When the signage was stripped away from a Brentwood High Street shop which had for many years housed the popular toy and bicycle shop, B&M Cycles, fabulous Victorian tiles and an old shop sign were revealed.
The development of Brentwood High Street over the years is mapped wonderfully by its architecture. The 13th century Chapel Ruins, near the far more recent Baytree Centre, are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Sugar Hut, formerly the White Hart, is a former coaching inn which was built in the 1480s but was probably a site where many a weary traveller rested for many years beforehand.
If you look up, above the modern backlit plastic store signs which slice many large buildings into shop sized units, there are examples of 1930s art deco architecture as well as the more utilitarian 1960s blocks.
The great news for historians, like myself, is that Brentwood Borough Council and the new incumbents of the premises, Dogs’ Trust, are going to preserve the shop front as it is so visitors to Brentwood have a flavour of what the High Street may have looked like a century ago.
The opening of a Dogs’ Trust shop in Brentwood is good news for dog owners, because it will be one of the limited number of stores in the town which allows you to take your pet in with you while you shop. Having visited the shop on its opening day I can confirm there are dog treats on the counter for very good customers!
The Dogs’ Trust has recently run a campaign against puppy smuggling which has been supported by a large number of my constituents. It is important to recognise that we cannot expect the Government to defeat this problem by itself. As individuals, we need to take care not to fuel demand for these animals by providing a market for the unscrupulous people who exploit them.
Government advice is very clear: people who buy a pet are responsible for knowing where it comes from and, if it is found to have been imported illegally, will be held responsible for any necessary quarantine and veterinary fees. The Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, has puppy smugglers in his sights, and is considering banning third-party puppy sales, via pet shops and online dealers, to raise the bar on animal welfare standards & crack down on sellers who have a total disregard for their dogs' welfare.
