ONCE upon a time, not more than a century ago, the riverside village of Hurworth Place was chock-a-block with shops: there were three grocers, two butchers, a haberdashery, a bakery, a fish-and-chip shop, a newsagents, a blacksmith’s, an antiques shop plus four cafes, three pubs and a working men’s club.

But today, the last shop in the village closes, leaving it served by two hairdressers, one pub – the Comet – and the stalwart workies’.

The Northern Echo: Christine and Geoff Harper who are retiring from Croft News in Croft Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Christine and Geoff Harper are retiring having run Croft Post Office (above), latterly Croft News, in Tees View since 1987 which means for the first time in more than 125 years there will be no retail premises overlooking the river.

The Northern Echo: Tees View, Hurworth Place, in May 1939 with a dark vehicle parked outside what is now Croft News but then the street was full of retail establishments: the signs indicate two cafes and a grocer's shop

Tees View, Hurworth Place, in May 1939 with a dark vehicle parked outside what is now Croft News but then the street was full of retail establishments: the signs indicate two cafes and a grocer's shop

Hurworth Place was once advantageously placed to support a variety of businesses which met the needs of travellers and locals a like. It is on the Great North Road three miles from Darlington; from 1829, it was on the Stockton & Darlington Railway’s branchline, and from 1841, it was on the first section of the East Coast Main Line.

So the shops, cafes and pubs served the walkers who would promenade out from Darlington to spend a lazy Sunday on the riverbank; it served the colliers who came to collect coal from the branchline; it served the spa-goers who came on the mainline to take Croft’s famously eggy waters; it served the first cyclists who found the village a useful pedalling destination.

The Northern Echo: An Edwardian picture of Tees View, with the Comet on the right hand side and the shops facing on to the Great North Road beside the river

An Edwardian picture of Tees View, with the Comet on the right hand side and the shops facing on to the Great North Road beside the river. The round plate on the pub was presented by the Cyclists Touring Club, such were the numbers of early pedallers coming out to Hurworth Place

On entering the village from Darlington, travellers would be greeted by George Hopper’s café in a low, riverfront building. A couple of doors along was Henry Row’s café and shop, and in 1962 his son, Robert, expanded into the neighbouring post office.

The Northern Echo: George Hopper rented a pony and trap from his Riverview cafe. Perhaps tourists visiting Croft spa might hire it to visit the neighbourhood

George Hopper rented a pony and trap from his Riverview cafe. Perhaps tourists visiting Croft spa might hire it to visit the neighbourhood

The Northern Echo: The river Tees lapping against the shops and cafes of Tees View, Hurworth Place. At the far end is the low building which was George Hopper's Riverview cafe, and Henry Row has his cafe and shop in what is now Croft News

The river Tees lapping against the shops and cafes of Tees View, Hurworth Place. At the far end is the low building which was George Hopper's Riverview cafe, and Henry Row has his cafe and shop in what is now Croft News

The post office itself had once been a chemist’s run by Mr Plews. One day, Betty Dixon, who lived in the smithy which was on the corner of Croft bridge opposite the Comet inn, stood on a table to slice down some bacon that was hanging from the ceiling only slice off the tip of her nose. Bleeding profusely with her tip in a tissue, she dashed to the chemist’s, and Mr Plews used some new-fangled sticking plaster to reattach her fleshy bit.

However, he didn’t do it especially well, and when the plaster was removed, Betty was able to smell round corners.

The Northern Echo:

The Pig and Whistle pub and blacksmiths on the corner of Croft bridge in Hurworth Place, shortly before it was demolished

Leaving Tees View, a traveller would turn to climb the bank, with the Pig and Whistle pub and the smithy (both demolished in 1939) on his right, and Frank Johnson’s butcher’s shop where the working men’s club car park is now.

READ MORE ON THE PIG AND WHISTLE

The Northern Echo:

Looking down the bank in Hurworth Place with Frank Row's shop on the right and a grocer's store/tearoom next to the Station Hotel

Halfway up the bank, he would find Frank Raw’s grocery shop (now Oscars barber’s) with the Station Hotel opposite, and beside it a bakery and a tearoom (it closed about 25 years ago when it was an off-licence), plus, in a basement, Mrs Smith and Mrs Suggett’s haberdashery store.

The Northern Echo: Frank Raw's shop on the bank in Hurworth Place is now Oscars barbers. Shopkeeper Frank Raw is not to be confused with shopkeeper Henry Row

Frank Raw's shop on the bank in Hurworth Place is now Oscars barbers. Shopkeeper Frank Raw is not to be confused with shopkeeper Henry Row

In Belgrave Terrace, he would find a chippie, Mr Whitfield’s café, the Featherstones’ general store-cum-curiosity shop, and at the station, there was Miss Garrington's kiosk on the platform which sold newspapers and books.

Then, at the top of the bank, he would find Smallwoods’ grocery shop, Brydons’ butchers, the Temperance Hotel, a Co-op (now a hairdresser’s) and then the Hurcroft boarding house and café.

So many shops. Today, you can still get a drink in the Comet or the club and you can get your hair cut, but you’ll struggle to buy a pint of milk, pick up a paper or find a sticking plaster for your nose now that Christine and Geoff are shutting up shop after years of early rising to get the Echo out to grateful readers.