A walk up the Main Street.
Hello Folks,
Welcome to the second part of the Old Largs guided walk through Largs Main Street. We will start this part of our guide from the entrance to Bath Street and end up at the Old Sheilling Pub.
We hope to point out the history and background of many of the buildings and businesses we will pass on our way. Once again if you want to submit any comments or corrections please email the team at oldlargs@hotmail.com
Lots of stuff to get though so lets get startedRobert F Duff Corner Building.
An extract from a Largs 1811 map showing the Court Yard where R F Duff is today
Some Robert Orr customers with wet feet after high tide.
In 1821 The Kings Arms Inn 1821 was located on the corner of Bath Street and Main Street near where the current Robert F Duff solicitors building is today. In front of the Inn was located a curved feature that looked like a court yard. This feature can be seen in older 1811 maps.
By 1862 The Western Bank of Glasgow had replaced the Kings Arms. The present building was built around the 1850s and by 1856 Robert Orr Grocers ran its business from here. Faulds Martin dentist was located here in the 1930s and 1940s. Later in 1953 the property was bought by the Union Bank and later by The Bank of Scotland with Robert Orr Grocers still trading from part of the same building. Currently occupied by Robert F Duff solicitors.
The Bank of Scotland and WH Smith Building
Today's WH Smith and Bank of Scotland Buildings
Same view showing J & R Simpsons on the left and J Jack Fruiter
In 1888 where the Bank of Scotland is today was John Gloag & Co Clothers. By 1913 Eglinton Studios and by 1922 a shop and house when alterations were made for J & R Simpsons
Later The National Commercial Bank was located here. Also in this site was the J. Jack Fruiter shop. Today's building which is home to the Bank of Scotland and WH Smith was built in 1982. We don't know the actual construction date of today's set of buildings which hold the Bank and WH Smith. Two old shops in Bath Street, which have been empty for years, were demolished to provide access to the rear.
Where WH Smith is located today was the site of William Aitken butcher in 1911 and by 1940 J & R Simpsons. Simpsons was a bookseller ,stationers and toy shop. This was the place to get your Dinky and Hornby toys, scraps, dolls clothes and your balsa wood gliders. It also had a very successful printing and publishing business which produced a huge number of local postcards of Largs. Many of which are featured on this web site. They also ran a lending library and also a very useful umbrella repair service.
The construction of the new building saw the arrival of John Menzies and today is the site of WH Smith. The first newsagent in the Smith family name opened in 1792, and the company, WHSmith, was created in 1828. It now has over 600 stores on the UK high street and over 600 stores at airports, train stations, hospitals and motorway services.
In 2018 WH Smith was rated UK's worst high street shop by Which Magazine. The magazine readers called out its poor service, high prices and shabby shops.
Yet although the retailer has lost some of its sparkle, it’s still a favourite on many high streets and would be greatly missed if it ever closed in Largs.
SpecSavers to the Blue Lagoon
A lovely old photo from the 1950s showing some of the businesses of that time. The large clock outside Chimes Restaurant can be see in the middle of the photo
Where Boots Chemist and Bluestones is located used to be known as Anderson Place as it used to be the location of Anderson, the Grocer. The Bluestones shop in the past has been Franks Boutique and Concept clothing and footwear. Where Boots is today used to be the Victoria Wine off licence where you could buy 3 bottles of wine for £9.99. Happy days.
Also this was where The popular 1950s to 60s Chimes Restaurant and tearoom, with its large clock outside on the wall, was located. In 1950 Mr and Mrs W Tomlinson opened the Chimes restaurant as an addition to the many catering facilities in the town. Mr and Mrs Harry McGavin were the first customers and were treated to a free tea.
Next we have the Cancer Research UK shop. In the 1850s this was the location of John Inglis grocer. Where Timpsons is located in 1898 was Clarks Grocer, Poulterer, Fruiter, and Confectioner. Later John Inglis Grocer and in the 1990s Hogg Robinson Travel, Going Places Travel Agent and by 2009 I Do Gifts. Next door we have the C.Y.Neilly Shoe Shop which used to be Hector Thomas Pharmacy in 1991 and by 1995 Largs Pharmacy.
Over the years the Specsavers building, where IBAC was once located, housed a number of businesses. Prior to IBAC the shop
was split in two with different businesses on either side of the main entrance. The 2 windows on left hand side of the entrance
to Specsavers used to be Millinery’s ladies Hat Shop. On the right was the popular Lawson’s China and fancy goods shop Lawson's
eventually moved to Bath Street where Wilkies is today. By the 1980s the IBAC Store had arrived which moved from its original
shop in Nelson Street. Other businesses in this location were in the 1850s Glen McIntosh Ironmongers, then Chrittie Chemist.
In 1913 it was a dairy. Later The Union Bank, The National Bank of Scotland and The City of Glasgow Bank were located here.
Also Kenneth McLeod drapers.
Next up is Sorans Barbour Shop. In the 1850s was Duncan Browns barbers, 1911 Alex Brown Hairdressing Rooms and Baths, Katharine’s Shop which sold children's clothes , 1991 The wool shop and by 1997 Klick Munro Cleaners. More recently was the Post Office before it moved to its current location in Gallowgate Square.
The area where Gregg is located was in 1894 the Bucks Head Inn. In the 1898, The Bononi Ice Cream shop and later Archibald Morris Fishmongers. Next door is one of the longest surviving shops on the Main Street, The Wee Gift Shop which has been there forever. Next door is Corums Estate Agent. In 1938 this was the branch of the National Bank of Scotland with David Harper & Thomson solicitor’s located upstairs. Later Welch & Row Estate Agents in 1991 and then Calvin Houston Estate agents.
The photo on the top left is of the old Barbour’s shop which stood on the site of today’s Blue Lagoon Takeaway and Restaurant, seen top right.
The Castelvecchi family who owned the Moorings at the Pier Head were also known as the Castlesons firm. They opened today's building
in the 1940's as the Lounge Cafe. In 1965 the building had a major refurbishment and re-opened as The Harlequin Cafeteria. It ran under this name and was still with the Castelvecchi family until it was sold and taken over by the Blue Lagoon..
