and the new owner will be renovating and restoring the building but this will take some time. Historically it was owned by the Windibank family and run as a forge until World War I, subsequently sold by them and became Smorthwaite's Chemist Shop and as Russ has mentioned there are pictures and photos of this era in the Heritage Centre. However I have found no information of what happened to the original building - believed to have been burnt down in the 1920s - and what happened next. If anybody has any memories or family stories about it from 1920 to the 1960s when it was A3 Sports it would be great to hear from you. Any information could be added to the Heritage Centre archives and, with permission, be included in my article. If you can help please text me on 07733065591. Thanks everyone.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Peter Rowan (13th Feb 2023 - 17:44:49) Hello Russ, Oh my God, yes you are completely right, my Uncle Norman did have an Austin Healey Sprite, Green, prior to this he had an Isetta three wheeler, blue in colour, myself, my aunt and my uncle could just about all squeeze into it. I think the Greengrocers was about where the Happy Valley is, but not sure, I was about 9 years old then, they looked after me following my parents seperation. And his son did have a nursery in Rake. My Uncle and Aunt lived at St. Andrews, at the bottom of Hill House Hill. I think the manager of Lloyds then was then was called Mr MacGuire. Mr Sainsbury came later.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Russ (13th Feb 2023 - 22:06:30) Your jogging my memory yes he did have an Isetta we were agents at moss son and bross i remember him exchanging it for the sprite. Pat moss one of the owners was the sales man quite a man . The owner of the isetta company BMW concessionaires lived behind Liphook golf club hatch farm he was a mate of pat moss. Again quite a man I used to drive for him sometimes in the evening to save to get married. Sorry for rambling very good times.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Peter Rowan (14th Feb 2023 - 08:23:54) Hi Russ Fascinating indeed. My father bought a grey Austin A35 van in I think 1960 or 61, XOU 308, from your garage. We went to Italy in it in 1962 via France Switzerland Germany and Belgium. It was so tiny ! I just about recall the forecourt, petrol pumps which were not self service and upper cylinder lubricant ! Thank you for those memories.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Russ (14th Feb 2023 - 09:47:06) Peter we have gone off subject but great memories, yes I served Petrol on that forecourt and got married in 1961 . Red X was the lubricant one shot per gallon. Happy days.

Re: Retail unit the Square vacant? - Resident (19th Feb 2023 - 12:31:49) Perhaps now the chemist is possibly closing we can have a good efficient pharmacy. Thjs shop used to be a good chemist.

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