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Draft:Gillingham 2

Coordinates: 51°23′13.2″N 0°32′50.5″E / 51.387000°N 0.547361°E / 51.387000; 0.547361
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High Street
Gillingham High Street
Part ofGillingham, Kent
TypeHigh Street
AreaGillingham
LocationHigh Street, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1BE
UKME7 1BE
Coordinates51°23′13.2″N 0°32′50.5″E / 51.387000°N 0.547361°E / 51.387000; 0.547361
Other
Known forWeekly market and local retail outlets
StatusActive
WebsiteGillingham Town Centre[1]

Gillingham High Street is a principal shopping and commercial area[2] in Gillingham, a town within the unitary authority of Medway in Kent, England.[3] Historically, it has functioned as a local centre for trade, retail,[2] and civic activity.[4]

History

[edit]

Gillingham High Street developed as the principal commercial street in the town, aided by its proximity to the River Medway. In the 14th century, Gillingham was granted a charter permitting a weekly market, and the street subsequently became a site for trade and commerce. The town's location near Chatham Dockyard contributed to its growth during the 16th and 17th centuries, with economic activity influenced by naval and maritime industries.

19th and Early 20th Century

[edit]

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the High Street expanded in response to population growth and industrial activity in the surrounding area. A range of retail outlets, public houses, and service businesses operated along the street. The opening of Gillingham railway station in 1858[5] improved connectivity and supported commercial development.

Mid-20th Century

[edit]

By the mid-20th century, the High Street included several national retailers, including Marks & Spencer,[6] LeFevre's,[7] Littlewoods,[8] and Woolworths.[9] These businesses were part of a broader national retail landscape and contributed to the street's role in the town's economy. However, from the 1960s onwards, emerging trends such as the growth of suburban shopping centres began to impact traditional retail streets.

Late 20th Century and Decline

[edit]

From the 1970s, Gillingham High Street experienced reduced footfall, influenced by the development of out-of-town retail centres such as Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, which opened in 1978. Efforts to pedestrianise parts of the street were implemented, but several long-established retailers including Marks & Spencer and LeFevre's closed during this period. These changes reflected broader shifts in retail and consumer behaviour.

21st Century

[edit]

In the 21st century, Gillingham High Street continued to face challenges,[10] including competition from online retailers, changing consumer patterns, and ongoing economic pressures.[11] Many national chain stores closed,[12][13][14] and some premises became vacant.[15][16] While a number of independent businesses have remained, investment in the street has been limited. Concerns over crime[17] and anti-social behaviour have also affected perceptions of the area.[18][19]

Minor improvements have been made to the streetscape and pedestrian infrastructure, though no large-scale regeneration has taken place. The High Street remains subject to wider economic and social trends affecting many similar town centres in the United Kingdom.

Notable businesses

[edit]
Boyce's Bakery sits on the western end on the High Street, next to Britton Farm Mall.

Over the years, several well-known businesses have operated along the High Street, including:

  • Marks & Spencer: A significant retailer that was once a staple of the area.[20]
  • Woolworths: A variety store that operated for many years.[21]
  • Littlewoods: A department store offering a wide range of products, a major presence before its closure.[22]
  • The Co-op Department Store: A long-standing provider of a range of goods.[23]
  • Clarks Bakery: A local bakery with a strong presence in the area.
  • The Ritzy Nightclub: Known by several names, including The Pavilion,[24] Joanna's, and MooMoo,[25] this nightclub was a fixture of Gillingham's nightlife scene until its closure in 2019 and demolition in 2023.[24]
  • The Gillingham Conservative Club: Opened on 7 June 1994 and still operating as a social venue for local members.
  • WHSmith: Opened on 6 July 1989 and closed on 8 January 2022.[26][27]
  • Superdrug: Opened on 3 October 1994 and closed on June 10, 2022.[28]
  • J C Rook & Sons: Opened on 28 July 2006 and closed on 25 July 2022 after the company went into administration.[29]
  • F Hinds Jewellers: Opened on 2 August 1989 and closed on 11 May 2023.
  • McDonald's: The McDonald's restaurant located on Gillingham High Street closed permanently on 31 July 2018.[30] Prior to its closure, the outlet had implemented a policy banning individuals under the age of 21 from dining inside after 3pm, due to incidents of anti-social behaviour in the area. This measure was part of McDonald's efforts to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all customers and staff.[31] Despite being a popular outlet, McDonald's decided to close the location, with staff being offered relocation to nearby stores.[30] The closure left a significant gap in the High Street, as the store was a popular and heavily frequented location that attracted both local customers and passersby. This has led to concerns about what might replace it and how it impacts the area's foot traffic, particularly with other shops along the High Street benefitting from the business it generated.

Love Gillingham campaign

[edit]

Love Gillingham, launched in 2024, is a community regeneration initiative coordinated by Medway Council and supported by Naushabah Khan, the Member of Parliament for Gillingham and Rainham, aimed at revitalising the town centre through community engagement, economic development, and public space improvements,[32] addressing challenges such as vacant retail units (6.2% vacancy rate compared to a 16% national average), cleanliness, and safety concerns.[33] The Gillingham Taskforce, established by Khan in 2024, includes Medway Council, Kent Police, and Medway Norse, focusing on issues like waste management (91 littering fines issued from July 2024 to January 2025), green spaces, housing, and business investment, with a community clean-up planned for spring 2025.[34] The Gillingham Community Panel, facilitated by Design South-East and BPTW, involved 40 residents and business owners in workshops from November 2024 to February 2025, concluding on 1 February 2025, to inform the Gillingham Town Centre Action Plan, expected for public consultation in 2025.[35] The "Big Day Out" event in September 2024,[34] attended by over 2,500 people,[36] is set to return on 20 July 2025 alongside the Medway Mile on 18 July 2025,[37] featuring performances and stalls. Gillingham Community Hub and Library,[38][39] opened in 1902 and Medway's busiest library, offers council services, printing, scanning, and Wi-Fi, with plans for a dedicated initiative-related section.[37] Local businesses like Journey's Made, which received £14,000 from the Shared Prosperity Fund and a green growth grant in 2024, and Unravel and Unwind, a community interest company active in the Community Panel, are supported, alongside efforts to repurpose vacant units. The Truro Manor project, led by Medway Development Company, will deliver 44 affordable rental flats by spring 2025 through Medway's Homechoice system.[40][41] Public safety measures include enforcing a ban on private e-scooter use in public spaces like Gillingham High Street, with Medway opting out of national e-scooter trials.[37] Additional funding includes £14,000 for the Celebrating St Alban's project and £5,000 for a Gillingham Design Code feasibility study.[37] The initiative engages residents via a newsletter, Medway Council's website, social media, with Khan managing nearly 2,000 constituent cases since 2024 and holding monthly drop-in surgeries.[42]

Open Lines Project

[edit]

The Gillingham Open Lines Project is a proposed regeneration scheme developed by Medway Council in collaboration with Peel L&P, submitted in 2022 as part of a bid for nearly £20 million in funding through Round 2 of the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund.[43] The project proposes the creation of a 1.4-kilometre pedestrian and cycle route, referred to as "The Greenway"[44] along the disused Gillingham to Chatham Dockyard Railway Link[45] in Gillingham, Kent.[46]

The greenway is intended to improve connections between Gillingham Waterfront and Gillingham town centre, linking key sites such as Chatham Waters, the University Technical College (UTC), and local university campuses.[44] In addition to the main route, the wider proposals include improvements to Railway Street, enhancements to Gillingham High Street, including landscaping, new cycle infrastructure, and upgraded public spaces,[47] and the development of a green skills hub focused on training in engineering, construction, and manufacturing.[48]

As part of the project's development, a public consultation was held between 30 May and 10 June 2022, involving five public engagement events and a workshop at Burnt Oak Primary School. The consultation received 192 responses, with 84% of respondents stating they would be more likely to walk or cycle using traffic-free routes, and 90% indicating they would use the proposed greenway. In response to concerns raised during consultation, including safety and accessibility, the proposals were updated to include CCTV coverage, improved lighting, and child-friendly infrastructure, such as play areas and safer routes to schools.[49]

According to Medway Council, the aims of the project include improving local connectivity, supporting economic growth, enhancing air quality, and promoting sustainable travel across the area. As of mid 2025, the outcome of the funding application had not yet been announced.

