Hove in the Past: Portland Road, Aldrington, Hove.

Judy Middleton 2003 (revised 2023)

copyright © J.Middleton
This excellent view dating from 1905 shows the Police Seaside Home and the Methodist Church dominating the scene

Background

Although the road was laid out on land belonging to the Duke of Portland, people may be surprised to learn that Portland Road was not its original name. The favoured first names were Bertram Road and Clarendon Villas Road, and it was not until February 1894 that it officially became Portland Road.

In a similar way to the development of New Church Road, Portland Road grew over the years with no set plans in place. At first, the east end only extended as far as the National Schools (Aldrington School) and in December 1894 permission was sought to extend the road as far as the Ice Works. However, Portland Road did get off to rather a grand start with two imposing structures on the north side – the Police Seaside Home (opened in 1893) and the Methodist Church (opened in 1896). Then, to add to the educational ambience, Portland Road Schools were opened in 1898; meanwhile Aldrington School had been in operation since 1889, and was extended in 1896. Further along to the west, the view is dominated by the red-brick campanile of St Peter’s Church. Unhappily, another landmark is no longer with us, and that is the Art Deco tower of the Granada cinema.

The buildings of the 1890s were solidly red-brick, but on the south side between Rutland Gardens and Titian Road there are some unusual-looking structures with black bricks and red-brick dressings.

Roads and Pavements

In 1896 a portion of the road between Sackville Road and Rutland Road was declared a public highway.

In 1909 E. J. Holland on behalf of Sutton’s Trustees, asked to extend Portland Road, east of Portland Villas. In 1910 W. H. Woodroffe for the Duke of Portland’s Trustees, wanted to extend their portion of road at the west end.

Also in 1910 Portland Road between Boundary Road and the east side of Worcester Villas was declared a public highway.

In 1922 the foot-path between Westbourne Gardens and Rutland Gardens was said to be in a poor state. Apparently, thrifty Hove Council had already decreed that the said bricks should be turned around once, but of course that could not be done again. The cost of artificial stone slabs was put at £151.

In 1928 McKellerman & Westerman undertook new street works between Rutland Gardens and Titian Road at a cost of £588.

Hackney Carriage Stand

In October 1899 Hove Council decided that the space opposite number 93 should be designated a hackney carriage stand.

Street Lighting

In 1912 the Borough Surveyor stated that the lighting in Portland Road was complete as far as Rutland Road. There was a lamp near the south end of Tamworth Road, two on the north side opposite the council school, and west of this, lamps were placed at intervals on the south side.

In January 1926 a petition signed by 70 ratepayers living in Portland Road and adjoining streets asked Hove Council to install overhead electric lighting in the road. It is astonishing how fast matters moved in those far-off off, because the very next month Hove Council gave the go-ahead for such a scheme. This was to cover a length of 1,434-ft, which at the time was lit by sixteen gas lamps with a lighting power of 80 candles. They were to be replaced by electric lamps of 200 watts each with a lighting power of 270 candles.

In March 1926 it was decided to extend the electricity main throughout all of Portland Avenue to Portland Road, and thence along to the Co-op Bakery to join the existing main at a cost of £735.

Timekeeper’s Box

copyright © G. Osborne
The 1917 Timekeeper’s Box is on the right of this photograph

In November 1917 Tilling’s Bus Company was given permission to place a timekeeper’s box (painted white) opposite Portslade Railway Station.

Re-numbering

In 1919 the houses in Portland Road west of Rutland Gardens were re-numbered, starting on the north side with number 421, and on the south side with number 516.

Rubbish Matters

In February 1920 The Medical Officer of Health reported that the rubbish tip at Southwick was almost full, and so it was necessary to find another site. In his opinion the best place would be the erstwhile Wish Brick Field. There was a large pit there that would take two or three years to fill, and the landowner was agreeable to a price of 9d per load. The nearest houses to the pit were in Grange Road, plus the Portland Road Schools. At that time, builder’s refuse and garden waste were tipped there, but under his proposal household rubbish would be added. However, nearby residents were aghast at such an idea and within a few weeks a petition opposing the plan and signed by 648 people was forwarded to Hove Council. The council then decided not to implement it, and providently, Sidney Hole had offered them a new site at Dyke Road Farm, immediately north of Hove Park.

Trees

In January 1996 it was stated that five Turkish hazel trees would be planted on the north side near Sackville Road, and they were the first specimens of this kind to be planted at Hove.

Business and House Notes

Number 4

Martin Leonard Landfried, one of the trumpeters at the 'Charge of the Light Brigade' in 1854 lived at this address from the 1880s until 1901.

Alderman Fraser – He certainly had an impressive string of Christian names being Alexander Bruce Siddons Fraser, but perhaps this was fitting for a captain in the 3rd Queen’s Regiment. When he retired from Army life, he settled at first in Worthing where he became a town councillor and was elected Mayor in 1896. Then he decided to move to Hove and by 1906 his address was at 106 Portland Road, and he also served as Mayor of Hove from 1907 to 1910.

In 1908 he and his brother Major Campbell Fraser championed a horse show held at Aldrington Recreation Ground on 29 June of that year. Another hobby the brothers enjoyed was French gardening in the intensive mode, and many notable people came to view this garden at Withdean including King Edward VII who spent a whole hour there. In 1909 Captain Fraser presented a handsome trophy for the Sussex Police Cricket League Cup, and in 1929 Hove Police won it for the third year in succession. Captain Fraser lived to the ripe old age of 86 and died in August 1933.

Aldrington Club – The first document concerning the site on which the Aldrington Club is located was dated 26 October 1882 and was between Thomas Washington and Charles Blandford, the latter agreeing to a covenant that no noxious, offensive or dangerous business should be carried on there, neither was a beer shop to be allowed, or the selling of ale, beer, wine or spirituous liqours, and curiously enough the sale of bread was banned as well. The facade of the building was not to be altered. The following day, 27 October 1882, Charles Blandford, a Hove builder, sold the property to James Miles and James Child, both Aldrington builders, for £320. The site measured from north to south on the east side 69-ft, and on the west side 65-ft; from east to west, as well as from north to south, 40-ft. The difference in measurement on the west side was accounted for by a small passage-way on the south over which the owners had a right-of-way. There were two properties on the site, being numbered 1 and 2 Clarendon Villas Road as the first two properties within the Aldrington boundary. (Later on of course, the numbering changed to 186 Portland Road). On the next day, 28 October 1882, James Mileas and James Child took out a mortgage of £900 with Henry Matthews of Findon. On 24 April 1891 the mortgage was taken over by a consortium of the Short family as follows:

William Short, blacksmith, of Yerley near Farnborough, Hampshire

Walter Short, shop assistant, of Bath

Henry Arthur Short, tailor, of Basingstoke

Sarah Short, spinster, of Basingstoke

Matilda Short, spinster, of Basingstoke

Charlotte Short, spinster, of Basingstoke

On 2 August 1895 the Short family transferred the mortgage debt to Arthur Herbert Dodd, physician, of 14 Goldstone Villas, Hove. On 16 December 1897 Dodd leased the building to Revd Ernest James Morgan of Carlisle Road who had been rector of St Leonard's Church, Aldrington since 1893. The lease was for seven years from Christmas Day 1897 at £45 a year, to be paid quarterly. Revd Morgan had to ensure that the building was painted once in three years with two coats of ‘good oil color (sic) and in a proper and workmanlike manner the outside wood and ironwork’.

