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Ravel Shoe Shop Croydon

For many years we had a shoe shop in Croydon called "Ravel". Or "Chaussures Ravel" to use it's full poncy moniker.

I worked there on Saturdays, 9am until 6pm. For £10. It was the 80s.

The shop, and indeed the chain, is long gone. Marks & Spencer took over the space sometime in the 90s. What was once the upstairs men's department is now the M&S cafe, looking out over North End and Poplar Walk. I occasionally have a cheeky latte in the cafe and am taken back over 30 years to when I worked there.

The shape of the cafe, tucked into the corner of the building, is fairly distinctive. I can still picture it as Ravel and remember the layout of the sales racks, the stockroom and the little staff kitchen, even after all these years. It sends a pleasant shiver of recognition down my spine whenever I go there.

As well as the shop topology, I still remember a few of the staff.

Beverley Harris was a good friend and we stayed in contact for many years but lost touch in the 90s. I'd love to know what Bev is doing today and if she made her way in art and design.

I remember Vince Skeffington and our Horror All-Nighters at the ABC. Vince introduced me to the writing of Graham Masterton (a horror author whom I would later get to meet and interview in my days running Croydon Radio).

There are other names that spring to mind...

It was a fun few years working Saturdays in a busy and popular shop. We had some great laughs amongst ourselves and even had a few celebrities come through the door.

I suppose the real purpose of this page is to serve as a placeholder. If Bev or Vince should one day google "Ravel Croydon", they'll hopefully land here and, who knows, perhaps get in touch! I'd love to catch up with them again after all these years.

Let's wait and see, shall we?

Posted by Tim Longhurst on Sat 29 Dec 2018.
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