Remember Pratleys in Worcester? Readers recall famous china shop

The picture is of the interior of GR Pratley & Sons in Worcester’s Shambles – the emporium which was a veritable Aladdin’s cave of glass, china, rugs and specialist furnishings before its closure in 2012.

And family visits to the shop with its china piled high, were immediately prompted when Sarah wrote: “Does anyone remember feeling petrified of being dragged in here when you were a kid?”

Jackie Kenwrick said: “Yes, I was always told if you break something you’d have to pay for it.”

Sabrina Wright posted: “Actually THE most terrifying shop I have ever been in. I tried to explain to my husband, who is not a Worcester native, and when I showed him this picture – he got it!”

And Emma Louise B-Hunt conjured up a great image when she commented: “I was made to walk through with hands on my head!”

Read more: Readers remember Chicken George

Other posts included

Carol McFarlane: “I can remember the ‘Don’t touch’ warning from my mum.”

Sandra Southall: “My dad used to say ‘Walk down the middle – don’t touch anything’.”.

Terri McGuiness Laverick: “Not only as a child! I always dreaded bumping into something when I went in there. I loathed taking an umbrella or shopping bag with me.”

Carrie Banks: “ Dreaded going in there with my mum or nan! It took them ages!”

James Alan Taundry: “Oooh ,gosh I totally remember that fear in this place. One wrong move...”

Jeanette Bushell: “Pratleys, what a scary place – even as an adult.”

David Jelfs: “Loved the place, had to keep telling the wife to be careful with her handbag in case it knocked anything.”

Trish Price: “As a parent I was on tenterhooks the whole time if I was in there with children! It was a lovely shop, wish it was still there.”

Jen Hamilton wrote: “My mother would even utter the words ‘Don’t breathe’ near the plates”.

Keith Williams added: “If you accidentally knocked something over and broke it you were never legally obliged to pay for it. The law states that if a shop displays goods in a manner where they can be accidentally damaged then they do so at their own risk.

“Pratleys always had their expensive stuff in locked glass display cabinets.”

Helen Pitt said: “My mum used to spend ages looking for matching cups and saucers in the oddments baskets.”

Sean Lane: “As someone else has said, I remember the stern ‘Do not touch ANYTHING’ warning in the entrance.”

Mel Barrington: “We were never allowed in there!!! Had to wait outside.”, a fate that also befell Clare Wainwright.

Polly Smith: “I had shopping lists for my cousin up north.”

Cathey Redmond McKay: “My mom bought 3 tea sets in Pratleys! Brought them home to America.”

Vicky Argenbright: “Loved going in there but dreaded it as I was so clumsy!”

Lynsey Fox: “Best shop ever. I remember being amazed by all the taxidermy and stuff in the back.”

Nigel Davidson: “Mum always went there, l remember right at the back was the best for me, unusual items, even saw a Honda Monkey Bike!”

The most poignant post came from Jessica Laura Sedgley, who wrote: “This is my family business, GR Pratley and sons. We traded for 132 years.”

More than 2,000 people have now joined our We grew up in Worcester page on Facebook.

Why not join the conversation? There are loads of memories being shared and old friendships being renewed.