The blueprint for Rainham Shopping Centre was developed during the 1960s as part of a grand plan to revitalise the centre of Rainham and make it pedestrianised by building a bypass to take the A2 traffic away from the town. Until then shops had been spread out along the A2 and Station Road with the associated difficulties of deliveries and parking for customers which continue today!

The scheme went through many iterations from its intial airing in 1965 through a public enquiry and eventually only being partially completed. Similar plans for other parts of the Medway Towns were implemented with varying degrees of success so it's a moot point whether it was a good or bad decision overall.

The map below is the 1972 version following public enquiry

While the plans for just the shopping centre were approved the rest of the changes such as shutting the A2 for pedestrians and bypassing the centre were put on hold. The shopping centre plans required the demolition of the church school at the top of Station Road (see Church School Demolition 1977 (Station Road now Rainham Shopping Centre) and some businesses that were on the A2 opposite Orchard Street. This 1950s photo shows the area now covered by Rainham Shopping Centre. The woods are some of the shops and car park. The church school is to the right of the old Barclays Bank. The large house (Conningsby House) opposite Orchard Street was now demolished and the forge/car dealership was also demolished to make way for the pedestrian entrance to the shops from the A2.

 The map below shows the plan for the shops at the time they opened in 1978. All the darker grey roofed buildings are the new ones built for the shopping centre.

Below: Rainham Church school that was demolished to make way for the shopping centre

Below:  The Church School at the top of Station Road was demolished to make way for the centre. More photos here: Church School Demolition 1977 (Station Road now Rainham Shopping Centre)

Below: Construction of the shopping centre in 1977

Below: Rainham Shopping centre under construction 1977

Below: The shopping centre in 1983 looking towards Holding Street. Note that the shops where Boyce's bakers are now haven't been built at this stage.

Aerial view of Rainham Shopping Centre in 1984

Below: Shopping centre in 1987 looking towards Station Road. Star burger became the Star Grill.

The blueprint of the Rainham Plan was finally abandoned some 30 years after being proposed when the land reserved for the bypass, the Rainham Southern Relief Road was released for development in 1997. This led to the building of the houses in Gatekeeper Chase as well as the Millennium Centre behind St Margaret's church. The Missing Rainham Bypass - Rainham Southern Relief Road

Below: Photo of Rainham Shopping Centre in 2003

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The Concord was opened on Guy Fawkes Day, November 5th, 1969 by Lord Cornwallis, who was chairman of the Whitbread brewery as well as Lord Lieutenant of the County. An entirely new building designed on lines to blend with the surrounding estate in Wakeley Road. It was named the “Concord” in honour of the latest aircraft which was undergoing its trials at the time. Mr H Woodman was the first landlord of the new Concorde pub. An interesting feature is that the original inn sign showed the English spelling “Concord” on one side and the French “Concorde” on the reverse side. The Wakeley family are also honoured by the fact that what would be the public bar is named after them. I remember going there after finishing work at the Co-op Supermarket in Rainham Shopping precinct in the late 1980s and enjoying a few pints before staggering home!

The pub was later renamed as Concorde and from 2021 it was known as the Rainham Arms after a big refurbishment and rebranding.

The Concorde in 2008, Photo below by N Chadwick

The Concorde in 2014, Photo below by Chris Whippet

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This original article was published in the February 1972 edition of Action Forum magazine. Out of the 3 pubs mentioned only one is still operating in the original building although under the new name of the Rainham Arms instead of the Concord. The Cherry Orchard is no more and is now an Indian restaurant. The Railway is still a pub having been closed for a number of years but the building has been completely redesigned behind the original facade and now operated by JD Wetherspoon.

Rainham Boozers in 1972

As history starts from yesterday and goes back in time so also does our study of local hostelries, we start our tour by visiting the more recently established licenced houses.

