Most photographs of the Fish Pond are taken from a different angle, with the Grand Pavilion (now the Mining Museum) as a backdrop, so this photograph is unusual as it shows the row of three shops on the opposite side of the road that are next to the Fish Pond Hotel (not in the picture). The fish food dispenser, mentioned on other pages on this web site, is on the left.

The large building at the far end of the pond was for many years Boden's Restaurant. In 1929 a major fire on the premises meant that the building had to be demolished and where the building had stood became part of the Grand Pavilion's car park. So the picture here pre-dates the 1932 postal date by several years.

Whilst the photograph below is perhaps not showing the building at its best, as the facade is covered with scaffolding poles and boards when it was taken, it shows the shop in this parade that at one time was run by Harry Gill. Mr. Gill was perhaps better known during his lifetime as being a local photographer and collector.

In the postcard above Gill's shop is slightly obscured but was the left one of the three in the little parade, behind the man standing next to the fish food dispenser. In the 1950s and 60s the other shopkeepers were Tommy and Connie Lound, who sold toys and newspapers, and Mr. and Mrs. Bert Gregory who sold chocolates and sweets in the shop at the far end at what was known as the Beehive Cafe. Tommy Lound's shop was a wonderland for small children; he specialized in electric trains and for some years mounted exhibitions in the Grand Pavilion.