In February 1898 the Aldrington Club occupied the premises where they have been ever since. But the club was already in existence and had taken a notable part in celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. On 22 June 1897 a great procession started from outside Brooker Hall and proceeded to Hove Recreation Ground. There was a strong turnout of members who carried three banners, one of which proudly proclaimed ‘Aldington re-echoes – God Save the Queen’. The club was originally known as the Aldrington Institute and Working Men’s Club, and in 1898 Hove Council gave permission to Mr H. V. Crawfurth Smith to place a lamp bearing the words ‘Aldrington Institute’ above the central shop front.

It seems somewhat odd, considering the original covenant, that on 9 June 1898 the building was sold to Brighton brewers Edward Allfree Smithers and Herbert Welsford Smithers for £750 with £450 going to the mortgagees and £300 to the vendor.

Fishing was a great interest of early members of the club, and in 1915 it was decreed that any member might claim a seat in any boat not carrying four members. In April 1919 an estimate of £6-10s was accepted for tarring and cleaning the boats and oars. In September 1919 the secretary, Mr Camies, applied to Hove Council for a locker to be placed on the beach for the use of the angling section. The secretary took it upon himself to remind the councillors that over one hundred members of the club were discharged soldiers and sailors. The Council agreed, and a locker measuring 16-ft by 4-ft was erected on the beach for their benefit with the Council charging a rent of £5 a year. In 1933 the Club agreed to spend up to £10 on purchasing another boat. It seems likely that the angling section ceased to function during the Second World War when access to the beach was forbidden. In the 1970s there was an attempt to revive the angling section, but it was a bit of a disaster because although a boat was duly purchased, it proved to be far too heavy for their purposes, and moreover needed four men to man it.

In the old days, the Club operated a Tontine; this was an early form of medical insurance whereby members paid in small sums of money that could later be paid out in the event of illness. In 1926 twelve members were registered for the Brighton & Hove Billiards League, and snooker has long been a stand-by for the Club. In 1947 a snooker table was purchased for the grand sum of £30 from Clifton Road, Brighton, and it proved to be a bargain giving years and years of use. Mr Perry agreed to dismantle it, renovate it, and remove it to Portland Road for £7. Then there was £23 spent on new cloth plus £16-16s on new cushions. The billiard table was sturdily built of mahogany and weighs a massive 1½ tons, the same weight as another one upstairs. Not surprisingly, reinforcing beams had to be installed. There used to be a piano in the downstairs room, and in 1943 a new rule was introduced – the piano must not be played while a game of snooker was in progress. In the old days you had to pay for the use of the table after the game, but by the 1990s there was a pay-box on the wall, and 50p would give you twenty minutes of play before the lights went out. Downstairs there was a bar plus a dart-board and one-arm bandits. There also used to be a football club that ceased in a blaze of glory in 1982 after coming top of the league.

During the Second World War the Club made a grant of ten shillings to the Portland Road Fire-watchers Association in 1941, while it was decided in 1943 that Civil Defence Volunteers and troops could have honorary membership for the duration.

In 1933 so many members arrived by bicycle that the cycle shed had to be extended, and cycle racks were put up in the yard. In recent times, the space was utilised as a beer store. This brings us back to the subject of breweries. In 1929 the Club received a letter from Smithers informing them that after 28 September 1929 Tamplin’s would be supplying their beer. The secretary was confused as to whom they should be paying the rent, and wrote a letter to clarify the situation. In the event, Smithers went into voluntary liquidation on 20 March 1931, and henceforth Tamplin’s owned the Club. By the late 1960s the Club had accumulated enough funds to purchase the building outright, and on 21 December 1967 the building became theirs for the sum of £7,000. The name on the deeds, who were also trustees of the Club, were as follows:

Arthur Stanley Cooper

Frank Stanley Cole

George Harold O’Neill

It is perhaps appropriate to mention old stalwarts of the Club. There was Charles Stratton Loadsman who started his dairy business in small premises in Shirley Street from where one of his daughters used to push a barrow containing a milk churn around the streets. Loadsman served as a Hove councillor for 28 years, and during the 1930s served two terms as Mayor of Hove.

Then there was Mr H. Vigo who earned his living as a proof-reader at the Evening Argus. After many years of close scrutiny of the old hot-metal press figures and letters, he was reduced to reading everything at nose level.

Ladies have been admitted as members of the Aldrington Club since the early 1970s, and by the late 1990s there were 175 members of both sexes. Against all the odds, the Club survived.

Aldrington School Site – It was built in 1888 and formally opened on 25 March 1889, and was extended in 1896. In September 1991 the school moved to a new site, and it seemed that the old building was set for demolition. The Church Commissioners owned the site, and they wanted to build either town houses, or homes for old people. But Hove Council turned down the plans. Instead, the building was converted into a day nursery and nursery school run by Young England. Ingrid Boyd, the principal, was very pleased because they had been searching for suitable premises.

A Shade Above – In August 1999 it was stated that Pat Blake ran a business from a workshop in Portland Road. She had just completed a contract with the Royal Opera House to create over 600 hand-pleated lamp-shades – nearly all of them in crimson but with a few white ones for the Royal Box. These lamp-shades used up no less than 200 metres of fabric, and 700 metres of trim.

Brighton Bed Centre – It is located at numbers 262/266 and has been established for over 45 years. It offers a wide range of beds, and you can order hand-made mattresses to your specification. Bedroom furniture is also on offer.

Brighton Co-operative Site – The society occupied premises in Portland Road for 77 years, but in January 1994 the site was put up for sale. By June of the same year, it had been sold for an undisclosed sum to Hartfield-based Gladfine. It was indeed the end of an era when the old builsings were demolished in October and November 1996. A sad loss was the long strip of mosaic lettering proclaiming ‘Brighton Co-operative Society’ fronting Olive Road, plus another piece of mosaic lettering around an elevated sky-light. During the summer of 1996 developers Store Property Estates obtained planning permission to construct Portland Road Business Park. It would consist of of fifteen light-industrial units providing a total of 53,00 sq-ft of new industrial and warehouse accommodation. It was expected that the first phase would be completed by April 1997 with rents starting at around £7 per square foot.

Bull Electrical – This wholesale electronic business was located ta number 250. By 1991 the firm had been there for four years, after having been based at London, Eastbourne, and Haywards Heath during its 40-year past. The warehouse covered some some 10,000 sq-ft. When Mr Bull retired, Jim Payne took over the running of the business. The stock could be described as somewhat unusual. For example, it included 400 broken toasters, not to mention 3 lorry-loads of London bus-ticket machines. But apparently there were customers out there interested in such articles, and items were sold to 30 different countries. In June 1998 the firm launched a catalogue on a web-site, which spiked huge interest, and Jim Payne said it provided 300 orders a year. In November 1999, the firm was apparently selling packets of hemp seeds complete with instruction booklet. It was not illegal to sell the seeds in this country, but it was illegal to grow them. The firm also offered lock-picking devices, and advice on how to make whisky out of potatoes.

Churchill House – This house on the south side of the road at number 12 became the new headquarters of the Hove & Portslade Conservative Party; Winston Churchill MP formally opened it on 29 November 1991. Tim Sainsbury MP said that the previous HQ in Holland Road was unsuitable, and in poor condition. However, it turned out to be a short-lived enterprise, and was put up for sale in September 2002.

