Woolworth's - early 20th c.

Question - I'm looking for images of the old Woolworths between 1900-1920's (pre war). Before the new Woolworths was built with the curved arch. The old Woolworths building was built before the frontage was put back for road widening. I've struggled to find any definite images of the old frontage - there is a newspaper article that talks about the new shop in the early 1920s, about how high the ceilings are etc. but doesn't describe the frontage. Later, when the City Arcade was built Woolworths took a stake in the development and redeveloped the frontage. Also, when the new shop was built in the 1930s a full page ad was taken out describing how the self service cafeteria for 1,000 people works. You have to take a tray, pick up your food from the selection and at the end an electronic cash register will calculate your bill. No fuss, no waitress, no wait.

I doubt it but I'll be honest I don't know exactly where it was. I assume that you've checked the library pictures?

Yep, checked the library pictures and the whole of the newspaper archive and planning archive. It looks like Woolworths stood on the same spot since the early 1920s. Interestingly Marks and Spencer up the road were allowed to build their shop in the 1920's but the Corporation owned the frontage. Deemed a temporary frontage that would be removed later on when the street was widened. Marks and Spencer also bought up the old church hall at the rear making it into a store room. A pool room was opened on the first floor. When the shop was blown up in the blitz, the church took Marks and Spencer to court for unpaid rent!

Coventry Rebuilt, as always the depth of information is amazing thank you. Just one question, did the church win their case? This raises an interesting question. Was this type of claim common as result of bomb damage which prevented shops and other businesses operating? How many leases allowed for landlords to claim?

Billybobs, the new Prudential was destroyed by bombs - wonder if they read the small print before claiming?

All sorts of legal action was being taken - loss of earnings, non paid rent, no paid bills and with the planning act (1947?) - preventing business from rebuilding - but the council was slow on buying up the land. And then legal rights that exisited before the war being ignored. It was a mess - and I'm sure that not all claims have been fully settled.