Madam, There was a request for information about Vines in the Ross Gazette, of September 3rd. Vines was quite a large shop near the top of the town, by the Market Place, on the same side of Broad Street as WHSmith, but a little higher up. They sold rolls of materials for soft furnishings - for curtains, netting for windows, upholstery - and also probably for clothing. Many people in the 1940s and 50s made their own clothing, or got a dressmaker to make clothing. Vines had an interesting payment system. The order and payment was placed in a cylinder, about three inches by six inches, this was sent along a tube by air pressure to the cashier where the order was dealt with. It was then returned with the customer's change. I don't remember any other shop using this method of payment.

Michael Jones, Gloucester Editor's note Thank you for this additional information about Vines. Shops like these belong to a bygone past. Do any of our readers have any photos of them and the characters who worked there? Please do get in touch.