Bottle Store

Description

My new bottle store on the corner of St Aubyn Street East and Miller Street, Hastings

Designed by Neville Norwell of Davies, Phillip and Chaplan, Architects, Hastings and built by SE Morgan and Sons, Hastings Street, Hastings, in the early 1970s.

The tower at the left was just to give it a “something” look. It was intended to have a cellar underground but the water table was too high.

The left-hand corner housed wines, sherries, ports and liqueurs. Centre back was a cool-room for bottled beers and spirits along the front behind a counter. Offices, kitchen, bathroom and so on along the far right of the building.

The sign was given by Leopard Brewery on the condition that we promoted their products.

The law for wholesalers –
We were a wholesale company able to sell to hotels, clubs and restaurants as well as to the public.
Under the liquor laws of the day, all sales had to be a minimum of two gallons (12 quart bottles).
All orders charged and cash sales had to be written in a three-page book, (one copy for the client, one for the office and the other left in the book for Police to scrutinise each month to see if anyone was buying too much and perhaps on-selling it).
Bottle shops or hotels or wine shops could sell single bottles.

Caption by Jim Newbigin