The business of Cooks of Cawston started in 1961 trading as D.
Cook, Electrical Contractor to offer a service in
electrical installations for industrial, commercial and domestic, carryout maintenance, sales of electrical equipment and repairs.
Electrical Shop 1964
Van 1964
The business was expanded in 1976 when a second shop was acquired which had
been the post office and grocery store and had been closed
for about 2 years, this was reopened as a General Store including an
Off Licence, the Post Office moved to a new shop at Fairfields, trading
as Fairfield Store..
The electrical business was sold in 2003 to 2 long serving employees and is
still trading as Cooks of Cawston Electrical but have now moved
to Aylsham.
Regrettably the Food Plus store closed at the end of 2003 after 27 years of trading in the grocery store mainly due to the large stores and the easy
access to these by car but we have enjoyed being part of village life.
Over the years Cawston has seen many changes and many shops/Businesses close,
the closure of:-
The Fish and Chip, Grocery Shop and Cafe (Mrs. Stackwood)
the fish and chip shop was also used later for a part time
men's hairdresser shop.
Cawston Super Market, New Street (Mr. A. Walpole)
Grocery shop on Market Hill (Excells)
Grocery shop in Chapel Street (Rileys) who also ran a mobile shop.
3 Butchers shops, the last one to close was Gould's Butcher's on the
Market Hill 30th March 2002 now All Thinks Nice.
Confectionery shop and wool shop at the corner of Church Lane and High
Street, purchased by Cooks but was sold in 2000 and converted to
living and Office accommodation.
The shop next to the Cafe was a confectionery shop now sells china (The China Sourcer) Closed
April 2004, now All Thinks Nice, June2004 as Delicatessen/ Cafe etc.
M.D. Howard & Son, Builders & Undertakers, New Street.
S.G.C. Lee, Builders & Undertakers, High Street.
Latham Car Sales in the High Street.
Dents the bakers & Mr Smith, Garage, now Marsham's Garage,
4 Public Houses have closed, The Lamb in New Street,
The Kings Head on Market Hill, The Friendship at Eastgate and
The Woodrow Inn on the Holt Road which is now a garage.
Barclays Bank had a sub branch of Reepham Bank in the High Street of
Cawston which is now known as Bank Cottage.
C.W.E. and Broadland Wineries was the Cawston Abattoir until sometime
in the 1960's.
Mr Tony Key operated a haulage business and kept live stock at White
house farm on market hill, this was sold and made into two houses.
Mr S Lee operated a building and Funeral directors Business in the
High Street as did Mr Norman Howard at New Street.
Mr Keeler carried out a Hardware and Cycle Business at the Market Hill
now M.J.F. Tuddenham selling and repairing pressure washers etc,
He also sold petrol, the pump was just off the pavement .
At the Station yard a Grain handling business was in operation, now
Industrial units.
Passenger trains ceased in September 1952, apart from one only special train
in the early 1960's, freight facilities lasted until October 1966.
Cawston is still fortunate to have 2 public houses,The Bell in the High
Street and the Ratcatchers at Eastgate both offer good food/restaurant.
A Post Office/Grocery Shop, Hairdresser and Cafe.
China Shop and 2 Garages with many other businesses which operate
without shop facilities.
Things and the way we live have certainly changed over the years, is it all
for the good?
This web site was the site of Cooks of Cawston/Cooks Food Plus and has
been adapted with extra material and is now the site of Cawston Parish.
(2004)
