Memories of Worthing shop as one of Britain’s oldest department stores announces closure

For nearly two decades, the shoppers of Worthing enjoyed exploring Beales in South Street, with its many departments in a higgeldy piggeldy shop that was as intriguing for its layout as it was for its varied stock.

Of course, what most also appreciated was the fact it provided a very handy direct route through from South Street to Liverpool Road and, for the fast food lovers, McDonald's!

The truth is, for those of a certain age, it was always 'Bentalls', a department store chain that was first established by Frank Bentall in Kingston upon Thames in 1867.

Worthing was the first branch store for Bentalls, opening in 1947 after taking over a shop owned by relations in the Bentall family.

An advert from the time invited custom: "A visit to Worthing should include a visit to Bentalls. come to our pleasant store and see what we have to offer you.

"This subsidiary to our famous Kingston store is recognised to be one of the finest shopping rendezvous on the south coast. Come once and you'll come often. Bentalls is like that."

The Bentall family had a long association with Worthing. Charles Bentall ran a drapery store in South Street and then teamed up with John Oldfield Darby in the next-door drapery store to create Bentall & Darby at Brighton House, 19-20 South Street.

Charles and his family lived above the shop, which was variously known as Bentall and Company and Bentall & Sons.

The Bentalls department store was at 35-39 South Street. When Jordan & Cook next door at 33 South Street was also purchased, Bentalls was significantly extended, perhaps explaining that strange layout.

When Beales took over in 2002, it remained pretty much the same, with a great toy shop, a huge choice of womenswear, a great range of menswear and all sorts of household items, as well as a café serving delicious cakes.

Somehow my favourite route was always in the door, up the escalators! You could get lost for hours in the different areas, sometimes turning to wonder where exactly you were.

Beales retained the entrances in South Street and the Montague Centre. You went in from Montague Street if you wanted suitcases or china, and from South Street if clothes were on your mind.

Christmas was always special, with a huge array of gifts and treats on display, and often a bargain to be had.

There was also a large Beales in Horsham for ten years but that store closed in July 2016.

It was the end in Worthing four years later, with the closure being announced in February 2020. Beales went into administration in January 2020 and the department store in South Street was among 12 of the 23-strong chain forced to shut its doors after efforts to sell all the stores together failed.

The other stores to be closed at that point were Bournemouth, Hexham, Tonbridge, Peterborough, Mansfield, Keighley, Perth, Spalding, Wisbech, Bedford and Yeovil.

The pandemic then saw ten of the remaining 11 stores close, with only the Dolphin Centre store in Poole remaining. The Beales brand was bought by NewStart2020 Limited in May 2020, trading in Poole & online.

Now, that last remaining Beales department store is to be closed at the end of May, 144 years after the company was established in Bournemouth.