Thomas Cook Travel Agency shares one half of this building (to the right in the picture) with the St Nicholas Hospice Charity shop at the present day. Going back it was previously owned by Carlsson Travel, A.T.Mays travel, John Hilary Travel, Premier Travel, Starling's Nest selling kitchen ware, Budgens' supermarket and Adkins supermarket owned by Ridgeons. Mr Gregory, who owned the chemist where Barclays Bank is now (opposite the church), was the next owner going back in time but it was originally owned by Mr Whitworth of Tonbridge Wells who ran it as a grocery store. The shops parallel to this building (behind it if you stand in the market place)- a cut price store, Barleycorn the health shop and the florist were originally used by Mr Whitworth as a garage, a warehouse, office and toilets. The shop itself stretched right through to where the charity shop is now. The shop sold general groceries with a hardware section at the rear selling brushes, brooms and teapots etc. There was a cellar below the shop where the cheeses were stored. Mrs Chrissie Crane worked for Mr Whitworth for 37 years starting in 1943. She served in the shop and also cycled to get customers' orders which a delivery man would take to them later. She enjoyed her work. Her first pay was 10shillings(50p)a week. During WW2 customers had to present ration books to buy some groceries. They were served individually and staff even packaged loose sugar. It was much later that it became self service. See Whitworth's picture in Market Place album.