HEREFORD High Town is not what it used to be, according to one of the members of the Hereford Times We Grew Up in Hereford Facebook group.

Margaret Bray was remembering her time working in the office at what was one of the staples of High Town in the 1960s.

She said: "I loved working at Greenlands in the office there, lovely people to work with, too.

"Very sad to see such lovely shops no longer there, the city is not what it used to be

Her comments came on Lynne Bullar's post which said: "Greenlands, what a wonderful shop.

"I remember the lovely toy department, I loved looking at the chemistry sets.

"Who remembers the singing bird in a cage? I got locked in the ladies' loo in there once and my brother had to come and rescue me."

Greenlands attracted visitors from far and wide, all keen to get their hands on the latest items from the substantial department store.

It was as far back as 1856 that the name of Greenlands first became known in Hereford as a place to do business.

George Greenland came to the city from Newbury and soon established a drapery business in High Town. After expanding the store with the acquisition of new properties in the city centre, the modest philanthropist passed away in 1901 but left the growing business to his four sons.

By the 1950s, the Greenlands "empire" had reached its peak, and with more than 200 employees and stores as far away as Llandrindod Wells, it became known as the "Harrods of the West".

But by 1968, it seemed as though the Greenlands days were numbered when shareholders sold the High Town store, pictured above, to Marks and Spencer for £350,000.

But Colin Greenland – the great grandson of George – ensured the family name remained in the city when he set up a furnishing store on Widemarsh Street.