Many, many years ago, long before Sainsbury's store reared it's head, the Express dairy inhabited the area in what was and still is called Walters Yard.
The only piece of that history which remains is the footpath that cuts through from behind Sainsbury's to the high street.
Going back in time there was a small shop there which sold incense, patchouli oil and similar items; items which today would earn it the title "Head shop". This was the nascent FootPath Candles

Also lost in the architectural mists of time, before the hideous edifice that is Boots and the back end of the Glades rose up, there was a wonderfully art deco department store, about 4 stories high which was the Co-op.
Nowadays it probably would have a preservation order on it but......
Anyway when the Co-op moved out the store was converted into a multi stall outlet and it was to this that Footpath Candles moved.

Of course eventually the developers moved in and all the interesting small businesses had to move on.

Footpath candles then moved into a series of stalls in the Bromley Mall, outside what is now the Pound shop.
The range of items had grown and now encompassed all things (I baulk at the words but...)'new age', 'Hippy', Ethnic, but always varied and interesting.

Then eventually the business set up it's permanent home in the Mall at numbers 28 & 30. And there it has been for many years.
I couldn't hazard a guess at how many people have passed through the doors of this wondrous emporium over the years.

However all good things come to an end and sadly this weekend sees the closure of this Bromley landmark store as the proprietors take their well earned retirement.

Things have come and things have gone in Bromley.
Some for the good some for the worse but Footpath Candles and Crafts will always, in my opinion at least, be a memory of far better, quieter, more caring times.

A very happy retirement to Martyn & Pan