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Hertford has around 250 retail outlets in the town centre - a typical mix of smaller chain stores and independents spread across a number of shopping streets and squares.

Like many market towns across the country, there are an increasing number of coffee shops and businesses catering for personal care.

Premises range from modern purpose-built units to period properties originally built as homes but later converted for retail use. The floors above most shops are used for storage, offices or residential purposes.

The town centre is a conservation zone with a high number of listed buildings. As such the use of signage and colour is strictly governed by local planning regulations.

In this slideshow we look at the differing types of shopfront, their history and how the landscape has changed over the years.

Boots Optician is an example of the chain stores you'll find in Hertford. The business occupies modern premises in Maidenhead Street. There are four opticians in Hertford - two chain and two independent.
This finely presented vintage shop can be found in St.Andrew Street, selling vintage clothes, accessories and homeware. The shopfront is early 19th century.
The Oxfam book and record shop in Maidenhead Street has a simple but pleasing and effective window display.
CEX Entertainment Exchange is another chain with an outlet in Maidenhead Street.
The Age UK charity shop in Market Street. Other charities represented in the town centre include the Willow Foundation, Mind, Isabel Hospice and the British Heart Foundation.
This row of shops in St.Andrew Street used to be three beauticians until the cake shop opened. The buildings are over 500 years old.
The Natural Health Store in Old Cross also offers alternative therapy treatments on the first floor.
Gay's newsagent has been on the corner of Fore Street and Church Street for over 50 years.
Electrical shop Albany Radio in Fore Street , previously known as Gaveds. The family-run business has won a number of local awards.
Messages is a popular party and hardware shop in Fore Street.
New retail units are being created where residential development takes place on former employment land, such as here at Beeson's Yard.
The Post Office moved to new premises in Maidenhead Street in 2016.
The building now occupied by the Post Office had been empty for many years after being vacated by McDonalds. In the 1960s the premises were home to a Fine Fare supermarket.
Poundstretcher in Maidenhead Street took over the former premises of Woolworths.
Woolworths closed after the company went in to administration. The main shopfront dates back to 1935.
Italian deli and coffee bar Giambrone moved in to premises previously filled by Millets.
The early 20th century shopfront is possibly one of the finest in the town centre..
The premises are now home to a bar and café named Peach.
Another of the town's charity shops on the corner of Maidenhead Street and Honey Lane.
Stead & Simpson was the last shoe shop in Hertford. The branch closed in 2012 because it was not profitable.
Like many towns up and down the country, butchers and fishmongers have been closing as shopping habits change. Claydon's fishmonger closed in 2005 and for a number of years after was a Turkish Barber. The premises have recently returned to their old use with the opening of the Blue Oyster bar and fishmonger.
An early 19th century double fronted shop in Fore Street. The panes of glass in the right-hand bay were almost two hundred years old before a recent accident involving a motor vehicle destroyed part of the frontage.
The Women's Society in St.Andrew Street.
Otho Wiggington traded as a grocer here in 1911. The moulded initials WS on the columns denote 'Wigginton and Son'.
The original Wiggingstons name is hidden beneath the modern shop sign.
Sheffield Pharmacy is a beautiful example of a late Georgian shop front.
The business has been trading here since 1804.
A number of shops with heritage shopfronts feature recessed doorways with mosaic tiled thesholds, such as this one in Market Place.
Another tiled threshold in Parliament Square.
Several of Hertford's shopfronts feature these ornate columns.
Another example of an ornate column found in the late Victorian Gravesons shopfront.
The columns can been seen here in this photo of Gravesons shop window.
Graveson's closed in 2001 and was more recently Monsoon and Accessorize. The branch closed in early 2020 and is now a bar & café named Brew Garden.
Many Victorian shopfronts include retractable awnings. These can be extended out to offer shade and shelter from rain, wind or snow in front of a shop.
Some of these old awnings are still in use today, such as this one outside Lussmann's in Fore Street.
Rossi's Attic on Mill Bridge features a prime example of a Victorian shopfront, including awning and mosaic tiled recessed entrance.
Nos.1-3 Parliament Square features full height first floor showroom windows. The premises were occupied by Ware Garages in the 1930s and cars were displayed on the upper floor.
The eagle-eyed will be able to pick out the faded letters of 'Easiephit' beneath the modern signage of the British Heart Fioundation charity shop. Easiphit was a large chain of shoe shops.
Maintenance work sometimes reveals the former names or uses of a shop, as here with the Old Cross Stores.
The former premises of Farnham's newsagent in Old Cross, now Frankie & Olive's sustainable clothing shop.
Removal of a modern sign in Railway Street reveals its former use by E.Coleman Shoe and Boot shop.
Back Tracks was a popular record shop in 1970s-90s, initially selling second-hand records, but later adding new records when the name changed to simply Tracks. The old shop signage was revealed in 2011 when the shop changed from a nail bar to a gift shop.
This former shop in Cowbridge has been home to Paragon Stores, ML Spriggs Newsagents and Robinson's newsagent.
The former John Stores on Folly Island.
Frederic Donovan was a tailor. His son Cyril, also a tailor, lived here in West Street.
Renovation of this shop in Market Street revealed the name of the former establishment of Gilbertson & Page, founded in 1873. The shop sold game and animal feeds.
The shop is still providing for animals, specifically all things canine.
Pizza Express in Fore Street was previously The Dimsdale Arms. The word Dimsdale can be seen on the bracket holding the sign..
Flamsteads dry cleaners hanging sign in St.Andrew Street.
William Hill in the town centre is unique in having two shopfronts in different streets, yet it's the same shop.
This frontage is in Maidenhead Street
The other 'end' of William Hill is in Market Place. The premises were previously occupied by supermarket International Stores in the 1960s. It was one of two supermarkets in Maidenhead Street at the time, the other being Fine Fare, which was in the building now used by The Post Office.
A number of shopfronts feature doorways that are no longer in use, like this one at Ruby Room in Railway Street. Both doors were used when the shop was a baker's.
Bebo café has no less than three doors that are no longer in use. The door facing was the entrance to B.L.Nichols Fruit & Flowers.
The Bull Plain frontage of Bebo features two doors. The right hand door was the entrance to Rose & Sons newsagents.
The Snug had three doors, only one of which was used. However, this was previously three shops.

Other shops in the town with disused doors include Veyso's restaurant in Fore Street and The Womens' Society in St.Andrew Street.
Who knows what lies behind these double doors in Honey Lane.
Next door is 7A Honey Lane - the shop that isn't. Behind the frosted glass is nothing but stairs down to a cellar
Ilvino cafe bar in Fore Street. A fascinating frontage modified since its time as an inn. The right hand entrance is no longer in use and the symmetrical left hand entrance has been reconfigured to face Post Office Walk.

Want to know more about shops and shopping in Hertford?

Visit the shopping page and our retail database.

This gallery was first published 1st October 2023


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