Five giant vintage photographs of central Hove have been erected this week over a former shop front in Church Road.
 
The black and white images each show different views of Victorian and Edwardian Hove – an organ-grinder with monkey, the Church Road chemist and photographic shop of film pioneer James Williamson, J Edwards tailor’s shop and a 1905 view of Church Road. A later photograph of Church Road shopping street from 1938 completes the set.
 
Councillor Averil Older, the city’s heritage champion, suggested using the photographs, which are from the public collection, as a new twist on the images that have been adorning empty shops in the city.
 
Cllr Older said:
“These old photographs shed a fascinating light on the past and to have pictures that are relevant to the area is lovely.
 
“It’s such a simple idea, but the pictures can now be enjoyed by everyone that passes and are much more attractive than empty shop fronts.
 
“By creating an attractive environment we hope more people will support the existing shops and help protect Hove central as a thriving shopping area.”
 
The photographs came from Hove Library and Brighton History Centre and were put up by the council’s environment improvement team. The team is hoping to place more historic pictures on the former Woolworths building in Blatchington Road .
 
In April, the council put photographs of contemporary scenes on the former Damart shop in Queen’s Road and Astoria cinema in Gloucester Place , Brighton .
 
Before that the council used huge copies of paintings from Brighton & Hove's museums to brighten up rundown buildings.
 
For more information about Brighton and Hove Council view:
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk