See how Southwold's pier and High Street have changed since 2009

Southwold is a popular seaside town on the Suffolk Heritage Coast, boasting a historic pier, the Adnams brewery and original Two Magpies bakery.

Here we take a look at the changes to Southwold since 2009, remembering shops and businesses the town has lost.

Southwold pier

Southwold's popular pier has definitely had a lick of paint (or two) since the original photographs were taken for Google Maps back in 2009.

Though the pier has an artistic new sign, and lost its flag pole, there haven't been any major changes, aside from the colour of the building.

The historic pier was originally build in 1900, and has had various refurbishments over the years – the most recent was completed in 2001.

What has changed on Southwold High Street?

Now one of Suffolk's most well known bakeries, the first Two Magpies first popped up in Southwold in 2012.

If you are on the High Street you may want to take a minute to admire their street art on the wall – something that wasn't there in 2009.

Next door, in what was shoe shop Daddy Longlegs, is now national retailer Mountain Warehouse.

On the subject of bakeries, if you venture further along the High Street, within a stone's-throw of Southwold's Adnams brewery you will find The Cornish Bakery, which is due to open in Bury St Edmunds this spring.

In 2009, the now bakery, part of a national chain, was a café and tearoom called Trinity's.

Lost banks and building societies

The centre of Southwold in 2009 compared with in 2022, highlights the number of banks and building societies that have left Suffolk's town centres in the last decade.

In the older photograph you will see the Norwich & Peterborough Building Society, which has now been replaced by a business of a different type – Suffolk Secrets, a holiday cottage letting company.

By 2022 the large building in the Market Place which used to house Lloyds TSB was standing empty.

Changes in Station Road

The Google Maps photographs comparing 2011 and 2021, show a marked difference in Station Road with a railway shop and pub replaced with a pop up bakehouse and restaurant space and fun accessories shop.

In 2017, The Southwold Railway shop moved to its new home at the Steamworks in Blyth Road.

The former railway shop has now become The Box - a bakehouse shop, it also hosts guest pop ups from different foodie companies from around the area.

Next door the building which was once The Kings Head has been transformed into shop Max Southwold, which sells furniture.

Developments at Southwold Putting Green

Since 2009, the putting green in Southwold has seen the addition of a new cafe, where customers can sit outside and enjoy the sunshine.

A nearby phone box has seen a change too, and is now home to a defibrillator.