THIS heavily-barred bonded warehouse – officially No 1 Duty Free Warehouse – stood in Cooke Lane, with the Salvation Army Citadel on its left, prior to its demolition in 1967. It belonged to E and T Wall, spirit merchants of Hanover Street, storing Mediterranean wines and rum, which needed at least seven years to mature.

Only a customs officer could use the key to what was called the Crown lock, while the firm held a key to a second lock. On Tuesday and Friday mornings the two would combine to allow Walls to transfer stock to its duty paid warehouse in Hanover Street. Operating since the turn of the century, the ground floor of the bonded warehouse could accommodate a dray in a loading bay.

The little man in the dark suit and bowler hat was Mr McVann, once a familiar figure around town.