Banstead Village

Holmes butchers shop was directly opposite the end of the A240 and any vehicle that failed to stop would hit it, as happened on at least one occasion and probably more. Is some of the shop front boarded up?

I recall Holmes always had Wood Pigeons and Rabbits for sale, as well as sheep and cattle meat, and these were hung on hooks around the shop. Both were regarded as crop pests and consequently shot.

For a time there was also a fishmongers next door to the butchers. Was it part of Holmes?

Just beyond the car was Burgh Heath Post Office - part of a newspaper and stationers shop. It looks like there's a pillar box outside. Just further along was the Chemists, M&R Townsend.

Further up the road on the left hand side where there is a road sign (for the church school I think), and mainly obscured by the tree trunk was Deate's. As well letting geese graze on the common, they also had "free range" chickens and bantams, which would peck around right up to the road edge. They were totally unperturbed by the motor traffic, which, of course, was minimal and much slower than today, and I don't know that any were ever run over.

I cannot recall if the telephone poles were removed before the road widening or as part of that scheme.

The butchers had a 7lb weight in the corner in front of the cash desk which as a 4 year old I enjoyed lifting and there was always sawdust on the floor over the black and white tiles.

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