Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Award-winning architectural ‘monstrosity’
Have you ever wondered where Canterbury’s Superdrug store got its striking design from? The shop stands on the corner of St George’s Street and Canterbury Lane. Like so many parts of the city, this area was destroyed in the Baedeker raids of 1942.
In 1954, a new shop was built for David Greig, the butchers and general provision store.
It was designed by Robert Paine & Partners, who were also responsible for the redevelopment of Nasons in 1960 and modern classrooms at the Kings School in 1967. The design - with a serrated roof sat on a colonnade - was prepared in five weeks and was both hailed (and reviled) as a revolutionary proposal.
Many people objected to the idea of having such a contemporary modern design in the historic city centre. One suggested the proposal looked more like a pig farm. Archbishop Dr Geoffrey Fisher described it as a monstrosity.
Although the planning committee recommended the scheme be snubbed, the city council voted 11 to nine in favour.
The store opened in July 1954 and three years later won a Royal Institute of British Architects bronze award. The David Greig chain was founded in Hornsey, North London, in 1870 and by the late 1960s had 220 stores across the country.
When David Greig left the building, it was later used by Woolworths which was based next door.
The building - Grade Ii-listed by English Heritage in 1995 - was then
taken over by Superdrug.
A memorial to David Greig and his son remains on a side wall in Canterbury Lane. Information used with kind permission of Canterbury Historical & Archaeological Society. Visit www. canterbury-archaeology.org.uk.