Hadleigh has a bustling high street with a good mix of established independent businesses and up-and-coming shops.
The high street shops run along either side of London Road. At the heart of it is the stunning grade I listed St James the Less church with its Saxon and Norman architecture.
There are lots of places to park and on my visit to Hadleigh I found a space for three hours free parking at Homestead Road car park.
Paul Newman Interiors
One of the longest running businesses in the area is Paul Newman Interiors.
The well respected interior business, which specialises in designing and installing high end kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms, has been situated on Hadleigh High Street for 40 years.
Paul Newman said: “We have always focused on customer service and quality products. People know they can trust us and we will always do everything we can for our customers.”
Paul started out as a trainee manager at Keddies in Southend before moving onto more managerial roles.
“When I started Paul Newman Interiors in 1984 it was the start of the kind of bespoke kitchens that were being made in Germany at the time. There was nothing like that here, you would have a self-assembly kitchen with a sink and add things on around that.”
The showroom is a Tardis when you walk in and expands to showcases five stunning kitchen designs at any one time and a brochure full of stunning designs. Showroom kitchens can be bought at half price.
Visit www. paulnewmaninteriors.co.uk.
Maison Noir
The stunning homemade cakes are on display as soon as you walk into this attractive café.
There is a chic dining area with white tablecloths on the tables and a door though to the garden space.
Sisters Maxine Cooper and Janine Bryant opened the café 15 years ago and are now a favourite destination for afternoon teas.
“My sister Janine and I would go to places for food and would leave thinking ‘we could probably do better than that ourselves’ and when the time was right and the children were a bit older, we decided to go for it,” said Maxine.
“The most important thing to us is that our customers are happy. Everything we serve is completely homemade. Janine makes the cakes, along with the rest of the team, and we make everything else including right down to the sandwich filling where we cook the chicken and the bacon, nothing comes in ready made.”
From December 1 they will be serving a special Christmas afternoon tea and on December 23 they will be visited by the Salvation Army for an afternoon of piano music.
Garston’s Footwear
Regular visitors to Hadleigh may have memories of getting their school shoes fitted at Garston’s.
The popular shoe shop has been open for 55 years and stock lots of well known brands including Clarks shoes, Kickers and more.
Jonathon Garston, who oversees the business, and his father David, are committed to great customer service.
“We are a friendly team, and we are trusted for our shoe fittings and great selection of shoes. We see children come in for their first pair of shoes and see them grow up. That’s what is nice about a local, independent business, it’s the personal touch and we get to know our customers.”
Angela’s Kid’s Boutique
Angela Beckwith started out running a clothes shop in Leigh before moving to the larger premises in Hadleigh 12 years ago.
“I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint exactly what people love about the shop but it seems to offer something for everyone.
“I move with the seasons and have a nice Christmas selection at the moment as well as soft toys and clothes.”
In the time Angela has been there she has seen the high street change.
“The biggest impact we have seen has been the banks going. I used to be so busy with people coming into the shop after visiting the bank next door. It’s a real shame.”
The Boutique
The fashion boutique opened one year ago and sells a mix of loungewear, evening wear and rockabilly leather jackets.
Shop worker Laura Dodd said: “The shop has done really well since opening and lots of people have said that it offers something different on the high street for people who don’t want to travel to Leigh to shop.
“The clothes are stunning and for all ages, we want mums and daughters to come shopping together and get something for each of them.”
The Hideaway tattoo
For stunning body art in a relaxed and chic setting there is The Hideaway Tattoo, see @robertcresswell28 for more info.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel