It started life as a humble grocers and drapers shop before turning into a high street staple for more than 150 years until shutting and later incarnations as a Wetherspoon pub and dessert parlour.

Hulburd's stood at the bottom eastern end of Sittingbourne high street and was a popular shop in the town before it closed in 1988.

The store opened some time between the 1820s and 1830s and was run by father and son John and George Tonge – and was originally called John Tonge & Son.

Allen Whitnell, chairman of Sittingbourne Heritage Museum, said that the store was originally a grocers, linen drapers, tallow chandlers and maltsters.

Different partners were taken on over the years, however it got the name we know it as now in 1868, when James Hulburd, from Maidstone took over the business after George Tonge retired.

Allen said: "James Hulburd was described as a canny businessman and the shop prospered. In the 1870s and 1880s, the business began to offer services such as ladies outfitters and dressmaking."

James Hulburd died in 1908, and he passed the shop down to his son, George.

George then sold the business to the last owner, Rex Boucher, in the early 1930s, and at the same time a modern shop-front was built to replace the previous Victorian one.

The 1950s, 60s and 70s were supposedly the peak years for the store, and people viewed it as an important part of the community as they didn't have to travel to buy the things they needed.

Branches of the shop were also open in Herne Bay and Sheerness in the 60s and early 70s.

In 1963 each department in the store was modernised – the grocery and provision department became a food hall, and the fashion floor was made more appealing for younger people.

Nine years later, the shop underwent a major renovation, which included a huge amount of demolition and rebuilding. This new building was three storeys, with display windows on both the ground and first floors.

Allen added: "I remember working on this project as a student labourer, both in the early demolition stages and as the new shop front was installed, which is the one that remains today.

"Purchases made were wrapped in brown paper and tied with tape, and staff addressed each other as Miss or Mrs and Mr."

There was a management buyout in 1985 after the previous owner Rex Boucher died, however this led to a number of departments being shut.

The store ended up closing in January 1988 and has since had a number of businesses take its place. A snooker club was opened on the first floor, and in 1998, a Wetherspoon's moved into the larger part of the ground floor.

The pub, which was called The Summoner, moved out in 2016 and there is now a Kaspa's dessert restaurant on the ground floor.

Sally Wright, who is now retired, moved to Sittingbourne in 1969, and recalls the shop was "still going strong then".

The 71-year-old said: "I used to love to walk around the beautiful old shop, I was newly married so I couldn't afford to buy anything, I just looked.

"The clothes were absolutely lovely and I seem to remember that there were creaky floors.

"All of the staff were polite and attentive, and it was the sort of place I would go to if I wanted to buy a special present for someone.

"When I went I would always look at all the household things, and the ornaments. It was a little wonderland."

What do you remember of the department store before it closed? Email sittingbourne@thekmgroup.co.uk