The demolition of one of Liverpool’s most famous stores has begun as it makes way for residential apartments.
Hughes House on London Road was a part of the famous TJ Hughes chain, which first opened in Liverpool in 1925.
The store’s main site, Audley House, is an impressive structure but Hughes House was much less architecturally distinct, which is one of the reasons plans to redevelop the property were approved by Liverpool City Council in 2019.
Hughes House will be converted into a multi-storey residential building with more than 240 apartments.
Store’s significance to Liverpool
TJ Hughes has been in its current location on London Road since 1925.
The retailer opened up at 13 locations and has remained a popular destination for Liverpool shoppers throughout decades.
Historian Mike Royden told MerseyNewsLive: “TJs was a godsend to those who couldn’t afford the higher costs of other large stores and always carried a range of essential products.
“It was very popular and was always talked about by family and friends along the lines of ‘You’re best going to TJs, much cheaper there, and the lines are just as good’,” he added.
While Hughes House is being demolished, TJ Hughes is still operating out of Audley House next door.
Due to the demolition, part of the surrounding area has been blocked off causing inconvenience to some.
John Cotton, a student living nearby, told Merseynewslive that the increased traffic was making life difficult for him as a visually-impaired person.