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Gillingham’s High Street has served as the town’s commercial spine since medieval times. In the 14th century King Edward III granted a charter (30 May 1336) for a weekly market at the manor. The market tradition endures today, with a regular street market held on the High Street (Mondays and Saturdays). In the Georgian period and later, Gillingham expanded in tandem with nearby Chatham Dockyard (founded 1568). At its peak the Dockyard employed thousands of naval and civilian workers, many of whom shopped and socialized in Gillingham. Even before 1800 the town’s population and shops grew, benefiting from the naval presence.

History

[edit]

19th Century: Railway and Dockyard Influence

[edit]

In 1858 the railway arrived when Gillingham railway station opened, linking the town to London and boosting trade. The station’s arrival spurred new shops and housing on and around the High Street. Victorian-era civic buildings and businesses appeared: the post office opened on nearby Green Street by 1932, and the former Council Offices (now Gillingham Library) was built in 1902. (This red-brick library – the former Town Hall – anchors the west end of High Street.) By the late 1800s the High Street was lined with mixed shops and inns, and trams ran through Gillingham from 1902 to 1930, connecting High Street to Chatham and Rainham. The tramway was later replaced by local buses (from 1930s onward).

Gillingham Library (opened 1902) is a prominent Victorian civic building at the west end of the High Street

Early 20th Century: Growth of Commerce and Leisure

[edit]

In the early 1900s Gillingham High Street was still a compact town-centre street, with independent tailors, cobblers, butchers, grocers and the like. Major new chains began appearing: Marks & Spencer opened in a row of shops at 151–157 High Street (later replaced by a Nisa supermarket), Woolworths took large premises (at 118–122 High Street, first opened 1923) and the Co-operative Society ran a full-line department store. Local chains included the Canterbury-based William Lefevre’s department store, which opened a Gillingham branch (trading as “Lefevre’s”). Lefevre’s was founded by William Lefevre and was sold to Debenhams in the 1920s, continuing under the Lefevre name until 1973. Other notable retailers of mid-century included Littlewoods (a drapery/pools chain) at 118–120 High Street, Boyce’s bakery at the west end, and Clarks (a local bakery chain).

Leisure venues emerged: a variety theatre or cinema operated (later the Embassy cinema on Green Street, now closed) and public houses like the Britannia and Southern Belle were social focal points. The Pavilion (later known as Joanna’s and MooMoo) opened in 1907 as a dance-hall/nightclub at 168 High Street. It became a local landmark of Gillingham nightlife until its closure in 2019 and subsequent demolition in 2023. The King George V and Hastings Arms pubs also served dockworkers and shoppers through this era.

Post-War Boom (1950s–1970s)

[edit]

After World War II, Gillingham’s High Street enjoyed a commercial boom, aided by a surge of employment from the still-active dockyard and growing suburban population. It remained dominated by independent traders alongside national chains. In the 1950s–60s the High Street boasted local family stores and artisan shops: traditional bakers (e.g. Boyce’s), butchers, tailors, hardware stores, and even a variety theatre (the Hippodrome) and dance halls. Many military and naval families also shopped here, and on pay days the street bustled with uniformed personnel. By the 1960s the High Street hosted large branches of nationwide retailers – notably M&S, Littlewoods, Woolworths and the Co‑op Department Store, as well as local pubs and clubs.

