The blighted shops Lowfield St Dartford
The sign on the road into Dartford welcomes you to “Historic Dartford”. Unfortunately this market town is about to have its historical heart ripped out and all to make way for a new Tesco superstore. The shops in Lowfield Street are about to be demolished. Richardson’s butchers is one of the few shops still opened but a notice went up this week. After 104 years in the same shop it will be closing down 8th February.
Richardson’s Butchers
Let me tell you a little about this small family butchers. It has been selling locally sourced meat to the Dartford community since 1908. When I ordered a goose, this Christmas, Ray Richardson (the current owner) advised me to walk around the back of the shop where there is some open land. There I could see the geese roaming freely. The chickens they sell are raised on local farms and are more flavoursome than anything Tesco could provide, even from their “Extra” range. At one time there were other shops in the street each with their unique offer but a planning process that’s taken eleven years as blighted the area.
There are two reasons I am dismayed about events. Firstly, the thought of every town looking exactly the same and with the same dull offer is just limiting. There’s little point in visiting different places. Secondly, we should cherish old buildings especially in an historic market town. They are probably better built than anything planned. Take a look at the drawings for the new Dartford Tesco here dull and from the same architectural stable as the Woolwich store. Note the claims that the anchor store is going to drive business in the rest of the town. Well not according to one of the leading retail academics and Government adviser Professor Alan Hallsworth:
“I categorically do not accept that any superstore of any size can be dumped into a small market town and no damage will ensue.” Read full article here.
Dartford is an old market town and its charter dates back to James ll. The Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel dates back to 1703 and it is still a pub with accommodation. There is a space further down the High Street where the Le Bell public house stood which dated back to 1507 but was sadly demolished in 1962.
Mural at Bell Corner
An information board here titled One Town that Changed the World cites interesting facts such as Dartford was the first town to use gas lights. All that needs to be added is that there was once a fine parade of Victorian shops in Lowfield Street.
thamesfacingeast 
12 comments
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January 27, 2014 at 11:04 pm
Joshua Smith
Can I add the fact you have also forgotten the thousand year old church based within the street as well as one of the other oldest pubs with accommodation. ..the watt tyler.
I would be completely agreeable on this situation except for one very big issue. The butchers is probably one of the last few places to be still open on that side of the lane which has left the lane looking ugly and shabby and basically a bit unloved so who is the willing person to sort this out?
I think its very unfair that the butchers will be closing I wish the multimillion pound establishment could of suggested maybe a payout to move the butchers more into the town? As a good will gesture for such a long term establishment. and also forgetting to add there are more shops on the opposite side of the butchers which will benifit the big business.
Allso by people from different towns who wouldnt usually venture here to shop but will now, I do feel it would benefit our little town by bringing a popularity to it and encouraging a positive and busy atmosphere.
January 28, 2014 at 12:53 pm
thamesfacing
Yes the church is wonderful and well worth a visit. I admire your optimism about the impact of Tesco on Dartford but check http://www.tescopoly.org/about-us there seems to be a lot of evidence to the contrary. The behaviour of this behemoth impacts upon suppliers,farmers, towns, the environment and not in a positive way.
January 28, 2014 at 10:20 am
maryorelse
As someone who has a PhD in the development of the early gas industry I would love to know where they get the information that ‘Dartford was the first town to use gas lights’. I am just about willing to believe that Hall’s may have had a private gas making plant which was used for some street lighting – and it isn’t in any of the standard lists – and I suppose it also depends on how you define ‘town’ – ie so you can exclude anything in what is now Greater London and anything which is now a city (ie Manchester). Otherwise — please tell me and I will add it in to my database.
Dartford is important in that it had Halls – who really are one of the classic engineering sunrise industries of the ‘industrial revolution’ and if they had been in Smethwick or Ironbridge or somewhere in the north or Midlands people would be writing books and setting up museums about them. I know to my cost that most industrial historians don’t even think about anything south of Bedford.
Otherwise – could say I could say a lot about Dartford – but in the 1960s I worked at Baldwin Fluid Power (who were just off Lowfield Street) who pioneered much instrumentation and who were part of the Elliott Group (early British computers, etc etc).
January 28, 2014 at 12:49 pm
thamesfacing
Mary, That’s what it says on their information board.
January 28, 2014 at 5:45 pm
maryorelse
I know – not getting at you – but I thought someone (perhaps who wrote the board) might read this and reply. Perhaps I should offer a talk on the early gas industry to a local history group in Dartford.
January 28, 2014 at 9:04 pm
Tom
Lowfield Street was a dump eleven years ago, never mind its demise under Tesco. The terraces, while certainly old (aren’t many buildings?), are characterless and unremarkable.
Mr Richardson is taking well-earned early retirement, and his student son doesn’t wish to take over the business.
The supermarket won’t be a superstore. With the rise of online shopping, Tesco has realised these no longer work, hence it’s diversification into restaurants and coffee shops, and resubmission for a smaller store.
January 30, 2014 at 6:50 pm
thamesfacing
Thanks for the comments. I can’t agree that the buildings are characterless. If renovated they would make a remarkable row of shops, coffee shops and restaurants. We will have to wait and see if Dartford can sustain a Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury.
January 12, 2015 at 8:12 am
Francis
This is so sad. It seems to me that preservation of historic town centres is linked with higher-earning populations. A typical example is that between the houses around Blackheath Common and Woolwich Common. The wonderful Georgian terraces in Woolwich have all been demolished whereas in Blackheath they have been turned into listed buildings. Inverse snobbery? Why shoudn’t everyone enjoy good food, excellent education, a cared-for historic environment and lovely things around them? In Italy it’s a little different – everyone is concerned about preserving their historic centres. In this respect the 2012 earthquakes in Emilia-Romagna not only signalled the destruction of many fine buildings but also affected the deeply the locals’ sense of civic pride that most Italians feel for their place of birth and upbringing.
January 12, 2015 at 8:16 am
Francis
Ps Your link to the article objecting to more Tescos doesn’t seem to work for me.
January 12, 2015 at 2:49 pm
thamesfacing
Thanks for all your comments Francis and so pleased to hear that you find the posts interesting. Tuscany sounds very different to the Thames area – each with their own form of beauty though.
January 12, 2015 at 9:23 pm
alexandrapettitt
I used to enjoy the dart ford area as I once worked for Milward Brown market research company and we did hall tests in the Victoria and Bull Pub was always a treat as you met interesting people of the area also one could enjoy the variety of stall holder sine market as well as visit the most interesting museum of the area and the local church good old days did not do much to boost my pension though as I am still having to work!
January 17, 2015 at 4:28 pm
thamesfacing
Thanks for sharing your memories of Dartford Alexandra. The market is, I think, the largest one in North Kent and still worth a visit.