Gwydir Street Post Office / Roll On Blank Tapes, 2a (1a) Gwydir Street

History of 1a Gwydir Street

Note: throughout its life as a Post Office and Roll On Tapes this was known as 1a Gwydir Street. By 2026 the site (currently derelict) is 2a Gwydir Street, 1a Gwydir Street is now part of what once was the Prince of Wales pub on the east side of the street.

1940’s

Gwydir Street Post Office

It was owned at one time by Miss Flood according to Augusta Markle who lived at 1 Gwydir Street in the 1940’s.

1967 (Kelly)

L Fowler and R J Parker, shopkeepers and post office

1970

L Fowler and R J Parker, shopkeepers and post office

1984

The post office was closed in late 1984/early 1985 along with the Arbury post office as usage was not high enough to justify keeping it open. Mr Habib Khopar, the postmaster, said at the time “We held a very vigorous campaign to get the local population to use the post office and shop and, obviously, people do use it, but not enough.” Cambridge Daily News, 9 August 1984.

1991

Roll On Blank Tapes shop selling blank cassette tapes and other media.

Roll On Tapes advert, Cambridge Town Crier, 1998

Philip Gee, owner (son of Mrs Priscilla Gee who, since the 1940’s, owned H Gee Electrical Shop at 94A Mill Road).
Ian Arbery, manager.

The building was home to the first dinky door (no longer there).

“Our first ever door did disappear but that was only attached with one tiny little screw.” Cambridge Independent, 06.04.2021

The shop closed in May 2002 and remained so for many years.

2024

Roll On Blank Tapes was sold at auction for £184,000 – £59,000 more than its minimum guide price in March 2024.