J. G. Ivens traded as drapers for many years having been established in 1878 and it is a fondly recalled Redfield shop.

According to an advert from the 1950s they carried the largest and most up to date stock of Dressmakers Sundries in the district: - Every colour in 'SYLKO' and a huge stock of zip fasteners, belts, buckles and buttons made from your own materials. VILENE and 'iron on' facing, also 'No sew' tape in many colours. Buttons, buckles and haberdashery in good assortment.

Accounts tell us: "You went in one door and came out of the other. There were two entrances, if you went in one door an arch halfway down the shop led you into the other half of the shop. Inside were fine polished counters and there were chairs supplied for people that had to wait to be served."

Ivens had closed down by 1963 and Nos.207 and 209 became two separate shops. By 1964 No.207 had become a Rogers and Harris greengrocers shop. It remained as such for many years. No.207 is now incorporated into St. Georges Hall.

In the mid 1960s No.209 was Parkers Bakeries Ltd. Parkers remained at this site until the mid 1970s. If you had gone past No.209 in June 1978 or indeed July 1983 you might have noticed that it was a unisex hair stylist; it was called the House of Flair. After the hairdressers left, this premises reverted back to a bakers when Greggs moved in.

Parkers Bakeries is on the extreme
right of this photograph from 1964.