Here is a photograph taken in 1937 outside my
city's Odeon Cinema. The manager, Mr Harry Yorke,
greets a friend, watched by two dignified
doormen. It's a poignant picture. It illustrates
a time when visiting the Odeon was an outing,
when people treasured such places, as well as
enjoying the art of Cinema.
The Odeon was designed in Art Deco style by
Robert Bullivant. Within its elegant vastness,
it provided films for generations of Cestrians,
but sadly, it finally closed its doors this
June. It's been bought by a nightclub developer;
plans for it include shops and bars as well as
night clubs.
Chester Market
used to be situated on Northgate Street next to the Town Hall, where it traded for over 100 years before moving to the current site in Princess Street in
1967. The lively city of Chester, is steeped in history and, and has been attracting shoppers looking for bargains for thousands of years.
The earliest mention of Chester Market was in 1139, when the first shopping charter was issued in
1208 and 'the men of Chester and heirs' were granted the privilege of sole selling rights, except the annual fairs which were fair game for
all-comers.
Henry III confirmed this in 1239 and so it remained right up to until the Great Charter 1506, which gave
Chester its first mayor. With a sharp eye for business, the local boys wasted no time in expanding shopping opportunities to include coal and cattle markets
among other enterprises. The famous Rows were originally named after the trading that went on. There was a Shoemakers, Cooks and Ironmongers Row - and a
Pepper Alley and Fish Shambles. Then came Linen Hall, the Fruit, Root & Herb Market...indeed Chester sold practically every thing!
The horse, cloth and cheese fairs of old were to be the natural forerunners of today's magnificent array of
shops, not forgetting the bustling town centre market, which has continued for centuries, by order of king and queen.
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