However, from the late 1960s onward national retail trends began to bite. Suburban shopping centres and out-of-town supermarkets started drawing customers away from traditional high streets. In Gillingham, the pivotal change came in 1978 when the new Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre (then branded Sainsbury’s Savacentre) opened just outside. With hundreds of parking spaces and anchor stores (Sainsbury’s, Boots, etc.), Hempstead Valley proved hugely popular – at opening it was among the largest out-of-town malls in the south-east. Within a few years the modern complex drew away much of Gillingham’s custom.

21st Century: Revitalisation Efforts and Present Day

[edit]

In the early 2000s, little large-scale redevelopment occurred. The High Street remained a mix of independents, charity shops, and a scattering of chains (e.g. Boots, a McDonald’s restaurant, smaller fashion outlets). A grimness occasionally surfaced; forum users and local media sometimes described parts of the High Street as run-down, reflecting concerns about crime and neglect. (For example, local Reddit threads advised caution on the High Street at night, and a temporary ban on teenagers dining alone was imposed at the McDonald’s on safety grounds.) Nonetheless, small businesses persisted: bakeries and cafes served loyal locals, and the Conservative Club (opened 1994) anchored social life.

Recent initiatives aim to reverse decline. Medway Council’s Gillingham Town Centre Planning Framework (2007) and later Gillingham Business Plan identified preservation of historic shopfronts and pedestrian enhancements as prioritiesmedway.gov.ukmedway.gov.uk. In 2024 MP Naushabah Khan launched the “Love Gillingham” campaign and a high-street taskforce to improve cleanliness, safety and commerce【85†L261-269】. A community panel is drafting a Gillingham Action Plan, and events like the September 2024 “Big Day Out” carnival (2,500+ attendees) help draw people in【85†L269-274】. As of 2025 vacancy rates on the High Street were reported at about 6.2% (well below the 16% UK average)【85†L261-269】, suggesting a modest stability even as big chains have disappeared.

Notable Stores and Changes

Over its history, Gillingham High Street hosted many well-known businesses.

Marks & Spencer (151–157 High St) was a mid-century staple;[50] Woolworths (118–122) operated from 1923 until 2008;[51] Littlewoods ran from 1933 until 2002 (its building became New Look); the Co-op ran a large emporium until 2006. Other chains included WHSmith (open 1989–2022), Superdrug (1994–2022), JJB Sports and Wilkinson (1980s–2010s), and until recently various fashion retailers (e.g. New Look, Debenhams, Topshop) which have largely vanished. Independent shops have included Boyce’s Bakery (at 62 High Street),[52] Clarks Bakery, and a historic jeweller (F.Hinds, closed 2023). Many premises have been repurposed: for instance, the former library building (“Council Offices”, 1902) now includes a community hub and former Jeffery Street location which is known as "Pear Tree House" are earmarked for flats. By the mid-2020s, chains on the High Street are limited (e.g. Boots), with everyday shopping often done at Hempstead Valley, Chatham or Bluewater.

Public Houses and Entertainment.

Traditional pubs remain social anchors.

The Britannia (132 High St) and King George V on Canterbury Street have long histories; newer ventures include The Frog & Toad micropub and Past & Present Alehouse on Green Street. The Pavilion/MooMoo nightclub (168 High St) was a landmark entertainment venue from 1907 until 2019. Cinemas that once served Gillingham (the Embassy on Green Street and the Plaza on Duncan Road) have closed; residents now travel to multiplexes. The Pantiles theatre (Walderslade) and nearby Kent attractions supplement local leisure.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Medway's Town Centres".
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  47. ^ Walker, Elona (2022-05-30). "Gillingham Open Lines: Have Your Say". Chatham Maritime Trust. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
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  50. ^ "The Marks and Spencer store at 151-157 High Street, showing part of the pedestrianised street in the foreground (MBC01/03/016) Archive Item - Photography of Montague Burton and other shops taken by His Honour Nicholas Philpot Collection | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2025-06-13. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  51. ^ "Exterior view of the front elevation of Woolworths on the High Street (FWW01/01/0138/001) Archive Item - Woolworths Collection | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2025-06-13. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  52. ^ O, Adam. "Boyces Bakery". www.medway.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2025-05-04. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
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