Elsewhere, some of our long standing businesses are modernising and expanding into new premises. Foremost amongst these is the hardware business of Harrison & Dunn, one of Bourne's best loved retailers which has been operating from premises on the corner of South Street and West Street since 1945.

There had been an ironmonger's shop on the site since 1798 and visitors to Bourne marvelled at the traditional layout. Local residents often referred to it affectionately as Arkwright's, the name being taken from the corner shop run by Ronnie Barker in the BBC TV comedy programme Open All Hours, while others have thought of it as the shop of a thousand small transactions because here you could buy practically anything for the home, no matter how trivial.

The shop became famous for its hanging displays of brooms and watering cans, together with alcoves overflowing not only with hinges, screws and nails, washers, drill bits, hoses, teapots and candles, but also a spares archive that was rarely defeated by even the most obscure enquiries. It was like stepping into an Aladdin's cave of ironmongery but although much loved, the cramped surroundings were hardly conducive to successful retailing in our current economic climate.

More space was needed if the business was to continue successfully and with remarkable expediency, the move was made (we just have to say lock, stock and barrel) to the much more extensive premises in North Street, long ago vacated by a series of failed Italian restaurants and so rescuing the site from becoming one of Bourne's most prominent eyesores.

The amount of floor space is impressive and in line with the other shops on the east side of North Street with land stretching all the way back to Meadowgate. The stock has been expanded to accommodate a wider range of household goods and filling much of the gap created when J H Wand closed one of their nearby shop units further down the street to concentrate more specifically on white goods and household electrics.

In fact, North Street has rarely had such a diverse line up with the comparatively recent arrival of Jenny May's soft furnishings and the wittily named Deb 'n' Hans, another in the line of independent retailers but this time selling child care accessories.

Turn around to face the west and you might be surprised to see another little business that seems to have sneaked in almost unannounced. Cafe 35 (at 35 North Street) is a joint venture hatched by the Owen family and the realisation of a long standing family ambition. Nicola and Louise got into the swing of things while still in their teens by working late at night filling bread rolls to sell from the side of the road to those caught up in the long queues of traffic on their way the annual Spalding Tulip Parade.

Bourne already has an abundance of fast food takeaways and both Chinese and Indian restaurants yet this new meeting place appears to be receiving a very warm welcome. The narrow building extends for a considerable distance towards Burghley Street, right up to the edge of the land that was initially designated as part of the now defunct town centre redevelopment area.

The new café serves homemade dishes made from locally sourced produce, pastries and the obligatory teas and filter coffee. They got off to a flying start by opening in time for the BRM 2012 Celebration last month which brought a trade bonanza to the town and by opening for breakfasts at 7.30 am, they are now providing a welcome for early rising tradesmen and an increasingly popular venue for pre-work breakfast meetings. With tables seating from two to eight people, just about every type of gathering can be catered for.

Meanwhile, the Burghley Arcade nearby continues to be one of our most popular shopping centres. Two-Jays, which is always busy, has given up the two units on the south side in favour of one on the north, previously occupied by Deeping Travel, and a new barber's shop, Upper Cuts, has opened up in the vacant unit opposite.

There are still empty shops in North Street and elsewhere in the town and a further seven will become available when the Wherry's Lane redevelopment scheme is completed next year but it will need a major improvement in the economy to ensure that all are eventually filled.
 

THE CHANGING FACE OF NORTH STREET
THE BURGHLEY ARCADE

WRITTEN NOVEMBER 2012