The Village Store in Norfolk had been abandoned for such a long time by the time I photographed it in 2015. beside a quiet village road surrounded by expensive houses, it sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the picturesque surroundings. The Heras fencing surrounding it merely attracts attention that this building is derelict and of no further use to anyone - except those who wish to step inside with a camera.

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For me, this was an Aladdin's cave. Windows made with the glorious frosted and bubble glass and numerous goodies I remember from my own childhood - rooted in the 1970s.

On top of a display case lies a mechanical pre-decimal W&T Avery scale, next to a Gross cash register that is frozen at £22.02½ pence a pointer to a time when we had different coins in our pockets. This would suggest that the store closed for good before 1984 as it was that year that the half pence ceased to be legal tender. 

 

Beyond those delightful treasures, scattered all over the shop were toys and games I used to play and use as a young boy. Old Maid cards and Plasticine along with model toys and other items. On a dusty shelf was a vintage box of Pez sweets still in their packets along with their accompanying dispensers. 

 

A highlight was the Corona Pop display stand along with the shops opening times written on a Silk Cut advertising  stand which obviously used to be in the shop door for the customers. The opening times were a reminder that shops didn't stay open all day in the past. This shop would open most days at  8:30am and close at 1pm for a 2 hour lunch break and then reopen at 3 until 6pm. Sundays it was closed all day and Wednesday was half day opening with the shop closing at 1pm. 

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The condition of the shop was very poor when I went with the floor giving way in places and things thrown around the floors but it was still an immense delight to be transported back to my childhood for a couple of hours.

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Upstairs was the living quarters of the shop owner.

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One of my all time favourite explores no doubt about it!