Category: Around And About Warminster

Information and pictures for locations in the parish of Warminster, Wiltshire, featuring streets, buildings, shops, views, etc.

Opening Of Paws For A Pamper

Thursday 25th September 2025

Paws For A Pamper will be opening this Friday, 26th September 2025, 10am – 2pm. We are keeping our day quiet so it would be the perfect opportunity for you to pop in and have a look at the new salon. Georgie and Ruby will also be taking bookings / answering any questions✨

Finding the new unit-

The address for the unit is- Unit W1, Swan Business Centre, Stephens Way, Warminster Business Park, Warminster, BA12 8GH.

If you turn in to Screwfix and keep going straight, we are the first unit on the left😊

Our what3words is blog.doing.mailboxes

We can’t wait to welcome you all in.

Paws For A Pamper:
Professional dog groomer offering your much loved dogs grooming services. City and guilds qualified and pet first aid trained. We also have a onsite shop stocking everything your dogs LOVE.

Unit W1, Swan Business Centre, Stephens Way, Warminster Business Park, Warminster, BA12 8GH.

 Telephone 07490 394399

www.facebook.com/Pawssforapamper

www.instagram.com/pawsforapamper/p/DPB9A_EDJfD/

Splash Pad Closing For The Winter

Tuesday 23rd September 2025

From the Facebook page of Warminster Town Park:

The popular splash pad in Warminster’s Lake Pleasure Grounds will close on Sunday 28th September after a busy summer season serving tens of thousands of visitors.

The popular outdoor free water play area has been open daily from 10am to 5pm since Saturday 26th April.

A Warminster Town Council spokesperson said: “We are delighted we’ve had another super season where the splash pad has successfully operated throughout the year.

“The splash pad in Lake Pleasure Grounds continues to be an important part of Warminster and is loved by locals and visitors. We are delighted that thousands of people enjoyed the community asset, and we thank the public for respecting the rules.”

There is still plenty for all the family to enjoy in the Lake Pleasure Grounds including the exciting Pumpkins in the Park event on Wednesday 29th October.

Tennis courts and pickleball courts remain open. To book either a tennis or pickleball court you’ll need to register with the LTA here and then book via Clubspark. Courts need to be booked online prior to arrival.

More than 45,000 visitors visited the Lake Pleasure Grounds in August 2025. The splash pad will return to serve the community in 2026.

The Baby Shop & Schooldays, Warminster

Tuesday 23rd September 2025

Danny Howell writes:

The Baby Shop & Schooldays at 7 George Street, Warminster, photographed by me on Sunday 7th August 2014, when it was in the process of closing down.

The business had traded in these same premises for 56 years. There had previously been a small shop here with living accommodation, occupied by a Mr. Perry. He ran a boot and shoe-repairing business here. But in 1958 he let the shop to Diana Turner (nee Ball), and her sister-in-law Kitty Woods (nee Turner). They began by selling children’s clothes. Mr. Perry died during the early part of 1966, which made the purchase of the premises possible and allowed Diana and Kitty to enlarge the shop space and add prams and nursery goods to the stock. Knitting wools and accessories also proved popular with the customers. Sadly, Kitty passed away during the latter part of 1968. She was only 45. Diana then continued as a sole trader.

My father, Ben Howell used his carpentry and joinery skills to make the shop signage and also the stairs inside the shop. Diana’s husband Bernard did a lot of improvement work on the shop over the years too.

Diana and Bernard lived at Victoria Road for many years. Bernie passed away in April 1997. Diana, now aged 90, is now resident at Ashwood Care Centre, Warminster. My mother, Gwen Howell, was Diana’s older sister.

My mother Gwen Howell worked at the Baby Shop during the 1970s and early 1980s. Celia Harris from Bishopstrow worked there in more recent years. I’m sure Margaret Moody also worked there, and if my memory serves me right Amy Powell worked for Diana too.

Of course, over those 56 years of business Diana saw generations of Warminster folks – the parents who shopped here in the 1950s and 1960s, then their children when grown up and starting families of their own in the 1970s and 1980s and 1990s, and of course some of the mothers who shopped here in the early days came again many years later to buy things for their grandchildren.

The premises today are those of Sweetman & White, traditional upholsterers.

Space Available At Warminster Sports Centre

Wednesday 17th September 2025

A message from Warminster Sports Centre:

We currently have space in our Main Hall available between 17.00 – 18.00 on a Tuesday & Thursday. Perfect for Indoor Football, Badminton, Pickleball, Marshal Arts, Short Tennis.

Available to book as a one off or as a long term booking. Call us on 01985 212946 to enquire.

