Inside Chadds: pictures from Hereford's much-loved department store

Hereford's much-loved independent department store, Chadds, announced on March 3, 2008, that it would close that June, with the loss of 128 jobs.

Chadds, Hereford

Chadds had started as a small draper's shop at 41 Commercial Street, opening under Mr W. A. Chadd in October 1929.

Staff at Chadds, Hereford

He and his wife, Jessie Chadd, set up home above the shop, working six days a week, while others warned it would be "suicide" to start a business there, as it was "the thoroughfare that led to the old workhouse and the prison," founder Mr Chadd told the Hereford Times in 1967.

Chadds, Hereford

But the doubters were proven wrong, with Chadds taking on 42 Commercial Street when it became vacant six months later, and then number 43 in 1932.

The war put the brakes on the expansion of the burgeoning business, with Mr Chadd joining the armed forces while Mrs Chadd managed the shop and their young family.

Bob Thompson and Shaun Powell of PosterVan with John Chadd

But by 1946, the Chadds had taken on another premises, 40 Commercial Street, while the furniture shop across the road was opened in 1947 and the men's outfitting department at 25 Commercial Street in 1951.

Inside Chadds

Number 44 Commercial Street was taken on by the business in 1960, and a popular restaurant, The Orange Room, was also opened upstairs, while 45 Commercial Street also became part of Chadds in 1967.

Muriel Farr retires from Chadds, Hereford, after 50 years in 1998

Along the way, the business had gained a small army of loyal staff, with 130 on the books by the mid sixties, many of whom would stay at the shop for decades.

Betty Cooper retires from Chadds, Hereford, after 44 years in 1994

But it was not always good times at the shop, which had its share of controversy over the years.

In 1979, three men, the heads of the furniture, hardware and china, and carpeting departments, were jailed for theft at the department store.

Between them, they had stolen items including an automatic kettle, electric blankets, curling tongs, a frying pan, a sandwich toaster, wall units, carpet, a deep fryer, games, and an ironing board.

And in 1996, toys were pulled from the shelves after a trading standards official found a yellow painted Bosun Boat manufactured by Britains Petite and on sale at Chadds contained dangerous levels of lead and chromium.

Fred Buck retires from Chadds, Hereford, after 63 years in 1996

Despite these, Chadds continued to go from strength to strength, offering everything from furniture and furnishings, to clothes, gifts, and toys to Hereford shoppers, and acquiring more space in the form of the former WH Smith premises in Commercial Street in 1991.

Chadds staff Theresa Godmon and Sarah Matthews, 1991

Such was business, that Chadds announced a £500,000 plan to remodel the new addition and bring it into line with the existing premises.

Andrew Chadd in the toy department

And as it approached its 75th year, John Chadd, who had taken over from his father 50 years earlier, said he hoped the business had a long future as he geared up to retire.

Christmas at Chadds

But, just four years later, it was clear that the good times had come to an abrupt end as Chadds announced it would close.

The closure came just short of its 80th year of trading and managing director Kirsty Chadd said the decision was taken because of changing trends in retail across the country.

Inside Chadds, Hereford

She said these had made for an uncertain future for traditional department stores.

Inside Chadds, Hereford

"This is a very sad day for our staff, but it is inevitable that future success for a store of our size can only be achieved through trading from modern, efficient buildings," she told the Hereford Times at the time.

Inside Chadds, Hereford

She said the company would not be able to sustain successful trading from its Commercial Street base.

She added that an offer to buy the property from the West Midlands-based property developer Hawkstone Properties had been accepted, and that every assistance possible would be given to staff to help them find alternative employment.