Savacentre/Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre 30th Anniversary

Hempstead Valley Shopping centre (aka Savacentre) near Gillingham Kent was constructed in the late 1970s just outside the village of Hempstead. It opened on 17th October 1978 so has celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2008. These photos showing the construction of Hempstead Valley were kindly sent by Chris Shade. You can see the large sign showing the original name of Savacentre. A current photo of Savacentre is shown on the Hempstead Valley website

There is currently (2010) a proposal to redevelop the Hempstead Valley shopping centre to modernise areas of it. You can view the proposal on the Hempstead Valley website here When it is completed in 2015 it will make a huge difference to the appeal of the centre as a shopping destination.

What may seem commonplace now was groundbreaking in 1978 as there were very few other out of town shopping centres of this size at the time. Hempstead Valley was the second Savacentre (Washington Tyne & Wear opened in 1977). At the time of opening Savacentre was one of the largest out of town shopping centres in the South East. The original Picnic Parlour was the first Food Court in the UK. You can see more info about Sainsburys Savacentre here

When originally opened the main shop was Sainsburys Savacentre, the brand they originally created for their large hypermarkets. At the time Sainsburys was by far the largest supermarket in the UK with Tesco trailing far behind – a far cry from the current situation with Tesco leading the field. The originally Hempstead Valley offered 250,000 square feet of shopping space but when the centre was redeveloped in the early 1990s with an extension and new shops like M&S being added, this was increased to 330,000 square feet.

The challenge is to remember all the original shops that were there when the centre opens….Sainsburys, Presto (which then became Safeway) - but which others?
So far the following shops have been suggested for the original opening

NSS (Newsagents) then became Forbuoys
Our Price
Post Office (not one of the original shops) 
Sainsburys Savacentre
Boots
Thomas Cook 
Presto Supermarket
Wimpy Burger Bar
Spud-U-Like

Later additions when the extension was added in early 1990s were WHSmith, Marks & Spencer.

Notice in the aerial shot the area to the bottom right which was developed for large housing estates shortly after the shot was taken.

Photos on this page are clickable to view higher resolution versions.

• Looking towards Savacentre Hempstead Valley from roundabout
  Petrol station would be to middle right of photo
• Looking towards Hempstead Valley from Sharsted Way 
  Underground car park to right of shot, Abbey to left of shot
• Looking towards Hempstead Valley from roundabout
  Petrol station would be to middle right of photo
• Looking towards Hempstead Valley from Sharsted Way
  Underground car park to right of shot, Abbey to left of shot
• Aerial photo of Hempstead Valley Savacentre 1980
  Sharsted Way runs along left hand side of photo joining A278 in bottom left corner. Hempstead Valley Drive runs along top and right side of photo.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link bridge across River Medway

Although not directly affecting Rainham as the line passes some miles away, these images give a good impression of the impact of the CTRL line on the Kentish landscape of Channel Tunnel Rail Link bridge across River Medway. This also shows the construction of the new motorway bridge built to expand the M2 motorway to four lanes each direction across the River Medway which widened the motorway between junctions 1 and 4 in early 2003.

Medway Bridges, 2002

 Photos of Rainham People from Bygone Times. These photos of various Rainham residents over the years have been sent in by readers of the site. If you have any photos that you would like to send in please email copies to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

William Keutenius Chief Fire Officer between Wars (Photo:Paul Stevens)	George and Martha Cory,taken in their garden on Henry Street,Rainham about 1910. George Cory worked for Ebby Kemp in the workshops behind the Kemp's house. His specialty was making coffins. (Photo: Dave Cory Dennis)
Henry E.Dennis and Elizabeth S.Wells' wedding group taken at the home of William and Amelia Dennis, Plumtree House, Lower Rainham Road ,in 1899. Henry E.Dennis and Elizabeth S.Wells farmed at Eschol Farm,Hoo. Most of the relatives in the photo were farmers : Will Dennis :Weavering Street,Maidstone. Tom Dennis : Natal Farm,Otterham. James Edmonds : York Farm,Twydall & Fant Farm,Maidstone. Willie Edmonds : Rede Court,Strood. William Edmonds' family : Bendigo Farm, Higham. John Talbot :Jackmans Farm,Bowers Gifford,Essex. (Photo: Dave Cory Dennis)	“Peter and Ellen Emma (née Barrow) Edmonds with their son, Peter Leonard Edmonds (standing), in the garden of their home in retirement on Birling Avenue, Rainham, taken about 1953    {Source: Peter D. Edmonds)"   I can attest to the accuracy of this caption because I took the photograph.