Changes in buildings over the years in Newport on the Isle of Wight

Looking around Newport on the Isle of Wight while you are out and about will bring a few interesting examples to light.

In Westminster Lane in Newport at the far western end used to be the ”Old Bone Mill” - grinding down bones for animal food. One would always be aware of its existence by the smell emitted.

Today, housing and an exit road covers the old long forgotten site.

The Old Grand Cinema (Image: David White)

Travelodge on the corner of Mill Street and Lugley Street (Image: Google Maps)

Also in the town another long forgotten building on the corner of Mill Street and Lugley Street is the Old Grand Cinema, now a Travelodge hotel.

The Grand was a popular single story cinema. It had its local commissioner “Jock” as he was known smartly dressed in his burgundy uniform keeping the patrons in order.

The cinema operated up until 1962 whereupon it closed, and took on a new lease of life as a furniture store for John Blundell furniture and furnishings.

It eventually became empty and was boarded up until demolition. 

In nearby Crocker Street used to be a leading garage known for its top skill in body repairs for vehicles. Marghams Garage had been, during that period, perhaps one of the few body shops on the Island.

The site on Crocker Street, formerly Marghams (Image: David White)

With a long history in transport building and repairs they were known to be expensive but with a top quality of work produced.

The long gone site now houses flats.

Just outside of Newport at the top of Hunnyhill there once was a local Hunnyhill greengrocers shop called Reads, run by its owner Basil Read.

Mr Read would also undertake household delivery to the customers of his shop, long before modern supermarkets reintroduced the idea.

Next door to his establishment was a cafe, what we would now term as a roadside diner frequented by lorry drivers, deliverymen and some locals.

This was known affectionately as Ma Freemans and indeed was run by the cheery Mrs Freeman.

The site of Reads and Freemans at Hunnyhill, and inset, and old photo of the site (Image: David White)

Does all this bring back memories?