Shopping in South Woodham Ferrers
South Woodham Ferrer's main shopping centre is located in the purpose-built town centre with parking provision and pedestrianised walkways. The main Asda car park has a 3-hour limit. There is another good-sized car park behind Asda near Club Woodham and Inchbonnie Road. The parking provision in town has not kept in line with housing development, hence there is a shortage. A parade of shops in Warwick Parade, at the station end of Clements Green Road, includes a Spar, Munchies Cafe (opens at 7:00am), a Helen Rollason charity shop, a butcher’s and dry cleaners. Additional independent shops are scattered about the town.
One Stop in Hullbridge Road, CM3 5NG, is open long hours from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm and includes a pharmacy, post-office counter, newsagents and general groceries.
The main shopping centre is dominated by a large Asda supermarket, which provides almost all daily essentials at competitive prices. The staff are incredibly helpful and friendly - greeting customers appears to be part of their training programme. The store also offers a 24 hour petrol filling station with payment by card only.
A diverse variety of specialist shops, restaurants, banks and offices can be found in the pedestrianised streets leading from Queen Elizabeth II Square, beyond Asda. Some of these are real gems that provide goods and services to equal or surpass the competition elsewhere.
A Co-op supermarket opened on the site of a former snooker hall in Baron's Road in April 2018.
Post Offices
There are still two working post offices in South Woodham Ferrers, one in the town centre and the other inside One Stop in Hullbridge Road.
Shopping in South Woodham Ferrers reflects modern life and the fact that many of us do most of our shopping online. Supermarket delivery vans, Amazon and couriers regularly transport purchases to individual homes. There are two large supermarkets: Asda in the town centre and Sainsbury’s which is currently on the edge of town(until the new planned housing estates are built around it). Not far from Asda in the town centre is a small Co-Op store. Both Sainsbury’s and Asda have their own large car parks either a 3 hour parking limit. Visitors to the Co-Op are able to use the Barons Road free car park opposite.
In addition, there are a number of smaller grocery shops such as Spar in Warwick Parade, One Stop and Cummings. Most of the larger shops stay open until 10pm. Both One Stop and Spar are open until late on Sundays when the supermarkets close at 4pm. Spar, currently stays one until 11pm.
Another useful store to mention is the M&S food shop attached to the BP Petrol Station close to the first roundabout on the approach to South Woodham from Rettendon Turnpike. This stays open until 12pm.
South Woodham Ferrers does not have a high street in the traditional sense. There is a group of shops beside the Asda supermarket in the centre, Alistair Black’s Jewellers which has existed since the early days, a card shop, a solicitors, Delicate Daisy Florist and a Tattoo Removal establishment.
The row of shops behind this one features the essential Timpson’s which offer a plethora of services from key cutting, shoe repair and much more.The person running the shop is a highly regarded helpful gentleman; a South Woodham treasure.
The home and clothing arm of Asda, George, has a large store opening onto Queen Elizabeth Square. The Boo Boutique displays trendy ladies clothing a little further down Herald’s Way, opposite the Eatery and China Kitchen.
South Woodham is blessed with a good variety of eateries and coffee shops.
Small independent shops in South Woodham Ferrers tend to come and go. The Book Nut is a recent addition. It’s more than just a book store. People can browse the shelves, meet with authors, join a book club and find inspiration.
Apart from that, there are the usual opticians, nail bars, beauty and tanning salons, hairdressers, barbers and a launderette all offering hands on services that cannot be purchased online.
There are currently three pharmacies plus a Savers Shop. The pharmacies are all incredibly busy as they carry out numerous tasks in addition to dispensing: vaccinations and health advice. The pharmacies are:
The Village Pharmacy housed in One Stop on Hullbridge Rd
Govani Chemist on Queen Elizabeth Square (next to Asda)
Allied Pharmacy on Brickfields Rd
The development of online chemists threatens the existence of our local pharmacies, especially since medication is delivered by mail.
Charity Shops deserve a mention. There are four long standing charity shops:
The Farleigh Hospice Shop in Oakland Square
St John’s Ambulance shop in Oakland Square
Haven’s Hospice Shop in Herald’s Way
Helen Rollason Cancer Charity Shops deserve in Warwick Parade. This shop replaced Mr Gees charity shops. Mr Gee still maintains an outlet for domestic appliances in a unit to the rear of the Warwick Parade Shops
The town is within easy driving reach of a number of large shopping centres, each offering a wide selection of shops:
Basildon 20 minutes by car
Chelmsford 25 minutes
Southend 30 minutes
Lakeside 35 minutes
Bluewater (over the Dartford Crossing) 50 minutes