Bridge of Alford Stores (Former), Bridge of Alford

Single storey with attic, 5-bay, broadly gabled former shop and lodgings with architecturally detailed S gable, windows, roof and interior destroyed by fire. Squared and droved granite courses. Coped, shouldered skews. Plain margins and projecting cills to windows.

James Sheriff's Bridge of Alford Stores was at one time a thriving rural general store and emporium where "sugar and soap to scythes and cattle cake and accounts settled twice yearly at May and Martinmass" and which employed over a dozen staff. Built and run by the Sheriff family for several generations through to the 1960s the complex incorporated the neighbouring villa, Donbank, as their principal living quarters, the store facing the river and the post office to the rear with accommodation for the postmen and shop girls above.

The front parlour to the right of Donbank had at one time an internal connecting door through to the store and was used as a ladies' fitting room for the resident dressmaker during shop hours. The store originally had 2 small, gabled dormers breaking eaves to the E side of which only the cills remain. Besides the social history aspects of the store, the architecturally detailed principal elevation facing the bridge over the Don provides the key visual element in the approach to the village from the south. (Historic Scotland)

October 2010: External inspection finds the building a roofless shell with some of the wallheads missing from the east elevation, but is otherwise sound.

20 August 2013: External inspection finds vegetation growth to the wallheads of the roofless building and the adjoining cottages remain disused.

13 January 2015: A member of the public notes the building is being marketed for sale as part of a larger plot. Ledingham Chalmers is marketing the former shop, the former post office and an adjacent, occupied, villa for sale, offers over £400,000.

1 March 2018: The property remains under marketing for sale, as part of a wider plot including the dwelling Donbank (not at risk), through Ledingham Chalmers at offers over £250,000.

13 March 2020: Local planners advise that this property is now undergoing restoration. Move to Restoration in Progress.

18 June 2021: A planning application has been submitted for change of use from class 1 (shop) to form multi-purpose community building class 11 (assembly and leisure) and class 3 (cafe) (APP/2021/121).