Two Stalwarts Of Warminster Carnival

Tuesday 16th September 2025

Two stalwarts of Warminster Carnival, namely John Rich and his partner Pam Mitchell. The photo was taken at their home at Bread Street (or should I say Lower Bread Street?) on Friday 2nd November 2001.

If you are eagle-eyed you may notice that John is holding a quiz sheet and a gift voucher card, and Pam is holding a book: Thorburn’s Birds by Archibald Thorburn (edited by James Fisher). Back in the good old days I used to organise a lot of quizzes and treasure hunts, for fun and to raise funds for local charities and community projects. On this occasion I had put out a postal quiz, the answers to which were all birds’ names. John and Pam achieved the most correct answers and won the first prize which included the voucher and the book. I wasn’t surprised they won, as John was a keen quizzer and sometimes organised quizzes himself.

John was a builder and handyman. He died earlier this year, only a few weeks ago. The last time I saw him he was dog walking with his daughter and grandson (from Swindon) at Gooseacre Lane, down at Smallbrook.

Pam married David Mitchell in 1962. Pam was well known – she worked in Woolworths at High Street, Warminster, for many years. Pam and I found ourselves together on many occasions – one that particular stands out is when we met Matt Baker from BBC tv’s Countryfile, we both had our photographs taken with him. I knew Pam’s parents very well too – Fred Byrne and Nora Byrne (nee Turner), from Ash Walk.

Pam died during 2022. I remember, at her funeral at the Minster Church on Monday 26th September 2022, everyone who attended was given a packet of forget-me-not seeds with a message on the packet which read: “In loving memory of Pam Mitchell, 23 July 1939 – 28 August 2022. Please plant these seeds and grow them in memory of Pam.”

Simon Harvey – Taken From Us Far Too Soon

Monday 15th September 2025

Danny Howell writes:

Here’s a photo that serves as a reminder that photographers should always have their cameras ready, because you never know who or what is going to come into view. On 23rd August 2016 I was walking from the Market Place, crossing the entrance to Carson’s Yard, when who should come down East Street on a motorbike, than Simon Harvey. He called out “Danny, how are you doing?” to me and I quickly took his picture. Can anyone identify this yellow motorcycle? Do you, like me, have fond memories of Simon? He was taken from us, far too soon.

Recording An Alternative History Of Warminster

Saturday 13th September 2025

At dannyhowell net we don’t always go for the obvious when it comes to preserving photographs of Warminster. Here’s a prime example of an unusual view but it does show something that might have otherwise gone unrecorded.

It’s a photograph taken in 1995, of the view south-west from the footbridge at Warminster Railway Station. On the left is the Baden Powell Scout Hut. Adjacent is a building (black sides, white doors and windows, and a grey roof) in the north east corner of the grounds of the Avenue Primary School.

This particular building I’m told was the dining room/ sandwiches room at the Avenue School, where children ate their lunchtime sandwiches. The building burnt down in a fire (started accidentally) circa 1997. In the background can be seen the drill tower at Warminster Fire Station.

I suppose the questions we should be asking about this pic are: Did you attend the Avenue School during the 1980s and early 1990s up to 1997 and if so did you eat sandwiches in the building pictured? What was in your favourite sandwiches? Who prepared the sandwiches? Who were the “dinner ladies”? You get the gist, we’re trying to record an alternative history – the nitty gritty – of our hometown and what really went on.

Looking Back At Music Man

Friday 12th September 2025

Danny Howell writes:
We are all familiar today with Backhouse Bet at 7 Market Place Warminster (by the traffic lights opposite the junction of Market Place and Weymouth Street) (correction to original post) but back in August 1986 when I took this photo, the premises were occupied by Music Man, They sold vinyl albums and cassette tapes.

The biggest selling albums in the UK chart at that time included Madonna – True Light; Five Star – Silk And Steel; Simply Red – Picture Book; Wham – The Final; AHA – Hunting High And Low; Sique Sique Sputnik – Flaunt It; Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms; Queen – A Kind Of Magic; The Communards – The Communards; Prince And The Revolution – Parade; Chris de Burgh – Into The Light; Eurythmics – Revenge; Lionel Ritchie – Dancing On The Ceiling; and Various Artists – That’s What I Call Music 7.

I remember going with a friend who wanted to buy and listen to something different and new to him. He chose Genesis, Invisible Touch. He took it home and played it and hated it! He took it back to Music Man and they refunded him his money.

The cost of a vinyl album back then was about £4.99. It has to be said that most people at that time preferred to buy cassette tapes.

All seemed to be going well for Music Man in Warminster but one night a person or persons went through that wooden door to the right of the shop and out of sight in the passageway gained access through a window in the side wall to the shop. A police report said the entire stock of the shop was stolen. That was the end of Music Man in Warminster – they never restocked after the robbery and closed for good.

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