Shops near Coalburn Brig
The article is based on a Powerpoint presentation prepared and presented by the late Peter McLeish in 2010.
The older photographs are from the archived collection in the Heritage Centre and his presentation includes information gleaned from Jim Hamilton's Coalburn Chronicles. Peter comments "Thanks also to the various people, too numerous to mention, who willingly provided information regarding this presentation."
His presentation has been updated with photographs and information on changes since 2010.
Introduction
For much of the 20th century, the Coalburn Brig area was a good place to have a shop. The area was the scene of much activity; there was the Coalburn Inn and the Railway Hotel, the Railway station and the bus terminus (in Middlemuir Road opposite the Coalburn Inn). There was also the local cinema.
Now in the 21st century, so much has changed. The Railway Hotel was demolished in 1996, the Coalburn Inn has been converted into flats (2016). Rail services finished in 1965 and the station has been demolished. The buses terminate further down Bellfield Road at Railway Road. There is now only one shop in that area.
Coalburn Fish Restaurant
Coalburn Fish Restaurant with proprieter Johnny Giavarini and his son Peter in the 1920s
The Giaverinis built the house, Belvedere on Middlemuir Road, and part of the erection was a confectioner´s which later became a fish restaurant selling fish suppers and ice cream. At the right hand side of the image is Shanks´ picture house which would have aided sales.
A full account of the Giavarini family and their shops is in a separate article Ices and Fish and Chips in Coalburn.
Coalburn Inn area
The area around Coalburn Inn over the years has seen many changes, adjacent to the Inn there was a "meat shop" trading under the name of Campbell.
The Mackenzie family who lived in a bungalow at Belvedere Place had a paper shop c1934, near where the toilets were situated. This may have previously belonged to the Bell family who resided at Braehead Farm as the 1924 school census lists Mrs Bell as a Newsagent.
This photo shows the shop (circled) and was taken at the time of the floods in the village in 1927.
Previous to that there was a large black shed which was the home of the Braehead Carpet Bowling Club and it too was later a newspaper shop.
Joe McGill and his Shop
Joe McGill (pictured in doorway) had a grocer's shop at Burnside Cottage at Coalburn Brig.
A full account of this shop is in a separate article Joe McGill and his Shop
Auchenheath Provident Co-operative Society
Auchenheath was the first Co-operative in Coalburn and was initially situated in Bellfield Road where the Post Office was. This is believed to be in 1891.
The above photo shows the shop when later it moved nearer to the Station in to what later became Joseph McGill's shop. The final move was across the road to a larger building at the bridge, as shown below.
Auchenheath Provident Co-operative Society Coalburn Branch. No date given.
The Drapery Department was on the left and the Grocery Department on the right. Pat Casey, the cobbler worked at the rear of the Drapery. To the right of the building is the Stokes' bus.
The Auchenheath Provident Co-operative Society closed in the 1960s and the Coalburn branch building was unoccupied for many years. From the early 1970s, it was used as a workshop by Derek Bowden for the manufacture of snooker tables.
Bellfield Road. 1996.
The building later became a mini-supermarket.
Convenience Store at Coalburn Brig in March 2014. Photo:David Halls
This photograph in 2014 was probably taken not long after it opened. Google Street View photos in 2011 show it in its previous rundown state.
It is now a U-Save Grocery and Convenience Store.
Convenience Store (now U-Save) at Coalburn Brig on 17th July 2022. Photo:David Halls
More on Co-operative Society Branches in Coalburn and neighbouring villages, South Lanarkshire.
Sources of information
Other Shops in Coalburn
- Co-operative Society Branches in Coalburn and neighbouring villages, South Lanarkshire
- Joe McGill and his Shop at Coalburn Brig
- The former colliery shop
- Ices and Fish and Chips in Coalburn
Prepared 9th February 2022 by DH. Updated 10th March 2002. Many thanks to Geoff Brown for information about the former Auchenheath Co-operative building. Updated 21/07/2022 with current photo of the Convenience Store.