Arborfield
Local History Society

 Memories - Clive Shurley's Mobile Shop

In 1953 Clive Shurley began working on a mobile shop operating in the Arborfield and Garrison area for M. Davies & Sons, who had two greengrocery shops in Oxford Road, Reading.

The Business had previously been run by Mr. Chitty, who had a small-holding situated between the Swan and the Bull public houses, (where the houses by the bus shelter are), possibly from pre-war. That is where the vehicle was garaged until the land was sold and the houses were built. That was about 1965, by which time Mr. Shurley was using a 1950 converted Smiths coach, which he was able to park in a barn at Whites Farm in the Swallowfield Road, owned by Mr. Goddard.

In 1967 he took over the business himself and continued to run it from Whites Farm until Mr. Goddard died in 1977.  Then the barn was sold and was no longer available. From this time Mr. Shurley operated from Link Way, parking in the drive of his house.

In 1970 he bought a new purpose built Mobile Shop which he used until 1981, when he gave up due to changing shopping habits brought about mainly by supermarkets.

 With thanks to Mr. C. Shurley for his memories. 

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