CVA Tools – In 1923 Hove Council approved plans for a temporary building on the north side of Portland Road for CVA Small Tools Ltd. The building was 70-ft in length, 20-ft in width, and 12-ft high to the eaves. In 1926 planning permission was granted for an extension. The site was originally listed at 129 Portland Road, but by the 1970s it extended from 329 to 283. Eric Aron was the founder and managing director, and he used to be driven around by a lady chauffeur in a Railton car, which had been supplied to the company in 1939. In 1992 it was claimed that this car was still in existence, one of only 120 remaining worldwide. In its heyday during the 1960s the firm employed 1,800 people on eight different sites. The most important site was at Portland Road where the head office was located. The site also contained a large foundry, three machine shops, a sheet-metal shop, a fettling shop, a welder’s shop, pattern makers, and a large maintenance shop. By 1975 the firm had gone, and the site was owned by Metropolitan Estates and Property Corporation who then sold it to Seeboard.

Elim Foursquare Pentecostal Chapel – This building is located at number 209, and the foundation stone was inscribed ‘This stone was laid by Principal George Jeffreys, founder of the Foursquare Gospel Alliance, on 21 February 1929. The word of God abideth for ever’.

In May 1976 more than 200 people attended the opening ceremony of a new hall measuring 32-ft by 24-ft. It was opened by Revd R. McKenzie, minister of the Elim Pentecostal Church. The hall cost £12,000 to build, but as members of the congregation had helped with the work, the church had managed to save around £6,000. The congregation must have dwindled over the years because in August 1994 a submission was made to Hove Council to change the status of the building from a place of public worship to a storage and distribution place for Hove Christian Centre. However, in November 1994 a controversial group called the Shema Yisrael, or Messianic Jews sought to use the building, and they were certainly there for a short time. By August 1996 the building was occupied by the Elim Community, but by 1997 it was up for sale. In the same year the Hopscotch Nursery took up residence at number 209A.

Foulser’s – This was one of the oldest grocery shops in Hove, and was situated on the corner of Westbourne Street. Edward Ernest Foulser came originally from Southsea, and established his business at Hove in 1894. He was assisted by his son Bob Foulser, and when his father retired in 1945, Bob Foulser took over the running of the shop. When Bob reached the age of 60 he decided it was time for him to retire, and the shop closed its doors on 28 October 1961.

Granada Cinema – The first proposal for a cinema on the north side of Portland Road came in November 1928 when Hove Council gave their approval to plans drawn up by C. Massey on behalf of Cinema Enterprises Ltd. But the Council’s approval hinged on the company giving the Council 5-ft of land in front of the building. Presumably, the plans did not come to fruition, because the cinema was not actually built until 1933. The site was purchased from the Duke of Portland’s Estate, and the architect was F. E. Bromige, a well-known Art Deco designer, and indeed his striking angular tower became a distinctive landmark for many years. The building was said to be thoroughly British – built with British bricks by British workmen – a cheaper tender by a Belgian firm having been rejected.

This 28 August 2010 photograph of a dilapidated Granada Cinema is courtesy of Hassocks5489

The cinema was said to be the most opulent in Hove, as well as being purpose-built rather than a conversion. It could also lay claim to being Hove’s only attempt at having its own theatre, being erected as a fully-equipped theatre with a fly-tower and dressing rooms. The stage was 50-ft in width and 30-ft in depth, and there were five sets of curtains. The auditorium held 1,592 seats, and a sun terrace and cafe lounge were also provided.

The Art Deco theme was repeated inside with elaborate plasterwork and classical figures along the walls. These figures held in their outstretched hands a fluted container from whence the house-lights shone out. At the front of the proscenium, there was a large butterfly. Another attraction was the Compton organ with an illuminated cascade console, but this was a short-lived wonder because it was dispensed with in 1936, the last organist being Robin Richmond; it went to a new cinema in Hammersmith.

On 17 July 1933 the Mayor of Hove, Councillor Victor Hudson, formally opened the Granada accompanied by guest-of-honour, actress Anna Neagle. The cinema was packed to its exits for the ceremony, which was also relayed by loud speakers to all the people outside who couldn’t get in. The manager, Mr V. Brandon, said ‘We in Hove are in dire need of entertainments. This theatre will fill a long-felt want in this respect.’The full three-hour programme then started off with a powerful drama The Kiss before the Mirror starring Nancy Carroll and Paul Lukas. Then Mr James Swift, the Granada’s organist played a popular selection ‘on the wonderful all-British organ … the effect produced by the changing lighting … were remarkable’. He was followed by Don Rico and his famous gipsy girls’ band who produced a ‘sensational orchestration’ on the stage. The programme concluded with Leslie Fuller and Moore Marriott. For those people who were reluctant to leave the building, there was a dance that continued until the early hours.

On 15 December 1933 the Mayor of Hove arranged a Variety Matinee, and amongst the stars were Jim Mollinson, Len Harvey, and Dodo Watts. Mr J. J. Deeny was the manager from 1937 to 1938, and after him came Hubert Chambers who remained until 1940. Chambers was rather a quiet man but he had some experience of London theatrical management. He also belonged to that exclusive body known as the Cinema Veterans – only those who were associated with films prior to 1903 were eligible.

The Granada was famous for its talent shows held in June and July when the various heats were judged. The outright winner several times was an act popularly known as Black and White because the mother (dressed all in black) played the piano while the daughter (dressed all in white) played the violin. They refused to have any old honky-tonk for their act, and insisted that a good piano should be hired from Lyon & Hall. Not surprisingly, there was a certain resentment over their winning streak because they were so good that nobody else stood a chance. One can imagine the theatrical rage when it was discovered that the duo were in fact professional performers, and not aspiring amateurs at all. Other popular turns included a man impersonating George Formby, a clergyman who told risque jokes, and a brother and sister act dressed in Hawaiian costume.

The Granada even had its own live music provided by Ernest Mitchell and his band, which consisted of three saxophones, three brass, two violins, bass, drums, and the piano played by Harry Norman. The band usually played on the stage, between film showings, and gave three performances daily during the 1930s. At other times, the band was banished to the pit. Quite often the band accompanied variety acts. One act Mr Norman recalled with clarity was the Delfont Duo – consisting of Bernard Delfont and Toko. There was an occasion when Delfont was short of some band parts for his act, and so Harry Norman wrote them for him for the princely sum of twenty-five shillings. Later on of course Delfont became famous as Lord Delfont of TV and Palladium fame. Another act performed at the Granada was put on by Archie Pitt and called The Tower of London featuring Betty Driver as leading lady, and she later found fame in Coronation Street. A great favourite with the band was the tenor Camille Gillard who sang selections from The Desert Song. The Mitchell band was very popular, and played at the opening of the Astoria Cinema, Brighton.

Another memorable occasion was the time when performers and animals from Chapman’s Circus appeared at the Granada. Naturally, there was not enough space backstage to house them all, and some animals were brought in daily before the first performance. But Bonko, the boxing kangaroo, was billeted in a spare room in the projection suite at the front of the house. Unfortunately, nobody thought to warm the third operator of Bonko’s presence with the result that when he opened the door early on Monday morning, he was promptly floored by the pugnacious kangaroo.

The Granada also screened novelty films, and excellent three-minute dramas that always ended with the last frame extolling the virtues of Bush Radio. The Granada was owned by Hove Cinemas Ltd but in 1934 Associated British Pictures purchased it. In the 1930s the management installed the Ardente Hearing Aid (the Curzon also had the system). When a deaf customer purchased a ticket, he was loaned a telephone-type receiver with a lead that plugged in to certain of the seats at the end of the aisle. The customer then held the receiver to his ear and was able to hear the film dialogue. Unfortunately, owing to the Doppler effect, the dialogue would be heard in the receiver a few seconds before the rest of the audience heard it. This could be maddening for those people sitting nearby, and eventually the system was scrapped.

In the 1930s the PDSA had a travelling medical van that used to park in the cinema’s car park once a week, and local residents would queue up with their sick pets. In 1940 the Granada appeared on a secret list drawn up by the authorities of places that would be suitable for use as a rest centre in an emergency such as families being bombed out of their houses.

In 1970 the cinema was modernised, and was now known as the ABC. But on 4 June 1974 it closed its doors for good.

Granada Cinema Site – After the cinema shut, the building served for over 20 years as a the Gala Bingo Hall; it closed its doors in August 2003. At first Brighton & Hove City Council rejected plans to demolish in order to build a block of flats. Local people felt that if there had to be a development on the site they would prefer to see a community centre or sheltered accommodation. The Gala Group still owned the site, and offered to refurbish the YMCA Hall in Marmion Road for £80,000 as a planning gain initiative. Developers Miller Bourne Partnership of Church Road, Hove, wanted to build 54 flats containing, 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms with 22 units being affordable.

In 2008 the Downland Housing Association wanted to build 38 flats with sixteen being affordable, and a surgery. Matters dragged on, and in 2010 it was stated that there had been no less that five schemes to re-develop the site. The council rejected the latest plans, but in October 2010 the Planning Inspectorate overruled the council’s decision to reject a 5-storey block with 35 homes. The Inspector said he had carefully considered the four reasons given for the council’s refusal. Mike Weatherley MP said the decision was ‘a disgrace’. If only the planning application had been submitted just one year later, it would have been thrown out automatically under the government’s proposed new bill to give local people more power to oppose planning applications known as the Localism Bill. But it would be three years before any work started after the bulldozers had flattened the site. It was in October 2013 that work finally began, and it was not expected to be completed before February 2015. The final number of units agreed upon was just 34, of which fourteen would be shared ownership, and the rest would be for private sale. There would be eighteen on-site parking spaces.

H. J. Green & Co – Hove grocer Horace John Green had the inspiration of creating his famous sponge cake mix after watching his wife bake a cake in 1907, But it took two years of experiments before he came up with the winning formula. The sponge cake mix was followed by other delicacies such as a ginger cake mix, blancmange, table jelly crystals, and custard. An old advertisement for Green’s Chocolate Mould proclaimed it was ‘chocolate in chocolate’s most delicious form, the children simply love it’. The first factory was situated in Lorna Road, Hove, and continued to be used after the firm had moved to Portland Road. Hove Council approved the plans for the new factory on 16 November 1911, although it was not actually built until 1914.

A fascinating foot-note is that the new factory’s address was given as ‘Occupation Road’ which was off the north side of Portland Road. This was a temporary road that was closed when Olive Road opened. If you went up Occupation Road, you would come across four old dwellings known as Aldrington Cottages, presumably built for farm-workers. In 1919 Green’s acquired them too, and prepared to improve the drainage. As well as the factory building, there were three temporary structures on the site, for which Green’s had to make an annual submission to Hove Council for permission to remain. In 1925 these buildings were described as timber-framed, roofed with felt and corrugated iron. Two were used as stores, and the third was a motor garage. They were built in 1915 but were still going strong ten years later, despite council misgivings. One building measured 75-ft by 25-ft and 12-ft in height, while the other two measured 60-ft by 20-ft and were 7-ft 6-in high. Mr Overton was always called upon when alterations or extensions were required – for example a hairdressing salon in 1919, and timber sheds in 1920 and 1928. The factory came to be known as the Aldrington Works or more simply Green’s.

The Second World War was a sad time for the director William Ernest Green and his family. The eldest son, Philip Green, a director, was invalided out of the Royal Artillery after being severely wounded; his two other sons, a pilot officer and flight lieutenant, were posted as missing during operations, presumed killed. W. E. Green died in his 60th year on Christmas Day 1944. In 1954 the directors of the company were as follows:

Frank Stenning (chairman)

J. Gordon Green

R. E. Green

Philip Green

In 1955 it was stated that Green’s had a machine that filled and sealed packets of sponge mixture at the rate of 70 a minute. In 1964 the giant Pillsbury Company of Minneapolis, USA, took over the company. But the Portland Road factory continued to operate under the name of Green’s. In the 1970s the company began to promote their cheesecake mix in a big way. In 1974 they sold less than £100,000 worth of goods, in 1977 they spent more than half a million pounds on promoting the product, and by 1978 sales almost reached the £5million mark. At Portland Road, almost five and a half million were produced a month. Therefore it must have been a terrible shock in August 1978 when re-structuring was announced, which meant that 300 of the production workers at Hove and Lancing would be made redundant. Of particular note was that 140 part-time posts were axed, most of them being women. Management considered the Portland Road site as old and inadequate, and production would move to Thurcroft, Yorkshire, where the Pillsbury factory was only six years old. But the administrative offices would stay, and the research and development office would move from Lancing to Hove.

Hibberd, Lilian – This young lady lived at 13 Portland Road, and was only aged 27 when she was killed in a tragic bicycle accident. She was cycling down Tisbury Road on her way to Third Avenue when she collided with a motor bus in Church Road. An inquest was held at Hove Town Hall on 26 October 1910. After hearing the evidence, the jury requested the coroner to contact the watch committee, and ask for a rule forbidding a passenger from sitting in the front seat next to the driver to prevent him from becoming distracted. The watch committee decided to make it a condition in issuing a licence that this seat should not be available to the general public.

The accident caused quite a stir at Hove to such an extent that the local photographer hurried along to Holy Trinity Church where her funeral was held to record the coffin being carried to the church, and which was subsequently made into a postcard for sale at local shops.

Hobson, Charles Henry – He was a horologist, that is he specialised in the repair of clocks and watches. In 1945 he moved to Portland Road, and it is interesting to note that by 1950 more than 60 clocks made by Thomas Tompion, the celebrated clock-maker to Charles II, had passed through his hands to be repaired. He created the parts needed in the repairs in his own workshop.

Hove Methodist Church – The church was opened on 17 December 1896 replacing a Wesleyan 'Iron Church'

Hurren & Glyn – The carpet specialists occupied number 112 in the 1970s, but by 2002 they had expanded to include numbers 110 to 114.

Lloyd’s Bank – The plans for a new Lloyd’s Bank in Portland Road were dated 1929, and they were drawn up by W. H. Woodroffe & Son. W. H. Woodroffe (1861-1946) started his architectural practice in 1885, and from 1921 he was in partnership with his son Norman Frederic Woodroffe (1891-1957). W. H. Woodroffe was responsible for the designs of many banks, and he was also the local agent for the Duke of Portland. The Portland Road branch closed its doors on 26 February 1998.

LSI – It would not be difficult for a stranger to pin-point where their English Language School is situated because the houses making up the Portland Road Campus are painted a fetching shade of blue. They advertise as having been in the business for over ten years. It should be noted that there were several English Language schools situated in Hove, although perhaps not so many in the present day.

