History of Carfax Buildings
1–7 Old High Street
The above range of shops was given the name "Carfax Buildings" when it was built in the 1930s. The shops now occupied by the present Chancellor’s Estate Agents were 1 and 2 Carfax Buildings; La Croissanterie was 3 and 4; and Monaco was 5.
In the 1940s Old High Street was renumbered and the shops were no longer Carfax Buildings. The shop on the far right was 1 Old High Street ; the next shop 3; the shops now occupied by La Croissanterie 5 and 7; and the shop now occupied by Monaco 9. Just to confuse matters, the shops were renumbered again in the 1950s, and yet again in 1970.
To avoid confusion, the numbers shown below for the block of four matching shops are those used today, and the building on the right is omitted, as it is now deemed to be part of London Road.
The shop on the right of the group of four has been attached to 107 London Road on the corner since the 1940s, when Wild & Steele, the wireless engineers who had a shop on the London Road since 1934, expanded around the corner. In 1990 Chancellor’s Estate Agents obtained planning permission to change both shops from A1 (retail) to Class 2 (estate agent): 90/00952/NF.
| Date | 7 Old High Street | 5 Old High Street | 3 Old High Street | 1 Old High Street |
| 1935 | Miss G.M. Durham Fruiterer |
Eyles & Pledge Ladies hairdressers |
Buckell & Ballard Estate Agents |
Edward Corby Tobacconist |
| 1947–1954 | Bollom’s of Bristol Ltd Dry cleaners |
Part of Wild & Steele Wireless engineers |
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| 1954–1967 | Berry’s Bakery | |||
| 1968 | Part of Sydney Atkinson Radio engineers |
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| 1976 | Miranda | Part of Loyds retailers Radio dealers |
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| 1980 | ? | Part of Wigfall's | ||
| 1983 | Ragtag | ? | Part of Dixon's | |
| 1989 | ? | Part of Chancellor’s Estate Agents |
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| 1993 | ? | ? | ||
| By 1996–present | Monaco | La Croissanterie | ||