BRIGG 'CORNER' SHOPS - PAST & PRESENT

Considerable interest was shown in Brigg Blog's recent post about the convenience shop (pictured above) on the Springbank housing estate.
This was demonstrated by the large number of people who read the article, comments posted on social media when our story was shared online, and people who've discussed it with us in person.
It has been suggested that the original shop on Atkinson Avenue opened in 1958, and someone posted a charming picture of the premises in the 1960s when the Lilleys were in charge.
Our story was prompted by an application submitted to North Lincolnshire Council for advertisement consent to erect various new signs on the frontage. A well-received 'refurb' has also taken place inside - not requiring local authority approval.
Council planners have since revealed their reasons for approving the new signage, now in place at 10-12 Atkinson  Avenue.
An officer's report said it was proposed to replace the full-width fascia sign with updated company branding. 
"This forms a red strip with blue, red and white company logo and white lettering of the franchisee to the centre of the frontage," the report explained. 
"It is proposed to externally illuminate this sign with a static LED strip light at 14.4 cdm/m2 which is recommended to be restricted to by condition. 
"Four poster cases are proposed to replace the existing six cases with the windows being covered by produce for sale in the retail unit.  "The proposed signage is similar in appearance and location to existing signage and is not considered to adversely affect visual amenity."
Therefore, advertisement consent was granted, with a condition attached about the strength of the strip lighting.
There's a very interesting TV series being screened at the moment, looking at the development of so-called corner shops through various decades in the 20th century.
When (on March 10) this series looked at the 1960s, it reminded us of the Springbank store when the Lilley family ran it.
There were others in Brigg at that time. Here are some examples. How many do you remember?
Ernie Robinson's was next to the Ancholme pub, on Grammar School Road, and also gained trade from the Springbank estate and nearby Hawthorn Avenue. Ernie was blind but knew the location of every item of stock. He walked to and from the shop with assistance from his faithful guide dog.
Gray's shop (still with us today under different management) served Glebe Road, West Square, Woodbine Avenue and Central Square residents. It was also the 'tuck' shop for Brigg County Primary School - on the other side of the street.
Bowen's bakehouse, on Grammar School Road - near the junction with Glebe Road - also doubled as a convenience shop, selling tinned goods, milk and 'pop' as well as bread and cakes made on the premises.
Coun George Hewson had a shop on Colton Street, serving the Newlands estate.
Button's, on Bridge Street, was used by many people living on the other side of the A18 on Brocklesby Ox caravan site, behind the pub. Today a mobile home park occupies the site, and the old hostelry has gone - replaced by a row of town houses.
However, as the current 'corner shop' TV series is demonstrating, shopping habits changed decade by decade.
Self-service stores run by major retail chains developed across the UK throughout the 1970s, buying in bulk from manufacturers and being able to offer groceries at lower prices than corner/convenience shops.
Brigg was later than many small towns in getting its first large self-service supermarket - Grandways (Jackson's) in the early 1980s - housed in a purpose-built riverside building (today occupied by B&M).
Kwik Save came after that, using premises on Cary Lane (now occupied by Wilko) to be followed by Tesco which built a store off Barnard Avenue in the late 1990s.
Next came Lidl - using the riverside store until it built its current premises off Atherton Way.
Later this year, Aldi will be coming to town; its Bridge Street store is now under construction.
In our shopping memories of the 1960s we should also mention Dent's family convenience store, on Queen Street.
It occupied a corner location but was in the town centre, rather than serving a housing estate.
Dent's later became a Spar outlet and today the premises display Nisa Local branding.
However, many people in Brigg still say they are "Popping to Spar."
Button's shop was converted back to purely residential use many years ago, but very close by, on Bridge Street, is a modern convenience store within the petrol station which doubles as a payment outlet for motorists who have just topped up their tanks.