Lumley & Hunt – In 1921 William Lumley and A. J. Hunt set up a small-scale business in in cramped mews premises in Westbourne Place, Hove. Deliveries were made by hand-cart. By 1926 Mr Lumley was in sole charge, and the business had prospered enough for him to purchase a second-hand model T truck. Soon Mr Lumley was considering a move to more spacious premises. In 1925 Hove Council approved plans drawn up by Roberts & Hunter for new premises in Portland Road. But there must have been a hitch because in 1927 Hove Council approved amended plans by Hunter & Bedford. This time building work went ahead, and by 1932 Lumley & Hunt were happily ensconced in their new building at 123/129 Portland Road. There was a substantial show-room, together with stock-holding area and offices.

In around 1947 Lumley & Hunt opened a branch at Bognor Regis. By 1985 the greater proportion of the firm’s £1million investment programme had been spent on new premises at Bognor Regis with the balance going to Portland Road. In 1985 it was stated that during the previous five years the firm had doubled its annual turnover to nearly £6million, and had become one of the leading builders’ merchants. It is interesting to note that a third generation of Lumleys were involved in the firm; they were Brian Lumley’s two daughters, Sarah and Vanessa, who both took a keen interest. Some people had been in continuous employment at Lumley & Hunt for decades. For example, Tommy Thompsett clocked up a total of 60 years, and retired at the age of 73 as a senior representative. Then there was F. W. (Bill) Bedford, who was the company’s first clerk in 1929 and worked his way up to become company secretary and eventually managing director.

Marshall, Keene & Co – It is fascinating to note this firm of art publishers and printers did business with such an ancient institution as Downside School, which was established way back in 1617, and is still going strong. It is an independent Catholic boarding school, although today it is co-educational whereas in times past it would have been boys only

McNair Court – This was the second block of flats built to replace Portland Gate. On 26 September 1999 it was officially named McNair Court after Squadron Leader Robin McNair.

Noble Court – In 1995 three architects produced four sets of plans for two new block of flats to replace Portland Gate. It is interesting to note that the plans went on display at Hove Town Hall, and local residents were able to vote on the design they liked best – a very democratic decision. The result were two elegant blocks of flats that were quite different from the usual boring slabs. Harding, Neill & Watson were the architects behind the winning design, and work started in 1996. Chichester Diocesan Housing Association was also involved in the project, which cost £2.5million, and provided social housing in 35 flats. Ivor Caplin MP officially opened the flats on 21 August 1998 named after Sergeant Dennis Noble who died when his Spitfire crashed in nearby Woodhouse Road. In tribute to the war hero, there was a fly-past of a Spitfire, a Hurricane and a Lancaster.

Peters – In May 1990 Margaret Adams, Mayor of Hove, opened the newly extended offices, showrooms, and training room. The firm was located at number 45 on the north side near Hove Methodist Church, and specialised in office equipment; but they later moved to Lewes. The building was then occupied by Ambassadors Sauna, followed in 2000 by a club called Heaven-or-Hell – a fetish club for adults only.

Police Seaside Home – It was opened in 1893 and closed in 1966 when a new home was established in Kingsway. Social Services then took over the Portland Road building, and it became an old people’s home, known latterly as Portland House Nursing Home, and today it is called Middleton Court, There was a fire there on 7 January 1990 and the elderly people were evacuated as a precaution, but fortunately the fire was confined to the basement offices. A more serious fire broke out on 1 May 1995 and was tackled by at least 40 fire-fighters who were obliged to rip off hundreds of tiles in order to reach the seat of the fire.

Portland Gate – This block of flats was designed by Joseph Hill, being built from 1938 onwards and opened in 1940. It was still a sparkling new edifice when it was scorched by fire in a war-time tragedy. On 30 August 1940 Sergeant Dennis Noble was piloting his Spitfire when it crashed in nearby Woodhouse Road, and he was killed. The incident caused a fire in some flats on the east side, and the exterior was burned black, remaining in that state for many years. Meanwhile, the fire brigade was summoned to rescue people from the burning flats. One of the families rescued was the Hale family with mother Doris Hale, and her daughters, two-year old Pat, and ten-month old Peggy. The fireman rescuing little Peggy, protected her body from the heat by placing his helmet over her. The children’s grandmother lived at 231 Portland Road. In the Argus (18 February 1999) a most interesting letter was printed. It was from Peggy, who was now Peggy Leeper living in Indianapolis, USA, and she had written after reading about Sergeant Noble.

Unfortunately, there were construction faults in Portland Gate, and one of the main problems was that that the reinforcing bars for the concrete had been placed too near the external surface, with the result that over the years the bars began to rust. In 1982 Saga Properties purchased the building but by 1986 Portland Gate had gained the unfortunate label as the worst residential building in the whole area. Robert Haycock, director of Saga Properties, admitted the building was an eyesore, but it had already been in a state of decay long before they purchased it. Apparently, his solution was to construct some luxury flats on top of the building, but this was rejected by Hove Council on the grounds of over-development of the site. However, Saga maintained that such an investment would offset the estimated £200,000 needed to renovate the entire building. Saga then appealed against the council’s rejection, but the Government Inspector turned down their appeal, and so nothing was done.

By October 1986 residents of Portland Gate were so desperate for some improvement that they planned to petition the Departmen of the Environment. Lifts in the 5-storey flats had been out of action for four years, some flats had been without plumbing for weeks, and there was 8-in of water in the basement. In January 1987 a photograph was taken showing giant icicles hanging from the flats. When the thaw arrived, a pipe burst and gallons of water cascaded down the communal staircase with eight flats being flooded.

In June 1987 Saga sold the property to Active Developments of Chiddingford for £500,000. It was stated that Portland Gate consisted of 52 flats, most of them being leasehold but twelve belonged to the freeholder. Active Developments thought they would have to charge tenants £12,000 each in order to have the funds to put the building in some sort of order. But in September 1990 the company crashed with debts of £900,000. The freehold was then put up for auction in April 1991 and London-based Insignia Investments took it over. Hove Council gave the company until March 1993 to repair the building. But the company failed to make any moves, and it transpired that the maximum fine that could be imposed under planning regulations was £1,000 with £1,000 in costs.

In April 1993 Labour MP Keith Vaz visited the building and said he had never seen anything so appalling. By September 1993 Labour councillor Ivor Caplin was calling on Hove Council to take control of the building by compulsory purchase. But Hove Council was reluctant to take such a step on the grounds that it would cost millions. In February 1995 Labour leader Tony Blair arrived to view the eyesore and commented ‘it is appalling that these conditions can exist’. It was stated that a third of the flats were unfit to live in, and many of the 45 occupied flats suffered badly from damp and rain penetration. Finally, in May 1995 Hove Council served a closing order on Portland Gate that meant all residents were obliged to leave. There was a hiccup in the proceedings when Daejan Properties and Halliard Property, who owned 37 of the leases, appealed against the closing order, claiming the council ought to repair the building. But eventually, demolition began and by July 1997 Portland Gate had been completely obliterated. It its place Noble Court and McNair Court were built.

Portland Road Schools – The site cost £2,300, and the building work cost £8,044. The schools opened in 1898, and remain to this day. The buildings are still in use although the name has been changed to West Hove Schools.

Portland Taxis – In 1981 Fred Wilson established his taxi business with just three cars. Ten years later there was a fleet of 42 vehicles with fifteen owners.

Portslade & West Hove Railway Station – The original station serving Copperas Gap (as Portslade-by-Sea was once known) was located on the west side of the level crossing in Portslade. It was opened in May 1840 when the new line between Brighton and Shoreham was inaugurated. It appears there was such a lack of passenger traffic that the station closed in 1847 and did not re-open for another ten years. A new and more spacious Portslade Railway Station was built in Portland Road in 1881. It shares its architectural style with other stations belonging to the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and it is a handsome building in an Italianate style.

In 1927 Hove Council asked the Southern Railway Company if the name of the station could be changed from Portslade Station to West Hove and Portslade Station; after all technically the building was on Hove territory. Sir Herbert Walker replied that the public might be confused to have stations named ‘Hove’ and ‘West Hove’. But in principal he had no objection to the name change.
Today the building is simply known as Portslade Railway Station and the ‘West Hove’ has been dropped from the title above the ticket office's front door even though the station is not technically in Portslade.

Post Office – In 1974 Narotam Patel purchased the Post Office business, and in May 2017 his son Amit Patel, now the owner, said he had many happy memories of growing up in the neighbourhood, and accompanying his father to the Post Office; when you opened the shop early, there was the delicious smell of freshly-baked bread from nearby premises. In those early days, the population had a high proportion of elderly folk, while by 2017 many young families had moved to the Poets’ Corner area with schools nearby, and with houses not quite as expensive to buy as other parts of Hove. Even so, a reasonable house in that area could still cost a whopping £450,000 to £500,000.

Road Works – New sewer pipes were laid in Portland Road, and it was bound to cause disruption to residents and shop owners. The work started in October 1992 and was supposed tom have been completed by April 1993 but instead the work dragged on until the second week in May 1993. Shopkeepers grumbled that their profits had been badly diminished because people could not get to their shops. One shop – the Fruit Market – suffered such a drop in income that it shut for good. Tony Stone of Stone’s Butchers said his trade had dropped by £600 a week, while Clifford Martin, owner of Carole’s Newsagents, said he had lost one-third of his turnover.

Seeboard – In the 1970s Seeboard purchased the site previously occupied by Kearney & Trecker CVA. By 1978 it was Seeboard’s depot and was numbered at 329 Portland Road. In August 1993 Seeboard applied, without change of licence, to use the depot as an operating centre for sixteen good vehicles. In February 1999 it was reported that Seeboard was turning over its customer services base into a centre of excellence, and the existing workforce of 336 would be increased to 636. A few members of staff would be moving from Seeboard’s centre in Croydon, which was due to close at the end of March. Peter Privett, customer services manager, said the 22-year old offices had been fully modernised.

copyright © J.Middleton
Where Seeboard was once situated is now occupied by EDF at number 329 Portland West Buildings

In July 2002 it was announced that Seeboard had been sold for £1.39billion. It was sold by American Electric Power to London Electricity (LE) a subsidiary of Electricite de France. Seeboard had sold electricity and gas to 1.9 million customers, most of them living in Sussex, Surrey and Kent. A spokesman for LE said they intended to maintain a strong presence in Sussex, and there would be no compulsory redundancies among Seeboard’s 4,000 staff. In August 2002 it was revealed that Seeboard had created 25 jobs with Merseyside firm 7C, which could rise to 35 in the next three months. But Hove’s MP Ivor Caplin condemned the move saying Seeboard already had an effective call centre in Hove, and this should have been developed further.

St Peter’s Church - This Roman Catholic Church was designed by architect Claude Kelly and opened on 18 August 1918.

Shahjalal Muslim Cultural Centre – The building was once occupied by the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society. In September 1998 it was stated that a Muslim Cultural Centre would be set up there. Brighton & Hove Council imposed certain restrictions, such as limiting the number of people at gatherings, and worship was to be confined to between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. No amplified call to prayer would be allowed; instead, an internal buzzer would be used.

Seymour & Dench - It was a long-established florist’s business located at numbers 139/141. Gerald Brook took over the running of the shop in 1948. He came from a large family, and he and one of his brothers enjoyed making a Sunday morning trip to the Stanley Arms in Portslade. In the 1970s the shop was located at number 182 and sold fruit and vegetables. When Gerald Brook died in January 1982, it was claimed that he was one of Hove’s oldest florists. His daughter Brenda Humphrey and her husband then ran the business. For some 20 years previously Brenda had run Rene the Florist in George Street, Hove, and before that she was to be found in Carnaby Street, London. Her good friend Mrs Patricia Power ran Home & Dried, an artificial flower business located at the corner of St Aubyns and Church Road, Hove. In March 2002 the lease on the shop ran out, and so Home & Dried moved into Seymour & Dench.

Sussex Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Hove Branch – This establishment was located at number 9. In 1919 it was known as the West Street Hospital, and it was stated that the Portland Road branch of this hospital would provide maternity beds in return for a grant towards expenditure. The institution was still there in 1940.

Talkshop – It is a converted shop, and is now the centre of the Poets Corner Residents Association. Simon Fanshaw performed the opening ceremony in 2000. The association used to meet in the Portland, next door, but received £10,000 towards the start-up costs from the Business in Community Partnership.

Tischlein-desk-dich – It was a specialist shop catering for German food. Walter Imblon was the owner.

Unoccupied – In January 1975 fifteen houses in Portland Road had been empty for a year, and the Labour party labelled it a scandal. The houses were numbered 317-329 and 337-351. Hove Council reported that they had made an offer to the owner to lease the houses, but this had been refused. The owners were Metropolitan Estates and Property Corporation of Park Lane, London, the same people who owned the large industrial site recently vacated by Kearney & Trecker.

Mrs MacDonald is relevant in Hove’s history because it was she who was responsible for the building of the Williamson Cottage Homes.

Mrs Jane Hannah MacDonald (1816-1897) – Her father earned his living as a sugar refiner; his daughter was born in Mile End Road, Whitechapel as Jane Hannah Friend – perhaps her surname was indicative of a generous nature when you consider her benevolence in later life. But she changed her surname no less than three times, being thrice married, as follows:

Her first husband was a Mr MacDonald who was a sugar refiner, and later on, a landed proprietor. Perhaps this was her favourite husband because she did name her cottage homes for ladies after him. He died in 1866.

She did not remain a widow for long, and re-married in that same year. This man was John MacDonald, the son of a tobacco merchant, but obviously the family fortunes had risen because his son was described as a gentleman of Westminster. It is not certain what became of him, but at the wedding he was eight years younger than his bride.

In 1901 she married her third husband at Folkestone and he had the aristocratic name of William Brandon St Quinton. It is fascinating to note that this husband was also her junior, and not by a few years either. The couple must have been well aware of the raised eyebrows if they disclosed their actual ages in the marriage register; therefore he was aged 50 and she was 60, but in reality she was aged 75 and he was 42.

She lived at a number of different addresses in London, and enjoyed staying at posh hotels, such as the Grand Hotel, Brighton, and the Queen’s Hotel, Hastings, where she died. Her personal effects came to the incredible sum of £7,667-14s. How did she accumulate such wealth? Three husbands, and presumably no children must have helped. But she also made a canny investment in the Great Western Railway, a wise move. Besides the Cottage Homes at Hove, she made other donations, and left money to the RNLI too. (Information kindly supplied by R. Bridgeman)

Williamson Cottage Homes – The cottages were built in 1887 at a time when the road was still known as Bertram Road (it became Portland Road in 1894). Mrs Jane Macdonald paid for the cottage homes to be built for the use of ladies; the establishment being run as a charity registered as general charity A106129. In 1943 it was recorded that the cottages were let at ten shillings per quarter, and were occupied by seven spinsters and one widow. By 1947 the rent had increased dramatically to £3 a quarter, and were now inhabited by five spinsters and three widows.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
1887 drawing of the original Williamson Cottage Homes for Ladies, on the right is the Wesleyan Iron Church (before the Hove Methodist Church was built in 1896)

By March 1985 the cottages were empty and derelict.

