On December 4th, Marple’s new Co-operative Store opened on Church Lane, directly opposite Market Street; (below) 146 years after the Compstall Industrial Co-operative Society opened its first Marple store in 1874. The first store was in Market Street, near the junction with Stockport Road. In 1898 a drapery store was built opposite the original store in the same architectural style. Today the drapery building is home to Helen Winterson Ltd.
In 1913 the grocery store front was remodelled as shown in the photograph right. Derek Waterfield, took a colour photograph shortly before the building was demolished this shows the entrance to the store and the decorative tiling, which was a prominent feature of so many Co-operative stores.
The opening of the Marple Branch of Compstall Co-operative Society on 29 March 1913. Opened by George J Wilkinson (on picture centre doorway man in profile without a hat slightly out of focus). George was president of the Co-op for over 40 years, until his death. An inscribed gold key was given to him at this opening.
63 years later in 1976 a new store was built on Market Street before moving to a larger, purpose-built, supermarket on the site of the old weaving sheds of Hollins Mill in 1989. However, when the Coop changed its business strategy it sold the Ridgedale Centre to Asda in 2014. For a time the only Co-op presence in Marple has been at the Texaco Garage on Church Lane but it has now moved back into the centre once more.
Welcome back old friend!
Hilary Atkinson, December 2020
