James Pellow – It was formal, but not stuffy

Simon: And what was the structure of the organisation like? Was it quite formal or quite hierarchical?

James: Oh I think it was, but not … I don’t think it was stuffy, probably because we weren’t … the Union Street shop, which was far older, probably was more formal. That was called the Ladies Department and also originally the Children’s Department I think before it moved to Cross Street, but Cross Street, because it was a new shop in many ways, it was less historic in terms of you know, don’t include this, it’s rubbish (laughs) and I think also because the people I was working with. The Children’s Department was next door to me on the ground floor and they were delightful. I spent a lot of time talking to them. Mrs Pope was the Head of the Children’s Department and she was an absolute delight. So, that kind of prevented it being all sort of hushed and formal and …

Simon: And that was part of the offering if you like, was people being looked after one to one.

James: Oh yes, definitely, yes. You had … it wasn’t like ‘Are You Being Served’ but that was the formal way. You know you approached the customers and asked them if you could help and all that kind of thing, you know. So, ‘Are You Being Served’ but you know it was that kind of thing.