The Village Store in Norfolk had been abandoned for such a long time by the time I photographed it in 2015. beside a quiet village road surrounded by expensive houses, it sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the picturesque surroundings. The Heras fencing surrounding it merely attracts attention that this building is derelict and of no further use to anyone - except those who wish to step inside with a camera.

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For me, this was an Aladdin's cave. Windows made with the glorious frosted and bubble glass and numerous goodies I remember from my own childhood - rooted in the 1970s.

On top of a display case lies a mechanical pre-decimal W&T Avery scale, next to a Gross cash register that is frozen at £22.02½ pence a pointer to a time when we had different coins in our pockets. 

 

Beyond those delightful treasures, scattered all over the shop were toys and games I used to play and use as a young boy. Old Maid cards and Plasticine along with model toys and other items. On a dusty shelf was a vintage box of Pez sweets still in their packets along with their accompanying dispensers. 

 

A highlight was the Corona Pop display stand along with the shops opening times written on a Silk Cut advertising  stand which obviously used to be in the shop door for the customers. The opening times were a reminder that shops didn't stay open all day in the past. This shop would open most days at  8:30am and close at 1pm for a 2 hour lunch break and then reopen at 3 until 6pm. Sundays it was closed all day and Wednesday was half day opening with the shop closing at 1pm. 

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The condition of the shop was very poor when I went with the floor giving way in places and things thrown around the floors but it was still an immense delight to be transported back to my childhood for a couple of hours.

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Upstairs was the living quarters of the shop owner.

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One of my all time favourite explores no doubt about it!