Famous former Cook's department store can be turned into flats, says planning chief

A developer wants to demolish a rear wing on the premises, and replace it with a new building.

The ground floor frontage of the building will be retained for retail use, but the rear of the building and first floor will be converted into apartments.

Cook's department store was opened by Samuel Cook in 1819, but finally closed its doors in April, 1988.

In more recent years, the upper floors and rear of the building have been occupied by a nightclub and pool hall, with the two smaller retailer units retained on the frontage. At the moment they are used by a chicken restaurant and a convenience store.

Head of planning Carl Mellor gave the go-ahead for the scheme, on condition that work began within three years.

Planning officer Thomas Morris said the scheme would see the creation of four ground-floor flats at the rear of the building, fronting King Street, and eight more across the first floor. There would also be a landscaped podium courtyard at first-floor level, he added.

Mr Morris said the High Street frontage of the building would be renovated, with an entrance providing access to the flats.

The plans make no provision for car parking, and Mr Morris said the scheme had 'some shortcomings' with regard to windows, noise and privacy.

But he added: "The minor shortcomings of the proposal in terms of residential amenity and parking has been considered against the benefits of the proposal in retaining a sizeable building in the town centre back in a positive use through the provision of 12 flats and commercial space, alongside the visual improvements to the building in terms of enhancing the front and rear elevations to the benefit of the building and the surrounding area," he said. "Overall, the benefits of the proposal are therefore considered to outweigh the harm."

Famous department store still fondly remembered

It may have been gone for 35 years, but Cook's department store is still remembered fondly by many in the town.

It was founded at Gibraltar House in High Street by Samuel Cook in 1819.

But as business boomed, far from becoming part of the establishment, Cook became a radical Chartist who frequently clashed with the Government and church, but became popular with miners and nailers in Dudley.

With his stern look, piercing eyes and mutton-chop whiskers he was a rebel prepared to joust with authority.

Some of the causes he fought for included early closing for shops, equality of women, miners being paid a fair wage, for every man to have the vote and for anyone, rich or poor, to be able to stand for parliament.

In 1827 he was arrested and charged with libel. He had plastered the town with posters calling for better pay for miners and nailers, sparking riots in the town.

Cook was charged with ‘writing and publishing in his shop window at Dudley certain false, seditious and scandalous libels tending to inflame the minds and alienate the affections of the people of His Majesty the King and the excite them to traitorous insurrections against the government’.

Travelling home, after facing a judge at Worcester Assizes, Samuel was met at Stourbridge by a horse-drawn carriage, a brass band and a huge crowd of cheering people.

By the time Dudley’s Top Church came into view, 40,000 of his supporters had joined the procession, including hundreds of miners and nailers.

A devout Christian, he nevertheless campaigned for voting rights against church rates, and actually refused to pay them himself.

He helped to form the Dudley Political Union and he contested the Wolverhampton seat for parliament in 1847. He also gave several speeches on the equality of women during the 1855 General Election and continued his political work until his death in 1861.

After Samuel’s death the business was eventually passed on to his grandson Frederick William Cook, whose name was on the front of the shop until it closed in 1988.

Frederick, too, took a leading role in public life in the town. But he took a somewhat more conventional approach, and became Mayor of Dudley in 1906.

The shop saw considerable expansion in the 1960s, when new departments were created.”

A newspaper report from 1974 said: "Ladies will find almost everything to suit their needs on the first two floors of Cook’s, ranging from handbags and belts to fabrics, fashions, underwear, school uniforms, hats, furniture, bedding, floor coverings and numerous other interesting items.

"There is no need to dice with the traffic and rush from shop to shop to get your purchases. Here, they are all under one roof."

The shop had a popular coffee lounge where 'a man can relax with his paper while his wife browses round the store.' It remained a popular meeting place in the town well into the 1980s, with the rocking horse a big draw for youngsters.

It was last managed by Olwen Eldridge, daughter of Geoffrey Cook.

It was acquired by Magnet Plc with plans to open a kitchen showroom, but the scheme never came to fruition.