Jane Gibbs focuses on her memories of her father’s work for Pack and Cullifords, as well as her personal experiences with the store.

Her father, Leonard Simmonds, worked for the company in the 1960s, primarily handling building repairs and maintenance for David Guy. He also helped construct elaborate Carnival floats for the store, a form of marketing at the time.

Jane recalls her father’s respectful relationship with the Guy family, and how everything in the store was held to a very high standard. Jane also shares her personal experiences shopping at Packs, describing the store as high-end, with one-of-a-kind items, excellent window displays, not forgetting the well-known café called The Coffee Bean.

She recounts memories of buying shoes and hosiery there, and how the store was seen as a prestigious place to shop, catering to upper-middle-class customers.

Additionally, Jane shares details of her father’s meticulous record-keeping and the respectful, formal atmosphere between staff and clients. She emphasises the store’s legacy of quality, class and exclusivity on the Isle of Wight.