A photo of the buildings on the left hand side of Lydney High Street that were demolished to make way for the Tesco store. Left is the current scene depicted by Google Streetview.

Lesley Parker added: "... Gollygosh, is that what used to be The Dorda Cafe, then Letherens (buses), the Post Office and the sweet shop (Whites?), then Oxford Road and The Feathers Hotel at the end? I think Price Electrical was the shop just before The Dorda Cafe. How dingy it all looks. Does anyone know when this photo was taken? We lived at 33 High Street (opposite The Feathers); my father had Lydney Motors (now Yer Tiz), and next door was Stinchcombe's shop (later Baber's), which had fruit, vegies and groceries on one side and sweets, ice-creams, lead farm animals and fireworks (in season) on the other. We left for Western Australia in 1967; I now live in Tasmania".

Keith Kear added: "... from the LHS:- Fish & Chip Shop Letheren Garage, Post Office plus Confectionary with Hairdresser with face on Feathers Hotel I thought Tesco was built on Watts Factor land? Please advise".

Peter Essex added: "... In my opinion the two shots sum up what has happened to Lydney. In a way I was horrified on returning there a few years ago to see how, at first sight, a Tesco store had ripped the heart out. However, the reality is that Lydney is now both a local community and a dormitory town, its population more than doubled since my youth,so that demand for local shopping is much higher. In a similar way, the older shot sums up a certain drabness that the new development has swept away, and yet the old memories are precious. I don't know what my Grampy would have said. He was on the Council but died in 1961. He would say things like "I'm just popping up for a chat with Jimmy Watts." Not any more, but then he also predicted that Lydney would never get a by-pass if a Severn road bridge was built!".

Clive Mason added: "... Anyone remember where Wilf Parker Motorcycle shop was?"

Joyce Baxter added: "... Tesco shopping area is built on the land that used to be Watts Factors, but Tesco overflow car park (behind the store) is where the Feathers Hotel used to be".

A site visitor added: "... The Tesco staff car park is on the old Feathers Site, coming back up the main store is built on Whites and as far up as the Queens Head. The main car park is built in the old canteen and machine sheds, and the overflow is built on the old paint shop, light car and bottom heavy sheds. The Tesco fuel station is built in the old car showroom and Unipart Centre where I worked back in the early 90s".

Neville Slee added "... Tesco's was built on the land from the Post Office up to Watts filling station and car showroom and the Feathers site is now the overspill car park for Tesco. The sweet shop was Whites .'Sniffy' Lewis the gents hairdresser at the rear. Around the corner from the Post Office was a shoe cobbler Mr Scriven from Alvington. I can remember Wilf Parker who sold me my first motorbike in 1959, AJS 350 cc.Later it was forbidden to buy a bike over 125cc if you were a learner driver".

(Brian) John Bunker added: "... I was upset to see this picture - but my brother Adrian had already seen it for himself. If you let property deteriorate it will look drab. Blotting it out with characterless corporate architecture just makes Lydney look like anywhere else. I would add - negotiating that narrow pavement on the way to Post Office or Williams & Cottons was like dicing with death - especially when the coal lorries were running at their peak".

Lesley Parker added (March 2017): "... To comments by Clive Mason and Neville Slee,who mentioned Wilf Parker's motorcycle shop. Wilf Parker was my father; we lived at 33 High Street, the end one of the terrace of houses opposite The Feathers. My father started the motorcycle shop in 1953 and had it until 1967, when we moved to Western Australia. It was bought by a Mr Grogan. A few years after we emigrated my father opened a shop in Rockingham, W.A., selling and repairing outboards, mowers and motor-bikes. He started the Pathfinders Motorcycle Club and, just like he did in the Forest of Dean, organised motorcycle trials. When he retired he spent most of his time restoring old motorcycles. He died in 1991, aged 80. If you would like any more information please feel free to contact me. I now live in Tasmania".

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