1893 Bertram Road (Portland Road)

The original charity had run out of funds, and another charity called the Fellowship Houses Trust had taken over.

Although Hove Council recognised the cottages as being of local interest, they had not been officially listed. The charity would have preferred the buildings to be demolished, and purpose-built flats for the elderly erected instead. But Hove Council wanted them to be restored. By June 1985 squatters had moved in.

By September 1985 the squatters were still living there with a licence from the Brighton Housing Trust but were given notice to vacate the buildings by July 1987. These squatters had looked after the place, and indeed had improved some of the rooms, and left as directed. But immediately afterwards illegal squatters from Bristol moved in, stripping lead from the roof, and causing a fire.

In August 1987 Hove Council wanted to know why renovations were not in hand although money had been allocated to the owners. The Brighton Housing Trust then gave the squatters – by then there were 30 people and fifteen dogs – immediate notice to quit.

When the authorities were finally able to carry out an inspection, it was discovered that too much damage had been caused, and with some reluctance Hove Council gave an order for demolition. The cottages were destroyed in January 1988.

But all was not doom and gloom because happily it was decided to rebuild the cottage homes following the original plans as far as possible. Chilton Waters and Stutchbury drew up the plans, and in April 1991 the Williamson Cottage Homes won the Hove Civic Society and Hove Council design for the best new building, together with Rivervale’s showroom in Victoria Road, Portslade. Even the three-quarter white bust of Mrs Jane Macdonald (or a copy) was re-instated in its niche under the eaves.

There are now fourteen flats, and a warden is on hand. Residents must be over 60 years old, and the flats are rented.

Pubs

It is interesting to note that all three pubs in Portland Road started life as hotels. For more details about them, please see separate pages under ‘Hove’s Pubs’.

Garden Bar – This establishment has seen the most name changes. First of all it was the Mansfield Hotel, then Jamaica Inn (2003) followed by Noble House (2012) now Garden Bar.

The Stoneham – It was originally the Portland Hotel.

copyright © J.Middleton
The Westbourne

The Westbourne – It was built as the Aldrington Hotel.

Restaurants by Names

One of the earliest restaurants was located at number 101, and it was there in the 1930s and 1940s. The proprietor rejoiced in the name of Clement Leslie Gubbins.

Alex – It was a transport cafe at number 282 in the 1970s.

Alishaan Tandoori - It opened in 1991.

Al Riaz – It was at number 244 and opened in 1990. Previous occupants of the premises were Everest, and Montmorency.

Avabetsy – It is a coffee shop situated at number 211.

Bake ‘N Take - It was at number 244 in 1974.

Bamboo House Restaurant – It was located at number 133 and was there in 1974.

Bertie’s Bar – This was at number 68, and by 1999 Andy Jordan was the owner, the premises previously having been the Inglenook Restaurant. A friend of Mr Jordan kindly lent him two 5-ft tall cartoon characters of Roger Rabbit and Wile E. Coyote, which had been purchased for around £300 from Disney-world nine years ago; they soon became a popular feature in the road. But there was a break-in and the two characters were stolen. However, they were soon returned because the story was published in the Argus and a young woman read about it. Apparently, she had been sitting outside a Brighton pub when a man offered to sell her Wile E. Coyote. She bought it for £30 while her friend bought Roger Rabbit.

Black Radish – This is an organic produce shop, as well as a cafe. In May 2017 owner Jayne Austen-Goacher, stated that when she first moved to Portland Road, it was not nearly so lively as it is today, and she remembers many shops being boarded up, while the pubs were somewhat staid, and there were no decent ones until you reached Brighton.

Cafe Bar - It was at number 68.

Chip Basket – It is at number 75.

Ciarans’ – The reason why this restaurant is called Ciarans’ rests on the fact the two men in charge – Mr Nugent and Mr Jones – both rejoice in the Christian name of Ciaran. They met while working at up-market Hove restaurant Cin Cin. They opened in Portland Road in 2021, and at the rear there is an outside bar, while twenty covers are to be found inside.

Coffee Pot Cafe – It was to be found at number 101 and was there in 1974.

Curry Leaf – It is located at number 96; the premises were previously occupied by Fish Bar and Mumtaz Tandoori.

Curry Mahal – It is located at numbers 171/173 and it is claimed to be the oldest Indian restaurant in Hove, having been established in 1972. By 2016 it had expanded to numbers 169/173, but since then it has reduced in size. The restaurant claims to be ‘The Jewel of Hove’. In November 1991 it was stated that owner Abdul Malik, and Abdul Khalam the chef, had built up a fine reputation. By 1992 the proprietor was Mr Matin. In December 1999 Shykul Malique took over the restaurant. His father Abdul Malique was the head chef, and his brother Shahin also worked there. A considerable amount of money was spent on refurbishing the restaurant that claimed to be one of Hove’s leading places of authentic Indian cuisine.

Damasco Grill – It is to be found at number 238.

Danny’s – This popular Chinese restaurant is located at number 179.

Dos Amigos – It was located at number 130.

Everest – It opened at number 244 in March 1999. Previous occupants were Al Riaz and Montmorency.

Fairways Restaurant – It was at number 182 in 1992.

Goa – A Goanese tandoori restaurant opened at number 130 in 1974.

Inglenook Restaurant – It was located at number 68 on the south side, and in 1990 husband and wife team Stuart and Pauline Oakes were running it. For the previous two years they had operated a no-smoking policy. By October 1994 former newspaperman Norman Wright and his German-born wife Inga were in charge. Outside the premises as an advertisement there stood a 6-ft 6-in fibreglass figure of a chef. But in the Argus (2 January 1999) it was reported that two young men had been seen carting it away. Inside, a customer who saw it happening, alerted Norman Wright, and they both gave chase, but lost sight of the youths in Clarendon Villas.

Intenso Coffee Bar – It is to be found at number 236.

Kismet Tandoori Restaurant – It was situated at number 133 near St Peter’s Church. It opened in 1984 and was run by the Abdul brothers. By September 1994 the manager was called Roof, the chef was Noor, and the tandoori specialist was Saltar. The restaurant was still there in 1997 when it was stated that there were over 100 main courses on the menu.

Koh-i-noor – It was opened in 1997 at number 318 by the owner, Mr F. R. Chaodbury. He also owned the Bangla Bazaar in Portland Road where all the imported spices he used in his recipes could be purchased. Originally, the place was opened as a takeaway, but a restaurant area, complete with fountain, was soon added. By July 2002 it had become the Ridwan Tandoori.

La Casina Cafe – It was situated at number 202 and was there in 1974.

Lee’s Garden – It was a takeaway, and it was in operation by August 1998.

Linda’s – This cafe was located at number 430, and the building was formerly used as an office for Stretton’s Trustees, being one of landowners in Aldrington.

Munchies – This was located an number 320, and was there in 1992 when the proprietors were Mr and Mrs Mitchell, and Mrs Homewood.

Mumtaz Tandoori – It was located at number 96. In 1999 it was stated to have been there for fourteen years.

Neptune – This was situated at number 182, and could seat 50 people. There was a Chinese chef, and a Thai chef. In February 1999. it was stated to be a recent addition to the restaurants in the road.

Ninety-Six Fish Bar – As might be expected this established was to be found at number 96, and was there in 1974.

Palmyra – It was claimed to be the only Indian vegetarian restaurant takeaway in Hove. In 1993 Hove Council gave it a Clean Food and Heartbeat Award.

Papadom - This Indian restaurant and takeaway was at number 75.

Peking Restaurant - It was there in 2002.

Pizza Hut - It is to be found at numbers 280/282

Portland Cafe - It was there in 2002.

Randall’s – It was located at number 430, and the former business was known as Linda’s. The building is at number 430, and was once used as an office for Stretton’s Estate, being one of the landowners in Aldrington.

Ridwan Tandoor – It was located at number 318 and was in operation by July 2002.

Scoffs Takeaway – This was at number 162, and was there in 1992.

Sky High Fish Bar – It was located at number 246, and was there in 1992.

Station Cafe -This is at number 430, opposite Portslade Railway Station. The premises were previously occupied by Randalls, and before that it was Linda’s.

Sussex Pantry – It is to be found at number 184

Telephone Pizza Company – In January 1992 there was a fire-bomb attack here that caused more than £3,000 worth of damage. Unfortunately, it was the fifth incident in a year-long vendetta, but manager Rasib Hussain said he would not be driven out.

Wings Fish Bar – This was at number 278; it was there in 1992, and it is still there.

Restaurants by Numbers

68 – Cafe Bar / Bertie’s Bar / Inglenook

75 – Chip Basket / Papadom

96 – Curry Leaf / 96 Fish Bar / Mumtaz Tandoori

101 – Coffee Pot

130 – Good Luck / Dos Amigos

133 – Kismet / Bamboo

162 – Scoffs

164 – Mediterranean Cafe and Restaurant

171/173 – Curry Mahal

174 - Ciarans’

179 – Danny’s

182 – Neptune / Fairways

184 – Sussex Pantry

202 – La Casina

211 – Avabetsy Coffee Shop

236 – Intenso Coffee Bar

238 – Damasco Grill

244 – Juke’s Bar / Al Riaz / Bake ‘n Take / Rustico Neapolitan Restaurant

246 – Sky High Fish Bar

278 – Wing’s Fish Bar

280 – Alex

280/282 – Pizza Hut

318 – Ridwan Tandoori / Koh-i-Noor / Kismet / Goa / Levant Lounge

320 – Munchies

430 Station Cafe / Randalls / Linda’s

Hove Planning Approvals

1890 – T. Lainson & Son for H. Bartlett, two houses, north side, east end

!892 – T. Lainson & Son for Mr Bartlett, two houses

1892 – J. G. Gibbens, Police Seaside Home. In 1912 the same architect submitted a plan for s verandah at the Home

1892 – T. Lainson & Son, five houses, north side

1892 – J. A. Wilks, two pairs semi-detached houses, north side

1893 – G. M. Nye for J. W. Daniells, detached villa, south side

1893 – T. Lainson for Mr Tottenham, two houses, north side

1893 – S. Hopkins, two semi-detached houses, south side

1894 – T. Lainson & Son for Mr Bartlett, one house, number 9

1894 – Mr S. Hopkins & Son, three houses, numbers 6, 8, and 10

1895 – Mr H. Winn, six houses, numbers 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24 (the two latter being built by George Cook)

1895 – C. Blandford, alterations to numbers 79, 81, 83, and 85

1895 – Clayton & Black for C. and W. Chadwell, two pairs of semi-detached villas, south side

1895 – Clayton & Black for V. Young, pair of semi-detached villas, south side

1895 – Clayton & Black for C. and W. Chadwell, pair of semi-detached houses

1895 – Clayton & Black for A. and W. Chadwell, four semi-detached houses

1895 – T. Lainson & Son for H. Chadwell, one house and stable, north side

1895 – Clayton & Black for C. and W. Chadwell, three houses, south side

1895 – Clayton & Black for J. G. Smith, three pairs of semi-detached houses, south side

1895 – G. M. Nye, Baptist Chapel

1895 – Scott & Cawthorne for Abbey & Sons, hotel, north side

1896 – T. Lainson & Son for H. Stringer, two semi-detached villas, north side

1897 – Clayton & Black for Hove School Board, new Board School, new caretaker’s lodge

1897 – G. M. Jay for Mr Backhauser, house and laundry, corner of Bolsover Road. Plan amended by E. J. E. Coles 1898

1897 – W. C. F. Gillam for C. Wilson, two houses, two shops, five terraced houses, north side

1898 – Mr A. Tree for Mr Standing, house, shop and bake-house, south side

1898 – T. F. Waddell, three houses and shops, workshop and stables opposite Portslade Station

1902 – C. Blandford, three houses and shops, numbers 68, 70, 72

1905 – E. J. Holland for E. Howell, one pair semi-detached houses, near Portslade Station

1906 – E. J. Holland for Dent & Kille, seven houses, south side, near Portslade Station

1907 – E. J. Holland for J, Hayler, two semi-detached houses, one detached household

1908 – Hawker & Glover for M. Cohen, one house, south side

1910 – G. M. Burstow for W. Perrin, two houses, south side

1918 – W. C. Le Maitre for C. A, Vandervell & Co, munition shop; factory and extension

1919; meter house, boiler and coal store 1920

1920 – Bethell & Swannell for Brighton Co-operative Society, twenty semi-detached houses, north side.

1921 – G. Hutton, detached house, south side, north-east corner of Leicester Villas

1922 – G. Hutton for H. Hillier, detached house, south side

1925 – W. H. Overton for B. Cook, twelve houses, south side

1925 – W. H. Overton for B. Cook, 21 garages, between Rutland Gardens and Modena Road

1926 – G. Hutton, detached house and garage, south side

1926 – W. H. Overton for B. Cook, two houses, north side

1926 – F. T. Wilson & Sons for Mr Inskip, semi-detached house, south-west corner Tamworth Road

1926 – Clayton & Black for E. Robins & Son, detached house, south side at Hogarth Road

1926 – W. H. Woodroffe & Son for F. T. Harrison, detached house and garage, north-west corner Portland Avenue

1927 – W. H. Overton for B. Cook, six houses, south side

1927 – Hunter & Bedford for J. Cooper, three shops, south side

1927 – Hunter & Bedford, eight garages, south side

1927 – W. H. Overton for B. Cook, six houses, north side, at Scott Road

1927 – W. H. Overton for Midland Bank, semi-detached house, south side, at Raphael Road

1927 – W. H. Overton fo B. Cook, eight houses, south side, between Modena Road and Raphael Road

1927 – Hunter & Bedford for Lumley & Hunt, store, north side, corner of Shelley Road

1927 – Hunter & Bedford for H. Short, shop and flat over, near Titian Road

1928 – Mr G. Hutton, detached house and garage, south side

1928 – W. F. Andrews for A. C. Pearson, four houses, south side, at Portland Avenue

1928 – G. E. Gower for C. Baker, detached house and stabling, south-west corner Bolsover Road

1928 – H. Greenfield, shop and flats

1928 – Hunter & Bedford for J. Cooper, three houses, south side

1928 – G. Hutton, detached house

Sources

Argus (6/10/08 / 26/10/10 / 8/10/13 / 13/7/20)

Brighton & Hove Independent (26/7/17)

Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Hove Council Minute Books

Mr. G. Osborne

23 August 2021

Portland Road, Aldrington, Hove.