Before setting out however, we tried to get a little background history from the local libraries. Much to our disgust we found that the pages dealing with Rainham had been torn out and taken from the record books, both at Rainham and Gillingham. Now that the culprit has had time to digest the information might we appeal to him (or her) to please restore these vital documents to the library.

Rainham’s latest licenced house was opened on Guy Fawkes Day, November 5th, 1969. An entirely new building designed on lines to blend with the surrounding estate in Wakeley Road. It has been named the “Concord” in honour of the latest aircraft which was undergoing its trials at the time. An interesting feature is that the inn sign shows the English spelling “Concord” on one side and the French “Concorde” on the reverse side. The Wakeley family are also honoured by the fact that what would be the public bar is named after them.

February 1872, “Meet you in the Cherry Orchard tonight love”. February 1972, “See you at the Cherry Orchard tonight, old sport”. That is the only link in the past that we could find in connection with the newest of Rainham's pubs. “The Cherry Orchard” named in compliment to the orchards which once existed nearby was built four years ago at the edge of Dean Wood and overlooking the Parkwood Estate. Modern colonial style in structure with picture windows, it is well equipped and with plenty of room both inside and on the terraces. Only the “Bunnies” were missing.

The photo below shows the Railway Hotel in 1981 during the annual pram race showing the Courage beer sign.

Although not perhaps the next most modern house, we found ourselves at the “Railway Hotel” in Station Road. Most railway stations have a Hotel, Inn, Tavern or Arms etc adjacent, this being comparable to the older post houses where travellers might obtain rest, food and drink. The “Railway” a little over a hundred years old was originally a Temperance Hotel established when reformers were trying hard to curb the growth of drunkeness. The railway lines to Thanet had only recently been completed and Rainham Village around the station was beginning to grow. Accommodation, food and ginger beer was provided for travellers and locals. However the teetotaler, being one who suffered from thirst instead of enjoying it, had to seek an alternative rendezvous for at the beginning of the century the Temperance Hotel was no more. The building was taken over, brought up to date, and renamed the “Railway Hotel” with a licence to sell intoxicants. After the First World War when new licencing laws were brought in and the village still further developed, things went ahead. Today after further modernisation the railway has made the “Railway” a favourite call for commuters to enjoy their thirst or partake of their deobstruent. The “Railway Hotel” is also the present headquarters of the Rainham Motoring Club.

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Local Parks by Norman Rogers (Vice-Chairman Parks & Cemeteries)

The Editor of Action Forum has kindly offered space in the magazine for me to outline the present situation in Gillingham in general and Rainham and Wigmore in particular with respect to parks and open spaces and to give you some idea of future developments. Firstly the Borough has a total of 270 acres, 3 acres per thousand of population, of parks, open spaces and playing fields, not including those playing fields owned by the Ministry of Defence that are used by some clubs in the town. This is about 60% of the desirable acreage which, taking into ‘account the ease of population growth and the difficulty of land purchase for public open space, is fairly creditable if not a reason for complacency.

In Rainham and Wigmore there are seven locations with two more in the course of development. ( The old idea of a formal park has not and indeed, in my opinion, will not be followed in the future. “Keep off the Grass” signs are very old hat. No! Public open space in future is best typified by Wigmore Park. At the present you can admire the work of our horticulturalists, kick a ball about, walk the dog, fly your kite, swing the kids silly or just sit and think. You’ll not find opening and closing times either.

All this will apply at the other end of Maidstone Road, at Cozenton Park, when the park is finished. There are two recreation grounds in Rainham. One, the largest, off Station Road and the other, Rye Top, near the Rainham/Wigmore boundary and the two childrens play areas at Holding Street Rainham, and Edwards Close Wigmore. Last of all, during the summer, ‘cricket lovers can watch some enjoyable games at the ground in Berengrave Lane.

So much for the present. But what of the future‘? Like any other aspect of life one cannot stand still, you can only go forward or backward. Gillingham intends to go forward. There are plans, ideas, proposals and even dreams extending many years ahead and it is these that I would like to tell you about in my next article.

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