OUR latest dip into the archives by our librarian Odele Ayres looks back at the closure of the Boots store in Broadway, Bradford.

This popular high street brand has always had a presence in the city - it currently has stores in The Broadway shopping centre, Hall Ings, in the Forster Square retail park in Valley Road and in the Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Darley Street.

Coincidentally when Boots opened its store in the long awaited The Broadway shopping centre, which opened in November 2015, it returned to its roots as the store is close to this Broadway branch where staff are pictured on the final day before it closed.

The report in the Telegraph & Argus at the time told how the 18 year old chemists store would no longer dispense prescriptions and talked about the final items to be sold - a Bubble Bath Hand Grenade and a bottle of Curler Twink - before the shop closed its doors..

Interestingly, Curler Twink will evoke fond memories for those readers who fondly recall creating curly styles in the comfort of their own homes with this popular brand of home perming kit.

According to the T&A report more than 70 full-time and part-time staff were working at the shop. Some were being employed at other branches of Boots but for one worker, Mrs Muriel Longbottom, it marked the start of her retirement - to Bridlington.

Mrs Longbottom had worked for the store for 41 years. Also featured in the article was 68 year old Alan England who was photographed sweeping the store for the final time.

The original Broadway branch opened on May 11 1961 replacing the Kirkgate branch which opened in 1901. This particular branch closed on October 25 1979.

It was the 10th biggest boots in Britain. Also pictured in the article are other members of staff as they left their workplace for the final time.